marianist.com/donate • 13 ego. They help us surrender, give up control, and by giving up control, lead us to faith of the heart — an ability to engage in a loving relationship with God.” As pastor at Queen of Apostles Parish in Dayton, a campus minister at University of Dayton, and from his own life, Father Tom has seen the significance of letting go. “I’ve experienced a heart attack and prostate cancer. Letting go is important when con- fronting these challenges, especially as we age. I’ve seen individuals unable to do that, becoming bitter, rigid or rebellious. Letting go helps us through life’s crises and little deaths.” For similar reasons, Mike Bennett, a Lay Marianist and campus minister at UD, jumped into the program, but with an eye toward a practical application. “I created a five-day retreat for undergrads at UD called "Marianist Mindfulness:AGuided Retreat,” he says. “It’s designed to help them better understand Marianist spirituality and sort through the noise of our culture.” His retreat, like all of the MSP projects, can be adapted for use by anyone seeking a better understanding of Marianist spirituality. The project also has been a personal motivator. “I’d like to use The Silences to help me grow spiritually,” he says. “I can see how they might permeate the rest of my life.” A call for more scholars Because the present generation of Marianist scholars is aging, “NACMS wants to infuse its collections with material from a new generation of scholars,” says Beth. People don’t need to be a Lay Marianist, nor should they be leery of the term “scholar,” she adds. Maureen agrees. “You don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar or a rocket scientist to do this work. The biggest benefit of this study is the community. I feel so blessed by the support of people at NACMS and others in the Marianist world who took the time to give me feedback, attention and walk with me on this path.” ■ Lay Marianist Mike Bennett, campus minister at University of Dayton For more information about upcoming MSP 2.0 programs or access to projects created by the 2017-2018 participants, visit nacms.org or call 937 .429.2521.