From Rome Fr Ben McKenna reports: 'On Pentecost Sunday our Superior General, Fr John Larsen, together with the General House community, planted a ginkgo tree, one of five present during the annual two-day meeting of Marist Superiors-General and councillors held this year at Manziana, a Marist Brothers Centre north of Rome, May 14-15. The Marist Project has long been understood as a tree of many branches to which all types of people can belong.
'At the end of the meeting the four Superiors-General planted one tree in Manziana, each taking a tree home to their respective General Houses to be planted in their own grounds: as a symbol of the Marist Family, one heart and soul, working together in doing Mary’s Work in the world. The theme for the meeting was: Marist Family – grounded, branching and reaching out. Its three main topics were Learnings from the Pandemic, Co-operating with places of Marist Origin and the Laudato Si 7-Year action plan.'
The ginkgo is the oldest known living tree, originating in China over 300,000,000 years ago. As a symbol of endurance, it features in a book currently being written by Australian Marist author, Fr Paul Glynn.
(Audio Available)
