 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
OCTOBER 2011
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Greetings!, 
Pray the Newspaper Bernie Lee, SM popularized the concept of "Praying with the Newspaper." Although the radio and internet supplement newspapers these days the concept remains the same. Local and world news take us beyond our personal trials and needs and remind us that people are suffering all over the world. People are also doing great works of mercy and justice - but too often those deeds don't make it "above the fold (or scroll)."
"Occupy" the Church
So, as I follow the news, the word OCCUPY keeps coming up. Although the Occupy Wall Street (or whatever your home town is) Movement is gaining attention, it takes a bit of reflection to figure out how this might be a holy movement of the Spirit. - On one hand occupiers speak to widespread dissatisfaction with the unfairness and inequalities of society. Last Sunday's scripture reminded us not to oppress the alien or take unfair advantage of those who borrow money. (Exodus 22:20-26). The Church must be on the side of justice and the poor. In other words, Be fair. (See the recent Vatican document on the reform of global finance by Cardinal Turkson.
- But what about within our Church itself? Another message of the Occupy Movement is that the people have lost their voice and power. One of the beauties of the Marianist charism is our commitment to equality and horizontal membership. Leaders are not "above" the community and everyone has a voice in decision making. The 99% count. 1% does not control the community, no matter how smart or rich they are. Leadership is by moral persuasion not position of authority.
Perhaps this is a gift we can offer the universal Church. Talk it over with your MLC.
United across the miles and kilometers,
Susan Vogt,
Regional Rep: N. America, Asia, Australia, Ireland |
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FOCUS ON USA
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Rudy Reyes New MLNNA president |
100/1500+ and GrowingThe USA is big - both in numbers of lay communities, lay Marianists, and distance between folk. How can something so big touch each committed lay Marianist personally? It is a gift and a task that is not easy nor always effective, but we try. There are approximately 100 Marianist Lay Communities in the USA. We say "approximately" because new communities continue to be born while older ones evaporate. Likewise, there are approximately 1,500 lay Marianists. It's also sometimes hard to know when a person officially should be counted as a lay Marianist. Many make an official commitment in a ceremony, but others simply attend enough meetings and participate in the life of the community for long enough that people know they can be counted on. We are also separated by 6 time zones (if you count Hawaii, which we must). This means that getting together with other MLCs often requires a long drive, an expensive airline ticket, or technology like email, conference calls, or Skype. Personal contact is always desireable but stewardship of resources means that using the internet and virtual gatherings are often necessary. MLNNA (Marianist Lay Network of North America) is the organization which unites all the lay Marianists in the USA plus Canada and Haiti.  | |
Prairie grass & Fr. Chaminade meet at World Day of Prayer altar - Dayton.
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So, how did the USA celebrate the Marianist World Day of Prayer on October 9? Most remembered it within their local community. Some gathered with nearby communities. Those fortunate to have the presence of all three branches of the Marianist Family nearby celebrated together. This is what happened in Dayton, Ohio. In a fortuitous convergence of Marianist dates, the World Day of Prayer coincided with the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Prairie at Mount St. John. So Marianists in the Dayton area celebrated both with a Mass, conversation, and walking in the prairie.So how can we inspire and support each other to vigorously live out the Marianist Charism? The MLNNA leadership council met the weekend of October 1 to face this challenge. We identified three primary ways: - Through access to spiritual and intellectual formation
- Through being a voice for the laity
- Through empowering lay Marianists to bring justice to the world
But we can' t do this alone. Just as the SM and FMI are not the whole Marianist Family, neither is the lay branch. Thus, the MLNNA leadership team wants to move toward developing Marianist Family Councils in the various geographic areas of North America. There is already a USA National Family Council and some local areas already operate this way. MLNNA encourages the growth of this model as a way to touch more lay Marianists in a meaningful way. Let us know if this makes sense to you. We're better together. |
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AROUND THE REGION
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER:
HAITI
Florian Royer-Chabot, SM provided Gifts & Tasks with this short slide presentation of World Day of Prayer in Haiti.
Famille Marianiste en HAITI
Florian Royer-Chabot, SM: Petit reportage sur le Journ�e Mondiale de Pri�re de la Famille Marianiste en Ha�ti.
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Le P�re Gustave Lamontagne, SM
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Click here to see the slides.
Cliquez ici, puis cliquez sur Plein �cran pour lire le commentaire.
SOUTH KOREA
South KoreanMarianists celebrate the World Day of Prayer with Mass, nature, and community.
LET US PRAY
- For all those who risk income, health, and safety to speak out for what is right and just.
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AROUND THE WORLD
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Congo Brazzaville
& Congo Kinshasa
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RETOUR du CONGO: clique ici et ici
RETURN to CONGO: For those who can read French, click here and here to read two reflections by Robert Witwicki, SM on his visit back to Brazzaville and Kinshasa. It's a good opportunity to see first hand the realities facing our MLCs and all the Marianist Family in this part of Africa.
FEASTS: November 3 - St. Martin de Porres
Martin de Porres was a Dominican lay brother from
Lima, Peru. He humbly ministered to the poor and the
sick, especially African slaves. His advice was sought by
people in high places, and he was well loved and greatly
respected by the populace. Today he is a patron saint of
social justice and of people of mixed race.
 WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2011
On October 9 the Marianist Family throughout the world joined in prayer with the Marianist Family in Saragossa, Spain. William Joseph Chaminade was forced into exile during the French Revolution. He arrived in Saragossa on October 11, 1797, on the eve of the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar. During this "Chaminade Year," we pray for all the Marianist Family who live and share in the Marianist charism left to us by Fr. Chaminade.
ENGLISH FRAN�AIS ESPA�OL PORTUGUESE
really!
FRIDAY MAGNIFICAT - Chaminade Anniversary Year
During 2011, each Friday Magnificat features an historical moment in Fr. Chaminade's life. It also includes a photo of a work of justice within the Marianist Family to remind us of our call. October highlighted the Cana project of Baru, Brazil.
 Archived Friday Magnificats
ENGLISH
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