The three Magi from the East brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to those gathered around the new-born child in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph among them. (Matt. 2) However, the beautiful story of the Epiphany suggests that these same travelers from the East bring other gifts, too, both to those in Bethlehem and also to us. These other gifts of the wise, then and now, are channels of peace and reconciliation within a very violent world. The Epiphany speaks to hearts in every age that long for peace and reconciliation in the midst of war, injustice and violence. We are so familiar with the Christmas scene that the magi seem to fit in there very naturally. In reality, they were strangers...

A group of 5th graders were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes: 1. Egypt's Great Pyramids 2. Niagra Falls 3. Grand Canyon 4. Panama Canal 5. Empire State Building 6. St. Peter's Basilica 7. China's Great Wall While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So, she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the '...

A Broader View of the Impacts of Climate Change on the World's Poor by Ted Keating, SM                                                                                                 Traduction française - voir ci-dessous When our Editorial Committee met to plan this issue of Today's Marists, we were embedded in the tragic news of a world on fire (western part of the United States, Canada, Greece, along with several other nations); massive, deadly flo...

COP28 is the first COP to have a Faith Pavilion, found at  https://faithatcop28.com/ La COP28 est la première COP à disposer d'un pavillon de la foi à  https://faithatcop28.com/ GLOBAL FAITH LEADERS UNITE TO DECLARE SUPPORT      Traduction française - voir ci-dessous – 28 high-level faith leaders from over 19 faiths and denominations unite to sign a statement seeking urgent climate action ahead of COP28. – The document, signed at the Global Faith Leaders' Summit on 6/7 November in Abu Dhabi, shows commitment from faith groups across the world to take swift and decisive action to address the climate emergency. – At COP28, the first-ever Faith Pavilion will b...

Ross Flint, Marist Associate,  Ordained Anglican, Tasmania, offers us his Reflections:       [Traduction française - voir ci-dessous]. In the vastly complex situation that exists in Israel today, there are many issues to deal with and many to discern. For anyone to side with either the Israelis or the Palestinians without listening to the many stories of the events that have unfolded during the 75 years since Palestine was divided to give the Jews a homeland due to the UN Resolution 181 in 1947 will inevitably come to wrong conclusions. To further complicate an already very complex situation, some evangelical Christians (primarily in the USA) have adopted a...

Tree planting on the sacred site of Pukekaraka Ōtaki.                                        [Traduction française - voir ci-dessous] Mahi whakatō rākau i te wāhi tapu o Pukekaraka. The Season of Creation is a good time to plant trees and engage with the theme of letting justice and peace flow. We are in tune with the Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar. Tangaroa ā-roto is the last quarter of the moon, and it's the right time to get work done! Ko te mauri he mea huna ki te ngāherehere /The mauri is hidden in the forest, this wisdom inspires our mahi. We are present to the life force of t...

Fr Francois Grossin sm, New Caledonia, sent this recent news:         Traduction française : voir ci-dessous Australia offers climate asylum to Tuvalu's citizens On 9 November 2021, Tuvalu's Minister of Foreign Affairs sent a video to be broadcast at a UN climate summit. In the clip, Simon Kofe was found with water up to his thighs, begging for help as a photographer of APF captured the event on film. Canberra has announced that it will offer residents of Tuvalu, an archipelago particularly threatened by rising sea levels, "special" rights to settle and work in Australia, in a treaty made public by the two countries on Friday 10th November. "We believe that the peopl...

Recently I gave a retreat for the clergy of the Sydney Archdiocese. The theme was the Eucharist. I wish to share with you some extracts from the final conference of the retreat: A Eucharistic Life. For us religious and priests an integral part in our lives is the regular celebration the Eucharist. Within the rite of ordination of priests, at the time of the preparation of the gifts, the bishop hands over the bread and wine and says: receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do and imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of Christ's cross. This instruction can be taken on board by all of us. The Eucharist can give form to our l...

Concluding the fall semester:   [Traduction française - voir ci-dessous] As the fall semester comes to an end at Centro Hispano Marista, Marist School Atlanta - Georgia, there is a palpable sense of accomplishment and growth among the students. The soon-to-be graduates echo their hard work and determination as learners and reflect on the challenges they've overcome and the knowledge they've gained. Teachers and students alike take pride in the progress made during these few months, celebrating not only academic achievements but also personal victories. We look forward to celebrating many GEDs passed and our upcoming 2023 Graduation Ceremony this December. For those students returni...

MARIST MISSION STUDIES 5 – 29 September 2023 Ranong, Thailand Report from Fr. Hermes Sabud, SM The aim of the Marist Mission Studies (MMS) 2023 was to "Inflame the passion for Marist mission" among the participants. The specific objectives are as follows: 1.Bring together younger Marists from different parts of the world of the Society of Mary. 2.Engage in creative reflection and study what it means to be a Marist missionary in today's context. 3.Create a space to learn from the Marist mission experiences of the participants. 4.Provide Marists with opportunities to deepen and nourish their passion for the mission of the Trinity. The participants of MMS 2023 were: 1.Fr. George Baruk...

Source: Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice:https://www.jcfj.ie/2023/10/04/laudate-deum-summary/ Posted on October 4, 2023 by Kevin Hargaden - Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, News, Poverty & Inequality News, Theology The Origin Story Eight years ago, Pope Francis published one of the most important works of environmental thinking in history, Laudato Si'. Praised by religious and secular figures alike, it had an immediate and lasting impact. It was written to engage the scientific, political, and religious communities – addressed really to "every living person on this planet" (§3) – and to summon us all to a renewed commitment to "care for our common home". Laudato Si' are the op...

Seeking God: Buddhist Meditation and Christian Mysticism I recently entered into a 10-day Buddhist Vipassana Retreat. A few Marists had shared with me that they had completed a Vipassana Buddhist Retreat and I thought I would try and enter such an experience. I was curious about the Buddhist psychology of meditation and I wanted to learn some more about Buddhist beliefs as most of the Myanmar and Thai people in Ranong, Thailand are Buddhist. I was also curious if I could make any connections between Buddhist meditation and the Christian contemplative tradition of St John of the Cross. John of the Cross has both haunted and inspired me since my Renewal experience at Le Neyliere in 2019. His S...

Foreshadows of Communion: Interconnectedness from Science and Indigenous Cosmologies and Marist Spirituality [Traduction française - voir ci-dessous] 1. Introduction Laudato Si' shines a very positive light on science and indigenous cosmologies. Both fields can teach us many things on how to live sustainably as Marists. Pope Francis' positive approach to these two fields invites us to search for the various ways science and indigenous cosmologies can broaden and deepen how we understand ourselves and our mission. Both science and indigenous cosmologies envision an intimately connected universe. Both situate the human person in a universe he/she is totally dependent on for survival. The deep ...

The Perfect Exemplar of Communion: Mary, Mother of the Eschatological New Creation 1. Introduction Laudato Si' invites us to reimagine our mission so that it may be inclusive of creation. As Mary stands at the centre of our spirituality, we are invited to develop an understanding of her in connection with the ecological crisis. The 2017 General Chapter specifically invites us to contemplate the theme of Mary Mother of the New Creation to help us in responding in an authentic Marist way to the call to live ecologically sustainable lifestyles. The theme of Mary Mother of the New Creation does not explicitly appear in the writings of either the fathers of the Church or of the medieval theologia...

The Instruments of Communion: Sacramentality and Marist Spirituality. 1. Introduction The seven Sacraments are the central rituals through which we encounter God in our Catholic faith. However, to limit the notion of sacramentality to only the seven sacraments stops us from seeing the broader communal, ecological, and cosmic dimension of the sacraments. To come to this broader and deeper understanding of sacramentality, we need to go back to the question of why the universe was created. This beautiful universe was created for communion with the Trinity. The whole divine plan for creating the universe was not only to raise up human beings to union with God but also to bring the whole of creat...

The Way to Communion: A Deep Christology Broadening Marist Mission    Un chemin vers la communion :  une Christologie profonde élargissant la mission mariste   [voir la version française ci-dessous]  1. Introduction The Incarnation of the Son of God stands at the centre of our Christian faith. In becoming a human being, the Son was not entering a foreign reality but a universe that was already ontologically grounded in Him. For He is the Logos, the one through whom creation comes into existence. St. Paul expresses this intimate union of the Logos with the creation in the Christological hymn in Colossians. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn...

Fr Samu Tukidia sm - Fiji - presents the1st of 5 SM Articles for the Season of Creation:  pour la traduction française voir ci-dessous Called to Communion: Laudato Si' and Marist Spirituality 1. Introduction The GA approved the SM Sustainability Covenant in July 2022. Since then, it has been sent out to all the provinces and districts. The Covenant provides the guiding principles on which our practical, down-to-earth decisions and practices are made. It makes the important connections between our ecological practices and our Marist spirituality, and our faith (& theology). The main aim of the covenant is ecological conversion, in which the effects of our encounter with Jeus Chr...

SEASON OF CREATION 2023: LET JUSTICE AND PEACE FLOW From 1 September – the World Day of Prayer for Creation – to 4 October – the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Marist Family around the world joins in the annual ecumenical celebration "Season of Creation". It invites us to celebrate the beauty and pain of our world, praise and thank God for his love and goodness, and take steps to defend our common home, especially in this time of ecological emergency. Each year, the Ecumenical Steering Committee that organizes this Time suggests a theme. For 2023 the theme is "Let Justice and Peace Flow." In this link you will find all the indications about the Season of Creation. Season of Creation is ...

Artificial Intelligence appears to be the new issue of interest according to the attention it is receiving in the media. L'Intelligence Artificielle (IA) apparaît comme le nouveau centre d'intérêt majeur, à voir l'attention qui lui est portée dans les médias    voir le français ci-dessous … I'm afraid that AI will spell the end of what we know is true. … The technology that is currently being developed, whilst making a positive contribution to society, in the long-run, it is doing more harm than good. On both sides, we won't know what is true and already there are things on the Internet that many of which are fake or influenced by artificial intelligence that destroys the soci...

We have just celebrated the Feast of the Assumption: the Day that the name "Marist" was given by Mary for her Society, at Le Puy in 1812. This week's article, by Terrance Klein, explores the Creator beginning anew in the womb of Mary.   Nous venons de célébrer la fête de l'Assomption : le jour où le nom "Mariste" a été donné par Marie pour sa Société, au Puy en 1812. L'article de cette semaine, par Terrance Klein, explore le Créateur qui recommence dans le sein de Marie.   pour la traduction défiler vers le bas In Mary's womb God enters creation — and brings creation back to God In his encyclical "Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home," Pope Francis shar...