Champagnat An International Marist Journal of Education and Charism Volume 11 Number 3 December 2009 COMMENT 3 Beginnings John McMahon 8 The Berlin Wall Peter Houlahan 10 Our contributors 12 Launching Lee McKenzie FEATURED ARTICLES 16 Hap and Mishap Frederick McMahon 38 Mary Ward, the Loretos and the 1980s Constance Lewis 74 Australasia’s first Provincial Frederick McMahon RESPONSES AND OpiNION 24 The dance: missionaries now Jeff Crowe REVIEws (BOOKS) 82 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest Madeleine Laming 84 Expert Educators – a Handbook for New Madeleine Laming and Inexperienced Teachers REVIEws (Film) 87 Capitalism: A Love Story Gil Maclean 89 Ponyo; A Christmas Carol; Amelia Hughes- New Moon Lobert REVIEW (TELEVISION) 100 My Place (ABC3) Juliette Hughes DECEMBER 2009 CHAMPAGNAT 1 Champagnat: An International Marist Journal of Education and Charism aims to present information on research, educational practice and policy-making in the field of Champagnat Education and other associated areas in a format that is accessible to both researcher and practitioner, within and beyond the international Marist network. Qualitative and quantitative data, case studies, historical analyses and more theoretical, analytical and philosophical material are welcomed. The journal aims to assist in the human formation and exploration of ideas of those who feel inspired by a charism, its nature and purpose. In this context, charism is seen as a gift to an individual, in our case Marcellin Champagnat, who in turn inspires a movement of people, often internationally, across generations. Such an educational charism encourages people to gather, to share faith, to explore meaning, to display generosity of spirit and to propose a way forward for education, particularly of the less advantaged. Consequently, this Journal endeavours to discuss the relationship between charism more generally, and education. Publisher John McMahon fms Champagnat: An International Marist Editor John McMahon fms Journal of Education and Charism, Assistant editor Juliette Hughes ISSN 1448-9821, is published three Creative designer Lucille Hughes times a year by Champagnat Education Subscriptions Officer Jenny Burke Office, Melbourne Province, 7 Tuscany Rise Templestowe VIC 3106. Editorial Board Dr Richard Cotter, (PO Box 753)Ph: (03) 9846 1633; University of Melbourne; Brendan Fax: (03) 9846 5354. Geary fms, Ushaw College, Durham, Email: [email protected] UK; Michael Green fms, St Augustine’s Responsibility for editorial content is College, Cairns; James Jolley fms, accepted by John McMahon fms Geneva, Switzerland; Dr Helga 7 Tuscany Rise Templestowe VIC 3106 Neidhart, Australian Catholic Printed by Doran Printing, University; Dr Bernadette O’Keeffe, 46 Industrial Drive, Von Hügel Institute, Cambridge; Braeside VIC 3195 Dr Paddy Walsh, University of London. Contributing editor © Champagnat Education 2009 New Zealand: Alan Parker Unsolicited manuscripts are welcomed Management Committee and will be returned only if accom- John McMahon fms, Chairperson; panied by a self-adressed envelope. Berise Heasly; Paul Herrick; Juliette Requests for permission to reprint Hughes; Lucille Hughes; Madeleine material from the journal should be Laming; Jenny Burke. addressed in writing to the Editor. 2 CHAMPAGNAT DECEMBER 2009 an EDITO R’S this & that publication edited by Professor Gerald Grace, titled International Studies in Catholic Education. Articles in these early editions cover the experience of Catholic Education in both developed and developing countries. It’s an exciting venture. When I returned to Melbourne, I found with great delight that we have received two awards from the judges for the Australasian Beginnings Catholic Press Association at the Association’s 2009 annual presentation. Our awards are for Best Magazine and Best Mission Coverage article in 2008. As an editorial team, we are greatly encouraged by this affirmation. have just returned from the We thank in particular Fr Mark 21st General Chapter of the Walls, SM from New Zealand Marist Brothers which was for his article titled ‘Turning held in Rome from September Mission into Ministry’ which I8 to October 10, 2009. There, won the Best Mission coverage 84 Brother delegates and nine award. Naturally, in winning the lay Marist participants gathered Best Magazine Award, we want to reflect on the Marist Brothers’ to thank the authors of all our Institute of today and how it con- articles and reviews, as well as our tributes to developing our contem- columnists, for the high quality of porary world. We focused espe- their contributions. Thank you also cially on the charism of Marcellin to those who work so diligently Champagnat and how it can be in the Journal’s production team, a source of inspiration to young especially Juliette Hughes, Lucille people and poor children. Hughes, Madeleine Laming and On my way home from the Berise Heasly. Chapter I visited London, and As I talk to readers of our Journal, obtained the first editions of a new I see that you are inspired often by DECEMBER 2009 CHAMPAGNAT 3 Beginnings what you read in our pages. Some determination. Captivated by tell me they always find an article the adventure and opportunities or two they want to read immedi- of life, he accepted a scholarship ately, others inform me that they to Houston where, the Artistic initially put the Journal aside, so Director of the Houston Ballet, that they can read it from cover to Ben Stevenson, could say eventu- cover later. Your feedback is always ally to Li ‘You came here as a stu- important to us. dent and leave as a star’. The film Mao’s Last Dancer A highlight of Li’s life occurred opened recently in Australian when his mother and father were cinemas. Based on the book of able to travel to Houston to see the same name, author Li Cunxin their sixth son perform. Unaware describes his early years in rural of their presence, Li’s first response Qingdao, China where he grew on seeing them after the perform- up with his mother, father and six ance, was to drop to his knees to brothers in a very poor, yet lov- thank them. This reminded me ing environment. Li remembers of the way the leper, exiled from how in some years ‘the peasants his community, and who had just in his village even ate tree bark to been cured by Jesus, came back to survive’. thank Him. When a delegation from Li Cunxin’s dancing attracted Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance others to him. He inspired people Company visited his commune to follow his way of pursuing a school, he was invited to study goal and accepting the sacrifice, ballet and, in this way, serve in and even suffering, to achieve that Chairman Mao Zedong’s revolu- goal. I could not help but think, tion. Li left home at eleven years while watching the film and see- of age. Accepting this invitation ing Li fly through the air both on changed his life. In worshipping the Houston stage and back in his Chairman Mao, he could give parent’s village in China, how enli- expression to this by nurturing vened he appeared as he pursued his passion, undertaking the rig- his passion and charisma to give orous training provided by the people enjoyment. Beijing Dance Company for the We have the opportunity to do next seven years. likewise. We can be the face of As opportunities came his way, God in our own settings as we live Li responded with courage and life to the full, by giving service to 4 CHAMPAGNAT DECEMBER 2009 John McMahon others, especially to young people By the 1990s, fewer members of and the poor. Reflecting on this Religious Congregations were serv- brings me to the theme of this ing on school staffs. Consequently, issue: ‘Then and Now’. school principals became more The ‘then’ we are invited to conscious, when leading profes- consider is embodied in our lead sional development programmes, article by Dr Constance Lewis. of the importance of topics like Written as part of her monumental ethos and charism. Responsibility doctoral thesis in 1988, the extract for nurturing the religious charism that we are privileged to publish in schools had shifted from mem- concerns the life of Mary Ward bers of Religious Congregations to and how her spirit informed the lay leaders. charism of the Loreto Sisters par- My instinct tells me that what- ticularly here in Australia in the ever we do (in the way of analysing energetic and optimistic ‘80s. and re-imagining Marist Religious The ‘now’ seems considerably less Life on the one hand and the certain as we must continually act Church on the other) will not in faith regarding the future. In this advance our understanding and 400th Anniversary of Mary Ward’s appropriation of our unique life death, it is sometimes poignant to task – unless at the same time we look at Dr Lewis’ often-optimistic address the reality of the world perspective on what the 1980s held today. This may involve putting on and what the future was felt by hold our assumptions, our set views many to hold. Yet much of the and our received judgements so article carries a feeling of prophecy, that we may be open to apprehend even if some of the developments (partially and provisionally for a referred to as expected possibilities start) the new human society and did not come to pass. human culture, the new axioms For the Marists, the 1980s and the new consciousness associ- proved to be a decade of growth ated with the new world which is and optimism. School communi- still coming to birth around us. ties continually focused on articu- To this end, we encourage lating their vision and setting goals. young lay writers, in particular Students became more interested our film reviewers, (in this issue in social issues, leading them to Amelia Hughes-Lobert and Gil enter generously into community Maclean) to share their perspec- service activities.