November 2021
Dear Friends,

To be a Marianist is, in my opinion, to be something of a frontrunner in the church. And to be a frontrunner in just about anything brings both excitement and difficult questions. Serving as MLC-NA’s national director, I feel that excitement and those kinds of questions daily. Questions such as: Can there really be communities in the church that are “horizontal” in nature and “bottom up” in how they operate? How does that even work? Is this idea scalable when we move from one or two small communities to a national or international association?

These are all such big questions, but I’m proud to see MLC-NA tackling them head-on. MLC-NA is, after all, made up of individuals and communities spread across two very large countries - the United States and Canada. That’s a lot of people, who are each deeply engaged in reading the signs of the times and discerning the movement of the Holy Spirit. So how can our small leadership council possibly facilitate real discernment – not just consult a small group or hold a vote - across such a large association? Big questions indeed!

That’s why it’s so exciting to be able to see how Lay Marianists and MLCs gathered across the country for the last year in order to take part in our Year of Shared Discernment. Through that process, our Lay Branch really did discern a common vision for our future. And while it may not have been perfect… it worked! We’re really doing it! Through this discernment process, we are doing the hard work of being a frontrunner in the church and answering the difficult questions of today.

Moreover, because of this shared discernment process, we now have new initiatives to launch to better meet the needs of Lay Marianists and help fulfill our common mission. I’m incredibly excited to be involved in sharing these initiatives with you in MLC-NA’s Stewarding the Charism conference on December 11. (If you haven’t yet had the chance to RSVP for that event, go here for more information. All branches of the Marianist Family welcome!) Whether or not you were able to take part in these Year of Shared Discernment activities, I hope you are able to join in this conversation on how MLC-NA will continue growing and collaborating like never before!

Being a frontrunner isn’t easy: it involves a lot of hard work and experimentation. Thanks for all you do for the Marianist Family, and I will look forward to continue building the future of our association, our church, and our world with you!

Onward together,
Rob Brodrick
Education
Registration is now open for MLC-NA's 2022 Virtual Formation Program!

This program will run from January-May and participants meet every other Tuesday at 7:30pm ET | 6:30 PM CT | 4:30 PM PT. This is a great opportunity to learn about the Marianist charism, to (virtually) meet Lay Marianists and Marianist leaders, and to find your place in the Marianist Family. The cost of the program is $75, which includes all resources needed for formation, shipping, and staff time. Additionally, scholarships are available for those who may need it to participate. Email info@mlc-na.org for inquiries.

Register here by December, 1, 2021 and please share this invitation widely with whoever you know who might be interested in discerning their call to become a Committed Lay Marianist.
Spirituality
Important Marianist Days in November

November 6 -- Feast of Marianist Martyrs of Madrid

November 15 -- Nuestra Señora de la Divina Providencia - Patroness of Puerto Rico

November 21 -- Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

November 25 -- Thanksgiving Day
Other Important Announcements:
December 11 MLC-NA Event
The MLC-NA Leadership Council is pleased to invite you to a video gathering on Stewarding the Charism: Sharing Our Strategic Plan. After discussing the mutually discerned vision that came from our Year of Shared Discernment, the leadership council will introduce new initiatives that fit this vision and will advance the Marianist charism and mission. These initiatives need your help to succeed! This conference will also announce concrete ways you can be a part of these exciting new initiatives

If you have been waiting to see the next stage in lay stewardship of the charism - this is it! Please RSVP with the link below, spread the word, and start getting excited about our next steps together.

Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021
Time: 3:00 - 4:30pm Eastern (2p Central / 1p Mountain / 12p Pacific / 10a Hawaii)
MFC-NA October Highlights
The Marianist Family Council of North America (MFC-NA) met virtually for its annual meeting on Friday, October 15, 2021. The main issues on the council's agenda were:
1) Annual meeting and report with the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative (MSJC) 
2) The Marianist Family participation with the Laudato Si Action Plan (to be facilitated by the MEEC/Integral Ecology Issue Team) 
3) Looking at hiring process for the anticipated new director of MSJC 
4) Discussing next steps for developing the Regional Marianist Family Council, including a Draft Charter under construction for Regional Councils

MFC-NA is composed of 6 members -- two persons from each of the three branches of the Marianist Family in North America:
  • FMI – Sr. Gretchen Trautman and Sr. Laura Leming
  • Laity – Margy Lisjak and LeeAnn Meyer
  • SM – Fr. Oscar Vasquez and Bro. Bernie Ploeger
  • We were also joined by Steve Mueller, who served as secretary.  
 
Expect more from MFC-NA in the months ahead!!  
NACMS is Hiring
Are you passionate about the Marianist Charism and want to help others learn more about Marianist history, spirituality and mission? Are you familiar with the technology used in modern offices and eager to assist others in their technology needs? Consider joining the NACMS team!

NACMS is currently seeking a full-time Program and Technology Assistant who will work with NACMS programs and technology needs of the staff. More Information can be found at https://nacms.org/now-hiring.
Tecaboca is Hiring
Tecaboca Marianist Retreat Center is hiring for two positions at this time: Program Coordinator for Schools & Retreats and Summer Camp Program manager. Please see more details and the official job descriptions for both positions via the buttons to the right. If you wish to apply, please send a cover letter and resume to director@tecaboca.com.

Temporalities: MLC-NA Annual Appeal
How might we, as MLC-NA, accomplish more this upcoming year?  

In this next year, MLC-NA looks to further increase our communication and shared life as a community of communities.  From our growing network of area representatives to our thoughtfully designed formation programs to the hiring of our first national director, MLC-NA is well positioned to animate and connect Lay Marianists and MLCs like never before! 

As you see in our Annual Report, much of what we provide to Marianist Laity comes with a cost – of time, of talent, and of financial resources.  We need your financial support!  Please prayerfully consider making a donation. Contribute online today or send your contribution via check to PO Box 19444 Cincinnati, OH 45219.
MLC-NA Leadership Council and Area Representatives
Click on the Leadership Council member's title and Area Rep's name to email.
MLC-NA Leadership Council

Margy Lisjak
 
Abbey Saurine

Paul Combest

LeeAnn Meyer

Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch

Bro. Tom Redmond, SM

Marceta Reilly

Kelly Welling

Luke Horner

Rob Brodrick

Sarah Gray
Area Representatives

Southeast (FL, NC)

Northeast (PA, NY, NJ, MD, VA)

Midwest (OH, KY, IN)
To be determined
 
Central States (CO, IL, KS, NE, MO, WI) 

Texas

West Coast (CA, OR, WA)

Hawaii

Canada (French-Speaking)

Virtual Communities