Dear Brothers,

Prayers  

Please remember to keep our brothers in Los Angeles and the Chaminade school community in your prayers. Earlier this week, we sent out a request for prayers for families from our school that have been affected by the fire. I have been in touch with the community in Los Angeles. They are safe. They were one of the next streets set for evacuation. Let’s pray for the safety of all.  

General Council visit to the province

If you are anything like me, I don’t always remember to put things on my calendar. To help community directors and ministry leaders to keep the General Council visit on our radar, I have placed the dates for the General Council visit on the portal. If you need help remembering how to use the portal, please contact Ann Mueller.  

District of India, directory committee meeting

A special word of thanks to Bro. Dennis Schmitz and Fr. Marty Solma for making the trip to India to assist the Marianist Indian District’s directory committee with putting the final touches on the district directory. Earlier this year, I announced that the provincial council would be using a workshop approach in assisting the district council in growing as a unit. This means that the district council identifies the areas where they would like assistance and the provincial council will work to find the necessary staff. 

New ways for new times

Blessed Chaminade called us to be missionaries. Blessed Chaminade called us to look for new ways to change our times.  Bro. Brian Zampier, in addition to being an artist and working in the archives in San Antonio, has also undertaken a project of helping to invite and call all to peace. In February 2016, Bro. Brian began a project of making an origami peace crane each day. Each crane is constructed from hand made paper, made by Bro. Brian. His aim is to make and give away one per day. He reached his goal of 1,000 peace cranes yesterday. The picture below shows the 1,000th crane that now hangs in the University Center at St. Mary’s University.  See abzcraneproject for more photos.

1,000th crane

One of Bro. Brian's peace cranes

Vocation awareness

Just a reminder that the General Chapter document calls each community to have a "Community Vocations Plan." Have you begun to organize your community plan?

This coming week

Dear Brothers,

Personnel

Bro. Don Geiger has been assigned to the Marianist Community at Siena Woods.

Dear Brothers,

Visitation at Our Lady of the Pillar Parish 

Last week, I had a wonderful visit to our Marianist parish here in St. Louis, Our Lady of the Pillar. Connected with the parish is a Marianist community living on the grounds with five community members, two of whom work full-time in the parish. The Marianists have been at the parish since 1938. There are a little more than 800 families registered. During the visitation, I was able to do the following:

On behalf of the province, I want to express my gratitude to the Marianists at Our Lady of the Pillar Parish for their ministry and hospitality through the years when we have celebrated ordinations; vows; jubilees; etc. This is a great place to celebrate these events in St. Louis. 

Marianist Formation Weekend

As you read these "Notes," I want to invite all of our communities to please keep our formation weekend in prayer which begins tonight (Thursday through Sunday morning). It is a gathering of young Marianists (contacts, pre-novices, aspirants, temporary professed) and their formators at Mother Boniface Spirituality Center located in Philadelphia. Our main theme will be "Collaboration with Lay Marianist Communities" so it will be special that we spend some time at the Marianist Center for Lay Formation. I am very grateful to Bro. Jack Ventura for all of his efforts in hosting this important meeting and for everyone who is assisting him. A summary will be provided next week of what was accomplished. 

Dear Brothers,

What’s happening

Head to Heart: I spent most of this past week at MRCC participating in the annual Head to Heart workshop/retreat which provides opportunities for faculty and staff from our sponsored schools to deepen their understanding of the Marianist Charism and their responsibility in bringing that gift and enlivening it at their local school. 

The team consisted of myself along with LIFE director Toni Mesina; Caroline Gunter, assistant principal at Chaminade West Hills; Matt Daley, director of campus ministry at Chaminade St. Louis and Pat Wheadon from the Office of Sponsorship who planned the event. It was an honor for me to work with these gifted and committed lay collaborators. Approximately 45 participants took part in an experience of great Marianist spirit with an opportunity to share resources and stories. Special thanks to Deanna Snyder, the Office of Sponsorship, for all of her work in planning the event and to Jim Ford, director of MRCC and his entire staff for making our stay so enjoyable. 

A story of hope and joy

Submitted by Fr. Sean Downing , director of campus ministry at Central Catholic High School

I am in my second year as chaplain at Central Catholic and it has been a time of grace and joy, even amidst struggle. In each day, serving the students of the school, I realize more than ever, the importance of a Catholic Marianist education. Our youth are bombarded today with so much technology and information. Our US culture imposes burdens on the young that can make life even more difficult for them. However, I see much hope to rejoice in when I witness our young men at Central Catholic striving to become better in allowing Mary, Our Mother, to form them in the virtues of Jesus.

 

There is a deep hunger for our students to live in the virtues of Christ. When they discover the power of putting their faith in action, it is a cause for much joy and hope. Our Catholic and Marianist education guides our students in realizing that there is a better way to live in the world today. In putting their Catholic Marianist education into action, they see and understand that they can transform the world and make it a better place to live.

I am also very grateful to be able serve with my fellow Marianist Brothers at Central Catholic. They are great witnesses each day to both our students and faculty in persevering in the mission through joy and suffering. It has been a blessing to journey with them each day and to witness their joy and dedication in serving others. Our Marianist Charism has had a great effect on the school in the past and will continue as we move into the future. This is a cause for rejoicing and great hope as Central Catholic moves into a future that is going to be different, but still centered in the hope and joy of Mary and Jesus.                   

Pictured above – Bro. Harry Cornell , Fr. Don Cowie (may he rest in peace),  Fr. Sean Downing and Bro. Jim Burkholder are attending a Central Catholic/Holy Cross game at Alamo Stadium. The photo was taken by Erin McGinnis.

Dear Brothers,

Prayer for CA fire victims & responders

As we call to mind members of our Marianist family suffering from the fires in California, here is a prayer printed in America magazine last year that remains timely today.

USCCB article on social sin

Social sin is an important concept in our rich history of Catholic social teaching. Check out We Are Salt and Light to learn more about how social sin impacts our communities and how to work against social sin as the Body of Christ.

Homily helps - linking justice & peace in the lectionary 

Here you will find a homily resource from a CMSM wisdom figure for your reflection on this Sunday's readings. If you are not preparing a homily, please consider sharing with your local priest.

Dear Brothers,

Reinventing vocation news

As I mentioned in the last Vocation News, we are moving to a new format to provide information from the National Vocation Office through Notes from the Provincial Council. The news portion will come during the first week of the month.

Similar to how Bro. Jesse includes "A Story of Hope and Joy," I would like to include a new section called "Vocation Minister Spotlight." This will appear in the middle of each month. As I have said many times in the past, being vocation director is not a one person job. I would like to use this section to highlight how a member of the Marianist Family is helping to promote a culture of vocations. If you know of someone in your community or ministry whose work might inspire or help others foster vocations, please nominate them here.

I submitted this first "Vocation Minister Spotlight" which features Fr. Bill Behringer.

Vocation Minister Spotlight: Fr. Bill Behringer 

Fr. Bill Behringer is dedicated to vocation ministry in a number of ways. Since I met Bill on my first day as an aspirant, he has been supporting my vocation through frequent interactions: offering advice and serving as a mentor (both unofficially and in an official capacity). But I am not unique, ask any aspirant that has lived with Fr. Bill, he is a vital person in the life of the community.

I have heard powerful stories of his accompaniment of generations of novices and scholastics on two continents. His commitment to young Marianists is very evident. Even before a young person becomes an aspirant, Fr. Bill invites and encourages them to pray about their vocation, and even live with the Casa Maria Community during one of their frequent live-ins.

A few weeks ago, Casa Maria was going to host students for a live-in but, with Fr. Bill's recent health complications, they decided to reschedule. Fr. Bill insisted that the live-in is a priority in the life of the community; vocation ministry as a whole is a priority in the life of the community.

A few weeks ago, I went to the hospital with Fr. Bill when he first received news about his current medical situation. What he said to me will forever shape my life as a Marianist. He told me that he was offering up all his pain, discomfort and suffering for the intention of vocations and for me as I accompany young people in their vocational discernment. I am humbled and honored but not surprised. Fr. Bill has dedicated almost 70 years to this great Marianist vocation. It makes sense that he would want to dedicate the rest of his life to helping others share in the same great mission of making Mary known, loved and served.

Please pray for our brothers who are celebrating their birthdays

November 15: Thomas Redmond

November 19 : Jose Degorio

This publication is for members of the Society of Mary. Please do not forward it. Also, please provide a printed copy for brothers who do not use email.

View as Webpage