An electronic newsletter published by the Province Communications Office twice a month.
A magazine published three times a year by The Marist Fathers and Brothers of the US Province.
Happy Mother’s Day!
World Day of Prayer for Vocations
The 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations takes place today, May 11th.
Pilgrims of Hope: the Gift of Life
In Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations in 2025 he stated…
In Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations in 2025 he stated, “… A vocation is a precious gift that God sows in our heart, a call to leave ourselves behind and embark on a journey of love and service. Every vocation in the Church, whether lay, ordained or consecrated, is a sign of the hope that God has for this world and for each of his children. … Every vocation is inspired by hope, marked by confident trust in God’s providence. For Christians, hope is more than mere human optimism: it is a certainty based on our faith in God, who is at work in each of our lives. Vocations mature through the daily effort to be faithful to the Gospel, and through prayer, discernment and service. … hope in God does not disappoint, because at every step of the way he accompanies those who entrust their lives to him. Our world needs young people who are pilgrims of hope, who courageously devote their lives to Christ and rejoice in being his disciples and missionaries..”
On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations we remember all men and women discerning God’s call. The Marists ask you to remember in prayer all those in our international formation program.
(Picture Caption: Marist novices in Davao City, Philippines (March, 2025))
Anniversary of Marist Approval
On April 29, 1836, the infant Society of Mary received official approbation from the Church through a letter from the mission-minded Pope Gregory XVI.
The Holy Father and the Congregation ‘Propaganda Fide‘ were looking for missionaries to send to the distant south-west Pacific. Marist Founder, Jean-Claude Colin, responded: ‘We will work on whatever distant shore… ‘.
As the Marists remember this historic day, we invite you to listen to the song Hail Mary by Marist Priest Kevin Bates from his album Threads.
Picture Caption: Image of stained glass window from St. Mary’s Manor Chapel in Penndel, Pennsylvania. St. Mary’s Manor served as the minor, or preparatory, seminary for the Society of Mary from 1920 until the 1960s. The window is currently displayed at Marist College in Washington DC.
Day 33 Lenten Reflection
Called to be Eucharistic People
Our world has plunged into a frightening darkness.
LIGHT has diminished,
almost extinguished.
The threat of evil hovers large today,
in the suffering and horror of wars:
in the cries of the women,
The bewilderment of the children,
The hunger and exhaustion of the elderly,
The helplessness and powerlessness of the innocent and suffering.
The list is endless,
Yet, in the midst of this
God reminds us-
He is alive.
He LIVES in me.
He LIVES in you.
He LIVES in me
He LIVES in you
When we gather in quiet conversation,
When we engage with each other
Respecting their view, although different from ours.
He LIVES in me
He LIVES in you,
When we reach out to another,
To share our story,
Our joys, our burdens, our hopes
Without even attempting to solve the problem-
Simply, to listen with compassion,
As He SPEAKS through me
As he SPEAKS through you.
(~ Ben McKenna, SM, Easter – Eucharistic People (Poem by Bernadette Murray), April 1, 2024)