Marianist Lay Community
of North America
Being Church in the Modern World
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Greetings!
One of my favorite units to teach in freshman religion class is about the Liturgical Year. Every year, when I talk about the purpose of the Liturgical Seasons in class, I am reminded of the ways the Church is challenging us to think about what is occurring in our own lives and how that relates to what is happening in the life of Jesus. This year, I have been challenged to do this, but in a new way.
When COVID-19 hit our country in full force, we were in the midst of the Lenten Season. We were challenged to give up many things and experiences in our lives that were non-essential, probably far more than we would have if it had been our typical Lent. This year, I felt my usual Lenten commitments were not enough (a coffee creamer-less Lent suddenly seemed quite laughable) and I was challenged to think of how I could more fully make sacrifices for the common good. This Lent reinforced the idea that the sacrifices I choose to make can, and probably should, genuinely benefit others.
After a few weeks of Lent, we had to find ways to fill our hearts with unbounded Easter joy, to rejoice in the power of Christ and the glory of God, even in the midst of death, fear, uncertainty and disappointment. I was challenged to remain joyful, when I felt as if the world was demanding my grief, anger and cynicism. This Easter has reminded me that joy is not connected to circumstances, but to the promises that come from our Creator.
Now, in Ordinary time, when the approaching summer is far from Ordinary, we are challenged to see God in everyday moments; in the sunshine, the (10 millionth) Zoom call with friends, or the commute to the grocery store. This Ordinary Time remains, as always, a time to reflect on the life of Jesus and how that impacts our everyday lives; moreover, I am hoping we can all remember that, though our lives are different from the ordinary, Jesus is not. Christ is constant. The message of the Gospel is constant. May we remember that, despite all the chaos of the world, this Season can be quite Ordinary.
Blessings,
Abbey Saurine
Head of Education
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Join us for
Gathering in the Spirit
on July, 1st at 8 PM ET!
Our first
Gathering in the Spirit
went really well and we are so excited to see some new faces with us next month!
For more information, click on flyer.
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Virtual Lay Assembly 2020
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This Assembly is open to all members and branches of the Marianist Family. We have designed this Assembly as an opt-in model. Please come to any session you wish and feel free to sign back into the same Zoom link throughout the day, but know that you do not need to attend every session!
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Zoom Creates MLC Connections
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Just about 6 weeks ago, the MLC-NA Leadership Team offered Marianist communities all over the US and Canada to meet using our Zoom platform. We opened the door to Zoom, and our amazing MLCs responded! Over 10 communities reached out to us to schedule their community meetings via Zoom and almost all of these communities have met multiple times as they have had positive experiences meeting virtually. The communities who have utilized this resource have ranged from recently graduated students from our Marianist Universities to communities who have been active in the Marianist family since the 70s!
MLC-NA is grateful the Marianist Family has found this service to be helpful. Please continue to reach out if your community would like to meet via Zoom as we all continue to experience social isolation and stay at home orders. To schedule a meeting, email
[email protected]
. We will check our calendar and provide you with a link that you can share with your members. Participants can use mobile devices, tablets, or computers and can also call in if they don't have video capability.
Connection and intentionality are still possible and could be experienced in deeper ways right now. Let’s keep being adaptive, creative, and inclusive communities, as we have been inspired to be by our Marianist Founders.
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Call For Photos: MLC-NA is starting the very exciting project of creating our own website! As a result, we are looking for any MLC or Marianist laity to share photos of your community, your commitment ceremonies, Assemblies, and any other MLC-NA events. Please email photos to
[email protected]
and thank you for your help on this!
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Message from The MLC International Team
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We are currently facing the Covid-19 pandemic. How can we commit ourselves in this difficult circumstance? How can we love in Mary's way?
The answers to our commitment are not alien and for some time now the Holy Spirit has given us inspiration to walk in our lives with the Marianist charism, which we can find in the different documents of the IO-MLCs, such as the document in Alliance with Mary, the result of the fourth (04) International Meeting, held in Bordeaux, in 2005. (http://www.clm-mlc.org).
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As an expression of our commitment to "do whatever he tells you" in support of Mary's mission to respond to the needs of the world, the Visitation State Community has chosen to put some of the resources with which we have been blessed at the service of others. We are particularly committed to enabling small communities and fledgling service projects to thrive; to grow, and respond to the genuine needs of the young and the poor and to engage in the struggle for peace and justice.
All Marianist are invited to be a part of the Visitation State Community’s Seed Grants.
Either through
submission of a grant request
or by making a financial contribution (503c tax deductible) to the fund from which the grants are sourced.
For financial contributions, make checks payable to Marianist State Community and mail to:
Visitation Marianist State Community
6539 Harrison Avenue # 1118
Cincinnati, OH 45247
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Marianist State Commitment and the Vow of Stability
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One of the unique vocations within the Marianist Family is the "State of Religious Living in the World' with lay people taking a vow of stability to continue to live according to the Marianist charism. For short, it is called a State Commitment. The Visitation Marianist State Community has developed an educational/formational program for those wanting to learn more about a State Commitment and about the Vow of Stability such a commitment entails. The program is available for groups of individuals or for existing Marianist Lay Communities and can be delivered in-person or virtually. For more information, please contact Jim Vogt,
[email protected]
, Linda Zappacosta,
[email protected]
,or George Lisjak,
[email protected]
.
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As a faith community, MLC-NA is the national association to which all Lay Marianists in North America belong. It is self-supporting through contributions from individuals and local communities.
Your support helps us to:
- Employ a part-time Administrator
- Maintain communication tools such as the newsletter, database, and Zoom accounts used by numerous committees and communities
- Support the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative and the International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities
- Support the creation and launch a new lay formation process for initial and on-going formation
Contributions can also be sent to the address at the bottom of this newsletter.
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Reflections on Marian/Marianist Feast Days
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Reflections are provided each month to heighten awareness of those feasts holding special significance for the Marianist Family and to allow for more focused reflection on the meaning of those days. The reflections are available at
Reflections on Marian/Marianist Feast Days
. Thanks to .
Charissa Qiu, AJ Grimm, and Alicia Cordoba Tait for sharing reflections during April and May.
Details regarding length and due date to meet publication deadlines will be shared with those who volunteer.
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Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and the Anniversary of the Beatification of Adele de Batz de Trenquelleon
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See more information and prayers for all these Marianist Feast Days
here
.
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Marianist Prayer for Ending Racism
Holy Mary, to whom we have consecrated our lives,
we join with you in prayer. We seek the grace and
understanding to be converted from the sin of racism
that has infected our society for so many years.
Help us not be in denial of the power systems that still
give some privileges at the expense of others.
Help us to use our power and influence in our
communities, families, schools, parishes and other
institutions to assure appreciation and respect of all cultures.
We are grateful for our call to live and spread the
community spirit in which the Body of Christ flourishes
and celebrates various gifts and talents.
Show us the steps we must take to counteract racism.
We pray in the name of Jesus, asking your intercession.
Amen.
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from: Calling the Marianist Family to Renounce the Sin of Racism
A Call to Action from the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative
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Lord, send us your Spirit….
That we might hear your call to be missionaries with zeal in bringing Jesus into our world.
As we seek to live as Blessed Adele. Help us find our passion in the ordinary moments of each day and see the face of God in those around us.
As we hold in prayer those who suffer from pain and illness, especially those who continue to suffer from COVID-19. May they experience healing and comfort through the gentleness and patience of the care providers.
As we seek to overcome the evil of racism and build a just society. Deepen our love for every human person and grant us the grace to listen to, respect, and serve one another.
As we continue the work of our Founders. We pray that together we can engage in the work of God, moving the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Lord, give us hope…..
For all those impacted by natural disasters, serious illnesses and injuries. May we continue to serve the needs of our neighbors.
As we hold in prayer those who are enduring pain and suffering because of their faith, their race, or their differing views. May God’s healing embrace give them strength for their journey and comfort in their suffering.
As we pray for our departed Marianist Brothers and Sisters and Marianist family members who have enriched our lives through their presence. In a special way, we pray for… Bro. Raymond Kane (May 27) and Fr. Lawrence Bernard Doersching (May 27). May
they be held in God’s loving embrace as they join the fellowship of saints.
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Thank you to all who have visited our web form - we have hundreds of updated records.
If you haven't updated your information, please take a few moments to fill out this
brief questionnaire
(it's a Google form). Each member of a family should register separately so we have individual emails for future elections, etc.
Please also encourage your community members to keep their information current. Individuals may follow the link or a community rep can send us a community roster.
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MLC-NA Area Representatives
(Click on names for emails)
Southeast (FL, NC)
Northeast (PA, NY, NJ, MD, VA)
OH, KY, IN
Central States (CO, IL, KS, NE, MO, WI)
Texas
West Coast (CA, OR, WA)
Hawaii
Canada (French-Speaking)
UD-formed Communities (Many are virtual)
To Be Determined
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NEWSLETTERS
Read the Signs of the Times and Sign Up for these Marianist Family Newsletters
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Matt Dunn
Margy Lisjak
Abbey Saurine
Vacant
LeeAnn Meyer
Rob Brodrick
Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch
Kelly Welling
Maureen O'Rourke
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AMAZON DONATION PROGRAM!
Did you know that when you buy stuff at Amazon.com, Amazon will make a donation to MLC-NA?
How? By using Smile.Amazon.Com.
Please consider using smile.amazon.com and selecting Marianist Lay Network as your charity. There is no additional cost to you and it really is the same site as Amazon.
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