Marianist Lay Network of North America
Building a Community of Communities

Part of the Marianist Family    Marianist Lay Network of North America    March 2010

Quicklinks
MLNNA Website
The 2010 Continental Assembly Registration Form is available

E-News (this document) and Saying Yes Archive


Start Your Day with a Daily Gospel Meditation from
Father Bert Buby SM
Bible
   
 
 
Link to the blog for  his S
cripture Reflections. 
http://scripme
d.blogspot.com



International President of Lay Marianists Communities
  Isabella Moyers  blog


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Anawim Marianists
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Help Grow





"Not Your Ordinary Sunday"

We all die and rise. So do communities and institutions. Within our Marianist world we often focus on the dying. We are concerned about our vowed religious as they diminish in numbers. We are concerned about our community's vitality as member participation fades. We are concerned about our own commitment to our charism or our shared mission.


As Marianists we bring Christ into the world. The risen Christ. This means that on Easter Sunday we are called to roll back the stones of concern and pessimism. On Easter we remember that we too can rise. In fact, if we take Easter seriously, we MUST rise.


We must move from the darkness to the light. With prayer and hope we must renew our efforts to support our vowed sisters and brothers and each other knowing that if we work together the charism will grow. We must renew our communities by dropping our focus on what isn't working or who isn't working and changing our focus to what is working and who can we invite to make our community stronger. We must renew ourselves with vigor toward learning about and understanding our charism and applying it to what we do.


It takes effort to roll back a stone. It takes a little time to adjust to the light. But when we make that effort it becomes Easter Sunday and we all sing "Alleluia!"


peace and love,

aj

                                                                                 



RETREAT/REFLECT with other LAY MARIANIST?


Save the Date Hawaii 2010  





 












Continental Assembly is a time for all lay Marianists to come together, share ideas and return to your communities energized.  There is a vibrant group of lay Marianists in Hawaii working hard to prepare a warm welcome and provide a wonderful experience for us. 

 
On-line registration is available now for the July 22-25th meeting in Honolulu.

Kay Stone provides this summary of what is being planned.

Our Assembly, has the Hawaiian language theme of 'Ke Aloha, Ka Pono, Ka `Ohana".  Location: the campus of Chaminade University in Honolulu. 
It will begin on Thursday, July 22 with registration, welcome and a dinner.  We know folks coming from out of Hawaii will be tired and a bit jet lagged so Thursday is simply a day to get settled, have dinner together and get a good night's sleep. 
Friday July 23 will have the theme "Ke Aloha",  Very briefly, aloha stands for love and getting to know and respect one another.  We have several speakers and workshops planned and will end the day with a celebration honoring the 40th ananiversary of the L.I.F.E. program (Living In Faith Experience--the Marianist sponsored high school retreat program). 
Saturday July 24 will have the theme "Ka Pono".  The word "pono" stands for justice and fairness.  The day will feature several speakers and workshop including some facilitated by MSJC (Marianist Social Justice Collaborative).  In the evening we will have a luau dinner with lots of entertainment. 
Sunday will have the theme "Ka `Ohana".  The word "ohana" means family or community.  We will have several activities and end our formal assembly with a noon mass.  The assembly registration fee is $250 per person and includes three night's housing, all meals and conference expenses.


"Letting Go Of Stuff - For Lent or Forever."
Check out a NEW BLOG by Susan Vogt
Lent

(www.SusanVogt.net/blog) on

My plan is to choose one thing a day from our home to give away during the 40 days of Lent.  I think this might be an interesting Lenten action that many Marianists would want to do, especially as it can relate to the Nairobi document, "Marianist Lay Communities in the Church and in the World." It calls us all to simplify our lives. I invite people not only to read and comment on my blog but also to join me in letting go of one thing a day.

Looking for those providing spiritual accompaniment to communities


By Carol Ramey


Last October, The Rector's Office at the University of Dayton and NACMS sponsored a workshop on Spiritual Accompaniment.  We are following up on recommendations made by those in attendance.  I have been asked to develop a list of persons who are currently serving communities as one who provides
spiritual accompaniment.  This would include persons who are sometimes called mentors, moderators, guides, or spiritual directors (not to individuals, but to a community as a whole).

If someone is present to your community in this capacity, would you be willing to send that person's name to me, along with the name of the community and the length of time this individual has been with the community?  We would like to know how many communities have this relationship, conduct some more detailed research into how the relationship is structured, and gather information on the blessings and challenges of the interaction.

My e-mail address is [email protected]
u.

Your assistance with the project is greatly appreciated.




Dear MLNNA friends,

 
 Agnès Dumas Bounkoungou has invited us to join in a global prayer initiative for Haiti in remembrance of the earthquake of January 12th. The initiative comes from the Taizé Community in France to pray on the 12th of each month for the next 12 months.
A prayer service is available on the Taizé web-site.

 
We have posted details on both our Blog and at www.clm-mlc.org on the home page for each language. 
 
We remain united, in prayerful hope, with all our sisters and brothers in Haiti.
Haiti flag
 
affectionately,
 

Isabella
SUPPORT
You can support MLNNA either through the on-line secure link to Network for Good or via mail.  Your contributions support projects to assist lay community development (MLFI), social justice (MSJC) and our administrative office support.


Donate JarDonations to the Marianist Lay Network of North America can be sent electronically through  Network for Good

If you prefer to donate using the US Mail, please send checks made payable to MLNNA.  Mailing address is:
 
Marianist Lay Network of North America
1341 N Delaware Ave, # 406
Philadelphia, PA 19125
                

Summer SM and FMI Retreat

The Society of Mary and Daughter of Mary Immaculate have once again invited Lay Marianists to join them in their Summer Retreats with the understanding that the retreats are focused toward vowed religious life. This year's Annual Retreats for the Marianist Province of the United States will offer timely topics in spirituality:


God's Voice in Creation: A Catholic Ecological Spirituality

Retreat Guide:Sister Linda Gibler, OP
July 4 - 10, 2010
Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning
Dayton, Ohio
Please note: the deadline to register for this retreat is Feb. 15 (instead of March 15)

Religious Spirituality and Religious Life in Today's Church
Retreat Guide:Father Kenan Osborne, OFM
July 11 - 17, 2010
Vallombrosa Center
Menlo Park, Calif.

Spirituality of Aging with Grace
Retreat Guide: Brother Cornelius Hubbuch, CFX
July 18 - 24, 2010
Marianist Retreat & Conference Center
Eureka, Missouri

Spirituality and Reconciliation
Retreat Guide: Brother Donald Bisson, FMS
July 26 - Aug. 1, 2010
Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center
North Palm Beach, Fla.

Each retreat will cost $500. The retreats begin on Sunday at 5:00 P.M. and end the following Saturday at noon. Deadline for registration is March 15 except for the Bergamo Center retreat with a February 15th deadline. If you have any questions, please direct them to Donna Tucker at [email protected] or 314.533.1207.

Saying, "Yes!"


The longest chapter in the Rule of Benedict is on humility. With humility, Benedict says, "we will quickly arrive at the perfect love of God which casts out fear."

 
Father Marty Solma knows this. He knows that God comes calling in many ways to ask if we'd be willing to bring Him to this world. It may have started with Mary, but it continues today.

Fr_Marty
When the General Superior, Father Manuel Cortez, asked Father Marty if he would leave his twenty-nine year mission to the people of Kenya to lead the Province of the United States for the Society of Mary, Father Marty faced a similar situation to Mary's visit from Gabriel. What do you say when God asks? What do you say when a "Yes" means loss of what you are comfortable with? What do you say when "Yes" means a loss of relationships? What do you say when "Yes" means saying goodbye to your life's work?

 
I can't say what I would say, but if you're Father Marty Solma, you arrive at the perfect love for God casting out fear. You humble yourself and say "Yes!"

Fr. Marty
peace and love,

aj


 
Editor's Note
Praise God for good doctors and the blessing of God's healing power within our bodies.  I'm now back to work full time.  I am walking with crutches as my leg is so weak following 2 months of being off of it.  The most wonderful news I received at my last appointment was that I could take off my plastic boot to drive (my ankle works fine) - this is huge for my independence.  Unfortunately I will be wearing the boot for another 3 months, as a protection for the leg with it's metal plates and screws.
Jacqui Griswold broken leg 2010Peace, Jacqui

NEXT MONTH'S E-NEWS
What's happening with your community?  Send me a summary of what you are doing that might be educational or inspirational for another community.

Submit an article about the news from your community. 
Keep copy short and describe who, what, why, when and how.  Deadline for the next E-news is  April 5th. 
 If possible provide a digital picture (
JPEG format 100 - 900K) with your news story.  Send to Jacqui Griswold, MLNNA editor

Thanks for reading to the end.