"Thinking Globally, Acting Locally" is a brand new program MSJC has developed. This
one day program helps participants to understand better the global
forces that are at work today and therefore enable them to make better
and more effective choices in their day to day lives, choices that in
some way will contribute to the building up of the global family. MSJC
can come to your area to facilitate this program without any cost to
the sponsoring group.
The next program is scheduled for
Saturday, May
10 in Philadelphia.
If you want more information on the Philadelphia
program, contact Pati Krasensky at patikras@hotmail.com. If you'd like information on how to organize the program in your area, contact Jim Vogt at jimvogt2@yahoo.com. |
New link this month
 Notice that each issue of this E-newsletter includes links to allow quick connection to other Marianist organization websites.
This month a link is provided to the GIFTS and TASKS newsletter archive. Isabella Moyer from Canada is the editor of this newsletter. Gifts
and Tasks is a monthly E-newsletter for Marianist Lay Communities in
the international region of North America, Asia, Ireland and Australia.
It also includes news from the world-wide Marianist Family.
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Daily Gospel Meditation
The readings can be obtained through this link to the National US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Bookmark the location. 
If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, "Move from here to yonder place," and it shall move, and nothing shall be impossible to you. Matthew 17:20
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President's Message
Death and Resurrection can come
in many forms.
No matter where she goes,
Jessica Gonzalez brings a tremendous amount of energy and a real spiritual
presence. So when she decided to return to her native Puerto Rico the Grand
Walkers Community, Jessica's Marianist Lay Community in Dayton, Ohio,
mourned their loss.
Jessica mourned too. She loved
her native land but missed the Community she helped to form from its beginning.
Her new job at Colegio San Jose, a Marianist prep school in San Juan, was good, but she missed the prayer
and support that Community provides. The wonderful people at her school knew
the Marianists, but did not know community, and Jessica, not knowing her
coworkers well, was nervous about approaching them with the topic.
But she did.
She rolled back the stone on
her fears and soon a new Lay Community was forming! Jessica referred back to
her training with the Marianist Lay Formation Initiative and established the
only active Marianist Lay Community in Puerto Rico!
From death to Resurrection.
Alleluia!
If your community needs a boost, or if you would like to be
trained on how to start a Marianist Lay Community read the attached notice from
the Marianist Lay Formation Initiative and contact Pati Krasensky at
215-634-4116 or at pkrasensky@sm-usa.org.
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Community Spotlight - Hawaii
by Julie Nakano
In the Pacific Region, a
growing network of Lay Marianist communities in Hawai`i have been working together to spread
the charism. Local communities have been gathering for several collective
events during the course of the year, including opportunities for formation,
networking, planning, and celebration.
During February, five
communities shared in the annual commitment ceremony, held at Mystical Rose
Oratory on the campus of Chaminade University in Honolulu.
Both new and continuing members made formal expression of their commitment to
faithful participation in their respective communities for the next year. [Photo: Kay Stone & Julie Nakano]
A new effort underway to
help promote sharing and interconnection between is the identification of
liaisons from each community to participate on a local council. This
council will help in the "organization for communication and cooperation
from community to community."
A great example of a
collaborative event hosted by local communities working together was an MLC
sponsored Family Retreat held on Oahu in
January. This ministry effort is gaining momentum, with the next retreat
scheduled for August, and involves volunteers from multiple communities.
Lay Marianists participating in February Commitment Ceremony
Another major upcoming
event that the council will help to support, is the preparation for hosting the
MLNNA Lay Assembly in 2010. We ask for your continuing prayers for the many new
and growing communities and Hawai`i look forward to seeing you all here soon!
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GOODSEARCH.COM
Our
new Development Team Mike and Paula Ziemskis have provided us a way to
make a little money through your efforts. Instead of using your
current search engine, try GOODSEARCH.COM. Under the section "Spread
the Word", find instructions for changing your default computer
settings.
What if MLNNA earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can!
GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results fromYahoo, and watch the donations add up!
GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting your favorite cause.
Just go to www.GoodSearch.com and be sure to enter MLNNA as the charity you want to support. And, be sure to spread the word!
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 Invitation to a Celebration "You are cordially invited to celebrate with
Father Richard Kuhn, S.M., his
80th birthday
and
50th anniversary
as a Marianist priest on
Saturday, April 12, 2008 from 2-6 pm at the Columbus Gardens, 4301 Klosterman Ave. Baltimore, MD 21236.
As a way of recognizing Father Rich's two significant milestones this year, a fundraising gala is being arranged to support a cause that has been near and dear to his heart. Proceeds will be used to support the Christian Family Living Center in Topsail, NC.
Father Rich has been involved in family ministry since 1985. He now travels from Baltimore, MD to North Carolina to minister to families for weekend and summer week retreats. Father Rich remains committed to supporting the Center so it can continue to be fully utilized as a place of peace and worship for families seeking retreat.
If you would like more information about the gala
please email Tina Bauman at tinab220@yahoo.com.or
call: 410-668-0963.We would be happy to send you an invitation."
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Lay Formation Initative
Calling
all Marianists!
- We are currently in the planning
stages for the next gathering of the Marianist Lay Formation Initiative in April
of 2008.
- Do you know anyone who may be
interested in deepening their commitment to Marianist life through forming a
Marianist Lay Community?
- Are you currently in a community
that could use a little boost? Need a way to re-energize your community?
- Are you someone who may like to be
involved with our mentorship program for new communities?
- Have I got an offer for you! Call me
at 215-634-4116, for more information. I'd love to talk with you!
Pati
Krasensky-Director
pkrasensky@sm-usa.org
Enter the Upper Room . . .
The
roots of Marianist lay communities trace back to the "upper room," where the
first Christian community gathered after Jesus' Ascension (Acts 1:13). Fr.
Chaminade's mission to rechristianize France began with small communities
of faith patterned after these first disciples. The Marianist Family Council
invites you to enter the upper room experience through the Marianist Lay
Formation Initiative (MLFI). This one-year program supports laity who are
passionate about the Marianist charism and desire to spread the Marianist
spirit in their area.
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News from Lorna Mueni about Kenya
This is a brief report on the events that have been ocurring in Kenya between 29th December last year and today.
Kenya held its general elections on 27th December to elect its president and members of parliament. After the elections, the results were disputed and there were many claims of rigging. This resulted in political chaos and over 200,000 people were displaced while hundreds were killed. For almost a month, the country was in a crisis.
Different leaders from both Africa and the rest of the world were invited to help solve the political crisis. Kofi Anan (the former United Nations Secretary General) and other African leaders formed a team which has helped the fovernment and the opposition leaders come to a peace agreement. This peace agreement was signed and we are now waiting for the new parlament to legalize the new agreements. Kenya has been at peace since the beginning of February. We have already started the healing process and we pray and hope that peace will continue to prevail.
For more details about the updates or about Kenya in general, there are two websites which you can check out.
Africa Guide
Tourism Kenya
We continue asking for your prayers that we may seek for peace and justice.
Peace, Lorna
[Lorna is the official representative for Africa MLC's to the
International Team and she is in charge of preparation for the
international meeting in 2009. She lives in Nairobi, is a lay
Marianist and is a member of the MLC there. She is on the world
council since she is on the International team. She is often working
with the brothers on joint projects.]
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International Meeting of Marianist Lay Community Representatives
Help with the costs for the next
International Meeting. The next
International Meeting of Marianist Lay Communities will be held in Nairobi, Kenya
in 2009. There will be approximately 50
delegates from 29 countries from all around the world. Over half of the delegates reside in
developing nations. Because of rising
fuel costs, travel to the meeting will be expensive. We are setting up a fund to help defray costs
of the meeting and to help with travel for delegates. Please consider donating to this fund. Write checks to: Marainist Lay Network and in the annotation
line write "International Meeting Fund".
Send checks to:
Marianist Center, 1341 N. Delaware Avenue, #406 Philadelphia, PA 19125.
Thank you for your generosity,
we will keep you up to date concerning the progress of the fund.
Tony Garascia, President
International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities and
Isabella Moyer,
Representative for North America, Asia, Australia , Ireland.
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Regional Representatives for Marianist Lay Communities are divided by the following regions.
Do you know who your representative is? Their names will be published next month.
PACIFIC: Hawaii, California ,
Oregon , Washington ,
Nevada, Alaska
CENTRAL: Illinois, Missouri ,
Wisconsin ,
Kansas , Nebraska ,
Colorado , Arizona, Utah ,
Idaho , Montana ,
Wyoming , North and South Dakota ,
Minnesota ,
Iowa
SOUTH: Texas, Louisiana, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Puerto Rico
MIDWEST: Ohio, Indiana ,
Michigan,
Kentucky
EAST: New Jersey, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Washington DC, New York, Virginia,
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island,
Delaware, West Virginia
QUEBEC : Eastern Canada,
Haiti
WINNEPEG: Western Canada
Bolded States and areas are places that currently have
active MLC's.
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Editors Comment
Thanks for reading to the end. I welcome contributions from the members on local happenings of your community, books that you would recommend to others or anything that you think would be of interest to your fellow Marianists.
Jacqui Griswold
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