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International Organization of MLC:
Region of North America, Asia
Ireland and Australia |
October, 2007
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Greetings, friends!
Our trip to Quebec for the Marianist World Day of Prayer was wonderful! The richness of history and beauty of the land was reflected in the warm hospitality given so generously by the Marianist Family in Quebec.
The World Day of Prayer experience, for me, was one of thanksgiving for our own Marianist heritage here in Canada, as well as the gift of our international family.
The greetings and video clips from Marianists around the world helped us to be united across the many miles as we joined our prayers with yours.
To all those who worked so hard to make the day so special - merci beaucoup!
Notre Dame du Cap - pray for us.
Peace to all,
Isabella
(The photo above is of St-Anselme Church, a parish ministered to by our SM brothers.)
Isabella Moyer, MLC
Regional Responsible
North America, Asia
Ireland and Australia
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World Day of Prayer in Quebec
Approximately 150 people gathered for the Marianist World Day of Prayer pilgrimage on October 14th, at the Shrine of Notre Dame du Cap in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Archbiship Raymond Roussin, SM of Vancouver, BC. Other Canadian Marianists travelling to Quebec included Fr. Rosaire Cot�, SM (Cote d'Ivoire), Marg Van Herk-Paradis (Stratford, ON), Kathryn Zaleski-Cox (Toronto, ON) and David and Isabella Moyer (Neepawa, MB). Luis Canal, a young lay Marianist from Spain presently studying in Canada, heard of the World Day of Prayer and happily joined us!
A more detailed report from Quebec will be available soon.
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World Day of Prayer in India
The Marianist Family of Bangalore, India gathered at Our Lady of Lourdes Church to celebrate the Marianist World Day of Prayer. More World Day of Prayer photos can be found at www.marianist.org. |
| Quebec Welcomes Visitor from Haiti
by Jos�e Roberge
Early in
September, we had the pleasure of receiving a pearl from Haiti:
Marie-Roseline Rogene.This young,
joy-filled Marianist woman brought with her a wonderful ray of
sunshine. Jos�e and Roseline spent numerous hours sharing their common passion
for the Marianist life.
The MLC's
of Haiti
are slowly recovering from a difficult period, but time, forgiveness and mutual respect will
allow wounds to heal.On the other
hand, this difficult period can be seen as necessary growing pains that will
eventually result in a deeper Marianist spirit. During all this time, the
Virgin Mary was watching over them. The newsletter, "Le Marianiste Canadien" that is
regularly sent from Quebec
to their leaders helped to maintain links.
 Haiti's MLC's are facing numerous
challenges, with formation being at the top of the list. MLC members are hoping to develop
a stronger relationship with the Marianist religious and continue to collaborate in their common mission. Over the next few months, Roseline, who is responsible
for the formation, will work more closely with Brother Stan.
Although
the visit was short it was full; a quick tour to St-Lazare
to see Josseline and Michel, St-Anselme to visit Alain and Jacqueline and the
SM's, and finally the Marianist Center in St-Henri.
Roseline
went back home, full of enthusiasm and assured of our daily prayers. Upper photo:
Marcel Dion, Bro. Jean-Charles Casista, SM, Roseline, Jos�e Roberge, Fr. Gabriel Arsenault, SM.
Lower photo:
Roseline and Josseline Laverdiere
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Deepahalli Newsletter
 The Marianists of Deepahalli, India have published a newsletter full of stories and beautiful photos. Click below to read the first edition:
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Hawaii MLC News
by Bro. Dennis Schmitz, SM
The Marianist Lay Communities met at the Brothers' House in Ewa
Beach on Sept. 22nd. The morning session focused on where we've come in the
past year in our communities and where we'd like to go in the future.
There was a lot of enthusiasm about taking on Family Retreats as a ministry and
about hosting the MLNNA Continental Assembly in 2010. The photo includes, Bro.
Jack Ventura, (2nd row, left) the facilitator for the
day.
The participants are: 1st row (l to r): Barb Belle,
Christy Bryant, Victor Hardy-Kahaleo'umi, Bro. Jerry Bommer; 2nd row: Vince
Hodge, Tina Andrade, (Bro. Jack), Val and Dave Coleman, Pi'ikea
Hardy-Kahaleo'umi, Julie Nagasako, Kay Stone, Bro. Dennis Schmitz. 3rd
Row: Mary Pat,Jeannie Pinpin, John Menard, Anne, Cathy Agor, Rick Collins, Lisa
Vega, Jayne Mondoy, Bro. Luis Gamboa, Grissel Benitez-Hodge, Fr. Ken Templin.
(Photo taken by Brian Reavey).
The afternoon sessions included experiencing some of the Family Retreat activities. This was done in order to get a better sense of how the retreat
works. Most of the MLC members hope to take some sort of active role in the
Marianist Family Retreat Program.
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MLNNA Meeting
(Article from the MLNNA E-News)
On September 7-9, the leadership of MLNNA met in Dayton to
"network," set goals for 2008, and identify ways to collaborate more effectively
with some of the other Marianist organizations and projects that involve or
serve lay Marianists.
Representatives from various geographic areas in the United
States and Canada reported on creative ways that many Marianist Lay Communities
(MLCs) and individual lay Marianists support spiritual development and social
justice in their city or region.
A project that we will explore as a result of
the meeting is sharing these stories and developing a
web resource for planning community gatherings. 
In general, a consistent outcome of the meeting was
recommitment to providing resources that would support local community life and
growth. A news item for future planning is that the next Continental
Assembly will be at Chaminade University in Honolulu,
Hawaii, in July 2010.
The agenda also included discussions of this year's
election for the MLNNA Leadership Team and the Annual Fund
Drive. Information is available at www.mlnna.com, and we invite you to
get involved in both. (However, a
donation is not required to vote.) A major goal continues to be building a
stable financial base for the long term, and a Development Committee was
established to develop a strategy.
MLNNA, as a member of the Family Council of North America,
sponsors the Lay Formation Initiative (LFI) and the Marianist Social Justice
Collaborative (MSJC). Leaders in both of
these groups attended the meeting. MLNNA will partner with the LFI especially by
identifying mentors or companions to accompany new or struggling communities.
MLNNA will help keep lay Marianists aware of social justice materials useful for
community meetings or activities. Also,
MLNNA is working with NACMS to produce a new study guide on the
Marian dimension of the Church.
Also discussed were recent
activities of the International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities
(IO/MLC), the World Council of the Marianist Family, the Family Council of North
America, the Marianist Alliance for Lay Formation, NACMS, and the newly formed
Marianist Young Adult Committee (MYA).
 On Saturday evening, there was a joint dinner and social with
participants in MSJC's Adele Social Justice Project. It was very exciting to experience the energy
of the young adults involved in ASJP and MYA, and we all agreed to continue to
collaborate and establish formal relationships, as
appropriate.
Attendees
Margaret Cavanaugh, President; Dan Jordan, Communications;
Kay Stone, Community Development; Susan Vogt, Secretary; Tony Garascia,
Treasurer, and IO/MLC; Isabella Moyer, Regional Representative to IO/MLC; Val
Bergeron, Winnipeg Area; Julie Nagasako, Pacific Area; Ray McCracken, East Coast
Area; Anne Petratis, Midwest Area; Brenda Fitzpatrick, MLNNA Representative to
MSJC; A. J. Wagner, Development Director; Pati Krasensky, LFI; Carol Ramey,
NACMS; Michael Pera, Marianist Young Adult
Committee | |
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Via Latina
The October issue of Via Latina is available on line at www.marianist.org. The Society of Mary continues to welcome new members, including the first two novices from Haiti to make their first profession of vows. Click below to read more: Fran�ais Espa�ol |
Beatification of Madrid Martyrs 
Pope Benedict XVI, has approved
four Marianists Martyrs for beatification
on October 28, 2007 in Rome.
Miguel L�ibar, Joaqu�n Ochoa Salazar, Sabino Ayastuy Errasti and Florencio Arn�iz Cejudo will be beatified along with 494 other martyrs of the religious persecution in Spain during the years 1936-1939.
To commemorate the beatifications, the US Province has prepared a prayer service for use by schools, organizations and communities. The prayer service was created by
Bro. Bob Jones of Purcell-Marian High School in Dayton. In addition, Bro. Bob Wood (Marianist Residence, San Antonio) has written a hymn to use with the prayer service. The prayer service is available in large and small group formats.
View the prayer service materials
(from Family Online)
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All Saints and All Souls:
A Reflection
Fr. George Cerniglia, SM, Assistant for Religious Life in the Province of the US, offers the following reflection for All Saints Day:
The
first two days of the month of November call us to be mindful of the "saints"
we have known. That is why the church names these days the feasts of "All
Saints" and "All Souls." Karl Rahner captures the spirit of these feasts well:
All Saints Day and All Souls Day
are the feasts of every saint and every soul who has died and gone home into
the eternal love of God. All of them -- and therefore not only those
already celebrated by name in the Church's feasts throughout the year -- but
also the silent, unknown ones who have departed as if they had never existed.
There are no legends about them; their lives are recorded neither in poetry nor
in history, secular or ecclesiastical. Only one person knows anything about
these saints, and that is God. He has inscribed their names in the book of
life, which is the heart of his eternal love. [The Eternal Year, p. 137]
I urge
you throughout this month to pray in a special way for the dead, for the
"saints" you and I have known, who have given us a model of fidelity and
perseverance.
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Next Issue of Gifts and Tasks
We need local and national stories, reflections, and photos for Gifts and Tasks! Please send submissions and ideas for next month's issue to moyerfam@mts.net by November 20th.
And kindly forward this issue to contact persons within your country to help with its distribution. If anyone would like to be added to the subscription list, please send email addresses to moyerfam@mts.net. Thank you!
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