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· Marianist Family Council of North America
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[Left to right: Fr. Jim Fitz (SM),
Marge Cavanaugh (MLNNA), Bro. Steve Glodek (SM), Sr. Vange Escobar (FMI),
Dan Jordan (MLNNA), and Sr. Marcy Loehrlein (FMI)]
The Marianist Family Council of North
America met on November 4-5 in St.
Louis. The purpose of the Family Council is to
encourage the implantation of the Marianist Family in North
America and to facilitate the cooperation of all its members
in implementing the mission of the Marianist Family in North American
culture.
At present, the Council supports two
major initiatives: the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative and the
Marianist Lay Formation Initiative.
Joan McGuinness Wagner, director of the
Marianist Lay Formation Initiative, submitted a written report and was
present at the meeting to answer questions. Because she has taken a
full-time position at the University
of Dayton, Joan
regrets that she must step down from the position as director. She is,
however, continuing to work with the Initiative until the Family Council
finds a new leadership.
The Family Council also received the
annual report of the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative, which
included a report on the Adèle Social Justice Project for young adults.
The Family Council commended the Collaborative for its many initiatives
for the sake of social justice and discussed some key issues for its
future.
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· Joan, "This Bud's for You"
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Joan McGuinness Wagner, for all you do
for your Marianist Family, this bud's for you.
MLNNA and the Marianist Family Council
of North America thank Joan again for her service as director of the Lay
Formation Initiative. We wish her the best of luck with her work at the University of Dayton.
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· Some Marianist Dates
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The Family Council wants to communicate
to all the members of the Marianist Family some important upcoming Family
events in 2007.
Members of the Family are encouraged to
remember these events in prayer:
- January 10, Anniversary of the death of Venerable Adèle de
Batz de Trenquelléon
- January 22, Anniversary of the death of Blessed William
Joseph Chaminade
- February 2, Anniversary of the foundation of the Marianist
Family (foundation day of the Bordeaux Sodality)
- February 17-19, Marianist Sisters, Provincial Chapter
- March 2-6, Marianist
Province of the United States,
Provincial Chapter
- June 25-July 1, Marianist
Province of the United States,
Province Assembly
- July 8-30, Marianist Sisters, General Chapter
- September 14, Anniversary of the death of Venerable Marie
Thérèse de Lamourous
- October 14, Marianist World Day of Prayer
- July 2009, MLNNA Continental
Assembly
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· Waiting with Mary-Preparing with John the Baptist
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[Editor's
Note: Lay Marianist Susan Vogt penned the following Advent
reflection, which appeared in Whose
Birthday Is It, Anyway? (2005), published by Alternatives for
Simple Living. Susan’s words are a true reminder of the reason for
the Advent season.]
We wait for the mail, for the rain to
stop (or start), for our birthday, for a loved one to return home, for
results of a medical test, for a trip to start, or a wedding day.
It’s hard to wait. And it should be so because waiting is part of
the experience.
If everyday was your birthday at first
this would seem wonderful, but eventually you would find the thrill
diminished as a special day becomes everyday. If the rain stopped or
started at your command, at first it would seem idyllic and convenient,
but part of the joy of beautiful days is knowing that they are not always
that way. We need to pay attention and savor it. If we never had to wait
for a loved one to return, would the arrival be so cherished? Would the
wedding day carry such power if couples did not have to wait for it?
But our culture tries to rob us of the
joy that comes from waiting–especially during Advent.
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Click to Continue Susan’s
Advent Reflection
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· World Council of the Marianist Family
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(Front row from the left: María
José Jáuregui, FMI; Marie Joëlle Bec, FMI; Ana Blázquez Ubach, MLC;
Anthony Garascia, MLC. Middle Row: Isabella Moyer, MLC; Lorna Mueni, MLC;
Domingo Fuentes, SM; Estella Ibarra, FMI; Isabelle de Cantellauve, MA.
Back Row: Paola Brivio, FMI; Edward Violett, SM; Manuel Cortés, SM; Tim
Phillips, SM; André Fétis, SM; Ezequiel Reggiani, MLC; José María Alvira,
SM)
The World Council of the Marianist
Family met in Rome
from November 8-10. The annual meeting is a time to share updates from
all four branches, revisit the objectives set for 2005-2008, discuss the
progress that has been made, and explore current issues.
With this meeting the presidency of the
World Council of the Marianist Family changes in its regular rotation.
The new president for the next two years will be Fr. Manuel Cortés, SM.
The Council thanked Sr. Marie Joëlle Bec, FMI, for her capable leadership
of the World Council during the past two years.
A news bulletin and Christmas message
from the World Council will be available shortly.
(Material taken from Gifts and Tasks, edited by Regional
Responsible Isabella Moyer for International Organization of MLC-Region
of North America, Asia, Ireland, and Australia)
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· State: Virtues, Healing, and Holiness
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(The State Community blesses Rich
Csarny during an October retreat.)
It is one thing to hear a presentation
on the System of Virtues during a retreat. It is another to humbly live
out the spirit of the System during this same weekend.
The members of the State Community did
both during “Revisiting the System of Virtues,” which was
held in Dayton, Ohio, from October 27-29.
During the Saturday evening liturgy,
celebrated by Father Jim Schimelpfening, SM, Rich Csarny, who has cancer,
received a special blessing prayer from members of the community.
During the blessing, Bill Hirt, who
recently returned from travels to Argentina,
told of his meeting with Elena Otero, the Buenos Aires woman whose medical cure
is attributed to the intercession of Blessed Chaminade.
According to Bill, Elena believes the
next medical miracle through the intercession of Chaminade is to occur in
North America.
Marianist scholar Hugh Bihl, SM, was
the presenter for the weekend. Several members of the Marianist Family
also attended the presentation, and State held a joint Eucharist with the
Miryam Community.
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· Miryam Community
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(Fr. Jim Schimelpfening, SM, prays
with the Miryam Community before members renew their vow of stability.
Left to right: Joan Schiml, Laura Libertore, Karen Seitz, Laura
Luehrmann-Burdick, Joe Burdick, Fr. Jim, Bro. Tom Pieper, SM, Bridget
Ebbert, Dan Jordan, and Anne Petratis)
The Miryam Community had its
semi-annual retreat in Dayton,
Ohio, from October 27-29.
The weekend included a presentation on the Society of Mary’s
involvement in East Africa.
In addition, community members renewed
the vow of stability during a joint Eucharist with the State Community on
Saturday night. (Miryam will celebrate its tenth anniversary next year.)
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· Hawaii
Happenings
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(In the photo are Barb Belle,
Kristi Schullenberg, Pete Steiger, Ray and Joanne McCracken, and Kay
Stone. Photo taken by Dennis Schmitz, SM)
Members of the Marianist Family
recently gathered to discuss plans to initiate a Hawaii version of the Marianist Family
Retreat within the next year. Ray and Joanne McCracken, from New Jersey, met with the group while in the Aloha State.
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· MSJC: Justice and Scripture
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“Stories Converse–A Journey
of Discipleship” is an excellent lectionary-based resource for
Marianist Lay Communities, faith-sharing groups, prayer groups, etc. It
provides weekly faith-sharing material on the Sunday readings with solid,
scholarly exegesis and reflection questions for small group or individual
reflection. It also has a strong social justice perspective.
(Material provided by Jim Vogt,
director of the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative)
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Click for "Stories
Converse–A Journey of Discipleship"
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· Friday Magnificat Submissions
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The World Council of the Marianist
Family encourages the entire Marianist Family to pray the Magnificat
every Friday as a sign of our commitment to justice and to make
children’s rights a reality in our world. Dan Jordan, in
collaboration with MLNNA and the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative, publishes
a weekly email version of the Magnificat in English, Spanish, and French.
Along with the prayer, a specific ministry or reflection is highlighted
bringing awareness to the needs of children.
Dan is seeking very short articles
highlighting Marianist ministries that focus on children and youth for
upcoming issues of Friday Magnificat.
The contributions should be written in Spanish, French, or English. In
addition, they should either show the Marianist Family/Institutions
helping children, or they should highlight children’s problems that
the world must address; i.e., poverty, child trafficking, etc.
To request a subscription to the weekly
Magnificat, or to contact
Dan, please send an email to mlnnacom@yahoo.com.
(Material taken from Gifts and Tasks)
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· San Antonio:
Planting and Growing
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Father Chris Janson, SM, has started
his assignment in shepherding Holy Rosary Parish in San Antonio. One of his first orders
was giving the laicos de comunidades Marianistas some ministry chores.
Deacon Felipe Barajas is in charge of
liturgy coordinating Advent through early January. Grant writing is in
the hands of Angie Cortez. Esther Rodriguez is in with the St. Vincent de
Paul Society, and this is their busy time of year. Mary Medina is working
with the Altar Society. Richard Salazar is an ACTS retreat coordinator
and diaconate student. Cordelia and Juanita are involved with the
charismatic prayer group of Holy Family, a neighboring church.
The rest are helping in the
Neighborhood Association doing some tree planting with young oak trees
contributed by St. Mary’s University. San Antonio has seen so much growth as
a city but has lost a lot of trees in the process.
The Comunidades are once again planning
the neighborhood Christmas posadas. Father Chris has asked us to help
with the first one, which will be at the parish hall. The rest of the posadas
will be in various areas of the neighborhood along Woodlawn Ave. and Cincinnati Ave.
Children are invited to dress as angels or shepherds, and singing will be
in English and Spanish.
The last posada is usually the largest
because by then most have got the hang of it and know the tunes and the
order of the prayers and their meaning. We pray our guardian angels are
with us as we trek through San
Antonio’s streets looking for new people
to engage.
(Paz en los Días de advenimiento
de Cristo, Angie Cortez)
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· Prayer Requests
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“People are
Fragile, Handle with Prayer.”
As members of the Marianist Family, let
us lift up the following prayers that our brothers and sisters have
requested.
- Prayers are requested again for Rich and Janet Csarny, who
are Marianist Family members living in Durham, NC.
Rich begins participation this week in a clinical trial of a
three-drug combination for treatment of his cancer (pancreas and
liver). In addition to the drugs, the protocol involves a series of
six biopsies. (Submitted by John Holden)
- Please pray for Sarah Joseph, my sister, who needs to feel
the touch of God's healing power. (Submitted by Kim Starbuck)
- For Marie Allemand, mother of Brenda Fitzpatrick. She has
cancer in her lung, rib cage, and lymph nodes around the heart.
Doctors have given up on chemotherapy and are going to pursue local
radiation. (Submitted by Kevin Fitzpatrick)
- Please pray for Robbie Wunder, and his family. Robbie, 17,
had a pool accident in July and is a quadriplegic. His mother and
dad teach at a school for handicapped children, and he should be
able to attend school by January. He must be turned every two hours
during the night and every half-hour during the day. (Submitted by
Mary Marchini)
- Pray for Richard Willkomm who has cancer. He is undergoing
radiation at the Cleveland Clinic. We pray for complete healing
through the intercession of Blessed Chaminade. Let us also pray for
his wife Patricia Meyers Willkomm and their family. (Submitted by
Fran Franchina)
- Diabetes has finally caught up with me. My legs and feet
have become less dependable, and I have been having frequent
“accidental” falls. Subsequently, I am now learning to
use a wheeled walker. I ask for your prayers please so that I may be
made strong enough to deal with my aging and changing body. Lord, I
am your servant and nothing can keep me from you and your people.
(Submitted by Angie Cortez)
- My son is engaged to be married next May, 2007. Please
pray for Geronimo Cortez (a young Marianist affiliate) and his
promised one, Michelle Lopez. They are to each go on an ACTS retreat
and then go on a couple’s pre-Cana retreat. I ask for prayers
for both of them that God may speak to their heart of hearts and
find them pleasing and bless them in many ways. (Submitted by Angie
Cortez)
- For the healing of Mike Scott, husband of NACMS resource
coordinator Janine Scott (Submitted by NACMS staff)
+ Amen
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· News from NACMS
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 The
North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS), in partnership with
the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton,
is offering two virtual learning community courses in January 2007. Both
vlc offerings begin on January 7 and end on February 10, 2007.
Registration ends on January 3. (See the course descriptions listed
below.)
Marianist Charism,
Spirituality, and Mission
(New Course)
What does it mean to be Marianist? This
course will explore the concept of charism and what is special about the
Marianist charism. Participants will delve into spirituality and the
principles and practices of Marianist spirituality and will become
familiar with the Marianist apostolate and its importance in forming
Marianist life. The real and potential impact of the Marianist mission on
the wider Church and global community will be examined. Ultimately,
participants will have a deeper and broader understanding of what it
means to be Marianist. (Course Facilitator, Ray McCracken)
Prayer and the
Marianist Spiritual Journey
As one Marianist writes, “It is
one thing to read about the description of a country, but quite another
to live there, to be rooted there by one’s customs.” This
course invites you not only to learn about Marianist prayer, but also to
consider your own experience of prayer and your spiritual path. As
travelers, we will seek to understand the dynamic of prayer in Marianist
life—in the presence of God, united with Jesus Christ, open to the
spirit of God, in the company of Mary, as we say, “Let it be with
me according to your Word.” (Course Facilitator, Isabella Moyer)
Class size for each vlc will be limited
to 12 participants, and the course fee for each Marianist vlc is $40
Basic computer skills are required, and it is important for participants
to keep up with course content. To register for a course, visit
http://www.udayton.edu/~vlc/register/. Select the “North American
Center for Marianist Studies” selection in the drop-down menu of
the profile form, which is listed in the drop- down menu after all of the
dioceses.
Contact Information
For more information on Marianist
virtual learning communities, contact Patti Gehred at
Patti.Gehred@notes.udayton.edu or 937/429- 2521 if you have questions or
need additional information.
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Click Here to Register
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