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Building a Community of Communities in the Marianist Tradition
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June 2007
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Technically,
my four-year term in the Office of Communication for the Marianist Lay
Network of North America (MLNNA) has come to an end.
I am
not seeking another term.
I want
to thank you for your willingness to read my words and your encouragement
in our endeavor of nurturing and growing Marianist lay life in North America.
It has
been a joy to serve you, and I'm humbled by all the kindness and support
I've received. Every prayer request email I opened was truly a prayer of
the heart from the sender, a spiritual space via cyberspace. Thank you!
Friday Magnificat has been my way to enflesh that the good
intention of praying the Magnificat on Fridays as related to children's
issues just did not remain an abstract idea so easily lost by the
busi-ness and business of life.
As I am
not good at closure, for I am one to envision possibilities and new
beginnings, I will not say goodbye. Rather, until we meet again.
In Mary
and Jesus,
Dan Jordan
J
O
R
Dan
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Thoughts:
Marie Thérèse de Lamourous
Ben
Dougherty, a NACMS intern, has translated from French into English the
thoughts from Marie Thérèse de Lamourous.
Here is
a sample of her spiritual wisdom:
We must
often ask the same thing: this good deed, is it done truly according to
the principles of faith and for the reasons of faith? The reasons of
faith, in our state, are the imitation of our divine Savior, while
acting, while speaking, while growing accustomed to asking: my action,
such as it is, is it done because God wills it and when God wills it?
(Advice to Directresses)
Click for more of her sage advice.
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10 Commandments of Driving
The Vatican
has just released Guidelines for the
Pastoral Care of the Road. This document and its nuggets
of wisdom are good practical and spiritual advice for our age. May we
practice in virtue the Drivers' "Ten Commandments."
Below
is the actual wording from the document.
In any
case, with the request for motorists to exercise virtue, we have drawn up
a special "decalogue" for them, in analogy with the Lord's Ten
Commandments. These are stated here below, as indications, considering
that they may also be formulated differently. (61)
I. You
shall not kill.
II. The
road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of
mortal harm.
III.
Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen
events.
IV. Be
charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of
accidents.
V. Cars
shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an
occasion of sin.
VI.
Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are
not in a fitting condition to do so.
VII.
Support the families of accident victims.
VIII.
Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate
time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
IX. On
the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
X. Feel
responsible towards others.
This is
just a small part of a rich document. To read the full text, click here.
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MSJC: Sweatshop Labor
Institute
of Integrated Rural Development (IIRD) Opens First Worker-Owned
Garment Factory
Father
Bill Christensen, SM, founded IIRD and is in Bangladesh. The Marianist
Social Justice Collaborative (MSJC) Sweatshop Labor Issue Team has
supported this pioneering project. To read about it click here.
(Material obtained from MSJC's June
issue of Justice Jottings.)
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A Lovely June Wedding
Congratulations
to Maria Prier (nee, Mergler) and David Prier on their June 23 wedding in
Dayton.
The
ceremony and festivity was a beautiful blending of two families into one
. . . well, actually three. Members of the Marianist Family, both young
adult and young at heart, were in abundance.
David
and Maria are members of The Branches, a young adult lay Marianist
community that has taken a vow of stability.
Deep
blessings upon this newlywed couple, and for a smooth transition to
the classroom.
David
begins as a graduate teaching assistant in mathematics at Auburn University and Maria, who also
teaches math, will be working in a nearby middle school.
A
translation of Maria's new name into French means "Mary's
prayer." We at the North American Center for Marianist Studies
(NACMS), where Maria has been interning, agree. She truly is a Marian
prayer.
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 Beatification of Madrid
Marianist Martyrs
Pope
Benedict XVI has approved four Marianists Martyrs for beatification on
October 28, 2007.
Miguel
Léibar, Joaquín Ochoa Salazar, Sabino Ayastuy Errasti, and Florencio
Arnáiz Cejudo will be beatified along with 494 other martyrs of the
religious persecution in Spain
during the years 1936-39.
More
details may be found in a special edition of Via Latina
22. Click on the links: English, Español, Français.
(Material taken from Gifts and Tasks, the newletter of
International
Organization of MLC: Region of North America, Asia, Ireland, and Australia.)
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Prayer Requests
"People are Fragile, Handle with Prayer"
As
members of the Marianist Family, let us lift up the following prayers
that our brothers and sisters have requested.
Pour
tous les jeunes du Québec qui feront leurs premières expérience comme
laïcs missionnaire, en particuliers en Haïti et autres pays. Merci de
prier pour eux, ils comptent sur vos prières. (Requested by Michel Dion)
I would
like to request continued prayer for my friend, Audrey, who is undergoing
chemotherapy for colon and liver cancer. (Requested by Marilyn
Schwieterman)
For
Georgine Kudba, the sister of Brother Larry Cada, SM, who
has inoperable cancer. (Requested by NACMS staff)
I
continue to ask for prayers for my wife, Janet Krumm. Janet is full of
the Marianist charism and recovering from cancer of the small intestine.
The chemo sessions are drawing down, she is near the end of them.
However, the fatigue from the chemo mounts. Prayer will be important to
sustain her for the next nine weeks. (Requested by Jack Krumm)
I would
appreciate prayers for my mother Rose Petratis--who has been in the
hospital this past week. Also, pray for Janet Belvo, a friend who is
going to Houston
for surgery on July 10. (Requested by Anne Petratis)
Please
hold in your prayers the MLCs in Haiti that are going
through a very difficult time of transition and renewal. Pray that the
Holy Spirit holds them in peace and that our cultural differences
will not hinder us in our solidarity. (Requested by Richard
Thibault)
For Bob
Feigal, who faces a recurrence of lung cancer after 26 months of
remission, for wisdom about treatment decisions. (Requested by Judy
McKloskey)
Please
pray for the soul of Andrew Kuryk. Andrew died in an industrial accident
13 years ago. His parents have been wondering, "Is Andrew with God
now; has he entered heaven?" From what they have told me about this
young man I can't see why not. If you would please pray for Andrew and
his parents Carol and Don. (Requested by Lawrence Wakaruk)
Michelle
and Geronimo (my son) were married in May, thanks be to God; and now she
is already pregnant. Hooray! Please pray with me that they have a happy
and healthy pregnancy and that the child be born in good health, I ask in
Jesus name. Amen. (Requested by Angie Cortez)
Please
pray for my aunt, Rocio, who is battling with breast cancer. (Requested
by Cynthia Sias)
+ Amen
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