Easter peace and joy to all of you! May we savor this wonderful Easter week together.

Provincial Chapter 2018

The link below provides my report on the recently concluded session of the Provincial Chapter.

Please take the time to read the summary of what was accomplished. Of particular note:

• A report from the Office of Mission Advancement and a review of the Join Her Mission endowment campaign.

• The work of the Office of Education concerning province sponsorship efforts.

• The province fiscal health and the requested report on contingent liabilities from the last Chapter.

• A report on the Envisioning II meeting in San Antonio and the proposed next steps for visioning the future.

• The bicentennial gifts to St. Mary's University, the University of Dayton, and Chaminade University.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this session of the Chapter substantive and productive. Special thanks to Bro. Joe Kamis and the preparatory commission.

Common Bond reunion

All professed Marianist religious are invited to the 2018 Common Bond Reunion at the University of Dayton July 27-29.

These gatherings of current and former members of the Society of Mary can be a source of encouragement and mutual support, based on a shared history and a shared love for the Society of Mary.

Common Bond leadership has created a special link to their protected website to allow members of the Society of Mary to login and register for the reunion. Once signed in, choose "Reunion 2018" from the top menu. Sign in and learn more.

St. Laurence College

Bro. Tom Giardino and I will travel to Dublin early next week. We will be meeting with the St. Laurence College Board of Management and with the brothers in the Dublin community concerning the future of the school. Together with these partners in mission, we'll discuss our hope to place St. Laurence College in a Catholic Schools Trust and to provide financing for this transition .

Please pray that our meetings go well as we work toward a final decision.

Annuciation

On Monday, we celebrate the Annunciation of Our Lord.

Please read this resource from the World Council of the Marianist Family about this important feast.

On average, 96 Americans die every day from gun violence.

Faith-based investors across the country are calling for meaningful corporate action to address gun violence.

In a recent statement from the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility -- of which the province is a founding member -- a group of 142 institutional investors are urging gun manufacturers, retailers and distributors to review their operations and policies and take meaningful action to stem gun violence.

Read more.

The provincial office has 12 used copies of "Christian Prayer: Liturgy of the Hours" (Catholic Book Publishing Company).

If your community has need of these, please contact Pat Stephens.