After reading all of the submissions from province members during the recent leadership consultations, Fr. Manuel Cortés has summarized the major themes that emerged. His letter gives a good snapshot of the province, along with some important indications for the new provincial leadership. Read the letter.

Thanks to Fr. Manuel and the other members of the General Administration for their careful reading of these consultations.

Just a reminder: be sure to complete the consultation for members of the provincial council  by Jan. 5. It might be wise to complete this consultation before the Christmas activities begin.

Please note, Bro. Esteban Reyes Durán should have been listed among the eligible brothers. As a Mexican brother currently serving in the U.S., he was mistakenly overlooked when the lists were merged.

Consultation form
Eligible SMs (updated list)

Fr. Chinnaiah Polishety and Bro. Oscar Kerketta are completing the first half of the IRF (Institute for Religious Formation) in Chicago and will spend some of the Christmas holiday with the novitiate community in Dayton. After Christmas, they will spend about 10 days with Marianists in San Antonio, joined by Bro. Kumaraswamy and Fr. Josephraj.

Ahead: Meribah experience

Bro. Juan Pablo Espinoza Chavez has been involved in an immersion experience at Central Catholic High School in San Antonio this term. To broaden his experience, he'll spend January through March in the Province of Meribah, assisting at St. Martin De Porres School and elsewhere.  

Juan Pablo will then return to Mexico to defend his thesis for a master's degree in theology. After that, he'll work with other Mexican Marianists to organize a new educational ministry.

As I noted earlier, an important meeting of Asian Marianists will take place in Ranchi, India, just before the final Marianist Bicentennial celebration in Singhpur.  

The decision to hold this symposium was made at the end of the last symposium in 2011, when Fr. Aoki, regional superior of Japan, was zonal president. With the support of the current zonal president, Fr. Francis Chang from Korea, final plans were put in place and Fr. David Fleming was enlisted to help organize this gathering of Asian Marianists from the various branches of the Marianist Family.

We wish them good luck and hope that great benefits will come for the future of Marianist life and mission in this part of the world.

Christmas prayer

Mother of God

similar to fire,

ignite my heart in prayer.

Where once I stood on familiar ground,

selecting my spiritual experiences

like choice morsels from a well-tended larder,

now my garden has gone up in flames

and I thirst only for the Living God.

Let me find him, Mother,

as you do,

deep inside my own ripened being.

Jan. 1 marks the 51st World Day of Peace. For this commemoration, Pope Francis focuses on migrants. Read his message.

Homily helps

The Conference of Major Superiors of Men offers these "homily helps" linking the lectionary to peace and justice. If you are not a homilist, please share these links with someone who is.

Dec. 24 by Rhett Engelking, OFS
Dec. 25 by Fr. Emmanuel McCarthy
Dec. 31 by Prof. Dawn Nothwehr, OSF