Dear Brothers,

Provincial Letter #2

The Provincial Letter #2 was sent out last week via email with a link to the Marianist portal. If you were not able to download a copy, please email Pat Stephens.

Thank you to the many brothers that have taken the time to write and share their thoughts with regards to the 2nd letter and the need for thankfulness in our lives. One practical suggestion was gratefulness.org a site that provides a daily thought/question on gratitude. Enjoy!

NACMS in action

 

Late last week, NACMS released its most recent newsletter. Did you notice that they listed Advent podcasts and Advent prayer meditations? I encourage you to review the website to assist you in your Advent preparation. 

Day of service

Next Wednesday, December 12, most of the Marianists and staff from the Marianist Provincial offices will participate in a ½ day of service. This is a wonderful community building exercise and helps us to focus on serving others. Each month, the staff gathers to pray together. At the end of each prayer time, I take the opportunity to thank the staff on behalf of all of us. One of the things that I have come to realize in my short time in the office, is that the presence of the staff is so important because they keep things going while the provincial councilors are on the road. Please pray for all of us!

Visit to the new Community in Juárez

I just returned from the Marianist community in Juárez. It was a wonderful experience. I was so pleased with the visit. The ministries include: Montessori pre-school, Montessori grammar school (grades 1-6-about 90 students); day care center for working parents (about 25 children daily); a pantry that gives out food to families every Saturday, an informal education center that assists individuals that have not received the high school degree (approximately 20 students), a classroom with 12 sewing machines to assist the women in the area to learn a trade and, finally, a center for young people that want to attend an online university.  Please click here for pictures.  

This coming week

December 10 – 11: Provincial Council Meetings

Dear Brothers,

My visit to St. Joseph Parish

I just returned from visiting our community in Baltimore (two houses approximately 40 miles apart) and the parish where the Marianists minister. The parish is celebrating 150 years! The Marianists came to Saint Joseph’s in 1981, so it is a great time and opportunity for the parish to celebrate, to remember, to bring people together, to be hopeful and to dream about the future. At the present time, there are five Sunday Masses offered with approximately 1,800 attending. So many people commented that they believe the presence of the Marianists bring a Marian style that is quite unique. Fr. Neville O’Donohue has chosen as the parish Advent theme: “ Open wide our hearts,” the title of a new pastoral letter against racism from U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Advent

There are so many websites that offer daily reflections and resources, as we set aside some time to be ALERT, AWAKE, and AWARE to/of God. Take a look at the links below for your prayer:

Vallombrosa Workshop

February 1-3, 2019 (Friday - Sunday)

TIME TO REGISTER: limited applicants

As I mentioned last week, the Office of Religious Life is proud to offer a workshop this coming February titled: “Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?” This is a reminder to register. If you wish to apply, please contact Donna Tucker, the administrative assistant for the Office of Religious Life or by phone at the office. Donna will send you the registration information. Please do this sometime during the month of December if you are interested in attending this workshop. 

Offices of Religious Life and JPIC

Brian Reavey and I are working together to offer a resource framework for communities to use once a month in community meetings to talk about the spirituality of social justice. Beginning in January, we will provide once a month a suggested theme with some background information; discussion-reflection questions; and advocacy opportunity or action steps that a local community might think about taking in raising their awareness around a theme (i.e., racial justice; hunger & homelessness; human trafficking; etc.). It is optional but these conversation starters around important themes of our time might be another way for a community to sit down and talk together. 

Dear Brothers,

What's happening

Recently, communities and members of the province received a booklet entitled Assuring the Marianist Identity of Our Apostolic Works, which was recently published by the General Administration of the Society of Mary.

This document “is the synthesis of a long study conducted in consultation with the religious of the Society of Mary, as well as lay collaborators in its works through the world” and helps the reader examine how well they have shared and received the work of the Society of Mary. I encourage all communities to engage this document at one of your future meetings. It will be an opportunity to discuss how its content can be adapted to our present and future apostolic works. A special thanks to our Bro. E. Maximin Magnan, SM, assistant general for education, for his leadership and service to the Marianist family in providing this valuable document for us. 

A story of hope and joy

Submitted by Kay Tally- Foos , executive director of Tecaboca: A Marianist Center for Spiritual Renewal.

Tecaboca, 70 miles north of San Antonio, is serving nearly 3,000 people each year in parish retreats, outdoor education, Marianist retreats, and summer camp. Tecaboca has been offering overnight camp for boys since 1937. In 2017, a day camp began serving area boys and girls, and in 2018, the girls summer camp opened! This has been a great source of hope and joy. Our mission is to “provide place and program for people to hear God’s voice and go forth to make a faith filled difference.” In short, vox Dei. The facility has continued to be winterized, with a completely renovated chapel, dining hall, and cabins. The main house is being improved each year, making it a more comfortable and clean place for all to stay. Currently, the two oldest bunkhouses are being renovated to house 24 people in one area and a meeting space for up to 60 in the other space. Recreationally, a ropes course with a climbing wall and many challenges has been added and the barnyard area now has chickens, a garden, goats and sheep, in addition to the horses that are leased in the summer months. 

One of the most sacred places on site is the Big Cross. It is a hand carved (by Tecaboca alumni Erin McGinnis) cross-within-a-cross. The interior one was taken to Blessed William Chaminade’s beatification. It is inserted into a larger cross that can be seen from many places on the camp. The placement of the cross is no accident, as it is the place where camper, Jimmy Blevins, would often sit-so that he could look at the cliffs of Tecaboca as God’s arms wrapped around him. That spot is the place he could hear God’s heartbeat, if he listened well enough. This account of Jimmy’s purpose of sitting in that one place guides Tecaboca’s mission. As God’s voice is heard, all retreatants and campers can go forth joyfully and full of hope to make positive change in the world.  

  Tecaboca’s Cross–where God’s heartbeat is felt

Dear Brothers,

MEEC in the National News

Thanks to the important work of Sr. Leanne and her MEEC staff, including Marianist PULSE volunteer and contact, Peter Evans, the Marianists continue to provide national leadership on the environment in vibrant ways.   Read the article.

Migrant accompaniment efforts 

Several brothers have been asking what we can do to help in solidarity with migrants at the border. In addition to prayer and advocacy efforts, here is the latest from CMSM: 

We just confirmed the request from the local organizers for protective accompaniment at a large Posadas gathering at the San Diego/Tijuana border for December 15. The event is called Posadas which is a tradition, particularly in Hispanic communities. It directly connects with the quest to be allowed into a safer and welcoming space. Some basic goals of protective accompaniment are:

1) Accompany those most in need

2) Prevent and defuse hostility/violence

3) Interrupt de-humanization

4) Re-humanize and cultivate empathy

If you are interested or know of others in your network who may be interested, please fill out this form. 

Ongoing protective accompaniment efforts

Sanctuary Caravan: They will be based in Tijuana for the long-term. Training webinars just took place and will become available at https://www.sanctuarycaravan.org/training in the following weeks. 

Accompaniment requested for migrants being released from detention in U.S.



Dear Brothers,

Vocation ministry actions in November

Other vocation items

 

I do not plan on traveling in December and will be catching up on office work. I am planning on speaking to all the juniors at Antonian High School here in San Antonio. Please keep me in your prayers in that endeavor. As always, please keep me updated about what you and your community are doing for Vocation Ministry.  

Please pray for our brothers who are celebrating their birthdays

December 7: Louis Fournier

December 8: Kenneth Thompson

December 10: David Betz, William Grundish

December 12: Thomas Spring

December 13: DuWayne Brisendine

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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