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...

Major Livestock Producing Countries Commit to Mitigate Methane in Agriculture  - article from the Global Methane Hub:   https://www.globalmethanehub.org/ Les pays d'élevage les plus importants s'engagent à limiter les émissions de méthane dans l'agriculture                                           - voir traduction ci-dessous Cover Photo: Leaders from 20 countries, representing 50% of agricultural methane emissions at the First Ministerial Meeting on Lower Emission Food Systems, Santiago, Chile, April 2023. [Photo de couveture] Les responsables de 20 pa...

Given the fact that our youngest Marist Units, who have the most vocations, are in countries most affected by Global Debt – I would like to present this article [from Aljazeera] for our awareness. Extract: "In Africa, the amount spent on interest payments is higher than spending on either education or health. Developing countries in Asia and Oceania [excluding China] are allocating more funds to interest payments than to health,"  "Similarly in Latin America".  Almost half of humanity lives in countries that spend more servicing interest on debt than health or education, UN says. Approximately 3.3 billion people – almost half of humanity – now live in countries that spend more mone...

This week's post comes from Fr Paul Walsh sm - Irish Marist, working in France:   Le message de cette semaine vient du P. Paul Walsh sm - mariste irlandais, travaillant en France : voir la traduction française ci-dessous  Father Colin invites Marists to work for a synodal Church Reading the documents from Rome accompanying Pope Francis' invitation to the synodal process, I was struck by echoes in our Marist tradition reflected in the words of Jean-Claude Colin. I give a series of sentences taken from the documents presenting the synodal process, followed by a few brief references to the Founder of the Marist Fathers. I hope that these few lines will motivate you to make your o...

JUSTIFYING AN INTEGRAL CAPABILITIES APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT   [Abstract: John Guo SM]   The idea that development should be sustainable has been refined and widely accepted. It is no longer a new discussion topic, but is part of the concern of human development already. The concern for the well-being and quality of life must be sustainable. The Brundtland Commission Report Our Common Future described sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." People is the only end of sustainable human development. The Brundtland Commission's definition ...

Jeudi 23 mars : pour la mi‐carême, le site de Meyzieu a accueilli des étudiants en STAPS et des jeunes en situation de handicap pour vivre une journée festive à l'occasion de la Journée Nationale du Sport et du Handicap (JNSH). Cette journée a pour objet de sensibiliser au handicap et de promouvoir le sport adapté, qui permet d'intégrer les personnes en situation de handicap. L'accessibilité brise les barrières sociales et lutte contre l'isolement. Thursday 23 March: for mid-Lent, the Meyzieu site welcomed STAPS students and young people with disabilities for a festive day on the occasion of the National Day for Sport and Disability (JNSH). The aim of this day is to raise awareness of disabi...

This article was forwarded to us by Kiwi Marist: Phil Cody SM:  it is written by Mary Betz, an associate of Phil's in ministry: Mary Betz: Originally from Canada and USA, Mary has lived in New Zealand for nearly thirty years. She is an ecologist, theologian and writer, has two grown daughters, and lives with her husband Peter in the Titirangi bush.https://acsd.org.nz/spiritual-director/mary-betz/ Mary Betz recommande que nous travaillions ensemble avec le courage et la résolution de l'Esprit pour réduire le chaos climatique en notre monde.   https://hail.to/tui-motu-interislands-magazine/publication/UecNnu0/article/LacE7TG      voir ci-dessous Mary Betz recommen...

Share the Journey Pilgrimage Unites Community in Solidarity with Refugees and Immigrants  /  Partageons le chemin Le pèlerinage unit la communauté en solidarité avec les réfugiés et les immigrants  [ voir ci-dessous ] On Saturday, April 29, Marist School's chapter of Share the Journey organized and embarked on a pilgrimage to foster unity and offer prayers for refugees and immigrants. Students, faculty, and representatives from Marist, Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School, and St. Pius X Catholic High School were joined by representatives from the Clarkston Community Center and the Archdiocese of Atlanta's Office of Justice and Peace Ministries. The group set out on a five-mi...

Hermes (Larry) Sabud SM and Kevin Medilo SM attended the International Conference on Cohesive Societies in Singapore, September 6-8, 2022, and sent this Report:     [ Faites défiler vers le bas pour le français] The Conference gathers 800 participants and resource speakers from 40 countries to discuss the critical role of Interfaith Dialogue toward  more connected and cohesive societies. It is organized by a local university and the Singapore government. In his special address, Cardinal Pietro Parolin highlighted the importance of solidarity and human fraternity for a more peaceful and cohesive community of nations. Singapore President Halimah Yacob highlights the im...

MEDITATION: The physical and emotional impact.      MEDITATION : L'impact physique et émotionnel -  Faites défiler vers le bas pour la version française I. Definitions Single pointed concentration. Meditation is a discipline or practice of contemplation or awareness found in most of the world's major religions. The purposes of meditation have been variously defined as increased awareness, greater ability to live in the moment, freedom from the ego, spiritual growth, or union with God or the universe. It is important to understand that although better health is a frequent side effect of meditation, it is not the goal or focus of meditation practice. The paradox of med...

Extrait du "Rameau de Pâques", bulletin de la maison de formation mariste Saint-Pierre Chanel de Yaoundé (Cameroun). Un article de Luigi Salvodelli sm See below for English Translation: From "Le Rameau de Pâques", a bulletin published by the Marist Formation House Saint-Pierre Chanel at Yaoundé (Cameroon). A contribution by Luigi Salvodelli sm.   THE ENCYCLICAL "LAUDATO SI" TO DATE LA RÉALISATION À CE JOUR DE L'ENCYCLIQUE "LAUDATO SI" Ces derniers jours, le Pape François est revenu une fois de plus sur le contenu de l'encyclique "Laudato Si", en soulignant son sens le plus profond, qui nous encourage à revenir à l'essentiel et à la terre, selon la pensée de saint François d'As...

For your consideration … "Overshoot" - Professor William Rees   /   « Overshoot », le dépassement des ressources de la terre   By Ross Flint – Marist Associate  /   Par Ross Flint – Associé mariste    -   faites défiler vers le bas pour la traduction française    This week (March 2023) I have been listening to an esteemed Canadian professor Bill Rees who gives a dire assessment for our future on this planet. His conclusion is that the climate change issue is actually a symptom of a more serious problem, what he calls "Overshoot". William E. Rees with Nate Hagens: "The Fundamental Issue - Overshoot" | The Gre...