Reflection Articles

Marcellin in the Age of AI: Why “Good Christians and Good Citizens” Still Matters - Br Darren Burge Reflects on Champagnat Day and Pope Leo’s Encyclical Today we observe Champagnat Day, marking the anniversary of the day that Marcellin Champagnat entered eternal life. More than two centuries later, Marcellin’s dream of forming “good Christians and good citizens” has taken on a renewed urgency. This call resonates strongly in light of Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical, which challenges us to safeguard what is deeply human in an era of unprecedented technological advancement. Drawing inspiration from the Holy Father’s reflection, Br Darren Burge, Provincial of Star of the Sea Province, explores how Marcellin’s vision continues to speak powerfully to our contemporary world. He reflects on what it means to form “good citizens” in an age shaped by artificial intelligence, rapid technological change, and growing social complexity. Continue Reading at this link: A Champagnat Day Message from Br Darren Burge 

Greetings from The Hermitage! May, the month of Mary and the blessings of Autumn Mary does not let us remain fallen and at times she takes us into her arms without judging us. Our converse with her consoles, frees and sanctifies us. Pope Francis. Gaudete Et Exultate #176 In the Catholic tradition, the month of May is a time dedicated to Mary. This tradition goes back to the 13th century and has more of a northern hemisphere focus as it has some alignment with the northern hemisphere seasons – the new life bursting through Spring and into Summer. However, that has never stopped us here in Australia from celebrating this universal observance. In fact, there has been, and in some cases still is, a strong devotion to Mary for many Catholics in this country which goes back to the early days of the colony. With very few priests to minister to the flock, lay people helped to keep their faith alive by gathering to pray the Rosary, thus developing a deep devotion to Mary. This practice continued for a long time – I remember as a kid myself in the 1970s being involved in ‘home rosaries’ as parishioners gathered in one another’s homes each week during May to pray the Rosary.   Continue reading at this link: May Hermitage Newsletter 2026

Blessed are the Peacemakers “I have no fear of the Trump administration nor of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel.” (Pope Leo XIV, aboard papal flight to Algiers, 13th April 2026) Greetings from The Hermitage! The quote above is from Pope Leo as he headed off for his 11-day trip to Africa. He went on to say: "That’s what I believe I am called to do and what the Church is called to do. We’re not politicians. We’re not looking to make foreign policy, as (Trump) calls it, with the same perspective as he might understand it. But I do believe that the message of the Gospel 'blessed are the peacemakers,’ is a message that the world needs to hear today."   Continue reading at this link: April Hermitage Newsletter 

Easter greetings from The Hermitage! The Easter story is undoubtedly one of the most intense, dramatic, captivating and significant events in human history – in fact for Christians, we might say it is THE most significant event in human history. The plot of this story has it all. At its darkest moments it is full of denial, betrayal, torture, cruelty, high emotion, tension, anxiety, agony and suffering. But it is bookended by a special meal with friends at the start and a truly astonishing revelation at the end which, while confusing for some who experienced it at the time, has remained a source of joy and hope for so many across two thousand years   Continue Reading at this link:  Easter Hermitage Newsletter 2026 

New Year greetings from the Hermitage! Each year the Marists develop a theme with a view to tapping into something that is contemporary, that has resonance with people, and that gives a focus to our spiritual journey through the year. Staff from the Marist Life and Mission (MLF) Team prepare resources that assist schools and other ministries to explore the theme, and they also visit schools to facilitate Staff Spirituality Days.  The theme for this year is: FULL OF GRACE Transform the World with God’s Love Grace can be a bit of a slippery concept. Many of us would remember the old saying, “there but for the grace of God go I.” What is God’s grace, and how does one get access to it, and most importantly, what is its impact on us? In 2018, renowned spiritual writer Fr Michael Casey, a Cistercian monk, wrote a book called simply, Grace – on the Journey to God. Grace certainly is about a journey – our spiritual journey. Casey says in his introduction that the book is a series of reflections “on what we are likely to experience when we begin to give ourselves conscientiously to the spiritual journey.” When we have this openness, says Casey, we are likely to find that “God’s grace is everywhere” – even in our desires, our temptations, our leisure and our silence.   Continue reading at this link:  February Hermitage Newsletter 2026 

Recently, local reporter Lewis Nancekivell, from Southern Highlands News, visited The Hermitage property to write an inviting article about our history and the operations of our beautiful property today.  Click the link to have a read: Southern Highlands News - The hidden Mittagong sanctuary with a surprising 120-year story

Dear Friends When researching some years ago for workshops I was leading on spiritual accompaniment, I wanted to find something about the concept of ‘presence’, which I believe to be powerful in our human experience and often under-estimated.  The nature and quality of our presence have an impact on our relationships and all the interactions we have with others. But what exactly do we mean by 'presence'?  It is more than simply being physically there. True presence means bringing our full, authentic self into each moment and interaction - setting aside distractions, agendas, and preoccupations to truly attend to the person before us and the situation at hand. In the Marist context, this quality of presence is at the heart of our charism. It is what Marcellin embodied with the young people he served: a way of being that creates space for the Spirit to work and transforms ordinary encounters into moments of grace. Without presence, our work becomes mere activity; with it, we become instruments of transformation. How, then, do we cultivate such a presence?   Continue reading at this link:  Star Messenger, 5 February 2026

As we hurtle towards the end of the year, perhaps now is the perfect time to pause, not to reflect on the year that’s almost gone – there’ll be plenty of time for that later – but to look forward in anticipation and expectation to what is ahead of us in the coming weeks. Christians refer to this time as Advent, a time of preparation. Preparation for what? Well, the simple answer is the birth of Jesus which is celebrated on the 25th December. But it’s not simply an acknowledgement of a historical event, as important as that event is for humanity. It’s really a preparation for what that event actually means for us individually and as a local, national and international community. As we come to the end of a Jubilee Year where Pope Francis invited us to be Pilgrims of Hope, Advent can have a special resonance with it’s focus on hope. As the scripture reading from last Sunday’s Mass says: Everything that was written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach something about hope from the examples scripture gives of how people who did not give up were helped by God. Romans 15:4-5   Continue reading newsletter at this link: Advent Hermitage Newsletter 2025

Greetings from the Hermitage! What a month it has been for Marists! Beginning with the legacy of the Founder of the Marist Brothers, St Marcellin Champagnat. On 9 October Pope Leo XIV released his first Apostolic Exhortation, “Dilexi Te” ("I Have Loved You"), where he referenced St Marcellin as a model for serving the poor through education. This document, commenced by Pope Francis and completed by Pope Leo, focuses on love for the poor, and it mentions how Champagnat dedicated himself to educating and evangelizing children and young people, especially the most vulnerable. It highlights his dedication to these young people who were often overlooked, a mission that those involved in Marist education continue today. We thank God for the initiative, vision and faith of St Marcellin which has inspired so many over the past two hundred years and opened up educational opportunities for countless young people. Earlier in the month we received some truly historic news. As the General Chapter of the Marist Brothers – a series of high-level meetings held every 8 years - was coming to a close in the Philippines, it was announced that our own Br Peter Carroll, Provincial of the Star of the Sea Province, had been elected as the new Superior-General. Br Peter hails from Brisbane and has held significant positions within the Province and has also been a principal in 3 Marist schools in Australia. Continue reading at this link: October Hermitage Newsletter 2025 

Greetings from the Hermitage! Welcome to springtime in the Highlands and it could not be more fitting that as I write this newsletter, we are in the middle of our annual Spring Retreat. With Dr Sally Longley guiding us, we are praying our way through the four seasons of nature and of our spiritual lives, culminating in the promise of new life that is harnessed with the coming of Spring. This time of the year is beautiful in the Southern Highlands as the leaves return, the grass grows and the flowers bloom. This is good for our hearts and particularly good for our souls. We slowly peel back the layers of clothing and venture into the outdoors to view the new life emerging and smell the fragrances that fill the air. But of course, we don’t forget how we arrived here. Since the fruits of summer, both in the physical reality and metaphorically, there have been seasonal changes. First there was the spectacular autumnal changes of colour before a movement towards dying off - a ‘letting go’ of unnecessary embellishments. Then came the winter bunkering down which, this year anyway, seemed particularly bleak at times. But now, from the dying off, signs of new life are sprouting everywhere. Alleluia!   Continue reading at this link:September Hermitage Newsletter 2025.pdf

Interesting to observe the different lenses through which church commentators are looking at this month’s second session of the Synod on Synodality, and the conclusions that they are reaching. Different conclusions. Even polar opposite ones. There may be parallel developments, or at least analogous lines of thought and action, in where our own Marist family is heading. Let’s consider both.   CONTINUING READING