 GIFTS & TASKS
"DONS et DEVOIRS"
Helping each other live the Gospel at home & around the world
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International. Organization of Marianist Lay Communities (IO-MLC)
Region of North America, Asia, Australia, and Ireland
APRIL 2010 |
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Greetings!,
Easter is more than a day. In the northern hemisphere it coincides with the resurrection of plants, trees, and hopefully our spirits. As nature reminds us of the risen Lord, let us also remember our responsibility to care for the natural world. April 22 was Earth Day. Following are some Green Tips brought to you by the Mt. St. John Green Team (with some Vogt additions).
- Make use of your reusable shopping bags. Put those reusable shopping
bags in your car so you have them with you when you go into the store.
- When
possible buy local and organic foods. Pay attention to packaging.
The less, the better.
- If you are traveling make sure your car is in good
working order (tuned up and tires properly inflated). If
flying, consider buying carbon credits to offset your portion of carbon dioxide
emissions generated by your flight.
- Eat less food. That's right. Of course you don't want to starve, but many people in developed countries eat more food than we need - especially junk food.
- Start your garden. (Now that's local food.) Even if it's just tomatoes and peppers, it's a start. Probably you'll end up with stuff to share.
- Speaking of sharing stuff, I've decided to extend my Lenten Letting Go of Stuff blog to a year of giving away at least one thing a day. I will update my blog on Sundays. Last week dealt with the beauty of traffic jams. Next Sunday you will find out how poison ivy comes to the rescue. Curious?
 In the "new ways of meeting" department, at the latest MLNNA leadership meeting, Steve Glodek SM and Jim Fitz SM presented a summary of the Province Vision 2020 via this hot pink cell phone. We talked about how we can partner more effectively with each other in the future.  From my home to yours,
Susan Vogt
Regional Responsible,
N. America, Asia, Australia, and Ireland
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FOCUS ON AUSTRALIA
Julie Aherne
Regional Responsible
 | Greetings dear friends. It is March here and in Australia and thus the start of our Autumn. When the Society of Mary left Australia in 1985.they were very sadly missed. Father
Lee Sciarrotta SM , was our first parish priest at St. Jude,
in
Langwarrin. He was very much loved by all, and it was hard to part with
him. He
truly showed the charisms of the Marianists. Everyone was made welcome. On Fridays, after Mass, the
kettle was always on for tea or coffee for people to come
in and
share the hospitality of the Marianists. The Family of Mary has
continued on, and as each year passes many of our members have gone to
God. From left: Carmel Russell, Nance Bennett, Christine Flanagan, Angela Talbot, Julie Aherne
Missing from photo: Pat Doyle, Margaret Howard, Paula Stanley, Phyllis Stryker, Maureen Cornell
 | We have only one MLC community now (The Immaculate Heart of Mary) located in
Langwarrin We have 10 members. Six of our members are over the age of 80 years, and love
being
part of the Mariainst Family. Six of the members are affiliates. We have our meetings at the
Parish house, after Mass on the first Friday of each month. Some of our members are still very active doing pastoral care, hospital visitations, St. Vincent de Paul, social
groups, special ministers etc. We have a very caring parish community, and the charisms of the Marianists still live on here, even though we have no vowed religious with us now.  To give you a little taste of Australia (and prove we really do live "down under," I'm sharing a photo of five Australian white
cockatoo's breaking open the peach nuts under our tree, for the kernels inside.
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AROUND THE REGION
Wesly Etienne
 | Haiti update: "I've received the proposal from the relief committee with great
enthusiasm...Br. Eddy and I met to plan how we will distribute the money to the members. I met also yesterday with the national
committee to let them know the proposal for the use of the first amount of
money sent. Here's how we will do it: We will hold a full day meeting of all three
communities of Port-au-Prince, where we will share a meal together and have a
time of recollection with Mass, and at the end, we will give each person an
envelope. This past week-end, the MLC from Croix des Bouquets put
together a session of formation as planned for the main liturgical times of the
year...18 members gathered to share, pray, and reflect on
Lent. We ended with a reflection on projects for the future and with the goal
of finding our autonomy. They now are structured as the three offices in order
to share the different tasks in the community. Br. Eddy was with us for the
morning session." Wesly
FRAN�AIS: "J'ai re�u la proposition du comit� d'aide aux clm d'Haiti sur le mode
d'utilisation de la prmiere tranche d'argent avec beaucoup d'enthousiasmes. La
semaine derni�re j'�tais pas � Port au prince, ce qui fait que je ne pouvais pas communiquer avec vous souvent. Fr�re Eddy et moi, nous avions une reunion
pour planifier comment on va faire pour distribuer aux membres ce qui leur etait
reserv�. Et, hier j'ai rencontr� le reste du comit� national en vu de le mettre
au courant de la proposition que vous avez fait pour l'utilisation de la
premi�re tranche d'argent. Comment nous comptons � faire:Il y aura une rencontre avec toutes les trois communaut�s de port au
prince, pendant une journ�e ensemble nous partagerons un repas et passer une
journ�e de recollection plus messe et au retour on donne � chaque personne une
enveloppe.
Ce week-end la clm de la croix des bouquets a organis� une session
deformation comme s'�tait dej� prevu pendant les temps forts de l'ann�e
liturgique qu'on se rassembe pour la formation et la retraitre. Dans cas, 18
membres se sont rassembl�s pour partager et prier en plus reflichir ensemble sur
le CAREME. c'�tait bien. A la fin nous avons reflechi sur des projes pour
l'avenir, tout en cherchant notre propre autonomie. Maintenant ils s'organise en
office (les trois offices) pour decentraliser les differentes taches au sein de
communaut�. fr�re eddy �tait l� avec nous pendant la matin� du samedi pour la
formation." Wesly Correction: Careful reader, Sr. Susanna Kim, graciously reminded me that Sr. Teresa Kim Hyeon-Suk is Korean (not Japanese). Thanks for your correction.
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AROUND THE WORLD
Marianist International Volunteers (MIV/VIM) - Chile
Mariana Carrera is a Marianist volunteer from Argentina, serving in Chile. Following are excerpts from a letter to Jose Luis Perez describing her first month.
Just a few days after my arrival in Chile, I was awakened in the middle of the night by Bro. Dante, and became famous for being one of the very few people in Chile who lived the earthquake asleep!
After this, I took a "crash" course in the Chilean culture. We evaluated the earthquake aftermath for the Town Council. I was in charge of getting data which also helped me learn some of the Chilean vocabulary. We visited the most affected houses and heard the stories of the most deeply impacted families, who are still scared, sad, and can hardly understand how their houses and their life stories have changed so much in just a few minutes. Every house tells a different story.
We later started a marathon of listening to people and then gathering stuff in the school to take to the most needy.They were hectic days but I truly never felt so useful in my life. It was moving to see how people everywhere organized for this cause. We also ran into other organizations and coordinated efforts.
 Now we are working with some communities to reduce the fear they still have. It's important to calm parents down, so they can later calm their own children. We are also helping the children express what they lived through and training professionals at our Center so they can take the next step of reconstructing their own houses and towns.
I also started working with the kids at the "Casa Estudio" (Study House). In addition, there is also a small group of street kids that we are trying to reach out to, so they can become a part of "Casa Estudio". As you can see, I'm not bored!
Editor's Note:The World Council is in the process of assessing how best to provide a network for lay Marianists seeking an international volunteer experience. National Family Councils should have received a survey seeking feedback. To offer input e-mail me at SusanVogt@fuse.net.
Africa - West: Congo, Brazzaville
Ernest Kazonga (Responsible for Africa) recently met with the MLC leadership of Congo, Brazzaville. The plan is to hold a joint training on group facilitation and the fundamentals of the methods Fr. Chaminade used in forming communities.
They ask for our prayers.
Africa - East
Mark Dziko writes that Zambia hosted the East Africa Regional Council on April 23-25, 2010. MLC leaders from Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia attended. On a sadder note, we want you to know that we lost Mrs. Evengelista Maria Kishombe on February 28, 2010 and she was laid to rest on March 3 at Karonga. Evangelista was the Deputy National Coordinator of Malawi and it is a great loss to the National Team. She was a great person, full of talents and skills for the family.
Prayers for Vocations
Sunday, April 25, the Church universal celebrated World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The Marianist Family is blest to include all branches (lay, sisters, brothers, priests, and the Alliance Mariale) as genuine religious vocations. If you missed the April 6 e-mail alerting you to the Marianist expression of prayer, see below. Friday Magnificat - Focus on Congo, Kinshasa 
 As always, all Marianists are asked to pray the Magnificat always - but especially on Fridays to be in solidarity with those around the world who are suffering from injustice. Mary cried out to raise up the lowly and cast the mighty from their thrones - and so do we. The 1st Friday of each month we focus on a different part of the world that needs our prayer and attention. Click below to read about the Virgin Mary School in Kinshasa.
MAY Feasts May 25 - Mary Help of Christians
This memorial is a reminder to us of May 25, 1816, the day on which the Daughters of Mary Immaculate was founded, and of May 25, 1891, when Pope Pius VII granted the first spiritual privileges to the two Marianist societies.See Fr. George Cerniglia's reflections and other May Feasts.
Via Latina 22 Online The following articles are found in the April #191 issue of
Via Latina 22, the newsletter for the General Administration of the Society of Mary:
- Inauguration of ACEMS (Asian Centre of Marianist Studies)
- Chola Mulenga appointed First Regional Superior of EA
- Prayer Intentions
- Haiti Update
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