Year I: Our Marianist Hosts

Meet & Greet

In order to gain an understanding of the first Marianist's experiences and expressions, there are two primary references used to provide a lens into this study:

• New Wars: The History of the Brothers of Mary (Marianists) in Hawaii 1883-1958 (HAWN-PAC BX 3784.P3)

• Brother Bertram's Diary 1883-1905 

Individual Marianists & the Arts workshops are focused around the life and spirit of one of the following Marianists: Brother Oliver Aiu; Brother Joseph Becker; Brother Gabriel Bertram Bellinghausen; Father Robert Mackey; Father Joseph Priestley; and Father Stephen Tutas. 

Some points for exploration and reflection on the Host of your workshop...

• Who was the Marianist featured? What role did he play in building up the Chaminade community that we know today?

• What was he like? How would you describe his temperament?

• What influences, challenges and joys helped form his story? 

• What Marianist value seemed to impel him in his work? 

• What one thing most impressed you about his life?

Some points for exploration and self-reflection through the lens of your Host... 

• What role do you play in the Chaminade community?

• Imagine yourself in his time period, in his shoes, with the task set before him...in a similar situation today, what would you do? 

• How would you, could you, can you respond towards the growth of Chaminade University through gaining more within yourself a sense of place; a sense of the spirit that carried the first Marianists?

• Which of the Marianist values do you hold dear in your heart?

• What learning might your Host ask you to carry away? To be able to re-share a part of his story through your story?

Through the workshops you are asked to re-CREATE a piece of the story of the first Marianists in Hawai'i through YOUR story and the arts.

"The Brothers of those days did not wait to be told that classroom activity alone does not call forth all the diverse latent talents of students nor help them develop all of the skills of which they were capable. Other outlets are necessary. They knew this and initiated what are now call cocurricular subjects. Of these the band was the first and perhaps the most prominent." New Wars, p. 28

"The college band was frequently in demand for occasions joyful or sorrowful. Always on friendly terms with the royal family, the Brothers were requested to provide music for the funeral of Princess Likelike, who had died in the spring of 1886." - New Wars, p. 28

"Men of God are interested not only in making Christians, but in bringing out the latent abilities of men. To do this, institutions were established where minds are formed, skills learned and attitudes developed."  -New Wars, p. 5

"The Brothers found the mosquitoes and ants annoying, but were pleased with the absence of snakes." - New Wars, p. 20

"Herman Luis (a student) tells the story that he used to do something out of order to be detained after school by Brother Clarence on Fridays, art day. For then Brother would take him to the art room while he gave lessons to some of the boys. That was the very thing the lad wanted- to watch beauty take form on canvas." - New Wars, p. 149