THE MARIANIST FAMILY: CALLED TO BE SAINTS Blessed Fr. Chaminade:
To Fr. Rothea – How much I wish you to be a saint! Let us make synonymous the words “saint” and “son of Mary.”
To Fr. Noialles – The main spirit of the Society (Marianist Family) is to present to the world the spectacle of a people of saints, and prove in this way that, today, as in the primitive Church, the Gospel may be practiced in all the vigor of its spirit and letter.
To Adele de Trenquelléon – With saints we will achieve everything. With ordinary or imperfect religious we will do almost nothing.
The great need in the world today is holiness. We are called to be saints. The saint is the bright light in his or her century. St. Bernard of Clairvaux was that in his century. Blessed John Paul II and Blessed Theresa of Calcutta have been that in our past century. Holiness was never meant to be the exception, but rather the norm. Jesus told us we must be holy as His Father is holy.
This is why we rejoice to know that some in the Marianist Family have been named Blessed and others are being considered. I would like to review some points that Fr. Enrique Torres gave the Marianist World when he was Procurator General. They are very important points for us and will help us as we pray for the various intentions presented to us.
1. Waiting for Canonization For a Blessed the only requirement is the approval of a miracle. This is true for Blessed Fr. Chaminade and Blessed Jakob Gapp.
For the Spanish Martyrs (Ciudad Real), i.e., Blessed Carlos Erana, Blessed Jesus Hita, Blessed Blessed Fidel Fuidio – One miracle is sufficient if all three have been invoked together.
The same would be true for the Madrid Martyrs: Blessed Miguel Leibar, Blessed Florencio Arnaiz, Blessed Sabino Ayastuy, and Blessed Joaquin Ochoa. One miracle is sufficient if all four have been invoked together. However, Fr Enrique adds in an email, “It is much harder to prove when the prayer is to a group.”2. Waiting for Beatification
Venerable Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon, Venerable Therèse-Charlotte de Lamourous, and now Venerable Faustino Perez-Manglano. The only requirement is the approval of a miracle attributed to the Blessed.
3. There are other Causes in the early preparation stages. More will be shared when they become more definitive.
4. The progress of Causes depends on us, not on Rome or the Vatican. Neither does it depend on this Pope or his successor. It is said that Rome is eternal. This is true if it is modified in this way: Rome is eternal, above all for the one who doesn’t work.
I was privileged this past 9th week of the summer program to act as chaplain for the Marianist Family Retreat program at Cape May Point, New Jersey. The theme was Family Life: Unplugged. This is a program totally geared to making the family a domestic Church, therefore a family of saints. I was able to witness how the Holy Spirit works in individuals and families to transform them. At Mary’s House the Spirit brings joy, love, and change.
The family Retreat House rocked with ever increasing joy. Persons who had never met gradually became friends. Pre-teens played with each other like they lived on the same block. There were many teens and the same thing happened to them. Husbands and wives shared with other husbands and wives. The families prayed and discussed their reciprocal life with regard to their communication with each other, whether there was a need to be reconciled with each other. They also affirmed each other’s gifts, something especially meaningful to the children. On the last full day, they spent much time in committing themselves to each other and together to the particular needs each family faced. As they ended their joy-filled week, they were commissioned to go and share what God had done for them. They were called to “multiply Christians”, to build communities of faith in their particular area.
The Spirit of Jesus animated the group. Yes this was holy ground as families made use of the Sacraments, truly participated in the Eucharist, and were faithful to the duties assigned them. It is in the ordinary duties of daily family life that holiness is found. Each day the question was posed: “Where did you see or meet God today, sense His
presence? I couldn’t help but think of Faustino and his reflections in the booklet, Maybe God will speak to me. Holiness is so ordinary that we fail to recognize God acting.
May our “Marianist Saints” pray for all the members of the Marianist Family as we begin another academic year. May they be a strong support to our schools, our lay communities, our parishes, our various retreat centers, and all that the Marianist Family is accomplishing as it assists Mary, who tells us: “Do whatever He tells you.”
We have also been asked in a special way to pray for healing through the intercession of our “Saints”.
Bill and Richard........through the intercession of Blessed Fr. Chaminade W and S........through the intercession of Blessed Fr. Chaminade Joanne........through the intercession of Blessed Fr. Chaminade Megan.......through the intercession of Venerable Therese de Lamourous
Please get into the habit of praying to our Marianist Saints. There are so many needs out there.
