Basic

"I'm still here, Matt." Those four words, spoken during a moment of profound challenge, changed everything for Matt Naveau. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Matt shares his deeply personal journey of encountering Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon—not as a distant historical figure, but as a living companion through some of the most challenging years of his life.

Jessica González Uhlig, the NACMS program administrator, examines the leadership qualities of two key female figures at the beginning of the Marianist Movement. Jessica reminds us: "In an era when women’s public leadership was limited by societal norms, Marie Thérèse de Lamourous and Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon carved bold, faith-filled paths that reveal timeless principles of transformational leadership. Their lives offer a Marianist model of leadership rooted in courage, compassion, community, and mission."

In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Bro. Esteban Reyes, SM, shares his inspiring journey as a Marianist Brother--from Mexico to serving in the United States--and details the profound role Our Lady of Guadalupe and a miraculous sign during prayer played in confirming his vocation.

On November 14, 1801, Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon (Foundress of the Marianist Sisters) and her family returned to their château in France after four years of exile.

After many turbulent years amidst the French Revolution that included the government’s suppression of faith and the exile of priests who would not profess their loyalty to the government, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade was exiled from France and went to Saragossa, Spain. There, he encountered the Shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar.

As we mark the anniversary of the initiation of Faustino Pérez-Manglano’s cause for canonization (October 17, 1986), Bro. David Betz, SM, offers his reflection on Faustino’s devotion to the Rosary and his invitation to deepen our spiritual lives through prayer to Mary.

In our 50th episode, we sit down with Fr. Jim Fitz, S.M., a man with much to celebrate.

Father Renny Markose, SM, shares a brief yet powerful examination of Marianist spirituality that provides the reader (and prayer) with the touchstone elements of our faith tradition. His words can serve as a source for enrichment for seasoned Marianists and an excellent starting point for those newer to Marianist spirituality. According to Father Renny, who recently completed the Marianist Specialist Training Program provided by NACMS, “we have numerous Christian spiritualities known by different names, and Marianist spirituality is one among them. What is distinctive about Marianist spirituality? Or what does Marianist spirituality offer that other Christian spiritualities do not have?” Read the article to find out.

Father Tom Schroer, SM, argues in this paper that the mission within the Marianist Family is to bring Jesus, i.e., the Spirit of the Risen Christ, into our world; and our model is the “mature presence” of Mary within the struggling and nascent Christian community at Pentecost. (Two "sample prayers" for Marianists to pray with the mature Mary and original Christian community at Pentecost are included.)

What happens when students from three Marianist Universities come together for a powerful service-immersion experience?