On May 11, Mother’s Day, restaurants will be overflow-ing, the fragrance of flowers will fill homes, and millionsof cards will attempt to express in words our gratitude forthe love our Mom’s have showered us with through the

years. My guess is that our efforts at expressing gratitude and love to ourMothers will pale in comparison to the countless expressions of love thatwe’ve received from our moms over the years. But the effort is importantbecause it says we recognize the blessings we’ve received. Of course, italso goes without saying that this one ‘special day’ for mothers is symbol-ic of our ongoing gratitude for the blessings our Mothers have been to us,are to us, and continue to be for us.

“Seeing his mother there with the disciple whom he loved, Jesus said tohis mother, ‘Woman, there is your son.’ In turn he said to the disciple,‘There is your mother.’” (Jn 19:26-27) In this tender moment from theCross, when Jesus placed his Mother, Mary, in the care of John and viceversa, we see our connection to Mary. Through the Beloved Disciple, who

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Published by the Marist Fathers & Brothers Atlanta Province

MARISTS

May 2008

Reflections continued on page 7

Mary Everyone’s Mother

ReflectionKevin J. Duggan, SM

In this Issue:

Provincial Letter

...........Page 2

Life On The Border

...........page 3

Celebrating Marist

Anniversaries

...........page 4

Lest We Build on

Sand ...........page 5

Marist Leaders Look

for Expanding Role

of The Laity in

Mission ......page 6

Today’s

Dear Friends,

www.maristsociety.org

You will see in this issue of Today’s Marist that the Marist charism and call oftenbrings many of our members to the edge of society and sometimes even to theedge of the world in missionary work. Even working in the context of our ownland of birth can bring us to the edge when we minister to “people on the move”as our Church often calls them. They can be refugees fleeing violence andoppression or immigrants finding the only hope for a decent life for their fami-lies across a border. Many U.S. Marist are themselves the children or grandchil-dren of such people who recall movement across borders in search of the prom-ise of America inscribed on the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, yourpoor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of yourteeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lampbeside the golden door!” This promise built the great nation in which we liveprecisely from those “huddled masses”.

Immigrants often find themselves at the edges, here but notquite here, hoping against hope to be accepted, given a place atthe table. They also often become scapegoats even thoughmany economic studies show that they contribute more thanthey consume and often spur the economy. During transitioninto community, they need support, advocacy, a friendly help-ing hand. The Church has always been that hand in the Untied

States. The oldest department of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is what is now called Migrationand Refugees Services. The U.S. Bishops’ teaching on migrants and refugees are some of the most beauti-ful and powerful of their documents. They consistently challenge us to see Christ in them. In the OldTestament, Yahweh challenges His people to remember that they themselves were once strangers and aliensand to show kindness and leave a portion of the harvest in the fields for aliens and strangers now in theirmidst. Jesus in the Holy Family has his earliest experiences in refugee status.

I spent my earliest years as a Marist handling refugee and asylum cases for Central American refugees asassociate and then pastor of a parish in New Orleans with a large number of Central and Latin Americanimmigrants. At every turn their lives were complicated and often destroyed by harsh and punishing inter-pretations of the law. Even those in the country without status have a right to be treated with decency andrespect, and to assure that families are not broken up and children abandoned in enforcement of the law.The Church respects and affirms the right and obligation of a nation to set its borders and establish fair andjust laws for migrants, but can never accept treating families and the poorest among us with indignity.People who have had long lives in this country, raised families, and contributed greatly to their communi-ties should also have a carefully considered status.

Our charism calls us to where mercy is needed and called for, where the Mother of Mercy appears with thehealing and fruits of the Spirit. Harsh judgmentalness is never an option but it is less of an option whendealing with the poorest who have few options of their own in a world heavily weighted nationally andinternationally in favor of those with power, money, influence, the luck/gift/grace of secure citizenship in agreat nation. Take a quick walk back and forth across the bridge in Brownsville, Texas with a U.S. Passportand notice immediately what the luck or grace of birth has given us.

No wonder that many Marists feel so at home with migrants and refugees. Mercy-making is at homethere too. In these difficult coming months of political campaigns, a reflective reading of any one of thegreat documents of the U.S. Bishops on migration would be a worthy meditation. A brief look atwww.justiceforimmigrants.org would be a start.

Father Ted Keating, SM

page 2

Father Ted Keating, S.M.,Provincial

Letter

Provincial

page 3Today’s Marists

Life on The Border

I am sure that I would not have heard this sort of confes-sion elsewhere in our country.

For this sacrament, I have received three death threats.They were sent to me by mail, by members of a group ofarmed vigilantes called “The Minutemen.” I have declaredthat our parish, located in Brownsville, Texas, on theMexican border, would always be a place where peoplecould come for help. We would be a “sanctuary”, a sacred place for all human beings.

As I listen to my parishioners, I wonder once again, at ourinability as a nation to create a humane immigration law.

Early morning Mass is over and I am removing my vestments. A young woman, a girl really, comes up to meand asks if we could talk. We take a seat at the back of the church, underneath the stained-glass image of theProdigal Son. She has a baby in her arms, this young one, her clothes have not been washed, and she is weep-ing. She finally looks up to me and says, “I just want to feel like it is OK for me to be here.”

One Saturday, while hearing confessions, a young man tells me that he is in this country without authorizationfrom immigration authorities, and that his father is dying in Mexico. “If I go back to see him, there is a goodchance that I will be arrested when I return and then my children won’t be able to eat. Is it a sin not to be withmy father when he is dying?”

Father Michael Seifert, S.M.

"We recognize the phenomenon of migration as an authentic sign ofthe times. . .To such a sign we must respond in common and creativeways so that we may strengthen the faith, hope, and charity ofmigrants and all the People of God. . . (we) affirm that "In the Churchno one is a stranger, and the Church is not foreign to anyone, any-where. As a sacrament of unity and thus a sign and a binding force forthe whole human race, the Church is the place where illegal immi-grants are also recognized and accepted as brothers and sisters. It isthe task of the various Dioceses actively to ensure that these people,who are obliged to live outside the safety net of civil society, may finda sense of brotherhood in the Christian community. Solidarity meanstaking responsibility for those in trouble." The Church must, there-fore, welcome all persons regardless of race, culture, language, andnation with joy, charity, and hope. It must do so with special care forthose who find themselves–regardless of motive–in situations ofpoverty, marginalization, and exclusion."

Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope Issued byUSCCB, January 22, 2003

Some myths about immigrants

1. "They come here to get welfare" Unauthorized people ("illegalaliens") are unable to access welfare benefits. On the other hand,undocumented immigrants pay between $ 90 and $ 140 billion a year intaxes. (http://www.immigrationforum.org/about/articles/tax_study.htm)

2. "They refuse to learn English." Within ten years, 75% of immigrantsspeak English.(http://www.aila.org/contentViewer.aspx?bc=17,142#section4)

3. "We are being overwhelmed by immigrants" The percentage of theU.S. population that is foreign-born now stands at 11.5%; in the early20th century it was approximately 15%.(http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kprof00us.pdf)

4. "We need a border wall between the US and Mexico to keep outterrorists" Most of the 9/11 terrorists came into the country legally,with visas. The only other terrorist was caught crossing the Canadianborder. (Cato Institute: "Don't Blame Immigrants for Terrorism").

The Bishops of the United States speak out on immigration:

Life on The Border continued on page 5

page 4

Members

28%

Other

2%

Donations

8%

Pensions

5%

Investments

57%

Congratulations to those Celebrating AnniversariesMarists Celebrate Anniversaries

We congratulate these Marists who cele-brate significant anniversaries this year.Marists observe the 25th, 40th, 50th andevery five year anniversary thereafter.

ProfessionsPatrick Coyle 70 yearsTom O’Donnell 70 yearsEd Blee 60 yearsFortune Frenoy 60 yearsMariano Rizzutto 55 yearsJoseph Wilhelm 55 yearsRichard Colbert 50 yearsPhil D’Auby 50 yearsJohn Jazwiecki 50 yearsPat Primeaux 40 years

OrdinationsEllis DePriest 55 years (2/1/53)Robert Fahey 55 years (2/1/53)William Seli 50 years (2/2/58)Etienne Siffert 50 years (6/5/58)

Sources ofIncome for theMarist SocietyAtlantaProvince forFiscal Year2006-2007.

Patrick Coyle

Fortune Frenoy

Phil D’Auby

Tom O’Donnell

Mariano Rizzutto

John Jazwiecki

Ed Blee

Joseph Wilhelm

Pat Primeaux

Lest We Build

on Sand

The practice of reciting three Hail Mary’s and the SubTuum (we fly to your patronage) for the conversion ofthose who are not faithful followers of Christ, whetherbaptized or not, and the perseverance of those whofaithfully follow Christ is an early custom of the mem-bers of the Marist Family. This spiritual practice at thebeginning and the end of each day puts us in immediateunion with Mary and her spiritual concerns.

Marist spirituality is Mary’s spirituality, totally centeredon Jesus the Christ, her Son and Teacher, and on ourrelationships with him. Marists are to be completelycentered on and unite with Christ, as is Mary. They areto make their best efforts to bring others to him, whileencouraging, strengthening, and cooperating with thosewhose lives are already dedicated to Christ.

Mary’s spirituality is lived always in the context of aChristian way of life, whether one is single, married, orconsecrated. The ideas and ideals of Marist spiritualitybecome real only when they are incarnated in theMarist spiritual practice of people in their daily lives.

Lest we build on sand, we must have a clear under-standing of our baptismal vocation and commitment; arealistic picture of ourselves; knowledge of the threeChristian ways of life; and instruction about Maristspirituality and spiritual practice.

Marist “way of life” Discernment Days, which wehope to offer throughout the Province, help those whohave not yet chosen the state in life for which they aresuited, to discern which of the three life-giving pathsis best for them, and aid those who already have chosentheir state in life to understand it more deeply from theChristian point of view. These Discernment Days aredesigned to help Catholic Christians live out their bap-tismal vocation and commitment to Jesus Christ in aMarist way, in their chosen state of life.

Current information on the times, locations, and datesof these discernment days is posted on our website atwww.maristsociety.org

Father Tom Ellerman, S.M.page 5Today’s Marists

The present mess we have punishes the most responsi-ble residents of our communities, those who havecome here looking for ways to feed their families, byhumiliating them and treating them as criminals. Thelaw as it stands divides families and imprisons chil-dren. And yet it does not to secure our nation.

Our American bishops, echoing scripture, have calledthe immigrant a “blessing” and as a Marist, I canattest to that. For more than 20 years, the Maristshave conducted a series of pastoral experimentsalong the border, projects in which we have simplycreated spaces for the poorest and most defiledamongst us. In every case, the response to our outreachhas been stunning. Hundreds of small communitieshave been established, groups of people who meet,week in and week out, reflecting on scripture, commit-ting themselves to the way of Mary, creating newchurches. These are church communities whose prayeris deep, because they are strangers in a strange land.They are gracious communities, for they survive solelyby the grace of God. They are those who know Mary,the Mother of God well, for they carry the Virgin ofGuadalupe in their hearts.

These communities are made up of people who are“illegal”, “targeted for removal”, and a “cause forconcern.” They are my brothers and my sisters. Theyare Marists.

Fr. Mike Seifert, S.M.

Life on The Borderfrom page 3

page 6

Marist Leaders look for

Expanding Role of the Laity

in Mission

www.maristsociety.org

The Atlanta Province has formed an Ad Hoc LaityCommittee to develop strategies for making workwith the laity more central to the Province’s mis-sion. After two meetings, the committee has thebeginnings of a strategy and education resources.The vision of the Marist founder, Fr. Jean ClaudeColin, clearly envisioned a Society bringing togeth-er lay, religious, and clerics. Fr. Colin’s dream was amovement of transformation around the image of aMarian Church, rooted in the Mother of Mercy, theone overshadowed by the Spirit, “embracing all whocome to her” with mercy and healing.

Fr. Ted Keating, the Provincial, has been traveling toeach of the regions leading a discussion and seekingconsultation on how the Province can become moredirectly focused on this vision of Fr. Colin as it livesout the Marist mission today. In the meantime, mem-bers of the Committee are exploring how key Maristdocuments can be used in local parishes, schools, andother ministries to help Marist themselves, and thosethey work with, understand how central work withthe laity can be to Marist mission.

Fr. Colin was ahead of his time. We think he wouldhave been pleased with the re-emphasis that VaticanCouncil II put on the Baptismal call to mission andconsecration for the laity in a renewed Church. Hewould also have been pleased with the renewal of thetheology of Mary in our times in the context of arenewed theology of the Holy Spirit.

Marist Laity at a recent pot-luck luncheon in Convent,Louisiana.

A Will is a Way

to Spread the

GoodNews

Today’s Marists page 7

Who will decide where everything you’ve worked for

your entire life, will go?You, or a Stranger?

About 65% of Americans die without a Willtelling the state and their heirs how they want

to dispose of their estate.And about 65% of their estate goes to the

IRS and the State.

If you don’t want this to happen, write a willleaving your estate to people and causes youcare about most, and save expensive probate

and legal fees.

Consider leaving a legacy that is in conformitywith your values, that will continue

God’s work.

Please consider including theMarists Fathers and Brothers in your will.

Our legal name is:The Marist Society Inc.

Questions:Write to Derek Coelho

dcoelho@maristsociety.org or

c/o Marist Fathers and Brothers

Marist Center

4408, 8th St. N.E.

Washington, DC 20017

202-529-4800

represents all Christians, Mary hasbecome the Mother of theUniversal Church. She is ourMother!

Of course, the greatest ‘motherly’expression of love that Mary hasgiven to us is her fiat – “Behold, Iam the handmaid of the Lord. Mayit be done to me according to yourword." (Lk 1:38) Her ‘Yes’ tobearing God’s Son is a blessing forall humanity. In the face of all herfears and confusion at the words ofGod’s messenger, she nonethelesscourageously opened herself fullyto God’s Word and to His plan ofsalvation. This is Mary’s gift to thehuman family. She is the vessel ofour Salvation and has blessed uswith her YES.

The best way you and I can express our gratitude to Mary for hermotherly expression of love to the human family is to live livesthat mirror her openness to God’s Word. Allowing God’s Wordto take deep root in our hearts is not an easy thing. Itrequires a letting go of our plans, our hopes, and our dreamsand allowing God’s dream to direct what we do each day.This is precisely what Mary did when she consented to God’swill. As we make room in our hearts for God’s Word we too willbirth Christ into the world, just as Mary did. We do this birthingin a myriad of ways. Fighting for justice, responding to theneeds of the poor and vulnerable, forgiving someone who hashurt us, welcoming the stranger, sheltering the homeless, caringfor the environment, and so on are the ways we make Christ’spresence in our world more visible and tangible.

So, as we remember Mary, OUR Mother, this month (as well asour own Mothers), let us express our gratitude for her incrediblegift by faithfully living the Gospel. It’s a gift that will pale incomparison to what she has given us. Yet it’s a gift worth givingand one that will bring a smile to the face of Mary: Everyone’sMother.

Fr. Kevin Duggan works as a Campus Minister at Cal StatePolytechnic in San Luis Obispo, CA

Reflections from page 1

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MARISTS Today’sAn Alumnus Gives Back

as His Sons Learn in the Marist Tradition“I have always had a warm spot in my heart for the Marists,” says Daniel Mohan, anAtlanta lawyer who graduated from Marist School in 1978. Recalling the names ofsome of his teachers … Fathers Hartnett, Brogley, Gilroy, and Romito, he says ”Theywere wonderful teachers, strong men and excellent role models to the students, priestswho had a nice mix of strength , intelligent but also the qualities of humility and com-passion … they made me who I am today.”

That is why Mr. Mohan, a parent to Marist students Jack, in the 9th Grade and Quinn, a 7th Grader, and his wife areboth Annual Campaign and monthly donors to the Society of Mary.

Mr. Mohan became a monthly donor after reading about the needs of retired Marists. “I hadn’t thought of doing more,”he says, “until I got a booklet in the mail profiling Marists and saw photos of the priests who taught me.” It was thenhe decided to direct monthly donations for the care of senior Marists. “It struck me as a way I could help make theirretirement years more comfortable and a way to give back to those who formed me into an adult.”

Giving to both the school and the Marist Society makes sense to Mr. Mohan. “The Annual Campaign at Marist Schoolsupports the school, while monthly contributions to the Society are used for the care of retired Marists. We do both as afamily to provide for the school and the Marist priests who had such an influence on my life, and now in the lives ofmy sons. If someone is in the position to do both, they should do both.”

Mr. Mohan encourages his fellow alumni to consider becoming monthly donors to the Marist Society. “Remember thepriests who had an impact on your life,” he says. “Helping out financially is a way to contribute to the Marist legacy,to help them continue to do what they did for us for another generation, to enable the Society to not just continue, butto thrive.”