CALENDAR
Feb. 12 - 14
Provincial Council Meetings San Antonio |
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From Fr. Marty Solma
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Dear Brothers: On Jan. 30, about 250 people gathered at the Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Quer�taro, Mexico, to witness the perpetual profession of Bro. Juan Manuel Azamar. The chapel is under the direction of the Society of Mary and is part of a larger parish. Bro. Juan Manuel's mother and father traveled 16 hours from the State of Veracruz. Fr. Quentin Hakenewerth was the main celebrant and Fr. Raymundo Dom�nguez Gonz�lez, coordinator of the Sector of Mexico, gave the homily. I received the vows, ably assisted by Fr. John Thompson, who did the preliminary questioning in Spanish.
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Bro. Azamar (in blue) with Fr. Marty, Fr. John Thompson and
Fr. Quentin Hakenewerth, and fellow Mexican brothers
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In more news from Mexico, the Provincial Council recently accepted the request from Juan de la Cruz Perez, 25, to become a pre-novice (aspirant) in the Sector of Mexico. Juan has a degree in chemical engineering and has been in contact with the Marianists for some years. He will begin his pre-novitiate program on Feb.14 under the direction of Bro. Jos� Jes�s Ru�z Santill�n. We wish Juan God's blessings during the months ahead. Bro. Nereo Ram�rez Hern�ndez is coordinating the vocation efforts of the Sector.
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Bro. Jos� Jes�s Ru�z Santill�n, Juan de la Cruz Perez,
Bro. Nereo Ram�rez Hern�ndez
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Our best wishes to Deacon Josephraj Rymond, who was ordained a priest on Feb. 3 at Holy Infant Church in Bangalore, India, by Archbishop Bernard Moras.
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Newly ordained Fr. Rymond (rear) with
Bro. Dennis Schmitz and fellow Indian brothers
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Fraternally, 
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From Bro. Joe Kamis
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Dear Brothers: 
Provincial Chapter
The Chapter reports are now on the PORTAL. Please read the reports prior to your area's pre-Chapter gathering.
Area Pre-Chapter Gatherings On the link below are the dates, times and locations of the area pre-Chapter meetings. Those members living outside a Marianist community are encouraged to attend one of these meetings. Communities such as Florida, Maui, Ireland, Puerto Rico and Mexico are encouraged to discuss the three questions and submit to me a one-page summary of their conversation by Feb. 29.
Blessings, |
From Fr. Bill Meyer
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My Dear Brothers:
Year of Consecrated Life
The final days of the Year of Consecrated Life were marked in the Vatican with a theological symposium on religious life on the theme of "Consecrated Life in Communion."
The event hosted by the Vatican's Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life kicked off with a prayer vigil Jan. 28 in St. Peter's Basilica. Pope Francis closed the year with a Mass on Feb. 2, the World Day of Consecrated Life. Fr. Dave McGuigan (in photo) and Bro. Alex Tuss represented our Province at this historic event.
During the opening prayer vigil, Archbishop Jos� Rodriguez Carballo, OFM, secretary of the Congregation for Religious, gave a beautiful reflection on the centrality of joy for the consecrated person. "The beatitudes are here and now, the path to a full and joyful life.
"Joy is not a possibility but a responsibility for the consecrated person. If we believe God can fill our hearts and make us happy, if we believe the brothers and sisters God has given us are a gift from him . . . then we cannot but share our joy in Christ."
The next day at the symposium also began with a focus on joy. Cardinal Joao Br�z de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Religious, said, "As consecrated people, we are to show that God can fill our hearts and make us happy" and he exhorted all to unity and fraternity as a means to live the spirituality of communion in the Church.
These two reflections can be wonderful food for our reflection and prayer!
With fraternal affection,
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From Bro. Ron Overman
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 Dear Brothers:
Office of JPIC
Homily Helps from CMSM
The following homily samples are provided by the Conference of Major Superiors of Men and others offering insights and connections with justice and peace to the lectionary.
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the International Union of Superiors General has designated Feb. 8 as an annual day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking. It is the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Sudan and Italy. She became a Canossian nun and dedicated her life to sharing her testament of deliverance from slavery and comforting the poor and suffering. She was declared a saint in 2000. Read a prayer to end human trafficking.
Advocacy Opportunity
The U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking has organized a "Call-In Day" asking us to call our representative and senators in their Washington D.C. offices on Monday, Feb. 8, the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita. Their invitation states: "On the day we commemorate her struggle and triumph, we remember all those caught in slavery and we renew our commitment to abolish all forms of human slavery. We hope to direct thousands of calls to members of Congress asking them to support legislation that moves us closer to ending slave labor. We ask members in both houses of Congress to co-sponsor the Business Supply Chain Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act of 2015."
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From the General Administration
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