Welcome to Marist Messenger’s New Editor

Fr Patrick Brophy SM

As from next month, the new editor of Marist Messenger will be Fr Patrick Brophy SM, a man of wide-ranging experience. He has just completed seven years at St Patrick’s College as chaplain. He was raised with three sisters and two brothers on the family farm at Pungarehu in Taranaki. He received his secondary education at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, before entering Mount St Mary’s Seminary, Greenmeadows. Ordained to the priesthood in 1984, his first appointment was to St Bede’s College, Christchurch. He was accepted for international mission and appointed to Peru in 1988. He also later worked in Venezuela and Mexico. In Latin America Fr Pat worked in in a variety of ministries, including as parish priest in several parishes; executive director in colleges; in university chaplaincy and in training seminary students.

While in Valencia, Venezuela, he founded the Juan Claudio Colin - Fe y Alegria College. In Sullana, Peru, he served a term on the Board of the local municipal bank and was the Vicar Forane of Sullana Province.

Fr Pat’s overseas experience was broken up with spells back in New Zealand, working in youth ministry in Wellington, university chaplaincy, Marist formation and Hispanic chaplaincy in Auckland and parish work in Northland. Pat also served as a Provincial Councillor during this time. He has also worked in Vocations Ministry and is currently the Bursar and Vocation Director for the New Zealand Province of the Society of Mary.

Pat has also attended the Loreto House Formation and Leadership Course run by the Irish Missionary Institute in Dublin, Ireland. In 2016 on renewal, he attended the Tantur Institute in Jerusalem and later walked the Camino de la Plata, a 1000km trail from Seville to Santiago de Compostela. He enjoys gardening and is a hobby beekeeper.