Our Vinnies demonstrated their Marist faith in action this week by providing service for the ‘Goodworks’ service project in Onehunga. Through this service they demonstrated the Marist pillar of ‘In the way of Mary’.

In this spirit, this week our church celebrated the Most Holy Name of Mary, a very important Feast Day for our community as a Champagnat Marist college. The Holy Name of Mary remembers the person of Mary and who she is for all of us. On the Feast Day on 12 September, in a Homily that he gave, Pope Francis said of Mary, "She has given hope to so many people by her support and presence, which she continues to do! On how many lips has her Name appeared and continues to appear in moments of joy and sorrow! This is because in her, in Mary, we see the Father’s love manifested in one of the most beautiful and fulsome of ways, for in her we see the tenderness – let us not forget tenderness! – of a mother, who understands and forgives everything and who never abandons us. This is why we turn to her!"

Pope Francis provides us with a model of gratitude and also a way of being 'in the way of Mary' to grow towards Christ; in the way of Mary may we be supportive and present. Let us also remember to be tender and to be forgiving to those around us so that they may see the love of the father reflected in our way of being; so that they may see the love of God in our hearts and in our actions. So that they may see the pathway to Christ in the way of Mary, our Good Mother.