A Special Message was sent on Tuesday, September 7, at 1:00 p.m., concerning the Provincial Council's request to the General Administration to postpone their visit to the United States. Please note this is the request of the Provincial Council. Please click here to read that message.

I encourage all members of the Province to continue to take safety precautions seriously. This new Delta variant has proven to be even more dangerous, even to those fully vaccinated.

Please join me in thanking Ms. Ann Mueller for all her work in getting the personnel book to the printer to have August 15 as our publication date.

Two St. Louis area schools, St. John Vianney and St. Joseph's Academy sent Bro. Francis Heyer birthday greetings. They are helping Bro. Francis celebrate the octave of his birthday. Click the following links to watch.

Fr. Ignase Arulappen, Asian Centre for Marianist Studies (ACEMS), sent us this prayer in preparation for our Patronal Feast, September 12, The Holy Name of Mary. Click here to read.

I'm resending the information on this important celebration. The Marianist World Day of Prayer will be on October 10, 2021, at Our Lady of Subukia, Nakuru-Kenya (Eastern Africa). The document is available here in English and Spanish.

We have a few prayer cards remaining from the Funeral Mass for Fr. Ralph Siefert. If you’d like one, please email Ms. Pat Stephens at the Provincial Office.

As noted by Fr. Oscar Vasquez above, we are all concerned about the resurgence of COVID. Because of this, the annual meeting of Directors and Area Coordinators is once again being conducted as a Zoom meeting on Friday, October 1. Notification of this change has been sent to the attendees. Next week a revised schedule, agenda and background meeting materials will be sent to the Directors and Area Coordinators.

Today I invite you to look at the bulletin of Holy Rosary Parish in San Antonio, Texas, by clicking here.

Universal: An environmentally sustainable lifestyle. We pray that we all will make courageous choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, rejoicing in our young people who are resolutely committed to this.

Attached is a reflection from Kelly Adamson, Director of Residence Life Ministry at the University of Dayton. She presented these inspirational words to student leaders and staff on campus at the start of this new school year. We, too, can find inspiration in Kelly’s words as she reflects on the story of the Annunciation and Mary’s Magnificat. May we each take her words to heart during these challenging and hopeful times. Click here to reflect on Kelly’s words.

Upcoming Calendar (Virtual Participation due to COVID concerns)

As I mentioned last week, Conor McEntee is now working with the marketing and communications side of vocations. I will continue with my monthly updates, but Conor or I will be providing a fun fact, trivia question, reflection question or something else to keep vocation ministry fresh on your mind and heart. We're going to call it a Vocation Refresher.  Occasionally we will have opportunities for you to respond and maybe win a prize! This time, the community with the highest percentage of responses wins!

Please use this form to view this week's Vocation Refresher.

September 12: Edgar Rogelio Ferrer Orosco (pre-novitiate), Nicholas Rufo

September 12: The Most Holy Name of Mary

September 14: Venerable Marie Thèrése de Lamourous

September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows