Volume 4, Number 7
Tuesday, April 5, 2005

FR. FLEMING OFFERS WORDS OF CONDOLENCE, HOPE

Provincial Stephen Glodek met Pope John Paul II in May 1998 outside the Pope's private chapel at the Vatican. Bro. Stephen was president of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. Also shown is Sr. Anne Munley, IHM.

Fr. David Fleming, superior general of the Society of Mary, offers inspiring thoughts on the death of Pope John Paul II. Read Fr. Fleming's letter. From the vocation office's Web site, read biographies and tributes about the Pope.

GENERAL CHAPTER DELEGATES ELECTED

Congratulations to the four brothers and four priests elected as delegates to represent the Province of the United States at the 2006 General Chapter in Rome: Bro. Ray Fitz, Bro. Francisco González, Bro. Charles Johnson, Fr. Joe Lackner, Fr. Paul Marshall, Fr. Jack McGrath, Fr. Dave McGuigan and Bro. Mike O'Grady. Bro. Stephen Glodek and Fr. Jim Fitz will represent the Province as delegates by right. In February, Province members nominated eight brothers and eight priests as candidates. During a second round of voting, brothers elected the four brothers and four priests who will serve as delegates. The District of India has elected Fr. D'Cruz Nicholas and Bro. Sukrit Tirkey as its delegates to the 2006 General Chapter. The District of Mexico has elected Bro. Roberto Hanss as its delegate.

ISAK KEYMAN-IGE TO PROFESS FIRST VOWS

Congratulations to second-year novice Isak Keyman-Ige (novitiate, Dayton), who has been approved by the Provincial Council for profession of first vows on May 21, 2005, in Dayton. Isak was recently awarded a certificate of commendation from the Archbishop of Cincinnati in honor of his service to refugees.

Second-year novice Isak Keyman-Ige was honored for his service to refugees .

PLANNING A CHAMINADE PARTY?

Reminder: Blessed William Joseph Chaminade's birthday is April 8 — this Friday . . . perfect for a party! Every community should have received two packages that include a DVD produced by Fr. Joe Kozar (with reflection questions), a Chaminade birthday poster, a prayer card/pledge card, a letter from Provincial Stephen Glodek, and birthday candles. If you have not received these materials, e-mail Bro. Bob Resing at rresing@sm-usa.org. A limited number of extra prayer cards are available by e-mailing Bro. Bob.

JUAN GARCÍA, RÉGULO GARCÍA TO PROFESS VOWS

Bro. Juan

Bro. Régulo

Congratulations to Juan García Jiménez and Régulo García Hernández from the District of Mexico who have been approved for the profession of perpetual vows in the Society of Mary. Juan is director general of the Instituto Villa del Espírtu Santo in Coatzacoalcos, a secondary school and teacher-training institute. Regulo works in formation ministry in Querétaro. The date for the vow ceremony has not been announced.

CONSULTATION FOR 2007 PROVINCIAL, ASST. PROVINCIAL

The Provincial Council and General Council have agreed on a tentative timeline for the consultation for a Provincial and Assistant Provincial, with terms beginning July 1, 2007:

• March-April 2006: The General Council initiates the official consultation for Provincial.
• July 2006: The outgoing General Council presents the consultations to the new General Council.
• August 2006: The appointment of Provincial is announced.
• September-October 2006: A similar process and consultation will be followed for the appointment of the Assistant Provincial.

THE WASHING OF THE FEET

The novitiate in Dayton celebrated Holy Thursday on March 24 with Mass and dinner. Front, Fr. Jim Bartlett washes the feet of novice Luke Hoenigman, and back, Fr. Dave McGuigan washes the feet of Bro. Leo Willett.

CONSULTATION FOR NEW DISTRICT SUPERIOR IN MEXICO

The Provincial has initiated a consultation of the members of the District of Mexico for their new District Superior. Consultations are due May 1, 2005. The new District Superior will be named later in May.

VISITORS TO MEXICO FROM CASA MARIA

Casa Maria community members Bro. Ed. Longbottom (San Antonio aspirancy director) and Aspirants Bob Jones and Steve Paone traveled from San Antonio to Querétaro, Mexico, to share in community life and tour the city. Bro. Esteban Reyes Durán and Bro. Servando Méndez Castro from Puebla, Mexico, joined the gathering. The Texans with their Mexican friends at the Querétaro community house, seated, from left, Fr. Pablo Neumann, Steve Paone and Bro. Rafael Neumann; standing, from left, Aspirant Mario Uziel Verduzco Denniz, Bro. Rogelio Bau, Aspirant Ricardo Meja Montiel, Bob Jones, Novice Gobi Torres Nazarío and Bro. Ed.

BOARD FORMATION TASK FORCE

Last December, the Provincial Council approved the creation of a task force for Marianist board formation. The group's charge is to develop standards for governance and create a formation program for boards of Marianist ministries. Co-chairs are Bro. Jack Ventura, Province Office of Religious Life, and Tony Fitzgerald, Marianist Family Retreat Center in Cape May, N.J. The task force will meet May 5-7, 2005, in St. Louis. Read the task force update.

MARIANISTS AND FRIENDS

Bro. José María Alvira., Fr. David Fleming and Ed DeBerri, director of the Christian Family Living Center in North Topsail Beach, N.C., share insights with Mother Adele, Blessed Chaminade and Madame Marie-Thérèse (courtesy of Carol Weiss, CFL board member and puppet-maker extraordinaire). The General Council was visiting the community at Topsail Island.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL OF . . .

Marcella Sanders, 90, who died March 23, 2005, after a long illness. May she rest in peace. Marcella was a longtime Lay Marianist Affiliate in St. Louis.

Casper (Cassie) Yoch, who died April 1, 2005. May he rest in peace. Cassie was the brother-in-law of the late Bro. Theodore Hoeffken and a friend to many Marianists in St. Louis and San Antonio. Funeral at St. Henry's in Belleville, Ill., on April 6 at 10:30 a.m.

FIRST TULIP OF SPRING, MARYLAND AVE., ST. LOUIS

Photo courtesy of Bro. Bob Resing, S.M. Bro. Bob's images are available for sale as note cards or prints. To order, contact Bro. Bob at rresing@sm-usa.org.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE HEALING OF . . .

Bro. George Whiston (Mercy Siena, Dayton), who is hospitalized with pneumonia.

Bro. Joe Meierdirks (Mercy Siena, Dayton), who is hospitalized for dehydration.

Steve and Jeannie Smoka, who are having serious problems with their pregnancy. Steve is a cousin of Novice Luke Hoenigman.

Callie West, who is recovering from a serious automobile accident. Please pray also for her husband Mike and her baby Arianna. Callie is a cousin of Novice Luke Hoenigman.

Don Wigal writes: "I am happy to report that my cousin's grandchild has improved dramatically from his lymphoma after you so thoughtfully posted our request for prayers. I hope all will join me in thanksgiving for such beautiful mercy."

EASTER WEEKEND AT THE NOVITIATE

PEACE & JUSTICE UPDATE: SILENCE FOR DARFUR Myles McCabe Province Director of Peace & Justice mmccabe@sm-usa.org Take one minute tomorrow. Please observe one minute of silence tomorrow, Wednesday, April 6, at 3 p.m. EST, to remember both the crisis in the Darfur area of Sudan and the Rwandan genocide, which occurred 11 years ago in April. The War and Peace team of the MSJC reminds us that as many as 400,000 are dead, and more than 2 million refugees need aid. For additional information, go to www.msjc.net and click on the War and Peace section.

MARIANISTS AT CENTRAL CATHOLIC

Twenty-three Marianists were special guests at the 2005 Central Catholic President Pillars Social on March 6. The Pillars are Central Catholic High School's top 200 donors (alumni, parents, faculty, staff, foundations and local businesses). Seated, from left: Bro. Harold Lootens, Fr. Norb Moellering, Bros. Jim McCaffrey, Martin McMurtrey and Terry O'Conner, Fr. George Stuebben ('46), Fr. Ade Windisch and Bro. Rich Martens; standing, from left: Bro. Ed Loch, Fr. Gerry Haby, Bros. Greg DeMoor and Herb Janson, Frs. Joe Tarrillion and Franz Schorp, Bros. Jim Burkholder, John Totten, Jim Jaeckle and Bill McCarthy, Sr. Grace Walle, Fr. Don Cowie and Bros. Alva Gillis, Dan Sharpe and Dave Quigley.

A LENTEN GIFT

Bro. Bill Schlosser shares a wonderful story from Mombasa, Kenya: Feswal Musa, a catering student at the Marianist Development Project (MDP) in Mombasa, has a disability that made it difficult for him to walk to the MDP. Despite this, he attended class every day, but often arrived late and tired. Bros. Charles Mulenga and Daniel Wang'ombe and several others fasted from lunch during Lent. With the money saved, the group bought a bike for Feswal. He now arrives on time for class.

Bro. Daniel Wang'ombe (right) with MDP student Feswal Musa and his new bike.

VIA LATINA

Read the April 1, 2005, issue of Via Latina from the General Administration in Rome. This issue includes the impressions of the four members of the General Council after their many weeks of travel throughout the Province of the United States.

BRO. JAVIER VISITS DAYTON'S DAKOTA CENTER

Bro. Ed Zamierowski invited Bro. Javier Anso to the Dakota Center in Dayton, which was founded by Fr. Phil Hoelle 40 years ago as a safe center for neighborhood youth from Dayton's West side. From left, Bro. Ed, Sharon Mitchell, executive director, Bro. Javier, Eileen Moorman, board chair, and Gerry VonderBrink, board vice president. Bro. Ed and Bro. Jack Somerville also are board members. Visit the Dakota Center's Web site.

WHO'S DOING WHAT

Fr. Ted Cassidy (Cape May Point, N.J.) reports that 30 people attended the fifth annual Cultural Diversity Gathering, a potluck supper held March 14 at the Marianist Family Retreat Center in Cape May Point. Fr. Cassidy devised the idea as an annual way to celebrate diversity. The event was featured in the March 15 issue of the Press of Atlantic City.

In March, Fr. George Montague (Casa San Juan, San Antonio) was part of an ecumenical panel discussing the "Bible and Violence" at Texas State University in San Marcos. Fr. George is a professor of theology at St. Mary's University.

Fr. George (center) with Rabbi Samuel Barth (left) and David T. Stewart.

Felicitas cares for a refugee in Darfur.

Felicitas Samtleben-Spleiss, a Lay Marianist Affiliate in Augsburg, Germany, recently served as a nurse for the refugees in Darfur, Sudan, a land called "Cush" in the Scriptures. In a reflection, she writes of this war-torn land.

Director Anthony Fucci reports that the Marianist Family Retreat Center in Cape May, N.J., hosted a Latino Family Retreat March 19-20 with the help of Bro. (Hermano) Tobias Ferrer, who was recruited for the weekend. The retreat was funded in part by the Marianist Sharing Fund. Almost 35 attended.

Hermano Tobias with Padre Ted Cassidy during the Palm Sunday procession.

PROVINCE RETREAT IN MENLO PARK, CALIF.

At the first Province Retreat on March 21-27 at Vallombrosa Center, Menlo Park, Calif., front row, from left, Bros. Jim Leahy, Pat McMahon and Jerry Bommer, and Frs. Paul Fitzpatrick and Roland Bunda. Middle row, from left, Fr. Pat Philbin, Bro. Ray Kane, Fr. Jack Rielly, and Bros. Mike O'Grady and Dick Olsen. Back row, from left, Bros. Mike Galvin and Howard Hughes and Fr. Norb Brockman.

MYSTERY MARIANIST

Who is this handsome young Marianist brother?

2004-2005 PERSONNEL

READ CHANGES TO THE PERSONNEL. Contact Ann Mueller with changes at amueller@sm-usa.org. REMEMBER: For up-to-the-minute personnel information, visit the PORTAL at www.marianist.com/portal

OUT AND ABOUT

Read the upcoming travel schedule of members of the Provincial staff in St. Louis.

NCEA CONVENTIONEERS

Enjoying the convention of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) March 29-April 1 in Philadelphia. PHOTO TOP: from left, Fr. Tim Kenney, Province director of education, Bro. Bill Campbell, assistant executive director of the Elementary Department of the NCEA, and Edward Scheid, principal of North Catholic High School in Pittsburgh; PHOTO BOTTOM: from left: Fr. John Thompson, president of Chaminade-Madonna High School in Hollywood, Fla., Gloria Ramos, C-M principal, and Brian Reavey, director of LIFE/LIFE Alumni for the Province.

INVITE A YOUNG PERSON TO "WORLD YOUTH DAY 2005"

Bro. Jack Ventura asks if you know a young person who would enjoy the 20th World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, Aug. 15-21, 2005. The Marianist Office of Religious Life is coordinating a tour from Aug. 15 to Aug. 22, and offers special invitations to campus ministries, LIFE programs, high schools, parishes, retreat centers, and those who are temporary professed. The Provincial Council has agreed to offer financial assistance. For more information, visit www.marianist.com/fol and click on the Jan. 11 issue of FamilyOnline. Check out the Youth Day website at www.wjt2005.de.

GA AT TOPSAIL, NORTH CAROLINA

The General Council were warmly welcomed by the Topsail Island faith community in North Carolina. Following Eucharist at the Rider residence, from left, Bro. Frank Smith, Sue Rider, Bro. Ray McQuade, Fr. David Fleming, Fr. Rich Kuhn, Zelia Falzón and Bro. José María Alvira. The visitors from Rome also were treated to a gala dinner at the Evans residence.

BRO. JOE'S LIFE AND DEATH SET PRECEDENT

Many years before the debate over Terri Schiavo’s life and death, the story of Marianist Bro. Joe Fox made national headlines. Bro. Joe slipped into a coma in October 1979 after a routine operation. His fellow brothers decided to remove his respirator; Bro. Joe’s doctors refused. He died Jan. 24, 1980, just before New York State's Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the brothers. Read a Newsday article by Katie Thomas.

NEWSLETTER CENTRAL

EASTERN AFRICA. Read the March 2005 issue of Connections, the monthly newsletter from the Region of Eastern Africa.

MLNNA. Read the March 2005 issue of the MLNNA E-news, the e-newsletter of the Marianist Lay Network of North America.

REDS. Read the March 2005 issue of the newsletter from the Ragpickers Education Development Scheme (REDS).

MSJC. Read the April 2005 issue of Justice Jottings.

Note: To view PDF files, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free of charge at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. If you're opening a "PDF" file and the publication is too small, pull down the "percentage" menu and increase the percentage to 100 percent or higher for easy viewing.

MARIANIST SISTERS ASSEMBLY

The Marianist Sisters held their assembly and chapter meeting March 18-19, 2005, in San Antonio. The focus was “Living our Legacy: Carrying on the Mission.” At the end of the meetings, the sisters celebrated the 50th jubilees of Sisters Durie Kim and Audrey Buttner. Shown, from left, Sisters Audrey Buttner, Evangeline Escobar, provincial, and Durie Kim

ARE YOUR DATES POSTED ON THE CALENDAR?

A calendar that lists events involving Marianist brothers, Marianist sisters and lay Marianists is now available at www.marianist.com/calendar. The calendar also is available on the PORTAL at www.marianist.com/portal. If you'd like an event included, send the event, date, location and contact information to Pat Stephens at pstephens@sm-usa.org.

OOPS #1

From the last issue of FamilyOnline: Well, we were correct that Bro. Jim Roberts is the individual on the left, but the priest on the right is not Fr. Fee, but rather Fr. William Marshall, who left the Marianists in the 1970s and is now a retired priest of the diocese of Oakland, Calif. He is an alum of Saint Louis School in Honolulu. Thanks to Fr. Allen DeLong and Bros. Tom Spring, Bill Bolts and Jim Dods who showed us the light!

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE, DEADLINES

Read the 2005 publication schedule and deadlines for photos and copy for FamilyOnline. Read hints about submitting photos and copy.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

You can search the archived issues of FamilyOnline at www.marianist.com/fol. Type in the word(s) you're looking for, open the issue, pull down the "Edit" bar and click on "Find on This Page," which will take you to the exact spot you need.

AFFILIATES, SODALISTS REUNITE IN WEST HILLS

Fr. Ted Ley reports that Lay Marianist affiliates and sodalists from Southern California gathered for an annual reunion at the West Hills, Calf., community. Fr. Jack Rielly and the West Hills community hosted the event, which included Mass, a quiz on Blessed Chaminade and a buffet meal. At the reunion, Bro. Urban Naal (standing, far left), Fr. Ted (standing, fourth from right), and Fr. Jack (standing, far right). Ted Ley Sr., Fr. Ted’s father (standing, second from left) turns 89 this month.

OOPS #2

We omitted the answers to the Nutrition Q & A featured in the last issue of FamilyOnline. The correct answers are boldfaced below. Courtesy Jim Glaser, registered dietician

1. The key to buying a higher-fiber bread is to look for the word(s) _____ in the first ingredient.
a. stone ground    b. natural    c. whole    d. organic

2. Trans fats are found in which of the following:
a. olive oil    b. all brands of margarine    c. peanuts and peanut oil
d. most packaged cookies and crackers

3. If you're older than 55, which is the best source of vitamin B-12?
a. milk    b. poultry    c. eggs    d. green, leafy vegetables    e. supplements

MYSTERY MARIANIST UNVEILED . . .

It's Bro. Giancarlo Bonutti, who lives at DeSales Crossings in Cincinnati.

PROVINCE BIRTHDAYS

April

ABOUT FamilyOnline

Editor: Diane Guerra; assistant: Ann Mueller. This biweekly e-mail newsletter features news about the Society of Mary (SM), Daughters of Mary Immaculate (FMI) and lay Marianists. Bro. Stephen Glodek, SM, provincial; Fr. Jim Fitz, SM, assistant provincial. NEWS: We'll include news of travels, health updates, prayer requests, community celebrations, professional accomplishments, birthdays, and whatever personal or community news you'd like to share. Please send news, digital photos and comments and suggestions to Diane Guerra at dguerra@sm-usa.org and use "FamilyOnline" as your subject line. TECHNICAL PROBLEMS: If you're not receiving this newsletter in the proper format, with proper spacing and photographs and art appearing, please let us know and we'll try to find a solution. If we can’t find a solution, we’ll put you on our “NOTIFY ONLY” list. CHANGE IN E-MAIL ADDRESS: Send to Ann Mueller at amueller@sm-usa.org. NOTE TO DIRECTORS: Please print this newsletter and post or distribute to Brothers who do not have e-mail. BACK ISSUES/SEARCH: Visit www.marianist.com/fol. SUBSCRIBE: To subscribe, visit http://www.marianist.com/subscribe.htm. UNSUBSCRIBE: To unsubscribe, visit http://www.marianist.com/subscribe.htm.