International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities (IO-MLC) 

Region of North America, Asia, Australia, and Ireland

April- 2019









Greetings {First Name},


This month Matt Dunn, Chair of MLC-NA, will be our guest writer. Read about a big step that our region is taking to help Marianist Laity move forward more efficiently in their work.

He also highlights the Visitation State Community which was one of the first MLCs in our region and continues to provide leadership and vision for our Lay Branch.

We end with a special Easter message from the I-O President, Beatrice LeBlanc from France. She inspires us to use this Easter Season to grow our commitment to our Marianist charism.

Happy reading,

Marceta Fleming Reilly
Regional Responsible for No. America & Asia

A Bold Step


 By Matt Dunn,
Chair, Marianist Lay Community of North America
Dear Friends,

The Marianist Lay Community of North America (MLC-NA) is taking a bold step in its evolution as an incorporated organization.

One of the biggest barriers to advancing various initiatives is that we have historically relied on volunteers. As we all know, sometimes life gets in the way, volunteers lose interest, or projects become more consuming than originally anticipated. MLC-NA is happy to announce it has hired its first employee thanks to generous support from within the Marianist Family.
Sarah Wood, our Administrator, will be responsible for supporting the Leadership Council, and improving the consistency and quality of our communications and our social media presence.

She is starting at a time when we are about to launch our online membership database, which she will manage.
She will also be our main point of contact when people have questions about Lay Marianists or need to know which leadership council member is responsible for certain things.

She will be a valuable resource for our Area Reps who are responsible for being connectors and liaisons between communities in assigned geographic areas.

The Leadership Council is pleased to welcome Sarah into this role and looks forward to what we hope to accomplish by better connecting with and providing support to our communities across the continent.

I wish you continued blessings this Easter season and beyond.

United in Mary’s Mission,

Matt Dunn
Chair, MLC-NA

Featured Community in North America
In North America, when we think of those who KNOW, COMMIT TO, and LIVE the Marianist Charism, those characteristics are exemplified by the Marianist Visitation State Community. The community is in its 52nd year and consists of many of its original members, and others who have joined. Original members were in a Sodality together as college students.

In addition to developing the spiritual life of its members, the community has a rich history serving the Marianist Family. They model the way the etat served in Fr. Chaminade’s time.

Many members are, or have been, in leadership roles within the Marianist Family. Members have been involved in:
  • Convening our continental assemblies,
  • Creation of the MLC-NA Leadership Council and the IO-MLC,
  • Involved in many of the peace and justice efforts of the Marianist Family. 
Members come to the community already formed, and demonstrating an enduring commitment to living the charism. They join the community by professing a vow of stability and committing to live by the community’s Rule of Life. 
The community holds two retreats a year and members reaffirm their commitment during the fall retreat. The picture above shows the Spring 2019 Inter-generational Retreat which occurred in mid-April.

The community is currently practicing compassion and mindfulness; discerning how to be a healing presence in the church and world; providing “seed” grants to help foster and support lay-led initiatives; and both offering and supporting inter-generational activities in the Marianist Family. The community welcomes new members and is willing to help others to form new State communities.

Let Us Pray...i
The Word of the Risen Christ

"Peace be with you!"
The Risen Jesus stands among us, members of the Lay Marianist Communities, and more broadly of the Marianist Family, and tells us all:

" Peace be with you!" (Luke 24:36)

Like the Apostles, we are seized with fear and full of confusion. Jesus who sees in hearts guesses our trouble and doubts. Peace is not yet there.. We wonder…How could it be that He is really present among us? 
 
But Jesus asks for our "active" decision to believe in Him.   We must "act" to "welcome" the peace that Jesus wants to give us. He offers us His presence as the first Word of Life.

Our lives are sometimes fragmented, losing motivation and direction. Let God, in Jesus, lead us and propose to us what can contribute to our true joy—to our fullness.

It is the peace of heart he wants to give us:

  • Where we are truly ourselves, deeply human and yet also divine because He is in each one of us!
  • Where we are truly with our neighbor and that what we have to offer is the best of ourselves and Him,
  • Where we receive each other as a gift, the gift of our life, as a journey full of human adventure!

Finally, at the heart of this privileged relationship with him, Christ calls us to follow Him, as "the Way, the Truth and the Life." The relationship of life with Him will make us "living" beings, through Him and with Him.

Like Mary, let us welcome the peace of Jesus, the Christ, the Living One. It is our deepest joy.

                                                Christ is risen!
                                                           Hallelujah,
He is truly risen!


Béatrice LEBLANC, Presidente IO MLC
Domingo FUENTES, SM, Assessor
Marceta REILLY, North America, Asia, Australia, Ireland Responsible
Mercedes DE LA CUADRA, Europe Responsible
Nidia RODRIQUEZ-SALAZAR, Latinamerica Responsible
 Francisca JERE, Africa Responsible

Announcing More Prayer Intentions:

The Marianists Brothers are introducing the cause of Bro. Miguel Angel Quiroga Gaona, S.M. to the Vatican. He was killed by paramilitaries in Lloro (Choco, Colombia).

Click to read the message in the language of your choice:

  Celebrating the Marianist Vocation

ENG  -  ESP -  FR
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