Dear Brothers,
Personnel
Upon the receipt of positive community evaluations and the recommendation of the Seminary staff,
Bro. Michael Chiuri and
Bro. Brandon Paluch have been approved by the Provincial Council for ordination to the diaconate. The Mass will take place on January 13, 2020, in Rome. I will be present for the ordination as part of my visit to the members of the U.S. Province in both the General Administration and Seminary Communities.
Bro. Renny Markose, from the District of India, has also been approved for ordination to the diaconate. According to the District Charter for Brothers from India, the District Council makes the recommendation and the Provincial Council makes the final decision.
Special Notice
We have posted my annual report on the Province's child protection efforts on the Marianist portal for members of the Society of Mary. Due to the sensitivity of this report, we ask that you please
log into the portal to read it. The report is located under "Provincial Special Communications" (the large blue button on the top right of your screen). The title of the report is Child Protection Report 2019.
If you have any issues accessing the portal, contact
Sandy Barnett. Please remember that this message is only for members of the Society of Mary.
The Marianist Spirit Continues
Bro. Don Neff (Marianist Community, Hollywood, Florida) was invited to visit Australia for the 40th anniversary of John Paul College and the 50-year celebration of St. Paul's. Bro. Don reports that the visit was spectacular! He mentioned that, in late November, students and staff of John Paul College visited India to "tie-in" with the RED'S program. The schools continue with an informal relationship with the Province and have attended some of the programs of our Office of Sponsorship.
On the Positive Side
As we all know, the media in our country often focuses on the flashy or the negative. They don’t always take time to affirm the positive. Recently,
Bro. Harry Cornell (Central Catholic Community, San Antonio), was featured by one of the local TV stations for his commitment and dedication to Central Catholic. Bro. Harry has been the “Voice of the Buttons” for 50 years.
Watch the report.
This Coming Week
- December 5-7: Chaminade University Board Meeting, Honolulu
- December 9: Provincial Offices Christmas Gathering for Staff, St. Louis
- December 12–13: Preside at the Baccalaureate Mass, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio
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Dear Brothers,
2020 Education Workshop Registration
Final Notice
This is the final opportunity you will have to register for the 2020 Province Education Workshop, which will begin on Friday, February 28, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. with registration at the Vallombrosa Center in Menlo Park, Calif. The workshop will conclude the evening of Saturday, February 29. Sunday will be a travel day.
Sr. Nicole Trahan and I have invited Hosffman Ospino, Ph.D., associate professor of Hispanic Ministry and Religious Education at Boston College, to provide this workshop entitled, “The Changing Face of U.S. Catholicism: Priorities, Challenges and Opportunities.”
Representatives from our universities, high schools and retreat centers have also been invited to join our Marianist sisters and brothers. If you are planning to attend this gathering, please contact
Donna Tucker for a link to register. If you have already requested the link, please complete your registration for the workshop by
December 19. This will be
the final date for accepting registrations.
We look forward to this important gathering of the Marianist family.
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Dear Brothers,
Province Patrimony
The General Chapter of 2018
(A Man Who Does Not Die: In Mission with the Marianist Family) discussed the stewardship of the patrimony of each Unit. Article #72 of this document says that each Unit will prepare a list of the assets owned and will report this to the Assistant General for Temporalities. Some of the questions to be answered for each asset is the original cost, current market value, ownership, location of each title, proper documentation and present use and description of the facility.
Bro. Bob Metzger is now working on this project for our province. The province’s patrimony consists of all properties and buildings owned by the Marianist Province of the US, including communities, ministries (e.g. high schools, universities, retreat centers, etc.) and assets in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Ireland and India. Most of the needed information resides in the files here in the provincialate, but we are also working with our archives to research some of the missing pieces. We may also need to contact some of our communities and ministries to assist us in this project.
This project arises out of a document from the Holy See,
Economy at the Service of the Charism and Mission, that was published in 2018. Article #38 of this document says the purpose of undertaking this task is to comply with the norms of Canon Law and to ensure the subsistence of the institute and to facilitate the attainment of institutional aims. All Unit Assistants for Temporalities will be meeting in Rome in July 2020 with the Assistant General for Temporalities to review the material that will be gathered.
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Office of of JPIC - Brian Reavey
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Dear Brothers,
Action Alert for Peace from USCCB
The United States and Russia possess over 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons. Our two nations must lead the way in global nuclear disarmament efforts. The visit of Pope Francis to Hiroshima and Nagasaki is a poignant reminder of the grave threat to human life posed by nuclear weapons. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support the Richard G. Lugar and Ellen O. Tauscher Act to Maintain Limits on Russian Nuclear Forces (S. 2394/H.R.2529).
Click here to take action.
Advent Resource from Catholic Mobilizing Network
The readings for the Second Sunday of Advent call us, God’s children, to live in harmony with one another. This unity can only be achieved through the light of Christ.
Sr. Barbara Battista lives in Indiana and is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods. In the
second reflection of CMN’s Advent series, she contemplates the true purpose of community as an extension of Christ and reflection of human dignity.
“We can — we must — find a way to do our part in extending the light of Christ that will expel the darkness.”
Linking Lectionary to Justice and Peace
Below you will find homily resources from CMSM members and other people of wisdom in our community for your reflection. If you are not preparing homilies, please consider sharing with your local presider.
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Office of Vocation Ministry - Bro. Mark Motz
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Dear Brothers,
National Vocations Awareness
November began with National Vocations Awareness Week, but it was more like National Vocation Awareness month! Here are a few of the highlights:
- On November 5, Sr. Nicole Trahan and Bro. Mitch Schweickart (Ohio Regional Vocation Directors) shared a display and greeted students at a vocations fair at Marian University, Indianapolis.
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- On November 9, Bro Charles Johnson (Texas Regional Vocation Director) joined Kay Tally-Foos, Dr. Alicia Cordoba Tait, Fr. Rudy Vela and Dr. Jessica Uhlig (not pictured) showcasing Marianist and Catholic Initiatives of St. Mary’s University at the Archdiocesan Assembly.
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- I hosted a vocations discussion with St. Mary's University students as part of University Ministry's monthly "Faith Matters" series. Several early arrivals for Formation Weekend were also part of the discussion: Pre Aspirant Peter Evans, Bro. Joseph Nugent, Bro. Justin Quiroz, Bro. Allen Pacquing.
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- I wanted to try something new with social media during this year’s Formation Weekend. I shared highlights of the weekend on our Instagram Story so that more people could get a sense of what we do on formation weekends. If you don’t have Instagram, click here to view this quick video. Feel free to hit pause (spacebar) if you are interested in reading the captions.
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- After Formation Weekend, Bro. Charles Johnson (Texas Regional Vocation Director) hosted a Rosary Walk for Vocations. It was a great witness to see a group of people walking around the indoor track at St. Mary’s University praying a rosary for vocations. This Rosary was dedicated to Bro. Ralph Neumann, who was a very active member of the vocations team in Texas.
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- Sr. Gabby Bibeau, Bro. Brandon Alana, Fr. Dave McGuigan (not pictured) and I were exhibitors at the National Catholic Youth Conference. We tried a new approach by advertising the Marianist Universities as well as vocations. Talking to high school students about great Catholic universities is less intimidating for them than talking about vocations, but we made sure to talk about their future in both ways.
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- I was asked to give a short reflection at Morning Prayer at the National Catholic Youth Conference. I wore our Marianist branded shirt so the 23,000 high school students could see our Marianist logo. You can watch the reflection by clicking here and going to the time 2:03:00.
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Directors' Weekend Survey
I will be sending out the results of the Directors' Weekend Survey next week. If you have not filled it out, please
click here to do so. (This is an electronic version of the paper copy you received from your director.)
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Please pray for our Brothers who are celebrating their birthdays
December 7:
Louis Fournier
December 8: Kenneth Thompson
December 10: David Betz, William Grundish
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December 9:
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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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.
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