The Joy We Bring to the World

All eyes and ears seem to have been on Pope Francis this past year. Even non-Catholics are paying attention to his words and his actions. He seems to be the "real deal" and is changing the way people look at their faith and live their faith. Some have "Pope hope" for the influence he is having in changing hearts and views within and outside the Church.

Evangelii Gaudium, Francis' exhortation on living the gospel with joy, is a refreshing look at what it means to be a Christian in today's world. I encourage you to read it and reflect on it, and perhaps even discuss it in community. Lay Marianists from around the world discussed passages from it while assembled in Peru. Notable were the amount of phrases that seemed very Marianist!

Great joy comes from surrendering ourselves to God. It is often the trappings of our ego, consumerism, ideologies, perceptions of self/others, that keeps us from being truly free. Sometimes we think to give some of those things up for Lent. But at the core, we not only need to give them but we need to replace them with the joy found in Christ and the fact that God loved us enough to send Christ into the world to die for our sins. And we are called to share that joy.

What is it about being Marianist that brings you joy? Think about that question for yourself. Some of what we heard during our strategic planning listening sessions certainly resonated with me. Marianists like to come together. Marianists are welcoming, inclusive, hospitable. Marianists do good works. Marianists have prayerful and lively liturgies. Marianists have a special place for Mary in our hearts and in our lives.

As we think about evangelization, as we think about Lent/Easter, let us think about the joy in our lives that we can share with others through our actions. Let us remember that they, too, are saved and worthy of God's love. Let us be that love.

As lay people, we have much to offer the world. As lay Marianists we enjoy and live a charism that can be a gift to the world and the church. We encourage you to attend the 2014 Assembly this summer. Details are below, including an announcement about one of our nationally renowned speakers who will offer insights on what it means to live Christian values in our daily lives as lay people.

Yours in Christ,

Matt Dunn

Editor 

Picture from the March 1st, Northeast Marianist Family Council meeting at the Marianist Center in Philly. Standing left to right are: Fr. Rich Kuhn, Mary Koenke, Linda Zappacosta, Pati Krasensky, and Fr. Paul Landolfi. Kneeling left to right are: Phil Forte,, Kevin Weiler, Bro. Stan Zubek, Joanne McCracken, and Sue Kovach. Brian Reavey's image is projected on the wall via Skype.

The Northeast Marianist Family Council (NEMFC) held it's biannual meeting at the Marianist Center in Philadelphia on March 1st. The theme focused on "Mission" and a video was shown of Sr. Laura Leming's presentation on mission from an autumn intergenerational retreat at Bergamo in Dayton. Brian Reavey joined the meeting via Skype and gave an overview of his work with the Marianist International NGO at the UN. The NEMFC is exploring ways to support Brian's efforts to promote social justice here and abroad. Among other agenda items, Toni Mesina and Linda Zappacosta presented a summary and video  highlights of the recent International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities assembly in Lima, Peru. The MLNNA Assembly was promoted by Joanne McCracken who is on the planning committee. Also, a day of service is scheduled at Mother Seton Academy in Baltimore on May 17th. Bro. Jesse O'Neill, S.M., teaches there and coordinates the activity among students, parents, and Council representatives. The NEMFC connects the sixteen lay and religious Marianist communities of the northeast and networks with the broader Marianist Family. 

 

Members of the Marianist Family gathered in Dayton on March 13 as part of the Marianist Manna program, a potluck and discussion held every 6 weeks. The program on the 13th was hosted at the Annunciation House of the Marianist Sisters. Speakers were Matt Dunn and Susan Vogt (pictured in the far right). Other special guests included students from St. Mary's University who were visiting Dayton to do service projects in Dayton and Cincinnati as part of their Spring Break.

 

Today concludes National Catholic Sisters Week. We are grateful to the Daughters of Mary Immaculate for their witness and for the joy the bring to our lives by the way they live theirs. Thank you Sisters! 

Laboure Society - Gabriel Bibeau

In addition to the option to financially support Gabby and the Laboure Society, a new committee has been established to create "The Marianist Sisters Vocation Fund".  Candidates' student debt relief is a common concern among religious orders across our nation, especially for women.  The committee's goal is to raise funds to reduce student debt for women interested in becoming a Marianist Sister.

Our Marianist Sisters have established a restricted account for donations to the fund. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation which will assist candidates now and for the future, please make a check payable to "Marianist Sisters" and write "Marianist Sister Vocation Fund" on the bottom left memo line.  Please send it to the Marianist Sisters, 235 W. Ligustrum Dr., San Antonio, Texas, 78228. Thank you.