Saint John Bosco

It is fitting that during Catholic Schools Week we commemorate another giant figure in Catholic education, St. John Bosco. Similar to St. Marcellin, his passion was the education of youth, particularly the poor, the "street kids" of his day, orphaned or rejected by their families and society. His heart and his all-embracing spirit reached out to them in gentleness and firmnes. He gathered them together, instructed them in the faith, and with his followers, taught them trades so that they could enter the work world with skills that would help them profide a living for themselves and their future families. As such, he is known as "The Apostle of Youth", and the two Congregations he founded to carry on his work are the Salesian Society (St. Francis de Sales and his practical spirituality had a great influence on him) and the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians. The work these Congregations do in the Third World is just amazing. I came into personal contact with them in Rwanda and Kenya, and was impressed by the acceptance, love, and expertise they gave to their students. Even in this country, they work with the poor and give them the means to lift themselves into prosperity. Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not stop them; to such belongs the kigdom of God." (Mk 10: 14). I trust that all Catholic schools will heed these words and the examples of St. John Bosco and St. Marcellin.
Bro. Rene

Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week is being observed nation-wide this week. It is a time to celebrate this great privilege and gift of Catholic Education, to relish this treasure, to thank all who make it possible and to recommit ourselves to fostering its growth. We all sense that the atmosphere of respect, good order, and high moral codes of behavior contribute to both academic and athletic excellence in Catholic schools. The facts verify this: 99.1% of Catholic school students graduate from high school and 84. 7% go on to college, while only 44.1% of public school graduates do, a startling contrast which affirms the results of the sacrifices being made by parents to send their children to Catholic schools.
Despite this good news, we all have some idea that the financial challenges facing our schools are having a devastating effect on them, but the facts are even more disconcerting: last year, only 24 new schools opened, while 174 closed or merged with others. Every parish having an elementary school is now history. Across the nation there are only 7, 094 Catholic schools, of these 5,889 are elementary schools and 1,205 are high schools. Of the 2.1 million students in Catholic schools, 30% are minorities and there has been a 14.5% increase in non-Catholic attendance.
Speaking with religion teachers, key players in the raison d'etre for Catholic Schools, I hear widespread comment on how little students know about their faith or how few of them, even those from Catholic elementary schools, practice it by the minimum of weekly Mass attendance. These children are now the third generation of parents and grandparents who themselves have drifted from active practice of the faith. They want their children in a Catholic school for safety, academic and athletic reasons, but the real reason for the existence of our schools, the faith formation and education of children, is not a major factor, it seems. The Archdiocesan Lenten program, Catholics, Come Home, is well-timed and much needed, for the true excellence of a Catholic school cannot be achieved without the real foundation of that education taking place in the home. If, indeed, Catholic schools are A+ for America, the theme of the week, they cannot fulfill this claim unless families regroup around the altar and the sacraments.
Bro. Rene

Serving Others

We look upon Mary as the model of one who serves: "Behold the handmaid (servant) of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word (Lk 1: 38). Another translation: "I am the Lord's servant, and am willing to accept whatever he wants." Openness, readiness, eager willingness, not resentful or self-pitying submission. But service really takes up a lot of "our" time and could be blamed as the reason for our constant busyness. We never read of Mary's complaints about what she was asked to do and so willingly and lovingly accepted. No, if we learn to see our busyness as the result of our call, our choice, to be "servant of all", and take Jesus and Mary as our models as the lowliest and humblest servants, then we will find peace and joy in the "washing of feet" or whatever form our service might take. Looking at time as not "ours" but God's, on loan to us, the we feel less entitled to hoard it all to ourselves and are freer to use it for others. Whenever we put aside our agendas to serve the needs of others, it is amazing how we accomplish both. We are able to help someone and get our own work done, perhaps not in the time frame we had planned, but eventually, in God's. It's a risk to say "yes" and open ourselves to be stretched beyond what we thought was possible, but we are assured that we will never be "tested" or stretched beyond our capacity. The "fiat"...be it done unto me...is an essential ingredient in Marist Spirituality. Let us ask Mary to be willing to take risks with "our" time, and walk with her as willing servants.
Bro. Rene

St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas, gifted Dominican theologian and author of his renowned Summa Theologiae, serves as a model for Catholic teachers, parents, and all who have committed themselves to living the Gospel. His goal was to discover wisdom, the deeper meaning of revelation, and apply it to life. "The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom;/ at the cost of all you have, get understanding." (Prv 4:7). For all the time he spent writing, reflecting, and teaching, he spent more in contemplative prayer seeking inspiration and wisdom; listening to the Spirit speak and teach. He blended philosophy and secular knowledge with what he discovered in his contemplation and wrote clearly what he had discovered so that others might profit from his insights. At the end of his life, he is quoted as saying that all that he had written was merely straw compared to the Source of his all work: God himself.
His life, his method, teach us that above all, wisdom is a matter of the heart, of a deep relationship with God who reveals himself, Truth, in the prayer of quiet contemplation. Let us not choke on straw, but put our prayer, our relationship with God, first, if we hope to be wise and effective teachers.
Bro. Rene

Memorare in the Snow

The abundance of snow and lack of visibility this morning brought to mind a pivotal experience in the life of St. Marcellin and one of the foundational stories of Marist spirituality.
Having travelled from the Hermitage to a community a good distance from it along with Bro. Stanislas to visit Brother Jean Baptiste, who was ill, Father Champagnat and Bro. Stanislas were heading back to the Hermitage, in spite of the warnings of the brothers, when a snowstorm arose with such ferocity that it blinded them and they lost their way. Bro. Stanislas grew weak and Fr. Champagnat tried to carry him but soon found that did not work. He suggested to Bro. Stanislas that they kneel in the snow to say a Memorare, asking Mary's protection and rescue. As soon as they finished, they noticed a light in the distance and walked toward it. They came to a farm house and learned from the farmer, Mr. Donnet, that he had gone outside to the barn with his lantern to check his animals. He couldn't explain why, on such a bad night he had gone outside, when there was a connecting door from his kitchen to the barn. It was no mystery to Father Champagnat; he knew it was Mary's answer to the Memorare. Hence, this prayer has become one of the most treasured and most-relied upon prayers in our spirituality. The incident is referred to as "The Memorare in the Snow."
Snow causes interruption, inconvenience, frustration, and even anger. "So much of it all at once. Overwhelming. Where to put it? I can't deal with it anymore." Sometimes we feel "snowed in" by our anxieties, deadlines, "things to do", and don't know where to turn. That's "Memorare Time". Saying the prayer slowly deep from within, in faith and confidence brings "rescue", relief. The once oppressive "snow" becomes a sign of God's abundant love, that never ceases, and brings us to our knees in humble acceptance of our need for him. The "to do list" melts away as will the snows. Peace reigns. Mary is the Queen of Peace and our Good Mother. It is on our knees that we experience that again and again. May this prayer be in our hear and on our lips frequently.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins my mother. To thee do I come before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Looking for Stability

For the past three weeks blizzards and threats of more storms have disrupted businesses, schools, and life in general. "Will it, or won't it?" "When?" "How much?" We hear it everywhere.
We lose track of days, plans are disrupted, and we forget even those things we wanted to do that "absolutely HAD to be done." As always, the Scriptures come through to "settle us down" and remind us of what we know, what usually is so obvious to us, but what has been lost in the shuffle.

"O send forth your light and your truth;
let these be my guide.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain
to he place where you dwell.

And I will come to the altar of God,
the God of my joy.
My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,
O God, my God

Why are you cast down my soul,
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him still,
my savior and my God. (Ps 43: 3-5)

Paul writes to Timothy and us: "God saved us and called us to a holy life, not acording to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began....Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim 1: 9, 13)

With these words to anchor us down, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."
Bro. Rene

Conversion of St. Paul

The Church Unity Octave concludes today with the Feast of St. Paul's conversion. We are all familiar with the story, told by Paul himself at least twice in the Acts of the Apostles, but as Pope Benedict observed, it was not a gradual conversion in process over years of reflection and spiritual growth, but a sudden reversal resulting from an outside force: a direct contact with Jesus. It is Jesus, who changes Paul, not Paul who changes himself. Yes, this momentous confrontation with "Jesus, whom you are persecuting" was followed by prayer, fasting, and study, but the reversal had already taken place. It was just a matter of absorbing it, reflecting on the person of Jesus, his story, the experience of the Christian community, and the power of the Spirit to channel Paul's fierce attempts to destroy "the Way" into fierce (and successful) attempts to spread "the Way." Such a reversal involved incredible risks, travels into the unknown, shipwrecks, stonings, beatings, imprisonment and finally death. Paul's legacy remains in his surviving letters incorporated into the New Testament, and the communities of faith surrounding the Mediterranean basin. Paul refuted the slavery of the Old Law and replaced it by the freedom of the Spirit, which is the essence of the New Law.
It is that same Spirit which St. Marcellin followed on his path into the unknown, as his desire, "We must have Brothers" unfolded and demanded the same zeal and fortitude demonstrated by Paul. I tried to imagine what it would take to start a new religious order today. Even the practical aspects of housing, food and clothing...not to mention the formation of the members. What a huge undertaking! Yet, Mary, Paul, Marcellin and so many others show us that indeed, "nothing is impossible with God." As we journey through the day with a certain plan in mind, let us in some ways expect an illumination as Paul received, and ask for the grace to be ready to respond as he did.
Bro. Rene

Marching For Life

Today, facing bitter cold, thousands of people will march from the Mall in Washington, DC to the Supreme Court after hearing talks from people of all walks of life and and many denominations and faiths about the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. Last year there were estimated over 2500,000 marchers, 30 of them representing Central Catholic. This year's theme is "Thou shalt protect the equal right to life of each innocent born and preborn human in existence at fertilizaiton--no exception, no compromise." A strong statement, and although we will not be in DC this year, we will gather in our chapel before the Blessed Sacrament to be in solidarity with those who are marching and praying for this theme to be honored.
It is estimated that 50 million abortions have been performed since the ruling in 1973. The massacres in Rwanda, Cambodia and Nazi Germany don't even come close to that number. The world was appalled when the extent of these genocides became known, but little outcry, except from the grassroots across the country, is heard about the massacre of these innocnent unborn children.
By prayer and fasting here at home, we can augment the volume of those speaking in Washington and change the hearts of the proponents of abortion. Rwanda and Cambodia are at peace now, and violence has been greatly reduced. When the bottom has been hit, the reaction is to go in the completely opposite direction. It can happen here. Believe, believe, believe.
Bro. Rene

Summoned to Unity

The ideal of Church Unity is expressed in song and Scripture and serves as our slice of Daily Bread on this Sabbath. It is not only a unity between denominations, but a unity within our own community, our own families, and our own hearts. Spend some time with these nourishing passages.

Summoned by the God who made us
Rich in our diversity,
Gathered now in celebation,
Richer still in unity:
Let us bring the gifts that differ
And, in splendid, varied ways,
Sing a new world into being,
One in love and one in praise.
--Magnificat, January, p. 310

"I [Paul], then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and goodness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit though the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Eph 4: 1-6)

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant us to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom 15: 5-6)

Bro. Rene

Day of Penance

On this 38th anniversary of Roe v Wade, all dioceses in the United States are observing a day of penance in reparation for "violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion" and a day of prayer for "the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life." (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no 373). The Entrance antiphon for today's Mass for Peace and Justice reads: "Give peace, Lord, to those who wait for you; listen to the prayers of your servants, and guide us in the way of justice." (see Sir 36: 18-19). Many churches will hold Holy Hours over the weekend; fasting is suggested on Monday, when the March for Life will take place in Washington. In 1968, Pope Paul VI's Encyclical, HUMANAE VITAE met with fierce resistance, but time has shown where the path he traced if artificial birth control were pursued, would lead. He was right: respect for life from conception to natural death has been ignored and an "culture of abortion" is, unfortumately a world-wide phenomenon. As Jesus told his disciples, some evil spirits can be cast out only by prayer and fasting. Such is the call for all of us, who, as citizens of the United States, share in the collective sin of abortion. Let our prayers and penance join those who will March and those who are working behind the scenes for an end to this national sin.
Bro. Rene

Meeting JFK's Challenge

The headlines in the past few days have focused on the 50th anniversary of the innauguration of John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic President of the United states, and have reminded us of his famous "Ask not" challenge, which initiated a serge in service to the underprivileged via the Peace Corps and Vista. Fifty years later, people of all ages are continuing to respond to Kennedy's call to action. Former Peace Corps volunteers, having fulfilled their careers and obligations to their children, are returning to the Corps for a second round. Teach America and Americorps are flooded with volunteers.
An organization known as the Deshpande Foundation is funding creative and generous young people to go into poverty stricken regions of the United States and the globe, to teach and urge people who thought there was no hope that they have the potential within themselves to bring about needed change and a rise from poverty. A Central Catholic graduate, David Kando '08, served in Huli, India for five months last year, teaching and stirring up self-confidence and excitement in his students. In addition to his studies at Northeastern, he is helping Deshpande find volunteers for service in India and in the Merrimack Valley. David's calmness, energy, conviction, determination and focus for a 20 year old are rare, but in themselves are signs of hopeful reassurance that indeed "the torch has been passed to a new generation" who are still responding to President Kennedy's bold challenge.
Bro. Rene

Encounter Reunion

Bonding in prayerful support, as we mentioned yesterday, is a powerful way of helping our faith to grow. As retreats and Encounters are at the heart of the spiritual formation of our students at Central Catholic, each Encounter is followed by a "group reunon" a month or so after the actual experience to bolster the experience and foster further spiritual growth. The students have a chance to renew their Encounter experience in the presence of those who shared it with them, be encouraged by a talk from one of the "Encounterites" to continue to live their "fourth day" united with Jesus, above all, in companioship with one another, and in continued service to the "least favored". Prayer and song support the theme of the reunion and help all recall the spirit of the Encounter.
These reunions underlie the need for community. The road is too rough to "go it alone." We need one another. "In unity there is strength." This old maxim still holds as true today as in past history. A student and I were talking about the challenges facing youth in today's world. How they stay unsullied, even though surrounded by all kinds of "unGospel-like" (to put it politely) attitudes and behaviors, is a result of strong family, strong community, strong friendship with Jesus. Today at 12:30, students and adults who made the November Encounter will be in our chapel having their reunion. Please be with us in prayer, and be with all teens in your daily prayers. Thank you.
Bro. Rene

Union of Prayers

Let us take a moment on this second day of the Church Unity Octave, to reflect on how we can be united to each other through prayer. We all know families who are suffering because of illness or unemployment; we know of young men and women deployed in Afgahnistan and constantly in danger of being wounded or losing their lives; we see crime after crime, tragedy after tragedy on the daily news programs. The cross weighs on all in varying degrees. The question arises, "Why do some suffer so much more than others?" It is not ours to know. it seems, and as we well know, we are at a loss even at what to say to people with heavy burdens. We can, however, be united to them through prayer and trust that God will give them the grace to bear their yoke. It is amazing how consoling it is to folks when we tell them that we are praying for them. Simple but powerful. It unites us to them and gives them a support that our words of advice cannot give. Let us today, then pray that we might be united to ALL who "labor and are heavy burdened" (Mt 11: 28) and make it a point to tell those we do know that we are united to them in prayer.
Bro. Rene

Christian Unity

Yesterday this country was reminded by the celebrations and rehtoric making Martin Luther King Jr. Day of the dream for unity of all peoples in this country. Today, Christians around the world will be praying for the next week for the unity of all Christians. The week used to be called The Church Unity Octave: eight days of prayers, talks, fasting, and reaching out in understanding at the grassroots as well as official levels. On this first day, let us pray the Lord's prayer slowly, meditating on the words, OUR FATHER...and pray for an openness to understand all who call God "our Father" as OUR brothers and sisters. This simple step , multiplied world-wide, can and will bring us closer to the unity that Jesus prayed for at the last supper: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are." (Jn 17: 11).
Bro. Rene

St. Antony of the Desert and Relinquishment

When the 20 year old Antony of Coma, Egypt heart the Gospel story of the Rich Young Man who refused the advice of Jesus to sell all he had and give to the poor, he was so moved that he did just what Jesus said. He had inherited considerable wealth from his parents, but after setting up his sisters with enough to sustain themselves, he gave away the rest to the poor and retreated to the desert, where for 20 years he lived in seclusion and prayer. It was only after all this time that others, also fed up with the corruption fostered by wealth and too much leisure in the decadent years of the Roman Empire, came to him for advice and joined him in his way of life. So much so that he had to draw up a simple rule for them and thus became the "Father of Monasticism." He died at the age of 105, showing us that it is possible to live simply for a long time.
It is easy to read this story, and perhaps even understand the emptiness that these men felt when the glitter of a superabundance of material goods wore then and they experienced nothing substantial beneath, but actually to DO something about it evidently demanded grace and courage. These, the Rich Young Man lacked, and turned his back on Jesus. How about us? We might feel saddled or even imprisoned by the goods and gadgets upon which we have become dependent. We think back to our youths when we had less and were freer and happier, but can we relinquish what we have accumulated? Can we sell it off and give the proceeds to Lazarus House or give it directly to St. Martin's Thrift Store on Essex Street? I spoke with one of my Godsons last night who is in the army and about to move to Honduras for his next tour. He commenented that the little he had was too much to pack up and against his desire to live simply. He said he assumed that I lived the same way. I had to tell him that embarrassingly over the years THINGS have piled up so much that I am cluttered with books and THINGS beyond belief. I told him I've been working at eliminating the piles of paper and collectibles on the floor (happy to see the rug at last) and am soon to attack the bookcases. I'm praying while I'm doing this, so that I might have the grace and courage to part with these things that I thought I needed or that I was keeping "just in case." When I think of the simplicity of the early Marists, even the Marists of 50 years ago when I first became one, I am both ashamed and motivated to get back to the bare essentials. How about you?
Bro. Rene

Blessed Assurance

The famliar Gospel Hymn, Blessed Assurance, reminds us that even in the daily routine, the mid-winter "blahs", the distractions and busyness of our lives, our self-doubt and self-disatisfaction, "Jesus is mine." "I in my Savior am happy and blest,/ Watching and waiting, looking above,/ Filled with His goodness, lost in His love." Remember, that Jesus is "one of us", he knows what is in human nature, and assures us over and over again, that his power is ours for the claiming: the power to come back to him when our busyness draws us away from him. Calmly he awaits us, and calmly he enables us to pick up where we left off with him. We will not always be on Mount Tabor in a transfiguration moment, but fidelity to him in the flat spaces, the ordinary moments, keeps our relationship alive and strong. The Psalmist reminds us how faithful God is, even to the smallest details of our lives:
"From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from his misery he raises he poor
to set him in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people.
To the childless wife he gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children. "(Ps 113: 7-9)
This Sabbath day, with its call to communal worship at Mass, and lull in the weeks' usual hecticity, let us take the time to basque in the blessed assurance of God's unending and unconditional love, and renews ourselves for the week ahead.
Bro. Rene

Pope John Paul II

The chant, "Santo Subito", (Sainthood Soon) at the funeral of Pope John Paul II five years ago took a step toward fulfillment yesterday when Pope Benedict XVI announced that our beloved "JP II" would be beatified on May 1st. Evidently this is one of the fastest moves toward beatification in our lifetime, and in the Church's history. St. Francis of Assisi was canonized only two years after his death, and others whose sanctity was apparent as well, before the current stringent process began. Popular acclaim used to create bishops and saints, and in the case of Pope John Paul, this might have been a factor in this speedy beatification. His travels, his prolific writings, his bubbly personalty, his deep holiness endeared him to the world and flowed from a heart that loved God and Neighbor with all its strength and power. We are privileged to have seen with our own eyes what it takes to reach sanctity. In attempting to answer the call to holiness, reflecting on this life, still so vivid in our memories, we have an example to emulate. Thousands will gather at St. Peter's on May 1st, "May Day", St. Joseph the Worker, and, this year, "Mercy Sunday." It is also the day when Cardinal Sean O'Malley will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving to close the 75th anniversary celebration of Central Catholic. At least he is scheduled to do so, but perhaps he will be in Rome for the beatification. We await word from his office.
To follow the progress of the beatification and other Church and world events, I suggest the website, http://www.spiritdaily.com/. One could easily spend an hour a day with some fascinating reading. It provides a wealth of material for reflection and prayer. For today, let us give thanks for Pope John Paul II and the ripple effect his life has had and now his beatification will have on the world.
Bro. Rene

The Thoughts of His Heart

Every First Friday, the Entrance Antiphon reads: "The thoughts of his heart last through every generation, that he will rescue them from death and feed them in time of famine." It is consoling to know that we, today, occupy a place in the thoughts and heart of Jesus. He knows exactly what we are facing, what is going on in our hearts, our hopes, dreams, fears, regrets, frustrations, hungers and challenges. We pray, "Lord God, give us the strength and love of the heart of your Son, that by becoming one with him, we may have eternal salvation." Imagine if our hearts could expand so much that we could love with the strength and depth of the heart of Jesus! It takes surrender and a complete turning over of all that is in our hearts to him. "Lord, I surrender all to you. Everything is in your hands." Simple, to the point. Gone are worry, anxiety and fretful anticipation of what "might" happen, "if".... As he feeds us with "the best of wheat" in the Eucharist, surely he will answer this prayer when it comes in faith and from the depths of our being.
Bro. Rene

Digging Out

Those of us in New England are engaged in a seemingly unending task of digging out after the abundant snows left by yesterday's blizzard. Plows ran through the night, snow blowers attacked the mounting "white stuff"several times yesterday and with finishing touches today seek to make a minimal path so that we might get on with our lives. One of the blessings derived from this process is that we have been forced to slow down. Cars move slower on the roads, cancellations have increased our leisure time, and our usual day of multiple meetings and running around has thankfully been curtailed to "just the essentials". Let's breathe in and thank God for this gift and try to use it well.
In the responsorial psalm at today's liturgy we heard "Oh that today you would hear his voice:/ "Harden not your hearts..." (Ps 95: 7-8). Today is the day when we might be able to do this more than usual: listen, and let God soften our hearts to receive his grace and inspiration, to be less centered on self, and more on him or the needs of the suffering and sorrowing. We need not look too far: the headlines are filled with grim stories of pain and tragedy. We are all called to holiness as followers of Jesus, and today is a day when we might ask ourselves if we are hearing that call, and look at how we are responding to it. Let our "digging out" reach to the depths of our souls.
Bro. Rene

Live Marist

The other day I recommended a new video accessible at our Marist Brothers' website, www.maristbr.com and this morning, due to the blizzard, I actually had time to look at it. Amazing, inspiring, energizing. Wow! After viewing it, I'd want to become a Marist Brother! (And and darn glad that I did!) If you have 8 minutes to spare on this day of cancellations, I'd encourage you to go to this website and click on the LIVE MARIST video. Then you'll want to read about Br. Eladio and Br. John McDonnell...and more. This website is a gem and serves as a boost to ALL Marists. Walking in partnership, we carry forward to mission of St. Marcellin with enthusiasm, assurance and joy.
Let us continue to pray for vocations with confidence, for it is clear that our mission is the work of God, as necessary today as it was in post-revolutionary France. And, even if not a vowed Marist, one can live our spirituality in the family and the workplace and be proud to be a part of this God-ordained movemt to bring ALL TO JESUS THROUGH MARY. Yes, let us LIVE MARIST!
Bro. Rene

Advancing the Culture of Vocations

The Province of the United States of America has recently named Br. Dan O'Riordan as Co-director of Vocations to aid Br. Michael Sheerin in this important facet of our Marist Life. Both men will be involved in accompanying the young men who express interest in our brotherhood, either through personal contact or through the internet. They have sent a letter asking all of us to help identify possible "inquirers", that is college students, college graduates, neighbors, relatives, etc. We, in the high schools, are doing the same, inviting students to "come and see" or by just asking the simple question, "Have you considered the Marist Brotherhood as one of your options for the future?" Surprisingly enough, the answer is often "yes". A common response given by older men is that "No one ever asked." That is our fault. I've found students and graduates honored that they might be considered potential brothers because of the qualities we have seen in them. So, in addition to our daily prayers for vocations, an effort to actually ask, or speak to young men we see with potential, might open the door to a conversation and action that would cultivate and bring a vocation to fruition. God works through us. Let us be open to being an instrument in impacting the future of our Marist mission and goals.
Bro. Rene

National Vocation Awareness Week

Stories of parish closings or mergers continue to dis-hearten the Catholic Community throughout the nation and the shrinking number of Sisters and Brothers worldwide makes it evident that the time for serious prayer, fasting and effort is here. It has been given lip-service for decades, and some efforts are paying off, such as the St. Andrew Dinner, an evenning of prayer, a meal, and vocation talks presided over by Cardinal Sean, in its second year in the Archdiocese of Boston. Following this model, the Marist Brothers in Lawrence, will host a Champagnat Dinner in March to invite young men to pray, hear vocation stories, and enjoy good table fellowship around a meal prepared by Br. Tom, president of Central Catholic. Vocation presentations to Junior Religion Classes will span an number of weeks in the second semester, high-lighting to universal call to holiness, and giving details concerning the priesthood, religious life, marriage and the single life. Today, a new video, LIVE MARIST, will be available at http://www.maristbr.com/. Containing testimonies of students involved in Marist retreats and activities, it shows that our charism is very much alive, still effective and as much needed as in 1817. We hope that it will inspire many to go from talk to entrance into our brotherhood. Personal prayer, sacrifices, fasting are an important part of this process. Continued joyfilled dedication to the education of youth, personal interviews and encouragement are important, but remembering the a vocation is a call from God, the spiritual element is key. All can join us at this level. Let us have a special intention for vocations in our prayers and sacrifices this week in particular, and continued into the future, for the "harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few."
Bro. Rene

This is My Beloved Son

The Christmas Season ends with this dramatic scene in the River Jordan: John Baptizes Jesus, the heavens open, a dove hovers over Jesus and a booming voice from heaven utters both an affirmation and a clear manifestation of Jesus' identity: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matt 3: 17). Whereas the Nativity and the Epiphany emphasize the humanity of Jesus, his divinity is clearly evident in this "theophany" (manifestation of God). The extent of the Incarnation becomes all encompassing as we acknowledge that the Son of GOD took on human nature to be one with us in all things, save sin. We have a Brother who understands, supports and encourages us, while at the same time being the God who saves us. He is the ultimate light illuminating the darkness, the One who sweetens the bitter waters of our sinfulness. Our own baptisms have given us a share in his life, and made us part of the Divine Family. This is OUR day to celebrate our own baptisms and to hear God say to us, "This is my beloved son (daughter), in whom I am well pleased." Interestingly enough for Marists, this is the day in 1863 when our Constitutions were approved by Pope Pius IX, an affirmation for the Marist Brothers, and our colleagues, that we are God's sons and daughters in whom he is well-pleased. Let us rejoice in this privilege and the mission which flows from it.
Bro. Rene

Are We Ready?

On this day before the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we hear St. John, who had been preparing the way for Jesus, humbly rejoicing as the time for the "bridegroom" approaches, and proclaiming, "He must increase; I must decrease" (Jn 3: 30). John realizes his place, his call, and acknowledges the role of Jesus, as "the one who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn 1: 29). A key to progress in the spiritual life is humble acknowledgement of who we are, what our place is, and where the place of Jesus is in our lives. Can we say with John, "He must increase; I must decrease"? It's really worth the time to reflect on this simple but powerful thought and ask ourselves if we are ready to meet this challenge and how we might best do it. Let this be our immediate preparation for tomorrow's great feast.
Bro. Rene

Seeking the Lord

Continuing our reflection on Epiphany, we focus on the desire of the Magi to find the newborn king, a journey which can be seen as a symbol of our own desire to find Jesus. Isaiah tells us bluntly, "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near." (Is 1: 6). He echoes the author of Deuteronomy: "You shall seek the Lord, your God; and you shall indeed find him when you search after him with your whole heart and your whole soul." (Dt 4:29). Jeremiah repeats the same admonition: "When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you, says the Lord, and I will change your lot;" (Jer 29: 13-14). Whatever was entailed in the travels of the Magi, time, patience, frustration, apparent lack of progress, and even deception, were not unknown to them, as with any seekers trekking through a land unknown. As we pray today, we might put ourselves in the shoes of the Magi, and attempt to discover at what level we find our motivation, our desire, to deepen our relationship with Jesus. Sitting quietly with the passages from Isaiah and Jeremiah will help as well. The Lord is not far, nearer than we think. How much do we want to find him? Are we seeking him with all our heart and soul?
Bro. Rene

A Light to the Nations

In many parts of the world, the feast of the Epiphany is celebrated on this traditional date. It is one of the oldest and one of the greatest in the liturgical year, for it signifies a "manifestation" or revelation: God makes known who Jesus is: his Son, Messiah, Redeemer. For three centuries, the three major manifestations of Jesus, his nativity, the visit of the Magi, and his baptism were celebrated on the same day. Later the Wedding Feast at Cana, and the Feeding of the Five thousand, were added to this list of manifestations. It was in the fourth century that Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25th, and the Epiphany, on January 6th. We tend to think that things were always the way we experience them in our lifetimes, forgetting about the slow process of the evolution of our liturgical year. Because the Wise Men, non-Jews who traveled from afar (the latest theory being that they might have come from China, as described in the most recent National Geographic), the Epiphany signifies that Jesus indeed came as "a light of revelation to the nations: (Lk 2: 32), that is for the salvation of all peoples, not just the Jews. It is our day to rejoice and be glad, to give thanks and to reflect on our vocation to be " a light to the nations" as well, even in the smallest ways.
For example, this is the first time we celebrate the Memorial of St. Andre Bissette, better known simply as Brother Andre. He was a Holy Cross Brother in Montreal, who for over 40 years, because of his lack of education, was doorkeeper, janitor, infirmarian, barber, gardener and lamplighter. His piety, friendly manner, and willingness to pray to his favorite saint, St. Joseph, for special favors, endeared him to millions during his life and after his death. The famous Basilica of St. Joseph's Oratory stands as a memorial to the power of this man's loving soul and his ability to bring healing, and light to those who came to pray at his little chapel, and later, this magnificent church. Brother Andre was canonized last October. St. John reminds us: "Whoever loves God must also love his brother." (1 Jn 21). Following the simple way of St. Andre, how can we this day be "a light to the nations"?
Bro. Rene

Making A Difference

Everyone, at some level, seems to want to "make a difference". Our Central Catholic Vision Statement states that we "encourage our students to make the world a better place." Yesterday I had an exhilerating conversation of a graduate of 2008 who spent five months in India teaching men and women older than he about entrepreneurship, bringing to his class his natural gifts and ability to relate and inspire. Having done so much as Junior at Northeastern, and having a head full of ideas, he is destined to make a huge difference in our world.
Last night at the basketball game I sat next to another almnus...of 2007...readying to graduate in May (already!!!) and looking forward teaching and coaching, and thus continuing the impact he received at Central on others. As I page through the yearbooks of just the past few years and see the photos of the seniors and match them up with what they are doing now...some on their way to doctorates, some as inventors, some already in politics, I see that potential for change is beyond measure (already)!
When Bohemian born John Neumann came to the United States and was ordained by Bishop Dubois, little did he then know that we would later become bishop of Philadelphia, making in just 8 years in that leadership role, a major impact on education and the organization of parishes in that diocese, and that he would be canonized a saint in 1977. His memorial today prompts us to look at our lives to see how God is using us, yes even us, to make a difference, which might seem small and negligible now, but in the long run, something that has made a difference.
Bro. Rene

Catholic Education

Today the Church remembers St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native born American Saint. Her life and her legacy have much to say to Catholic educators as do her spirituality, determination and contribution to the life of the Church, particularly in America. Struggle, faith, and confidence in God mark her life from the time of her marriage to William Seton in 1794. The loss of his merchant fleet ruined the family financially, and his battle with tuberculosis ending in death, left Elizabeth a widow with five children. Her conversion to Catholicism alienated her from her wealthy Episcoplian family, thus leaving her further impoverished. She was forced to open a small, but instantly successful school in New York. Forced out because of religous bigotry, she settled in Maryland, where Catholics were the majority, and soon caught the eye of Bishop John Carroll, who asked her to open a Catholic boarding school for girls, which she did. The next year he invited her to begin a religious community, which became the Sisters of Charity of Emmitsburg, Maryland. After overcoming hardship after hardship, including the death of two of her daughters to tuberculosis, she succeeded in laying the foundation of the Catholic School system in the United States. She herself died at the early age of 46 from tuberculosis; one of her grandsons became an Archbishop.
Though of a different nature, St. Marcellin was no stranger to struggle, faith and confidence in God, and especially in Mary our Good Mother, as he established his young community of teaching brothers. A passage from the writings of St. Elizabeth echoes the faith and attitude of St. Marcellin, and serves as a reminder to Catholic teachers, of what our mission is: "To love him [God] with the whole heart is all, also we must include our whole strength by doing all that we can for him, and referring to him whatever we do for others, and with our whole mind by remembering him continually and filling it with him as much as we can. Love is paid by love--and the tenderest mother has not more delight in holding her little dear beloved in her arms than this child of divine love (the happy soul he dwells in) delights to dwell in the bosom of his best and dearest of fathers." "To educate is to love." "I cannot look at children without wanting to tell them how much God loves them." --St. Marcellin. With these two loving saints as models, we pursue our call to Catholic Education with faith and determination and love, undaunted by our daily struggles.
Bro. Rene

The Holy Name of Jesus

Sadly, one of the most common expletives in contemporary society is "Jesus". Quite the contrast is given by St. Paul in the familiar passage from his letter to the Philippians: "Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2: 9-11). In the 16th centruy Sts. Bernadine of Siena and John Capistran popularized the name of Jesus with the logo we so take for granted in Catholic circles that we don't even know what it stands for: "IHS". In those days the name Jesus was spelled IHESUS, so the first two and last letters became the abbreviation that found its way to placards, banners, and even to clothing, as a means to stop feuding between families.
Today's commemoration is The Holy Name of Jesus and calls us to look closely at this name, Yeshua in Aramaic, Savior. It is through the name (person) of Jesus that we are saved. So much so that a long-tested prayer, the Jesus Prayer, is at the heart of Eastern Spirituality. "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us sinners." Repeated over and over, or reduced simply to "Jesus" gives us a sense of his presence, power and love. It brings peace and reminds us of our need for his mercy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that this name contains the whole mystery of the Incarnation and of the Redemption. Jesus made flesh, died and rose for us. "Jesus" is the summary of the Catechism, Theology, the Creed. All.
Let us use this name with the reverence it deserves and teach our children the same.
Bro. Rene

Marist Brothers' Foundation Day

January 2, 2010

The Little Brothers of Mary, known better as The Marist Brothers of the Schools, celebrate their 194th "birthday" today. This also the Solemnity of the Epiphany in many dioceses of the United States. The two events complement each other, for since their founding, the Marist Brothers, like the Magi, have labored to bring they youth whom they teach as gifts to Jesus. Our reflection today is authored by Br. Thomas Long, President of Central Catholic High School.

Early this Advent, an elderly and frail man rose to speak to a packed room at the Mount Manresa Retreat House on Staten Island, New York. Poet, legendary peace activist, and Jesuit priest, Father Dan Berrigan’s message to his audience was characteristically clear and simple: “You have no right to tie yourself in knots because you want to know the outcome of what you are doing. Let it go. Let it go into Christ. Let it go into the generations. Let it go into the children. Each of us must think, ‘I am going to turn swords into plowshares. I may never see the transformation myself. It makes no difference. I shall do it.’”

On January 2, 1817, a young and recently ordained priest serving a backwater parish in rural France invited two young men (one a boy, really) to live in a small house near his rectory. They formed the nucleus of a band of brothers Father Marcellin Champagnat had envisioned for some time. Country boys more accustomed to work in the fields than in a classroom, their purpose: to make Jesus known and loved among young people, especially the poor, and to provide these children an education their chaotic society could not. When Father Champagnat died 23 years later, his movement remained essentially a local phenomenon. He did not live to see the Marist Brothers blossom into an international religious community with members and lay associates on every continent, educating hundreds of thousands of young people each year.

The Gospel tells us that the seeds we sow will be harvested by hands other than our own. This is a tough pill to swallow, particularly in an age when “measurable outcomes” are king. But as we relearn again and again, God’s ways are not our ways.

As we continue to bask in the glow of this holy season, we remember Mary, our good mother, who had no idea to what she said “yes” when she accepted the invitation to be the mother of Jesus. Could she possibly have foreseen his early adolescent “temple incident,” much less his controversial, itinerant ministry, his execution at the hands of Roman occupiers, his death and resurrection? Could she have known that the unwed mother would give birth to the savior of humankind?

“You have no right to tie yourself in knots because you want to know the outcome of what you are doing. Let it go. Let it go into Christ. Let it go into the children. I may never see the transformation myself. It makes no difference. I shall do it.”

Bro. Thomas P. Long, F.M.S.
President

A Full Day

Everyone is greeting each other with "Happy New Year" and rightly so. We live in such optimism on this day, but looking back at 2010, which began with the same optimistic greetings, we see that all was not "happy" last year. But let us look at what this day offers and ask that it set the tone for how we live in the months ahead, how we might retain our optimism and spread it to others. Today is "New Year's Day", the Octave of Christmas, the World Day of Peace, the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the First Saturday of the Month, and the Vigil of Epiphany. It's a day loaded with significance and power. Pope Pius XI back in 1931 initiated a feast called The Maternity of Mary, to commemorate the 1500th anniversary of the Council of Chalcedon in 451 which declared Mary, the Theotokos, the Mother of God. It was transfered to January 1st by Pope Paul VI in 1974, and is a fitting way to begin the New Year, for she is indeed our Mother. At Medjugorje, she refers to herself as the Queen of Peace, so it is also fitting that we pray for peace on the World Day of Peace. It might be good to offer a rosary for peace today, as we think of all those men and women in uniform in Afghanistan, Iraq, South Korea, and other "hotspots" around the world. Peace is elusive, and can only come when hearts are changed. New Year's resolutions are in vogue today, (and usually fizzle by the end of the month, if not sooner), but if we pray for a change of heart for ourselves, then our actions, our lives can have a ripple effect in the lives of others, and with our prayers and Mary's intercession, bring to reality that elusive peace.
Bro. Rene