News for members of the Marianist Province of the United States
June 28, 2018
From Fr. Martin Solma




Dear Brothers,



First Profession

Congratulations and best wishes to Sung Yong Joseph Kim who will profess first vows this weekend in Seoul. Joseph has spent the last two years at our novitiate in Dayton. Fr. Chris Wittmann will be present for the profession to represent the province and to encourage our Brothers in the Region of Korea. 


June 30

This Saturday has been designated as a day to focus concern for children who have been separated from their parents at the southern border. The US Catholic Bishops have called for an immediate end to this policy and for children to be reunited with their families. A federal judge in San Diego has set a deadline for these reunions to happen. Although we will be together for our Assembly, let's keep this important intention in our prayers this weekend.


Rest In Peace

We were shocked to hear on Tuesday evening of the death of Bro. Philipe Melcher in an auto accident in Colorado on Tuesday afternoon. The details for the accident are still unclear, although we know that he was riding in a shuttle when the van was hit from behind. We join the Brothers in Peru in mourning the death of this important member of the Society of Mary and the Region of Peru.

Brothers of Hope and Joy

We will be together this weekend for our province Assembly. Let's pray for each other and for the success of our time together. May we be encouraged in our Marianist vocations as men in alliance with Mary and witnesses to hope and joy.

From Bro. Joe Kamis


Dear Brothers,

Personnel

The Provincial Council formally approved the placements of  Fr. Oscar Vasquez and Bro. Jesse O'Neill to the Salve Community and Bro. Bernie Ploeger to the Maryland Avenue Community for the coming community year.

Bro. Mike Murphy, who has been on sabbatical this year, has been assigned to the Cupertino Marianist Community. Bro. Mike will be assisting Bro. Jack Somerville with the ministry at the community and will be arriving there in mid-July.


New Director

The Provincial Council this week has appointed Fr. Neville O'Donohue as acting director for one year of the Eldersburg/Rosedale Community. The Council thanks Neville for his openness to this ministry of service for the brothers and for the Province.

From Bro. Tom Giardino

Dear Brothers,

St. Laurence College: 

I recently returned from a stay in Ireland and had many meetings with groups and individuals involved in our initiative to sell a portion of the land of St. Laurence College (SLC).  The aim of this initiative is to set up an endowment to help secure resources to enter Le Chéile, a Catholic school trust that will assume the sponsorship of the school. 

We had set a deadline of June 1 to receive offers from potential purchasers of the property. We received several, reviewed them and, in conjunction with our professional property advisers, we have identified a preferred bidder.  We are providing this party with an exclusive period to further explore this option and to return to us with a final offer. I met with this potential purchaser and negotiations are proceeding. Also, Mr. Billy Redmond, the principal, will take a "career break" next school year and Mr. Ronan Coffey, a long-time teacher at SLC, will assume the position of acting principal on September 1.

Our Lady of the Pillar School: 

At the request of Fr. Tom French, SM, pastor of Our Lady of the Pillar parish, Dan Donnelly, director of the Office of Sponsorship, and I have met with him to explore the possibility of the School entering the Sponsorship program of the Province.  The Marianists administer the parish which is adjacent to Chaminade College Preparatory School.  

There have been many interchanges with the parish school and the high schools in the St. Louis area over the years. The Sponsorship Office will take a year to explore this new relationship in dialogue with the school personnel and the Sponsorship team.

From the Office of JPIC - Brian Reavey

Dear Brothers,


From USCCB

As Fr. Marty mentioned above, our U.S. Catholic Bishops have called for just immigration policies and for children to be reunited with their families. The Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez, of Austin, Texas, Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB/COM) Committee on Migration, sent a letter to every Member of the U.S. House of Representatives last week in response to two immigration bills that are expected to be taken up by the full House. For more up-to-date information and helpful resources, visit Justice for Immigrants.

From CMSM

Update on Family Separation - Well done, everyone! In collaboration with many partners, our speaking out, advocacy, and resistance helped to change the policy of family separation of immigrants so they will no longer be immediately separated at the border. Read the full statement CMSM released last week to increase the pressure for policy change.

However, the next challenges are to ensure families are reunified, to stop requiring parents to self-deport in exchange for getting their kids back, to resist family detention (which also increases the profiles of private prisons) and later separation, to promote alternatives to detention, and to ensure that Congress rejects H.R. 6163 and S. 3093. Recommended Action: Energize our collective resistance by participating in a "Families Belong Together" rally near you this Saturday, June 30th.

Poverty USA Resource

On the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's (USCCB) new mobile-friendly Poverty USA website, you can learn about some of the major legislative policies that help address the root causes of economic injustice. You can also find your representative and ask them to support the policies and legislation that help people get out of poverty. Act now.


Via Latina 22
On the calendar
 
June 28 - July 1: Assembly, St. Louis, MO
June 29: St. Peter and St. Paul

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