Marianist Lay Network of North America

Building a Community of Communities
         

 

October 2015 

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Mike Wasno
Maryland

Matt Dunn
Ohio

Head of Temporalities
Mallory Green
Missouri


 LeeAnn Meyer
Illinois

Vacant
 
MLFI Representative
Ken Barrett
Ohio

Mallory Green
Missouri

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Click on the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of this email. You'll be sent an email with instructions on how to update your contact information for our MLNNA database.

 

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New at the Marianist Mission
Now available in Spanish, prayer and healing cards and resources to help your spiritual development of those you know that are part of the Hispanic community. 
  
Has It Been A Year Already?

Mike, Susan, Marceta, Matt, LeeAnn, Fr. Ted, Marg, and Mallory enjoying a light moment during this week's Skype meeting.

On behalf of the Leadership Team, I want to thank you for your prayers, notes of encouragement, and financial support over the past 12 months. We have done so much and, yet, there is so much more to do. We are energized and ready for Year 2!
 
I also want to thank the members of the leadership team for their dedication and hard work. As the first team under the new leadership model, we've been working on items in the strategic plan and at the same time documenting the internal processes and procedures to "institutionalize" our roles and be more efficient. It's a lot to ask and they responded with joyful hearts.
 
From conversations with many people over the year, one thing that has become crystal clear is that the whole Marianist Family is rooting for MLNNA. As the largest branch of the Marianist Family in North America, Lay Marianists are being called on to take more responsibility to sustain the Charism. The sense of urgency continues to grow for obvious reasons. 
 
A firm foundation for MLNNA, as an organization, has been laid and we are eager for it to become more relevant to Lay Marianists and Marianist ministries, parishes, schools, and universities.

For MLNNA to be successful and pick up the mantle to sustain the Charism, we will need to build a strong organization.  To do this, we will need to pool our resources like the early Christian communities. We need the time, talent, and treasure of our members to achieve what we are called to do on the continental level as well as the local level. In the sections below you will find opportunities to volunteer and next month we will be sending out our Annual Member Contribution Campaign letter.  We invite you to prayerfully consider what you can offer.
 
With joyful hearts, we will sustain the Marianist Charism, strengthen the Marianist Family, and bring Christ to the World. 
 
Peace, Blessings, and Joy,
Mike Wasno
MLNNA Update
Our Annual Member Contribution Campaign will be starting shortly.  Please watch for a letter in the mail. We are also working on a Lay Marianist Census so we can update our database information. If your address has changed in the past year, please send us an email to update it.

Jessica Gonzalez has stepped down from the Communications Director position for personal reasons. Jessica was the eNewsletter editor and did a wonderful job.  We thank her for her service and wish her well.  
Volunteer Opportunities! 
Marketing Communications - Can you help us put a 12-24 month communications plan together?  We also want to refresh our website and integrate our social media presence. If you, your community, or a team of friends would like to work on this project, please email us.

MLNNA will be sending out our annual report and annual membership contribution drive in the next month, and we need your help!  If you are interested in making personal connections, meeting other Lay Marianists, and serving MLNNA, please contact Mallory Green temporalities@mlnna.org to sign up for our phone-a-thon event.  
2017 Assembly 
The Leadership Team is looking for a broad group of people to help plan the 2017 Assembly.  We would like a mix of experienced and less-experienced members to work together to build an Assembly that will attract as many Lay Marianists as possible. 

We're looking for co-Chairs and leaders of the offices of Spirituality, Education, and Temporalities.  And committee members who are willing to assist them!  Our first goal is to get a core team together to help select a site and start recruiting the larger team. 

If you're not available until sometime in the future - let us know, we can use your help when you are available. 

If you are interested in being a part of the 2017 Assembly Committee, please contact Mike Wasno. 
#MarianistsInAction
What an amazing response! 

We are putting together a short video to commemorate this event. If you only shared your tweets and Facebook posts with your friends, we may not have your picture.  You can mail it here and we'll add you to the video.

Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word, especially the Office of Sponsorship.

If you are sponsoring an event and would like us to include in our newsletter, email us.  (We publish on the 2nd Friday of the month.)  
Community Highlights
OLRT members visiting the chapel at the Marianist school in Saragosa, Spain. It has a replica of the statue of Our Lady of the Pillar. (Shown Susan Buckley (Ireland), Marceta Reilly, Joanne McCracken (United States), Lorna Mueni (Kenya), Chris Suriano (U
The international online MLC Our Lady of the Round Table celebrated their 10th anniversary by taking a pilgrimage tour of the places of our Marianist Founders through France and Spain. A highlight of the tour was the shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar in Saragossa, Spain, where Chaminade was exiled for three years.  It was at this shrine where he came to discern his vision and mission of reviving the Church in France after the Revolution.  The above photo shows OLRT members visiting the chapel at the Marianist school in Saragossa, Spain. (Shown Susan Buckley (Ireland), Marceta Reilly, Joanne McCracken (US), Lorna Mueni (Kenya), Chris Suriano (US).  Missing were Isabella Moyer (CAN), Mary Gorgette (France), and Julie Ahern (Australia).

The Shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar in Saragossa, Spain.

The Dayton Marianist Family Council is rebuilding their contact list and communication efforts to better share Marianist happenings in the Dayton, Ohio area. All are welcome to subscribe, regardless of your experience with the Marianist Family. Even if you have received emails in the past, please visit their website to complete the form.  
 
The Northeast Marianist Family Council met on September 12th at the Marianist Center in Philadelphia. Joanne McCracken provided a presentation from her recent trip to Marianist heritage sites in France and Spain with her virtual Marianist lay community, Our Lady of the Roundtable. The pilgrimage was conducted by Fr. David Fleming, SM, who provided valuable insight about our Marianist foundation along the way. From left to right: Kevin Weiler, Linda Zappacosta, Francine Cruz, Phil Forte, Bro. Jesse O'Neill, SM, Joanne McCracken, Bro. Stephen Glodek, SM, and Terri Burgin.

 
Hawaii's MLC's did their part in honor of the World Day of Prayer.  The Faith of the Heart Community had been working for some time on putting together a Family Retreat for women coming out of prison.  Members from other MLC communities also helped.  The Chaminade students from the La'akea Community and the  Hokupa'a Community also played a very big role in this event.  The Faith of the Heart Community followed up the event with a prayer at their Sunday meeting, October 11th.  The three communities also got together on October 14th for a Mass together and a meeting to evaluate the experience. 

Don't forget... 
We are asking members of the Marianist Family who attend the World Meeting of Families to take pictures and send them to us. It's a great way to connect us to the larger church.

If you have news to share about your MLC, please send it to News@mlnna.org.  
Marianist Feast Days for Oct/Nov

11/6 - Marianist Martyrs of Madrid 

We Remember the Following In Our Prayers
In praise, thanksgiving and for healing and comfort to all our brothers and sisters...

Prayers of rejoicing for:
Bro. Brandon Alana's who professed perpetual vows
Fr. Bob Jones who was ordained to the priesthood
For all in the Marianist Family in various stages of formation

For healing...
Fr. James McKay, SM
Bro. Bob Wiethorn, SM
Bro. Jim Wisecaver, SM
Judy Heinen (Sister of Dianne Mistelske)
Bro. Mitch Schweikart, SM
Bro. Victor Forlani, SM
Bro. Charlie Wanda, SM


For those who have gone on before us...
Ruth Cornelison (Affiliate, Pueblo, Colorado)
John Cunningham (Affiliate, Omaha, Nebraska)
Richard McNeil (Affiliate, Omaha, Nebraska)
Bro. Chaz Lohrenz, SM
  

For all members of the Marianist Family in need of prayer.

Submit your prayer request here: Prayer Requests
MSJC's - Marianist Call to Advance Justice
Time is Running Out - Schedule your MCAJ Workshop before Dec 2015!

Is your Marianist lay community or group interested in a stimulating, challenging formation opportunity that will plunge you more deeply into our call as Lay Marianists?   If so, then consider scheduling a Marianist Call to Advance Justice workshop - an initiative of the Marianist Family aimed at helping each community to respond more fully to our call to justice.   The workshop takes three hours.  For more information, contact Jim Vogt.

Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation
Our Marianist Charism reminds us that we are continuously being formed by Mary to be Christ to the world.  The VLC's Marianist Studies program provides opportunities for us to deepen our understanding of our Marianist Life and Catholic Faith (and more).  

You may want to register as an individual to meet and learn along with others in the Marianist Family.  Or, if your community would like to take a course together, contact Patti Gehred at NACMS to learn about reserving a group course. 

For details about available courses and more, go here.
New at NACMS
Chaminade Legacy, Volume 6
Volume six of The Chaminade Legacy continues the development in the foundational period of Marianist life; it covers the period from 1821 to 1830, which saw development of ideas on religious formation of both men and women religious.

History of the Constitutions of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate
This a downloadable PDF file.  The document which appeared in French in a typed-manuscript format, was located in the former archives of the Society of Mary's Province of Cincinnati, and it was translated in 2015 by Father Joseph Stefanelli, SM. 
Your Contribution Makes A Difference
We receive contributions from all branches of the Marianist Family and people who are touched by the Marianist Charism. 

Our success depends on having the resources available to provide current and new programs that benefit our members.

If you'd like to make a one-time or recurring on-line contribution, click here. You may also send a check to the address below (in the footer).

If you can offer your time and talent to help, please click here.

Thank you for your generosity and support.  Together we can grow and expand the Marianist Charism.