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If
I want to make a contribution to support the work of NACMS, or another
Marianist ministry, how would I do so?
Visit
http://www.marianistmission.org/NACMSWL for our wish list. Donors
can direct their contribution to specific needs.
I live at a distance from NACMS, and there are no
Marianist schools or parishes in my area. Is there a way I can tie into the Marianist
Family on the Internet?
Yes. In the spring of 2002 NACMS
launched an at-distance course
on the basic story of the Founders of the Marianist Family. In partnership with the
University of Dayton's Institute for Pastoral Initiatives, we are developing a series of
course offerings through its Virtual Learning Community. People who need flexible methods
of instruction and formation in Marianist Spirit will be able to enroll and participate in
a class over the Net. More details will be available soon.
Also, most Marianist entities now
have Web sites. Look at our "Links" page to find a wide variety of resources. A
few examples are the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative, the Marianist Lay Network of
North America, and www.marianist.org, which has
several links to keep people updated on events in the Society of Mary. Also, there are
three regional centers providing programs and resources for Marianist life (see Links,
"Comprehensive Marianist Entities").
I often hear the question, "Who is a lay
Marianist?" How does NACMS answer this?
Expressions of lay Marianist life will differ in some ways,
depending on the culture in which we live, the local history of how groups formed in
various regions, and the climate of the Church in the years in which a person joined the
Marianist Family. However, there are far more commonalities than differences. A good place
to find descriptions of core elements of Marianist lay life is on the MLNNA Web site,
www.mlnna.com. On the home page, go to the section on the
International Organization. There you will find three documents: one is on
"identity," the second covers "mission," and the third (just written
in the summer of 2001) addresses "community."
Which biographies of the Founders of the Marianist
Family do you recommend? I see there are several listed on your price list.
Each biography has something special to offer.
- Adèle, Aristocrat for the Poor. Joseph Stefanelli, SM, gives a glimpse into
the life and work of this spirited woman. From her mother, Baroness de Trenquelléon,
Adèle learned what it means to be and to live as a Christian, helping the poor and the
sick, visiting them, nursing them in their homes, sharing food and clothing with them, and
selling her jewelry to provide for them. Adèle devoted her life to prayer, service to
others, and spreading the Christian message through a network of young women she founded,
called the Association. In collaboration with Father William Joseph Chaminade and Mlle
Marie Thérèse de Lamourous, she founded the Daughters of Mary in 1816.
- In Chaminade, Pragmatist with a Vision, Joseph Stefanelli, SM, encapsulates the
viewpoint of the text when he writes, "His life could be written as a series of
reverses, a progressive victory over all obstacles." This book describes William
Joseph Chaminade's early life, his work in Bordeaux, years of difficulties in France, the
mission of the Society of Mary to the schools, and the years of changes in the leadership
of the Society of Mary.
- In Marie Thérèse de Lamourous, Firm of Hand, Loving of Heart, Joseph
Stefanelli, SM, looks at Marie Thérèse's many works and how this saintly woman played an
integral role in establishing the Marianist Family. She was deeply involved in helping
Father Chaminade to establish the Madeleine Sodality of Bordeaux and participating in the
foundation of two religious congregations. Throughout her life, she relied upon God and
went where the voice of God led her, even when this involved an initial reluctance to work
with repentant prostitutes. Her ministry at the Miséricorde ("House of Mercy")
with former women of the streets, her filles, would constitute her life's main
work.
- Running Giant is the most easy-to-read selection. It
is shorter than the others and tells the Founder's history in story form. While
historically accurate, the author has interjected some imaginary dialogue to aid the flow
of the narrative.
- William Joseph Chaminade: The Founder of the Marianists
is the most complete documentation we have on the life of Father Chaminade. More like a
textbook, it is useful for students of the Marianist foundations.
- Chaminade: Another Portrait is also a text for
readers interested in a comprehensive history. This book has material on the last years of
the Founder which “corrects” earlier accounts of events during this time period.
The author, a scholar in many fields, adds a unique flavor to this chronicle.
- Several other titles focus on particular aspects of the
Founders' thought and works. Again, call the office for more detail's about these
offerings.
As a new member of a Marianist Lay Community,
I’m interested in reading about “community” as lived in the Marianist
Family. Do you have a reading list on this topic?
Yes!
In fact, we have assembled reading lists on several topics related to Marianist history
and Marianist charism. We also have a “Cumulative Index” that lists everything
we’ve ever published, plus works we distribute by other Marianist groups or
individuals. Soon, we will be able to do a “search” by subject, title, or
author. Just call the office to obtain the lists you want!
How can I find a Marianist Lay Community in my
geographic area?
We
maintain a listing--fairly complete--of all the Marianist communities, lay and religious,
in North America. We try, as best we can, to find a contact person in your vicinity.
Also, there is a national organization that supports communication, collaboration, and
development among the lay communities. The Marianist Lay Network of North America (MLNNA)
has ideas about how people can join or start these communities. We’ll put you in
touch with the appropriate people to give you this information.
What is the NACMS “depository”?
We
maintain a storage facility for used books (by or about Marianists) which have been in
personal libraries of Marianists or the institutional libraries of former Marianist
schools or houses of formation. We make these books available to religious Marianists at
no charge and to lay Marianists at a nominal price. Many times over the past several
years, we’ve been asked to put together a “collection” of Marianist works
for new houses of formation.
We offer a tour of the Depository
to visitors to NACMS because it gives such a wonderful sense of the men and women who
preceded us on the Marianist journey.
Prices for your books seem so low compared to what we
pay in bookstores these days. Do I have an outdated price list?
No,
the list you have is current. The SM Province of the United States supports the work of
NACMS and provides a generous subsidy for printing costs. They want publications to be as
accessible as possible; their support allows us to price materials very reasonably.
The series you call
Things Marianist -- how
many issues are there? How often is it published? When is the next one due? What is the
next one about?
To date, there are nine issues of
Things Marianist covering the topics of Mary,
membership in the Marianist Family, basic history of the Founders, main characteristics of
Marianist charism, Marianist "jargon," and a part of Marianist life called
“mixed composition” - a term we now use to describe the gathering of all walks
and states of life into one family.
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