New Year's greetings to all of you from North India!

Bros. Bernie Ploeger, Dennis Schmitz and I have been at Nirmal Deep, the Marianist novitiate in Ranchi, since Dec.  28. We have been meeting with the members of the District Strategic Planning Committee to develop a mission and ministry plan for the next five years.

The committee has worked well together, and both Bernie and Dennis have been helpful in bringing the planning process to completion. When finished and endorsed by the District Council and Chapter, this plan will become the blueprint for the new District leaders when they begin their service during the District Assembly in June.

The District currently is involved in a consultation for district superior; this will be followed by a second consultation for assistant district superior.

One of the highlights of our time here was the perpetual profession of Bros. George Majhi and Lalit Dhanwar on Jan. 2 at the Blessed Chaminade Church in Singhpur. We were joined by about 350 guests celebrating this lifelong commitment. You can read more about the event in today's issue of FamilyOnline.

At Monday's perpetual vow profession are, from left, Bro. Bernie Ploeger, Fr. Martin Solma, Bros. Lalit Dhanwar, Augustus Surin (district superior),George Majhi and Dennis Schmitz, and Fr. Sudhir Kujur (assistant district superior).

I am back in St. Louis on Jan. 8. Soon after, the Provincial Council will hold its first meeting of 2017 in Puerto Rico. We will participate in Founder's Day celebrations at Colegio San José, and meet with members of the community for the first of our Province area gatherings.

Just before Christmas, the Maryland Avenue Community hosted a group of Marianist Leadership Program students for Eucharist, dinner and a sharing on Marianist life. Thanks to Brian Buchmeyer, director of the Marianist Leadership Program, for including this happy event during the group's immersion experience in St. Louis. Thanks to Bro. Bob Resing for all of the culinary coordination.

St. Mary's University Marianist Leadership Program students with members of the Maryland Avenue Community.

Let us pray for each other during these early days of 2017, asking Our Blessed Mother to help us serve her mission more faithfully and joyfully.

As you know, the Province sponsors Marianist Urban Students Programs at three high schools: Purcell Marian, Villa Angela-St Joseph and Central Catholic. In September, we added a new program that is not funded by the Province.

In collaboration with a benefactor who provided the seed money - and with the cooperation of St. Mary's President Mike England - we began the first year of a program that will grow and that includes new features. The St. Mary's MUSP students not only receive tutoring, but also tutor at a local Catholic elementary school two days a week. The high schoolers receive a small stipend to motivate their own academic performance.

	Bro. Tom with Haley Henricks

Haley Henricks, a long-time St. Mary's English teacher, is the director of the program. I have found her deeply committed to her students and pleased with the progress they have made. Haley is in contact with the other MUSP directors and the group is sharing best practices.

I am grateful to Allison Hewitt, our director of development, for facilitating the launch of this program.
 

Notes from the Provincial Council is featuring Marianists who hold leadership roles in the Province. We encourage you to learn more about these men, be grateful for all they do for us, and hold them in your prayers.



First profession: 1986
Leadership role: Pastor, St. Joseph's Catholic Church
Biography





First profession: 1965
Leadership role: Director of Marianist Residence
Biography