Please join me in offering a prayer of gratitude for all our Marianist ministry administrators for all they have done over the last year to ensure the safety and health of our ministries.

Remember to give thanks for the gift of our Marianist brotherhood and vocation. We join with the Religious Brothers Conference in celebrating May 1, the Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker, and National Religious Brothers Day.

Thank you to Bro. Bob Donovan, our very own “Doctor Bob,” for his reminders along the way during this time of COVID-19. Please continue to take precautions and be safe!

We have received a letter from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Mission Preaching Office offering a one-year memorial enrollment of Masses in memory of the Marianist religious that have died this year. The letter goes on to state

“with all our prayers in loving memory and for the happy repose of the twenty recently deceased Souls of the Marianist order. We will ask for prayers to God that they will requiescat in pace.”

This gives me the opportunity to thank Fr. Tim Kenney for coordinating the Mission preaching each year. Thank you also to those that have assisted with preaching.

On Saturday, April 24, seven students at the University of Dayton made their commitment as a Lay Marianist community. The members of the Pillars Community were involved in a semester-long formation process directed by LeeAnn Meyer, Bro. Mitch Schweickart and Sr. Emily Sandoval. We welcome Andrew Buchanan (graduate of Chaminade Julienne, Dayton), Diego A. Buxeda (graduate of Colegio San José, Puerto Rico), Morgan Cox, Jack Dalton (graduate of Chaminade Julienne, Dayton), Tyler Horton, Ashley Kush and Nicole Vanvoorhis (graduate of Chaminade Julienne, Dayton) to the Marianist Family.

Please click here for helpful information on surviving in this time of COVID.

Today is the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, a counselor to popes and one of only four women named “Doctors of the Church.” These are people whose doctrine was so sound that the church raises them to the very pinnacle of great teachers of the faith. The question for our time is: How many great women writers and teachers of the faith have we missed in life by overlooking the role of women in the divine plan for humankind?   —from A Monastery Almanac by Joan Chittister, OSB

This is an important day to keep in our minds and prayer for several reasons:

Join Aquinas Institute for a summer course on developing preaching for anti-racism. Readings begin May 17, 2021, with four required Zoom classes on Friday, June 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 9:30 am-12:00 pm and 1:00-3:00 pm. Register here.

Perhaps you read the 2020 NRVC/CARA Study on recent vocations. From 2003-2018 there have been about 3,500 men and women who have entered religious life, an average of about 200 a year who make perpetual profession. Most considered religious life by the time they were 21 and the average age of entrance was around 28.

It has been suggested that the starting point of conversation about those entering should be questions such as, “What’s the gift of smallness? What’s the gift to the global church of entering religious life? What’s the gift of intergenerational diversity?”

Community life, praying together, and sharing meals … all were emphasized in the responses.

The video below was shared recently as a gift to our schools in appreciation for all they have done and continue to do as partners in mission. Thanks to Pat Wheadon and the Office of Sponsorship for making this available. We share this 30-minute micro-retreat in the hope that it will nourish you as you continue your journey. The retreat is facilitated by Ann Kertz Kernion, an international lecturer and retreat leader.

The following is submitted by Fr. Jim Heft, a member of the Lalanne House in Los Angeles, California. Along with Bro. Dave Murphy and Fr. Ken Templin, I applaud the community for hosting these vital conversations with young adults on issues that require our prayer and attention.

Ever since its foundation in 2012, the Lalanne House Community has hosted a Young Adult Group (YAG) at least one evening a month. The ordinary format has been a potluck dinner followed by prayer and discussion of a topic they choose. In recent Zoom meetings, we have addressed issues of gender, racism, dialogue in an age of polarization, and coming up shortly, a three-part series on women in the Church. The leaders are Elaine Krebs, a scientist who works at the California Science Center, and Jonathan Koh, a lawyer who also leads a bible study group. They do a great job coordinating our series and finding creative ways to approach topics. On the Zooms, we have had as many as 35 people join us. When things return to "normal," we will continue our in-person meetings, but probably will supplement them given the number of YAGs who have joined our Zooms from across the US.

April 29: Jack Somerville

May 1: Varghese Manooparampil

May 2: Patrick Tonry

May 3: Gerald Hammel

May 4: Thomas Pieper

May 1: Feast of St. Joseph, the Worker & National Religious Brothers Day