The Society of Mary: Marists in the US

The Marists invite you to read the latest E-Newsletter at:https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/content/uploads/2024/06/SM_E-Newsletter_6-14-2024.pdf

Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Marists invite you to read the latest Justice & Peace Bulletin at:https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/content/uploads/2024/06/JP_6-7-2024.pdf

Feast of the Sacred Heart

Lord Jesus, Son of the most high,
may we find refuge
in the humility of your heart,
for your thoughts are thoughts of peace.
And so, in the trials of this world, we will show forth the riches of your patience,
until that day when we shall be with you
for ever and ever. Amen.
(~Proclaiming All Your Wonders)

Feast of St. Marcellin Champagnat

Today the entire Catholic Church joins Marists across the world in celebrating the life and legacy of St. Marcellin Champagnat.

St. Marcellin Champagnat . . . Pray for us.

World Environment Day

Since the first celebration in 1972, World Environment Day has helped UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) to raise awareness and generate political momentum around growing concerns, such as the depletion of the ozone layer, toxic chemicals, desertification and global warming. This day has developed into a global platform for taking action on urgent environmental issues.

This year’s World Environment Day campaign focuses on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are .”

To read more about this day and view resources visit: https://www.worldenvironmentday.global

Feast of Corpus Christi

Pope Francis's June Prayer Intention

For those fleeing their own countries

Let us pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys fraught with danger and violence, may find welcome and new living opportunities in their host countries.

Dear brothers and sisters, this month I would like us to pray for people fleeing their own countries.
The feeling of uprootedness or not knowing where they belong often accompanies the trauma experienced by people who are forced to flee their homeland because of war or poverty.
What is more, in some destination countries, migrants are viewed as threats, with fear.
Then the spectre of walls appears – walls on the earth separating families, and walls in hearts.
Christians cannot share this vision. Whoever welcomes a migrant welcomes Christ.
We must promote a social and political culture that protects the rights and dignity of migrants, a culture that promotes the possibility that they can achieve their full potential, and integrates them.
A migrant needs to be accompanied, promoted, and integrated.

View the June Prayer Intention Pope Video (https://thepopevideo.org) - a global initiative to disseminate the Holy Father's monthly intentions (Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network).

The Marists invite you to read the latest E-Newsletter at:https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/content/uploads/2024/05/SM_E-Newsletter_5-31-2024.pdf

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

As we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary let us reflect on the words of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey To Romania in 2019.

Pope Francis reminds us that “…. from Nazareth to the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth was the first of Mary’s Journeys, as related by the Scriptures. She will journey from Galilee to Bethlehem, where Jesus will be born; she will go down to Egypt to save her Child from Herod; she will go up again every year to Jerusalem for the Passover (LK2:31), and ultimately she will follow Jesus to Calvary. These journeys all have one thing in common: they were never easy; they always required courage and patience. They tell us that Our Lady knows what it means to walk uphill, she know what it means for us to walk uphill, and she is our sister at every step of the way. She knows what it is to be weary of walking and she can take us by the hand amid our difficulties, in most perilous twists and turns in our life’s journey.”

Feast Day of Pope St. Paul VI

St. Paul VI coined the phrase that “dialogue is the new word for love”.

The founder of the Society of Mary, Jean-Claude Colin, said that our spiritual life must be one of a growing “emptying of self” so that others with whom we engage will find nothing that would stand in the way of their experience of God or the Gospel.

Today the Marists remember in prayer our living benefactors. We are mindful of the gifts that we have received from the hands of our friends and benefactors in assisting us in our ministries and our deeply grateful.

Be assured of our continued prayers and may the gentleness of Mary be our strength.

(Picture: "Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit”, located at Esmond Brady Memorial Chapel at Marist School, Atlanta, Georgia )

As we celebrate Memorial Day we would like to remember the lives of Fr. Robert Brett, SM (dec.) and all chaplains who have died while serving in the armed forces.

On this feast of the Most Holy Trinity, we recall the words of Pope Francis, "May the Virgin Mary, perfect creation of the Trinity, help us to make our whole lives, in small gestures and more important choices, an homage to God, who is Love."

Carlo Acutis to be first millennial saint: Pope Francis recognizes miracle for canonization Pope Francis has recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis, paving the way for him to become the first Millennial saint.

The Marists invite you to read the latest Justice & Peace Bulletin at:https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/content/uploads/2024/05/JP_5-24-2024.pdf

A Reflection for the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church

"…while no particular Marian devotion captures the heart of the Marist spirit, the Marist charism calls us simply to be Mary in the Church." (Ted Keating, SM Mary, Model of Contemplation In Action Today’s Marists, Volume 4, Issue 1)

Reflection by Pope Francis (Homily, January 1, 2019)
[In] times of need, when we are entangled in life's knots, we rightly lift our eyes to Our Lady, to Our Mother. Yet first, we should let ourselves be gazed upon by Our Lady. When she gazes upon us, she does not see sinners but children. It is said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul; the eyes of Mary, full of grace, reflect the beauty of God, they show us a reflection of heaven. Jesus himself said that the eye is "the lamp of the body" (Mt 6:22): the eyes of Our Lady are able to bring light to every dark corner, everywhere they rekindle hope. As she gazes upon us, she says: "Take heart, dear children; here I am, your Mother!"

As we celebrate the feast of Pentecost we pause to remember that because they bear the name of Mary, Marists desire to be like her and follow Jesus as she did. Contemplating Mary in the mysteries of Nazareth and Pentecost and her role at the end of time, Marists come to share her zeal for her Son’s mission in his struggle against evil, and to respond with promptness to the most urgent needs of God’s people. (Marist Constitutions, 8 )

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful
And kindle in them the fire of Your love
V: Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created
R: And You shall renew the face of the earth

(Image Credit: Study for the Pentecost, 2012, John Nava, Project preparation work for Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Las Vegas, Nevada)

The Marists invite you to read the latest E-Newsletter at:https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/content/uploads/2024/05/SM_E-Newsletter_5-17-2024.pdf

Happy Mother's Day!

The Marists would like to remember all Mothers today - both living and those Mothers who have gone before us with the following prayer.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

The latest edition of Today's Marists is now available on the Society of Mary website (https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/todays-marist/).

We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy this edition!

The Marists invite you to read the latest Justice & Peace Bulletin at:https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/content/uploads/2024/05/JP_5-10-2024.pdf

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Each May, the United States celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month to recognize the contributions and importance to the fabric of American life. The Society of Mary pays tribute to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in all of their ministries.

As part of AAPI month we recognize the Filipino community at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) in Ybor City, Florida and the Indonesian community at Our Lady of the Assumption in Brookhaven, Georgia.

Top Picture: Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Bottom Picture: Our Lady of the Assumption

The Marists invite you to read the latest E-Newsletter at:https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/content/uploads/2024/05/SM_E-Newsletter_5-3-2024_F.pdf

Pope Francis's May Prayer Intention

For the formation of men and women religious, and seminarians

Let us pray that men and women religious, and seminarians, grow in their own vocational journey through human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, that leads them to be credible witnesses of the Gospel.

Every vocation is a “diamond in the rough” that needs to be polished, worked, shaped on every side. A good priest, sister or nun, must above all else be a man, a woman who is formed, shaped by the Lord’s grace, people who are aware of their own limitations, and willing to lead a life of prayer, of dedicated witness to the Gospel.
Beginning in the seminary and the novitiate, their preparation must be developed integrally, in direct contact with the lives of other people. This is essential.
Formation does not end at a certain moment, but continues throughout life, integrating the person intellectually, humanly, affectively, spiritually.
There’s also preparation to live in community – life in community is so enriching, even though it can be difficult at times. Living together is not the same as living in community.

View the May Prayer Intention Pope Video (https://thepopevideo.org) - a global initiative to disseminate the Holy Father's monthly intentions (Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network).

On this anniversary of Marist Approval, we invite you to read the following reflection found at: https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/anniversary-of-marist-approval/

On this feast of St. Peter Chanel the Marists invite you to view the video "The Life of St. Peter Chanel" produced by The St. Peter Chanel Family Faith Formation group.

https://youtu.be/IS1wajoWNcc

Day 9: Novena Prayer to St. Peter Chanel

Joy of Fraternity

Besides the boundless personal joy which Peter and Marie-Nizier felt at the arrival of their confreres, it made a great difference to their own standing among the islanders… For the next few days the visitors toured the island; Peter, always eager to assert his neutrality between the two factions, took five of them to stay a few days in Singave, where, for the first time, he had the happiness of celebrating Mass, along with his confreres. While there they made the acquaintance of King Vanai, with whom they had breakfast. The newcomers had apparently brought some musical instruments with them; an organ (presumably a very small one) and an accordion are mentioned. These created a great impression. Music was played at the Mass on Whit Sunday, but the joy of the feast was marred some what by the departure of Peter's confreres later that day. (Graystone, St Peter Chanel, Pg. 31 )

The Novena prayers can be found HERE.https://www.societyofmaryusa.org/content/uploads/2024/04/Novena-for-Vocations-2024_Societas-Mariae.pdf

(Picture: St. Peter Chanel sunken relief sculpture, Marist School, Atlanta, Georgia)