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International Organization of MLC:
Region of North America, Asia
Ireland and Australia |
November 2008
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The Annunciation - Oratory of Via Latina
Dear friends,
November was a busy month with our annual meetings in Rome. And, as is the case with meetings, we all arrived home with a long list of tasks ahead of us. As Fr. George writes in his Advent reflection, it's easy to be overwhelmed with the busyness of life.
Advent invites us into the stillness of God's presence to ponder with hearts open to the Spirit like Mary. To pray, knowing that she and all God's holy people are praying with us and for us. To be renewed in faith and hope, knowing that the Word became flesh, dwelt among us, and continues to be with us. To believe that in the midst of all the anxieties of our world, all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.
I wish you Advent stillness, and peace of heart.
United in prayer and friendship across the miles,
Isabella R. Moyer, MLC
Regional Responsible
North America, Asia
Ireland and Australia
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International Team Meets in Rome
Back: Ezequiel Reggiani, Ana Bl�zquez Ubach, Tony Garascia
Front: Bro. Domingo Fuentes, Lorna Mueni, Isabella Moyer
The International Team of Marianist Lay Communities gathered in Rome, November 2-8, 2008. Annual reports were shared from all our regions. The main topic of discussion was the 5th International Meeting of MLC in Nairobi, August, 2009. A full report of the meeting will be available shortly.
The team met with Prof. Guzm�n Carriquiry, undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Prof. Carriquiry offered his support for our Nairobi meeting, and gave us valuable fund-raising information to ensure that all our delegates will be able to attend. Our conversation also included the uniqueness of the family spirit in our Marianist charism - a reality not found in other Private Associations of the Lay Faithful.  Meeting with the Marianist seminarians at Via Latina has become a wonderful, annual tradition. It's an opportunity to discuss our challenges and to vision together how to collaborate in our mission as a Marianist family. |
World Council of the Marianist Family Meets
Ezequiel Reggiani MLC, Marie Joelle Bec FMI, Domingo Fuentes SM, Ana Bl�zquez Ubach MLC, Lorna Mueni MLC, Isabella Moyer MLC, Susanna Kim S. FMI, Manuel Cort�s SM, Anthony Garascia MLC, Jos� Mar�a Alvira SM, Andr� F�tis SM, Estella Ibarra FMI, Marcella Quezada (translator),Jos� Antonio Muguerza SM (translator), Timothy Phillips SM.
The World Council of the Marianist Family held their annual meeting November 6th and 7th in Rome. In attendence were members of the General Administrations of the Daughters of Mary and the Society of Mary, and the International Team of Marianist Lay Communities. Ms Christiane Barbaux, the newly elected Director of the Alliance Mariale, was unable to attend this year but sent a report. A full report of the meeting is still being translated, and will be available soon at www.marianist.org.
This is the fourth, and last WCMF meeting for the present International Team of MLC. We would like to thank the Brothers at Via Latina for the warm welcome and hospitality that we received each year.
And, thank you also to the Sisters at Via Jenner for hosting our annual celebratory wind-up dinner. Our time together was always Marianist family spirit at its finest!
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WCMF Christmas Message
The World Council of the Marianist Family
Christmas Message 2008
is available at
www.marianist.org
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Friday Magnificat
The latest Friday Magnificat,
8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development, is now online along with the full series of Magnificats focused on the Millenium Goals.
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Advent Reflection
Fr. George Cerniglia, Assistant for Religious Life for the Province of the U.S. writes:
If we are ever going
to examine simplicity and how to become more Christ-centered during Advent and
Christmas, this might be the year. The economy presses on us; time slides past
us fast and furious. We multi-task, juggle, rush to get things done and speed
our way through each moment. Sometimes our demeanor is compromised. We get short
with people we love; we cheat ourselves and neglect our health and are stressed
by small things. We are tired of Christmas before it even
arrives.
Yes, this might be the
year to seriously consider the way we prepare in the weeks before Christmas.
After all, this is our season to get ready for the
Messiah.
Mark's Gospel for this
Advent begins by quoting the prophet Isaiah: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he
will prepare your way. John the Baptist is the first to appear in
Mark's Gospel and to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. This Advent, it's
our turn!
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FMI Circular
S. Marie Joelle Bec, FMI has published her 23rd Circular. She takes as her theme the inspiration of St. Paul on the writings of Mother Adele.
 My Dear Sisters, On this Pauline year to which we have been invited to celebrate with the Universal Church, I thought it would be interesting to see in the letters of Mother Adele, the texts that nourished her prayer and the advice she gave her friends and later on her sisters. This will inspire us, I am certain, to re-read the letters of Paul, the apostle of the gentiles who, as Adele desired so much, seeked ways to make known the Gospel of Christ "from East to West."
I can do all with Him that gives me strength. Phil. 4:13
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Support Kenya 2009
The next
International Meeting of Marianist Lay Communities will be held in Nairobi,
Kenya in 2009. Approximately 50
delegates from 29 countries will be invited to attend.
Because of rising
fuel costs, travel to the meeting will be expensive. Also, over half of our delegates reside in
developing nations .
We are setting up a
Scholarship Fund for Delegates to
help with travel and meeting costs. Please consider donating to this fund.
Make checks
to: Marianist
Lay Network and in the annotation line write "International Meeting
Fund" and mail to: Marianist Center
1341 N. Delaware Avenue, # 406
Philadelphia,
PA 19125 USA
Are
you a frequent traveller and would like to donate airmiles for
delegate travel? Please contact NACMS intern, Ben Dougherty at bdougherty63141@yahoo.com.
Thank
you for your generosity, we will keep you up to date concerning the progress of
the fund.
Tony Garascia, MLC
President
International
Organization
of
Marianist Lay Communities
Isabella
Moyer, MLC
Regional Responsible
North America,Asia,
Ireland, and Australia
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Past issues of Gifts and Tasks are now archived online at GIFTS AND TASKS ARCHIVE
Gifts and
Tasks is published on the last Friday of each month. We need local and national
news, stories, reflections, and photos. Please send submissions and ideas for next
month's issue to moyerfam@mts.net
by the previous Sunday.
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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