The Church Needs Us

Our three-day Chapter ended on a high note yesterday with the installation of Br. Ben Consigli and his new council which now includes two new members, Br. Dan O'Riordan and Br. Al Rivera along with the five who served under Br. Ben's first term.  But on an even higher note, Fr. Michael Crosby, OFM,Cap., who served as facilitator and led some stirring discussions on our brotherhood, left us with a huge challenge to help a Church, which is suffering on several levels.  He quoted Blessed Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, who have both said that the Church will be healed and get back on track only when it returns its focus on making Jesus known and loved.  He looked at us and said, "Isn't this an obvious cue for a congregation whose very mission is "to make Jesus known and loved"?    What an instrument we can be in helping the Church get "back on track" if we pump up our efforts to put our mission at the forefront of all we do, in our schools, in our daily contacts with others.  And this is not just for the Marists in vows, but for all Marists...for all who partake of this daily slice of bread.  Yes, indeed, the Church needs, us, as it did when Fr. Champagnat first used this mission to counteract the French Revolution.  We are in a similar period in history.  Our mission is effective and necessary.  Let us go at it with confidence and with a vengeance!
Bro. Rene