Eighty lay Marianists gathered in Ibagué-Tolima from November 13 to 15 for a National CLM Meeting. All areas with a Marianist Lay Community presence were represented, including Bogotá, Guatica, Girardot, and Medellin. The theme of the meeting was ¨Chaminade, YESTERDAY, TODAY AND ALWAYS, 250 years¨. Participants shared how the Marianist charism of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade is lived out by lay men and women in society. Energy and joy was shown in song, billboards, mini-plays and other creative means. Eucharistic liturgies were celebrated. A rosary was prayed for the needs of each continent around the world -that love, faith, and hope in Jesus will allow all to achieve personal happiness and community and that the respect for life, solidarity and justice will prevail. On Sunday, a day of retreat reflected on the virtue of faith: `Be men and women of faith`.

We congratulate the CLM in Columbia for a faith-filled national gathering. May Mary continue to guide you in your deep commitment to her mission!

Photos and the full report are online at ENCUENTRO NACIONAL COMUNIDADES LAICAS DE COLOMBIA (CLM) IBAGUE 2010 .

There is “gift in the gathering”! This term was used by my friend, Brian Reavey, at the SM gathering in Louisville last month. Today’s first reading tells us that “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in them.” (1 John 4). It’s easy to feel God’s love when surrounded by the love of family and friends. There is truly ‘gift in the gathering’.

David and I attended the 8^th MLNNA Continental Assembly in Hawai’i last week. God’s presence was felt in the gathering, in the music, in the witnessing, in the dancing, in the sharing, and in the praying. And, of course, we gloried in God’s presence in the midst of such spectacular natural beauty.

We were blessed with the presence of our Korean Marianist family. Brother John Ko came with two younger SM brothers, Andrew and Joseph, and 12 lay Marianists. I happily reunited with our friend and Korean delegate from Nairobi, Sebastian. The challenges of language were overcome by the enthusiasm and joy of our sisters and brothers, especially in the richness of their singing. Thank you to Brother Dennis Schmitz who skilfully integrated Korean songs, prayers, and dance into our liturgies.

Thank you to Pi’ikea Hardy-Kahaleo’uni, Jeannie Pinpin and Sr. Yoo Soo Kim, MM for sharing their gift of culture and dance with us in the liturgies. Pi’ikea also introduced us to many aspects of Hawai’ian culture through talks and activities. We learned about the Hawai’ian language and the sacredness of chants. We made leis. We were cleansed in the early morning waves of the ocean. We visited a taro farm. We learned about Hawai’ian flowers. These were not the typical ‘tourist’ shows. Pi’ikea shared deeply and intimately from her heart to ours.

There was a rich variety of workshops to attend. On Friday we studied the diversity of lay Marianists, and resources and tools for our Marianist Lay Communities. On Saturday, the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative offered a wide range of workshops on social justice issues and action.

Of course, a huge Mahalo or thank-you goes out to Kay Stone, Jeannie, AJ Wagner (President) and the MLNNA leadership team, and all who worked so hard to organize the Assembly and ensure that all the details were looked after each day. It’s always difficult to explain the richness of the gift received in the gathering, but here’s a small attempt…

MLNNA Assembly Photos on Youtube

Prisca Chiwowa

We join our brothers and sisters in Malawi in mourning the loss of Mrs. Prisca Chiwowa, wife of Mr. Israel Chiwowa.  Prisca was a member of the newly elected Council for East Africa (Education). Those who attended our Kenya meeting will remember Israel as one of our delegates from Malawi. May we unite in prayer and love across the many miles for the Chiwowa family and all who mourn the loss of our sister.

Josephine Njeri, MLC Kenya President, shares the following memories:

Greetings and peace of Christ to you all.

It’s so painful to accept the death of Prisca. I spent a considerable amount of time with her in our Regional council meeting. She kept us (Ladies) awake up to the late hours of the night, all laughing our hearts out even when we were already so exhausted. I sat with her and came up with a wonderful document on Spirituality. I walked with her in the Faustino garden sharing uncountable number of things.

Dear friends, I am urging you to remember Mr.Chiwowa. Not so long ago he lost his mother, and now his wife- the two most close women in his life. He needs your prayers and company. To my sisters and brothers in Malawi, may you find it in yourselves some moments to be with Mr.Israel Chiwowa. And the Marianist family at large, let us join our brother in mourning this beautiful and wonderful gift God had given us. Let us also have some moment of silence in honor of Prisca.

I cannot explain how I feel right now. All I have to say is that I thank God that I had a chance to share moments with Prisca. I will miss her.

She had a responsibility in the education office to make sure that we have a regional members’ register.  I knew she would do a perfect job, but look at what God has done, He chose her at this moment in time. It is painful my friends, painful.

May God rest her soul in eternal peace.

Together with Jesus and Mary.

Josephine Njeri

MLC- Kenya President

Dear friends,

I have just completed a circular for our Marianist Lay Communities around the world. It’s called “Being Marianist, Being Family“. Our family spirit is an important aspect of our charism. It is also one of our greatest challenges. We are an ecclesial movement that spans the globe with a diversity of languages, cultures, gifts and needs. We are also part of a larger spiritual family that includes the Society of Mary, the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, and the Alliance Mariale. How do we take the inspiration of our family spirit and live it in practical ways? The circular, of course, does not provide all the answers. But, I hope that it will be useful for our present conversation and efforts to live more deeply our family spirit. I firmly believe that our Marianist Family is a model to be shared with our Church and our world!

Thank you to Carol Ramey, the Director of the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS), for her guidance, advice, support, and help with the references. Carol is a long time friend and mentor whose deep knowledge and wisdom of Marianist things have helped to form and nurture me over the years.

Muchas gracias to Izaskun Arias. Izaskun has been a translator for the international team, the World Council, and our international meetings for many years. Her wisdom and insights come from observing first-hand our journey as a global Marianist Family. Her friendship and support are a real gift to me, and to all of us.

And mérci beaucoup to Mary Harvan Gorgette, my friend and OLRT community member. Mary provided the French translation and helped me to edit and polish the final draft with her scholarly mind and Marianist heart. Both Izaskun and Mary showed such care and commitment to ensure that the message remained true in the translations. For this I’m so grateful!

“Ser Marianista, Ser Familia“

“Être Marianiste, Être Famille“

Our CLM in México have just completed their 7^th National Meeting in Puebla de los Ángeles. Juan García Jiménez, the out-going National Responsible, shares the following report. We thank Juan García for his leadership service to the Marianist Family and welcome Sra. Mireya as the new National Responsible. Click here for photos from the meeting.

Nuestro VII encuentro nacional de la CLM fue realizado los días 1,2 y 3 de mayo de 2010,en la ciudad de Puebla, en la Casa de Retiros Villa Estela, los animadores de los sectores: Juan García Jiménez, Paloma Aylin Bañuelos Estrada y Ausencio Flores Carreón, fueron los responsables de organizar el encuentro. En dicho encuentro nos acompañaron como ponentes de los temas los religiosos marianistas: P. Quentin Hakenewereth, José Nicolás Castilla, Gobi Torres Nazario, José de Jesús Ruiz Santillán.

Debido a la situación actual que vive nuestro país al celebrar el bicentenario de su independencia y centenario de la Revolución Mexicana, compartimos un tema sobre las características de nuestra cultura mexicana y a través de esta cómo es possible encarnar el carisma de la cultura marianista.

El número de laicos marianistas ha ido creciendo, actualmente somos alrededor de 200 personas aproximadamente en el país, de ahí nace el interés de saber cómo organizarnos y de cómo llevar a la práctica la forma de gobierno en la familia marianista mediante los 3 oficios, por ello, el Hno. Jesús Ruiz nos dio una conferencia sobre la importancia de llevarlos a la práctica desde las pequeñas cosas que como familia vivimos cada día.

Otra aportación de suma importancia al encuentro fue el hablar sobre la espiritualidad de la oración de las tres que es parte de nuestra vida marianista en el mundo, el P. Quentin, nos habló sobre la importancia del dialogo que se da en el calvario en el evangelio según San Juan de donde nace nuestra oración de las 3 al pie de la cruz.

Nos reunimos con mucha alegría, fue un placer volvernos a ver después de dos años, nos dimos a la tarea de convivir, de orar y de celebrar con alegría el encuentro con Cristo a través de la Eucaristía. Compartimos nuestro folklor, nuestras canciones, fue un encuentro hermoso y esperamos que cada encuentro sea lleno del amor de María y de su Hijo Jesucristo, que nuestro trabajo durante estos próximos dos años nos lleve a compartir con más personas

el don de nuestro carisma.

Fraternalmente :

Juan García Jiménez