Marists All: Issue #106 November 2011
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Issue number 106 November 2011
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Vince Poisella: 61 Golf View Drive, Little Egg Harbor, NJ
8087; 609-294-2148;
poisellavincent@yahoo.com
Rich Foy: 24 Prestwick Court, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603;
845-454-1393;
Richard.foy@verizon.net
Gus Nolan: 65 Muirfield Court, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603;
845-454-6116;
gusnolan@aol.com
David Kammer: 476 La Playa, Edgewater, FL 32141;
386-426-6349;
jkammer1@cfl.rr.com
Rob Schmid: 1013 Hollywood Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60016;
847-824-1073;
RJDB@comcast.net
Writers for this issue:
Patrick Gallagher
, 1953, shares his thoughts on the phasing
out of the Marists All publication and thanks the editors for
their work in maintaining the contacts with so many of us.
Augusto Hacthoun
, who studied with the Marist Brothers in
Cuba from 1951 to 1961, asks our help to locate Cuban Marists
who studied at Marist College in the early sixties.
Brother John McDonnell
, 1959, thanks MaristsAll donors
towards the scholasticate in Kenya and updates us on the
progress there.
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George McGuire,
1952, notes the death of his brother John
McGuire, 1954, on January 1, 2011.
Joseph McMahon
, 1951, mourns the closing of Marists All and
suggests continuation in a new format.
Brother Steve Milan
, 1987, announces a new promotional video
by the Marist Young Adult Program
Augustine Nolan
, 1948, announces work by the editors to
furnish lists of B/brothers buried in Poughkeepsie, Esopus, and
elsewhere to be found in the
essay
section of this website
Bill Reger-Nash
, 1961, tells us how much he and his wife
enjoyed visiting “Oke” O´Connell and Ray Landry at their
meetings held this summer in New England.
Vincent Poisella
, 1958, Editor, shares his thoughts on his
recent experiences as editor of MaristsAll.
Brother Seán Sammon
, 1966, shares his thoughts with us on
the occasion of the 125 anniversary of the arrival of Marist
Brothers in the United States.
Gene Zirkel
, 1953, reminisces on the many benefits of Marists
All and hopes the publication can continue in some way.
From VINCE POISELLA, EDITOR: Over the last few
months, I have had the honor of participating in five distinct
activities involving Marists and former Marists.
In August my wife and I drove north to join John “Oke” O
´Connell´s gathering of Brothers and former brothers at Ray
Landry’s residence in Methuen, MA.
In September the Greater Marist Family met again, as it has
been meeting for almost twenty-five years, at Mount St.
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Michael for a picnic in the garth.
Later that month, at the Marist College Homecoming event, the
Brothers and former Brothers who had been graduated from
the college fifty years ago were honored at the Heritage Dinner
held in the Cabaret at the Student Center.
Two weeks later, a Mass celebrated at St. Jean Baptiste Church
in Manhattan marked the 125th anniversary of the Marist
Brothers´ presence in the United States.
At each of these events, the excitement, bonding, and common
experience that we call “Marist Spirit,” begun by Marcellin
Champagnat, a French priest, now a saint, stirred the
participants in a special and tangible way and spread among
the Brothers themselves, their families, friends, and students
as well as the former Marist Brothers and their wives.
The theme of the anniversary celebration tied together all of
those experiences: “We Remember. We Celebrate. We Believe.”
How wonderful! How special!
As we near the ending of Marists All as we know it, I pray that
we can continue to connect in some way over the years to
come. As of now, we are searching for the proper vehicle to
continue over the transition period of the next few issues.
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From PATRICK GALLAGHER (1953): Some thoughts on the
forthcoming phasing out of Marists All Yes, I could see that it
was getting a little difficult to elicit newsy contributions,
possibly because almost all of us are becoming more inactive
in our various phases of retirement. There might not be that
much to share with others.
Ten, fifteen, and twenty years ago there was much to tell
about our careers and families; readers, I would think, avidly
showed interest in how those we taught with and lived with
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over the years were faring with families and the necessary
transitions to new life styles. Possibly even higher interest
levels were accorded those memories of the monks, of the
years of training, of our shared activities, and of the instances
when Marist humor and solid laughs were front and center.
In reflecting on those episodes, I cannot but say how lucky I
was to know and have worked with so many dedicated guys,
who in their later lives, either as a Brother or brother, were
remarkable for the quality and ingenuity of their involvement
in doing good with the strongest dedication and commitment.
It seemed to me that those who stayed in the Marists were
known for their values lived out in the full scope of Marist life. I
was always amazed that those who chose a different road
showed those same values in their careers, proving that while
no longer in the Marists, the Marists were always in them.
The number is legion, but I think of three: Barney Sheridan,
Rich LaPietra, and Mike OShea. Their Marist experience
imbedded in them those qualities, I feel, which led them to
tackle the range of projects that have touched so many needy
people. Many others learned so much in their Marist years
about good teaching and continued on for their careers to
exemplify the best in the classroom.
I always felt so buoyed up by the news, by the very tangible
feeling for one another, but also by the even stronger ties that
grew with the passage of time.
Last week at the picnic I felt so very close to the monks from
Champagnat who were living their lives out in the Marist way; I
felt closer to them in their casual telling of some health
problems. I marveled at how some still wanted to contribute to
the Marist work despite flagging energy and mobility.
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It has been sixty-one years since I first arrived in Esopus. That
year began my close fraternal association with the Marists, and
I am more proud of that connection than anything else I have
achieved in later years. Few people are blessed to spend so
much time, to remain in close contact through their youth,
their middle years, and now in those golden years, with such
really good guys.
In the near future, Marists All will cease to publish, but it
certainly has achieved its mission to keep that family together
for mutual support. As the Romans would have said it: Euge,
euge, or well done, to Dave, Gus, Vinny, Rich, Rob, and the
others. (P.O. Box 310, Springtown, PA 18081; 610-346-6637;
gpatrickgallagher11@verizon.net
)
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From JOSEPH MCMAHON (1951): It is with regret that I
read that Marists All will be closing shop. Let me run an idea
before you for your consideration. I have just launched an
interactive web site called Vision Exchange, which is an adjunct
to the web site
www.visioncircles.net
.
The mechanics of Vision Exchange are similar to Facebook;
however, as the name Vision Exchange indicates, the aim is
different. On Vision Exchange members can set up their own
groups. I think that it would be easy to shift the membership
of Marists All to Vision Exchange so that the dialogue could
continue. The group could be private with the option of inviting
in new members. In short, Vision Exchange could be used to
keep the Marist dialogue going. (36-11 217 Street, Bayside, NY
11361-2212;
jjmcmj@aol.com
)
(Joe McMahon offers a vehicle for the continuation on-line for
Marists All. This is a very viable possibility to allow Marists All
to continue by providing a conduit of connectedness for our
readers. We are continuing our exploration. Editor.)
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From GENEZIRKEL (Louis Francis) (1953): I turn eighty
this year. Therefore, I understand all too well the concerns of
those who produce Marists All. But, as a recipient of the
multitude of benefits that I have received from Marists All, I
strongly urge that it continue in some form (and not be taken
over by something else).
Through Marists All I was connected to the annual Mount
picnics and the July retreats in Poughkeepsie. Now that I have
moved to Florida, I will certainly miss both events. I would
hate to miss the newsletter, also. Through this trinity of
newsletter-picnic-retreat, I was reconnected with many people
whom I admired and loved while I was a Brother.
Also, I was connected to many whom I did not previously know
and to their wonderful wives — daughters-in-law of Marcellin,
as Betty Perreault so aptly put it.
Many friendships flowered, and many memories were relived.
But more important, these new friends helped me to grow
spiritually. They helped me to realize that I was still a Marist, a
brother with a little b. I discovered just how much, how deeply,
my time with the Brothers influenced my life.
Maybe Marists All has to be smaller; maybe it has to come out
less often; maybe it has to be emailed only. (Though I hope
not!) But I pray that it continues until those of us involved are
down to our last Marist.
I extend fond regards to all my friends, especially Dave, Gus,
Vinny, Rich, and Rob. I thank you for all that you have done for
me over the years. You are in my thoughts, in my heart, and in
my prayers. (Pipers Glen Estates, 6068 Golf Villas Drive,
Boynton Beach, FL; 631-655- 6426;
genezirk@gmail.com
)
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From BR. JOHN McDONNELL (1959): In a recent edition of
Marists All, I updated you on our Marist work at the MIC, our
scholasticate in Nairobi, Kenya. Since then, many readers
have assured us of their prayer and have helped us out
financially. Please accept our hearty, heartfelt thanks for this
generosity. As I mentioned, every penny donated goes directly
to assist the very poor kids our Brothers are working with in
Nairobi. We bring our benefactors to our God each morning at
Eucharist.
On a personal note, I returned to the USA for medical
checkups after last September's cancer surgery. Unfortunately,
I'm not able to return to Kenya due to some serious medical
problems that necessitate treatment. (Ah, the "Golden Years"!)
Though disheartened because I can't return to a ministry I
love, I'm blessed with Christ's inner peace, and I can't wait to
see what grace our God of Surprises has in store for me next.
In seventy years, God has never disappointed me.
(
johnmcdonnell58@hotmail.com
)
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From BILL REGER-NASH (1961): My lovely bride and I just
returned from a weeklong pilgrimage to Maine and
Massachusetts. We joined John Oke OConnell and a raft of
former brothers in and around Booth Bay Harbor, Maine, for
some of the best scenery, seafood, and camaraderie in the
United States. Although I had not seen Oke since 1965 when
we canoed Lake George, he barely missed a beat in extending
a Maine version of aloha. He and his wife Sandy could not
have been more gracious hosts. They wined, dined, and toured
us in a selfless manner.
Thereafter, we traveled to Methuen, Massachusetts, to the
residence of cook/poet Ray Landry, who provided an idyllic
lakeside setting and good food. The Marist Spirit was blatantly
evident in Oke, George Bagnell, George Conboy, Artie Lavigne,
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Ray Landry, Pat Murphy, Frank Backus, Ernie Beland, John
Brady, Al Doerr, Moe LaChance, and Vince Poisella.
Oke had been encouraging me for years to join in on the fun. I
am glad that I finally did and am happy to report that my wife
enjoyed the experience as much as I.
Wherever you are in your life journey, I encourage you to join
Oke and Ray Landry in August 2012 for another taste of the
Marist Spirit. (304 Dream Catcher Circle, Morgantown, WV
26508; 304-293-0763;
wreger@hsc.wvu.edu
)
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From GEORGE McGUIRE (Joseph Gilmary) (1952): My
brother, John McGuire (Br Thomas Andrew 1954) died of lung
cancer on January 1, 2011.
After graduating from Marist College, John taught at Mount St.
Michael and Cardinal Hayes. After leaving the Marists, John
obtained a masters degree in mathematics from NYU and
taught in Massapequa, Long Island, high schools until his
retirement.
John married Carol Brown, who also taught in the math
department. John and Carol have three children and six
grandchildren.
John was an avid boater, berthed at Northport, Long Island,
and for many years spent spring vacation sailing in the Virgin
Islands. Al Doerr and Eddie Myles remained close friends and
shared some adventures sailing in the Islands. John also
remained close to Des Kelly and the Kelly family. John felt
great respect and affection for many of the Brothers he had
known in training and in the schools.
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From BR. STEVE MILAN (1987):The Marist Young Adult
Program is proud to announce the release of its new
promotional video, "Keeping the Marist Connection." The video,
featuring interviews with Danny Bradley, Chris Clesca, Matt
Fallon, Jacklyn Fortich, and Katie Murphy, highlights the spirit
and purpose of the Marist Young Adult Program. The video is
available on You Tube as well as on the Marist Young Adult
website: www.MaristYoungAdult.com.
The Marist Young Adult Program continues to keep Marcellin's
dream alive by inviting interested young adults between the
ages of eighteen and thirty to further explore their Christian
faith. Through spiritual, social, and service activities, both
online and in person, young adults can experience an alive and
vibrant faith rooted in the Marist tradition. (Box 197, Esopus,
NY 12429
smilanfms@aol.com
)
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From AUGUSTO HACTHOUN: Thanks for the opportunity to
reach the wider Marist community. By the way, I hope that
MaristsAll continues its informative and gallant run in some
form -- for at least another twenty-five years.
I often say that I was brought up by the Marists. I studied at
Colegio Champagnat in Havana, Cuba, from 1951 to 1961.
That last year, I left the country; soon after, my school was
nationalized and my teachers expelled. The story is familiar to
you.
It is, after all, a big and caring family. Perhaps you met and
still remember twelve Marist Brothers who came from Cuba
and were guests of freshly named Marist College in 1961. If
you do remember any of them, or stories about their stay at
the College, please let me know.
A very small group of us old boys brought up by the Marists
have been depositing collected and collective facts, photos,
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and recollections in a private blog, much like you have been
doing with Marists All. Meaningful savings, we think. Thanks to
the diligence of Brother Brice Byzynski at Esopus, and the
fidelity of Brother Rafael Martin at Miami, I have now a reliable
list of the Marists who came from Cuba to Poughkeepsie half a
century ago. I believe only three of them taught at my school,
but they did not teach me or my band of friends. Even so, their
Marist lives informed our student days and need to be part of
that spiritual, intellectual, and psychological reckoning most of
us do at some time, perhaps all the time.
The list below has given names and surnames and, in brackets,
their religious names. Br. Brice kindly told me of his teaching
days alongside Francisco Narganes and of his untimely death.
His eulogy appeared in Marists All. I have corresponded with
his widow and with another one of his Marist colleagues. I have
no information about the rest. These four Brothers continued
their Marist careers; the last one died in Ecuador in the late
nineties: Enrique Angulo Arroyo [Enrique Gabriel]; Feliciano
Arroyo Lozano [Gregorio Miguel]; Agustin Guezmes Garcia
[Ildefonso Raimundo]; Teodoro Merino Alcalde [Teodoro Maria]
+ Loja, 1997. Recently, I reached out to the three Brothers
who live in El Salvador and hope to hear from them.
The following eight brothers withdrew from the Congregation.
That year is noted: Manuel Luis Ibanez [Sixto Maria] 1963;
Jose A. Laso de Prado [Pedro Heraclio] 1964; Ignacio Garcia
Alaez [Ignacio Vitalino] 1972; Alfredo Molinero Olea [Alfredo
Miguel] 1973; Felipe Ruiz Alfonso [Angel Gregorio] 1976;
Francisco Narganes Merino [Emilio Santiago] 1976; Lawrence,
Massachusetts, 1997; Ignacio Lobo Puebla [Basilio Ignacio]
1977; Manuel Sigaran Turcios [Manuel Maria] 1978.
I hope that reviewing the list and informing me of your
recollections is not burdensome. I look forward to your
comments. (a.hacthoun @gmail.com; 130 Academy Street,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601)
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Excerpts from a Reflection Delivered at the Eucharistic
Liturgy Celebrating 125 years
of Marist Life and Mission
in the United States
St. Jean Baptiste Church, New York
October 8, 2011
Seán D. Sammon, FMS
Marcellin Champagnat was a man in love with God who at age
twenty-seven brought to life a dream that he had carried in his
heart ever since the time he and some fellow seminarians
made a promise at the chapel at Fourvière in Lyons, France.
They vowed to establish a movement made up of sisters and
priests, brothers and lay men and women, a movement aimed
at giving a Marian face to the Church of post-revolutionary
nineteenth century Europe and teaching the true meaning of
the Good News of Jesus Christ.
As part of this larger vision, Marcellin was intent on
establishing a community of brothers whose sole task would be
to tell children and young people just how much Jesus Christ
loved them. How did he begin? Modestly, to say the least! He
had an old house, two uneducated recruits, and no money. And
yet the dream of this simple country priest and saint has
grown so that today there are just shy of 4000 brothers and
approximately 40,000 lay men and women working with
650,000 young people each year in 79 countries. Yes, with
hard work and the will to do so, dreams do come true, giving
us the hope that we can change our world.
Some insist that the present moment in religious life in this
country is marked by diminishment more than anything else:
fewer members and ever advancing age. I see it differently
and believe that the dream of Marcellin Champagnat continues
to unfold in new and surprising ways. First of all, recent years
have given us the great gift of lay partnership, and we are so
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much richer for it. Lay partnership has always been there, and
perhaps we have been late to recognize its presence, but these
post-Vatican II years have taught us all that the charism that
came into our world through Marcellin Champagnat belongs to
the Church at large and not solely to the Marist Brothers. So
many lay men and women share the dream that gave life and
breath to the founder and his mission.
Second, today the process of renewal invites us once again to
become involved with the Holy Spirit. In taking up that
challenge, though, let us not forget that Marcellins troubles
began when he allowed himself to be caught up in the Spirit of
God. For taking God seriously is never easy and depending
upon what the Almighty has in mind, it can change our lives.
Nevertheless, the founder gave God free reign, and in time the
indwelling of the Spirit of God became his charism, and he
began to do things that surprised everyone. For example, he
built the Hermitage when he had no money and few recruits.
More than a few wondered if he had gone mad.
Today, unfortunately, some of us who publicly profess our firm
resolve to live radically the gospel message as the aim and
purpose of our lives cite prudence, counsel caution, discretion,
and good sense; we call attention to economic realities, and
we worry about retirement. One must wonder: who has gone
mad! And so, this afternoon we need to ask ourselves this
question: Do we really believe that the Spirit of God, so active
and alive in Marcellin Champagnat, longs to live and breathe in
you and me today? And if we do believe it, are we willing to
give God´s Spirit free reign?
Marcellin founded his Little Brothers to make Jesus known and
loved among poor children and young people in particular.
Having experienced first-hand the love of Jesus and Mary, the
founder wanted to give that gift to all whom he met but
especially those beginning the journey of life.
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And his approach to education was revolutionary. Wanting his
early brothers to make a significant difference in the lives of
the young people entrusted to them, he encouraged them to
form a type of relationship with those entrusted to their care
that was uncommon in early 19th century France. “Love your
students,”he said, “pray for them, and work to earn their
respect.”
This afternoon, these same challenges go out to all of us
associated with the Institute, brothers and lay partners alike.
And so, we must ask ourselves: are the institutions and other
works in which we serve committed to helping young men and
women to make Jesus the center and passion of their lives? We
can only achieve this end if we are in the midst of young
people, willing to give them our time without counting the cost,
and doing it in Marys way: with simplicity.
The qualities of zeal, a spirit of faith, endurance, and the
absolute audacity to take on great challenges were surely
evident in the life of Marcellin Champagnat and during the
founding days of the Marist project on this continent. They
need to be equally visible in each of us today: brothers and lay
partners alike.
For the last forty years, we have used one human means after
another in our attempts to renew our way of life. But
facilitation, pastoral plans, and feasibility studies are but
means to an end. For it is a profound revolution of the heart
and faith alone that is needed to get the job done. Religious
life was never meant to be balanced, professional, with regular
hours, clear job descriptions, and all sorts of guarantees.
Rather it was meant to entail enough sacrifice to be worth the
gift of our lives.
And so today as we mark these 125 years of Marist life and
mission in the United States, let us pray that the Spirit of God
lights in us the fire of renewal. Let us pray, too, for the courage
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to be as bold, as daring, and as in love with God as was the
simple country pastor and son of Mary named Marcellin
Champagnat. May we, like him, be fire upon this earth, making
Jesus known and loved among poor children and young
people. Amen. (3399 North Rd, Kieran Gate House,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601; 845-575-3233) (The full reflection
can be found on the Marists All web site. Editor)
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From GUS NOLAN (1948) and RICH FOY (1946): Our
Marists All editors have agreed to provide for our readers a list
of those Marist Brothers who have died and are buried in either
Poughkeepsie or Esopus. An addendum to the printed copy and
a complete listing in the essay section on the Marists All web
site will offer our readers a ready reference.
Click here
to move
to that web site.
News briefs arriving too late for insertion in the printed
newsletter.
Brother Victor Serna
(27 May 1924 - 28 Nov
2011) and
Brother Raoul Molnar
(5 Nov 1940 - 28 Nov 2011)
both died this Monday. They had resided at Champagnat Hall,
Bronx NY. No information yet about wake, funeral Mass or
burial. . Check the obituary section of the MaristsAll site, by
clicking on the highlighted name to go to a brief obit.
“Oke” O´Connell reported that James Zanni (Eugene
Philip ´58) died August 22, 2011, at the age of 71.
Brother Valerian Doiron ´31 died 9 December 2011 at
Champagnat Hall, Bronx NY. Brother Valerian was the dean of
the United States province. No details available as of 9
December 2011.
Brother Edward Vollmer ´44 died the morning of 10 December
2011 at Champagnat Hall, Bronx NY, after a long illness.
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Last year, Eddie celebrated his 67th year as a Marist Brother.
No details available as of 10 December 2011.
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First edition 27 November 2011; revised November 28, 2011; news briefs added
November 29, 2011 and December 3, 2011; December 9, 2001; December 10,2001.
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Issue number 106 November 2011
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Vince Poisella: 61 Golf View Drive, Little Egg Harbor, NJ
8087; 609-294-2148;
poisellavincent@yahoo.com
Rich Foy: 24 Prestwick Court, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603;
845-454-1393;
Richard.foy@verizon.net
Gus Nolan: 65 Muirfield Court, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603;
845-454-6116;
gusnolan@aol.com
David Kammer: 476 La Playa, Edgewater, FL 32141;
386-426-6349;
jkammer1@cfl.rr.com
Rob Schmid: 1013 Hollywood Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60016;
847-824-1073;
RJDB@comcast.net
Writers for this issue:
Patrick Gallagher
, 1953, shares his thoughts on the phasing
out of the Marists All publication and thanks the editors for
their work in maintaining the contacts with so many of us.
Augusto Hacthoun
, who studied with the Marist Brothers in
Cuba from 1951 to 1961, asks our help to locate Cuban Marists
who studied at Marist College in the early sixties.
Brother John McDonnell
, 1959, thanks MaristsAll donors
towards the scholasticate in Kenya and updates us on the
progress there.
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George McGuire,
1952, notes the death of his brother John
McGuire, 1954, on January 1, 2011.
Joseph McMahon
, 1951, mourns the closing of Marists All and
suggests continuation in a new format.
Brother Steve Milan
, 1987, announces a new promotional video
by the Marist Young Adult Program
Augustine Nolan
, 1948, announces work by the editors to
furnish lists of B/brothers buried in Poughkeepsie, Esopus, and
elsewhere to be found in the
essay
section of this website
Bill Reger-Nash
, 1961, tells us how much he and his wife
enjoyed visiting “Oke” O´Connell and Ray Landry at their
meetings held this summer in New England.
Vincent Poisella
, 1958, Editor, shares his thoughts on his
recent experiences as editor of MaristsAll.
Brother Seán Sammon
, 1966, shares his thoughts with us on
the occasion of the 125 anniversary of the arrival of Marist
Brothers in the United States.
Gene Zirkel
, 1953, reminisces on the many benefits of Marists
All and hopes the publication can continue in some way.
From VINCE POISELLA, EDITOR: Over the last few
months, I have had the honor of participating in five distinct
activities involving Marists and former Marists.
In August my wife and I drove north to join John “Oke” O
´Connell´s gathering of Brothers and former brothers at Ray
Landry’s residence in Methuen, MA.
In September the Greater Marist Family met again, as it has
been meeting for almost twenty-five years, at Mount St.
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Michael for a picnic in the garth.
Later that month, at the Marist College Homecoming event, the
Brothers and former Brothers who had been graduated from
the college fifty years ago were honored at the Heritage Dinner
held in the Cabaret at the Student Center.
Two weeks later, a Mass celebrated at St. Jean Baptiste Church
in Manhattan marked the 125th anniversary of the Marist
Brothers´ presence in the United States.
At each of these events, the excitement, bonding, and common
experience that we call “Marist Spirit,” begun by Marcellin
Champagnat, a French priest, now a saint, stirred the
participants in a special and tangible way and spread among
the Brothers themselves, their families, friends, and students
as well as the former Marist Brothers and their wives.
The theme of the anniversary celebration tied together all of
those experiences: “We Remember. We Celebrate. We Believe.”
How wonderful! How special!
As we near the ending of Marists All as we know it, I pray that
we can continue to connect in some way over the years to
come. As of now, we are searching for the proper vehicle to
continue over the transition period of the next few issues.
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From PATRICK GALLAGHER (1953): Some thoughts on the
forthcoming phasing out of Marists All Yes, I could see that it
was getting a little difficult to elicit newsy contributions,
possibly because almost all of us are becoming more inactive
in our various phases of retirement. There might not be that
much to share with others.
Ten, fifteen, and twenty years ago there was much to tell
about our careers and families; readers, I would think, avidly
showed interest in how those we taught with and lived with
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over the years were faring with families and the necessary
transitions to new life styles. Possibly even higher interest
levels were accorded those memories of the monks, of the
years of training, of our shared activities, and of the instances
when Marist humor and solid laughs were front and center.
In reflecting on those episodes, I cannot but say how lucky I
was to know and have worked with so many dedicated guys,
who in their later lives, either as a Brother or brother, were
remarkable for the quality and ingenuity of their involvement
in doing good with the strongest dedication and commitment.
It seemed to me that those who stayed in the Marists were
known for their values lived out in the full scope of Marist life. I
was always amazed that those who chose a different road
showed those same values in their careers, proving that while
no longer in the Marists, the Marists were always in them.
The number is legion, but I think of three: Barney Sheridan,
Rich LaPietra, and Mike OShea. Their Marist experience
imbedded in them those qualities, I feel, which led them to
tackle the range of projects that have touched so many needy
people. Many others learned so much in their Marist years
about good teaching and continued on for their careers to
exemplify the best in the classroom.
I always felt so buoyed up by the news, by the very tangible
feeling for one another, but also by the even stronger ties that
grew with the passage of time.
Last week at the picnic I felt so very close to the monks from
Champagnat who were living their lives out in the Marist way; I
felt closer to them in their casual telling of some health
problems. I marveled at how some still wanted to contribute to
the Marist work despite flagging energy and mobility.
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It has been sixty-one years since I first arrived in Esopus. That
year began my close fraternal association with the Marists, and
I am more proud of that connection than anything else I have
achieved in later years. Few people are blessed to spend so
much time, to remain in close contact through their youth,
their middle years, and now in those golden years, with such
really good guys.
In the near future, Marists All will cease to publish, but it
certainly has achieved its mission to keep that family together
for mutual support. As the Romans would have said it: Euge,
euge, or well done, to Dave, Gus, Vinny, Rich, Rob, and the
others. (P.O. Box 310, Springtown, PA 18081; 610-346-6637;
gpatrickgallagher11@verizon.net
)
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From JOSEPH MCMAHON (1951): It is with regret that I
read that Marists All will be closing shop. Let me run an idea
before you for your consideration. I have just launched an
interactive web site called Vision Exchange, which is an adjunct
to the web site
www.visioncircles.net
.
The mechanics of Vision Exchange are similar to Facebook;
however, as the name Vision Exchange indicates, the aim is
different. On Vision Exchange members can set up their own
groups. I think that it would be easy to shift the membership
of Marists All to Vision Exchange so that the dialogue could
continue. The group could be private with the option of inviting
in new members. In short, Vision Exchange could be used to
keep the Marist dialogue going. (36-11 217 Street, Bayside, NY
11361-2212;
jjmcmj@aol.com
)
(Joe McMahon offers a vehicle for the continuation on-line for
Marists All. This is a very viable possibility to allow Marists All
to continue by providing a conduit of connectedness for our
readers. We are continuing our exploration. Editor.)
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From GENEZIRKEL (Louis Francis) (1953): I turn eighty
this year. Therefore, I understand all too well the concerns of
those who produce Marists All. But, as a recipient of the
multitude of benefits that I have received from Marists All, I
strongly urge that it continue in some form (and not be taken
over by something else).
Through Marists All I was connected to the annual Mount
picnics and the July retreats in Poughkeepsie. Now that I have
moved to Florida, I will certainly miss both events. I would
hate to miss the newsletter, also. Through this trinity of
newsletter-picnic-retreat, I was reconnected with many people
whom I admired and loved while I was a Brother.
Also, I was connected to many whom I did not previously know
and to their wonderful wives — daughters-in-law of Marcellin,
as Betty Perreault so aptly put it.
Many friendships flowered, and many memories were relived.
But more important, these new friends helped me to grow
spiritually. They helped me to realize that I was still a Marist, a
brother with a little b. I discovered just how much, how deeply,
my time with the Brothers influenced my life.
Maybe Marists All has to be smaller; maybe it has to come out
less often; maybe it has to be emailed only. (Though I hope
not!) But I pray that it continues until those of us involved are
down to our last Marist.
I extend fond regards to all my friends, especially Dave, Gus,
Vinny, Rich, and Rob. I thank you for all that you have done for
me over the years. You are in my thoughts, in my heart, and in
my prayers. (Pipers Glen Estates, 6068 Golf Villas Drive,
Boynton Beach, FL; 631-655- 6426;
genezirk@gmail.com
)
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From BR. JOHN McDONNELL (1959): In a recent edition of
Marists All, I updated you on our Marist work at the MIC, our
scholasticate in Nairobi, Kenya. Since then, many readers
have assured us of their prayer and have helped us out
financially. Please accept our hearty, heartfelt thanks for this
generosity. As I mentioned, every penny donated goes directly
to assist the very poor kids our Brothers are working with in
Nairobi. We bring our benefactors to our God each morning at
Eucharist.
On a personal note, I returned to the USA for medical
checkups after last September's cancer surgery. Unfortunately,
I'm not able to return to Kenya due to some serious medical
problems that necessitate treatment. (Ah, the "Golden Years"!)
Though disheartened because I can't return to a ministry I
love, I'm blessed with Christ's inner peace, and I can't wait to
see what grace our God of Surprises has in store for me next.
In seventy years, God has never disappointed me.
(
johnmcdonnell58@hotmail.com
)
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From BILL REGER-NASH (1961): My lovely bride and I just
returned from a weeklong pilgrimage to Maine and
Massachusetts. We joined John Oke OConnell and a raft of
former brothers in and around Booth Bay Harbor, Maine, for
some of the best scenery, seafood, and camaraderie in the
United States. Although I had not seen Oke since 1965 when
we canoed Lake George, he barely missed a beat in extending
a Maine version of aloha. He and his wife Sandy could not
have been more gracious hosts. They wined, dined, and toured
us in a selfless manner.
Thereafter, we traveled to Methuen, Massachusetts, to the
residence of cook/poet Ray Landry, who provided an idyllic
lakeside setting and good food. The Marist Spirit was blatantly
evident in Oke, George Bagnell, George Conboy, Artie Lavigne,
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Ray Landry, Pat Murphy, Frank Backus, Ernie Beland, John
Brady, Al Doerr, Moe LaChance, and Vince Poisella.
Oke had been encouraging me for years to join in on the fun. I
am glad that I finally did and am happy to report that my wife
enjoyed the experience as much as I.
Wherever you are in your life journey, I encourage you to join
Oke and Ray Landry in August 2012 for another taste of the
Marist Spirit. (304 Dream Catcher Circle, Morgantown, WV
26508; 304-293-0763;
wreger@hsc.wvu.edu
)
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From GEORGE McGUIRE (Joseph Gilmary) (1952): My
brother, John McGuire (Br Thomas Andrew 1954) died of lung
cancer on January 1, 2011.
After graduating from Marist College, John taught at Mount St.
Michael and Cardinal Hayes. After leaving the Marists, John
obtained a masters degree in mathematics from NYU and
taught in Massapequa, Long Island, high schools until his
retirement.
John married Carol Brown, who also taught in the math
department. John and Carol have three children and six
grandchildren.
John was an avid boater, berthed at Northport, Long Island,
and for many years spent spring vacation sailing in the Virgin
Islands. Al Doerr and Eddie Myles remained close friends and
shared some adventures sailing in the Islands. John also
remained close to Des Kelly and the Kelly family. John felt
great respect and affection for many of the Brothers he had
known in training and in the schools.
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From BR. STEVE MILAN (1987):The Marist Young Adult
Program is proud to announce the release of its new
promotional video, "Keeping the Marist Connection." The video,
featuring interviews with Danny Bradley, Chris Clesca, Matt
Fallon, Jacklyn Fortich, and Katie Murphy, highlights the spirit
and purpose of the Marist Young Adult Program. The video is
available on You Tube as well as on the Marist Young Adult
website: www.MaristYoungAdult.com.
The Marist Young Adult Program continues to keep Marcellin's
dream alive by inviting interested young adults between the
ages of eighteen and thirty to further explore their Christian
faith. Through spiritual, social, and service activities, both
online and in person, young adults can experience an alive and
vibrant faith rooted in the Marist tradition. (Box 197, Esopus,
NY 12429
smilanfms@aol.com
)
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From AUGUSTO HACTHOUN: Thanks for the opportunity to
reach the wider Marist community. By the way, I hope that
MaristsAll continues its informative and gallant run in some
form -- for at least another twenty-five years.
I often say that I was brought up by the Marists. I studied at
Colegio Champagnat in Havana, Cuba, from 1951 to 1961.
That last year, I left the country; soon after, my school was
nationalized and my teachers expelled. The story is familiar to
you.
It is, after all, a big and caring family. Perhaps you met and
still remember twelve Marist Brothers who came from Cuba
and were guests of freshly named Marist College in 1961. If
you do remember any of them, or stories about their stay at
the College, please let me know.
A very small group of us old boys brought up by the Marists
have been depositing collected and collective facts, photos,
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and recollections in a private blog, much like you have been
doing with Marists All. Meaningful savings, we think. Thanks to
the diligence of Brother Brice Byzynski at Esopus, and the
fidelity of Brother Rafael Martin at Miami, I have now a reliable
list of the Marists who came from Cuba to Poughkeepsie half a
century ago. I believe only three of them taught at my school,
but they did not teach me or my band of friends. Even so, their
Marist lives informed our student days and need to be part of
that spiritual, intellectual, and psychological reckoning most of
us do at some time, perhaps all the time.
The list below has given names and surnames and, in brackets,
their religious names. Br. Brice kindly told me of his teaching
days alongside Francisco Narganes and of his untimely death.
His eulogy appeared in Marists All. I have corresponded with
his widow and with another one of his Marist colleagues. I have
no information about the rest. These four Brothers continued
their Marist careers; the last one died in Ecuador in the late
nineties: Enrique Angulo Arroyo [Enrique Gabriel]; Feliciano
Arroyo Lozano [Gregorio Miguel]; Agustin Guezmes Garcia
[Ildefonso Raimundo]; Teodoro Merino Alcalde [Teodoro Maria]
+ Loja, 1997. Recently, I reached out to the three Brothers
who live in El Salvador and hope to hear from them.
The following eight brothers withdrew from the Congregation.
That year is noted: Manuel Luis Ibanez [Sixto Maria] 1963;
Jose A. Laso de Prado [Pedro Heraclio] 1964; Ignacio Garcia
Alaez [Ignacio Vitalino] 1972; Alfredo Molinero Olea [Alfredo
Miguel] 1973; Felipe Ruiz Alfonso [Angel Gregorio] 1976;
Francisco Narganes Merino [Emilio Santiago] 1976; Lawrence,
Massachusetts, 1997; Ignacio Lobo Puebla [Basilio Ignacio]
1977; Manuel Sigaran Turcios [Manuel Maria] 1978.
I hope that reviewing the list and informing me of your
recollections is not burdensome. I look forward to your
comments. (a.hacthoun @gmail.com; 130 Academy Street,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601)
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Excerpts from a Reflection Delivered at the Eucharistic
Liturgy Celebrating 125 years
of Marist Life and Mission
in the United States
St. Jean Baptiste Church, New York
October 8, 2011
Seán D. Sammon, FMS
Marcellin Champagnat was a man in love with God who at age
twenty-seven brought to life a dream that he had carried in his
heart ever since the time he and some fellow seminarians
made a promise at the chapel at Fourvière in Lyons, France.
They vowed to establish a movement made up of sisters and
priests, brothers and lay men and women, a movement aimed
at giving a Marian face to the Church of post-revolutionary
nineteenth century Europe and teaching the true meaning of
the Good News of Jesus Christ.
As part of this larger vision, Marcellin was intent on
establishing a community of brothers whose sole task would be
to tell children and young people just how much Jesus Christ
loved them. How did he begin? Modestly, to say the least! He
had an old house, two uneducated recruits, and no money. And
yet the dream of this simple country priest and saint has
grown so that today there are just shy of 4000 brothers and
approximately 40,000 lay men and women working with
650,000 young people each year in 79 countries. Yes, with
hard work and the will to do so, dreams do come true, giving
us the hope that we can change our world.
Some insist that the present moment in religious life in this
country is marked by diminishment more than anything else:
fewer members and ever advancing age. I see it differently
and believe that the dream of Marcellin Champagnat continues
to unfold in new and surprising ways. First of all, recent years
have given us the great gift of lay partnership, and we are so
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much richer for it. Lay partnership has always been there, and
perhaps we have been late to recognize its presence, but these
post-Vatican II years have taught us all that the charism that
came into our world through Marcellin Champagnat belongs to
the Church at large and not solely to the Marist Brothers. So
many lay men and women share the dream that gave life and
breath to the founder and his mission.
Second, today the process of renewal invites us once again to
become involved with the Holy Spirit. In taking up that
challenge, though, let us not forget that Marcellins troubles
began when he allowed himself to be caught up in the Spirit of
God. For taking God seriously is never easy and depending
upon what the Almighty has in mind, it can change our lives.
Nevertheless, the founder gave God free reign, and in time the
indwelling of the Spirit of God became his charism, and he
began to do things that surprised everyone. For example, he
built the Hermitage when he had no money and few recruits.
More than a few wondered if he had gone mad.
Today, unfortunately, some of us who publicly profess our firm
resolve to live radically the gospel message as the aim and
purpose of our lives cite prudence, counsel caution, discretion,
and good sense; we call attention to economic realities, and
we worry about retirement. One must wonder: who has gone
mad! And so, this afternoon we need to ask ourselves this
question: Do we really believe that the Spirit of God, so active
and alive in Marcellin Champagnat, longs to live and breathe in
you and me today? And if we do believe it, are we willing to
give God´s Spirit free reign?
Marcellin founded his Little Brothers to make Jesus known and
loved among poor children and young people in particular.
Having experienced first-hand the love of Jesus and Mary, the
founder wanted to give that gift to all whom he met but
especially those beginning the journey of life.
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And his approach to education was revolutionary. Wanting his
early brothers to make a significant difference in the lives of
the young people entrusted to them, he encouraged them to
form a type of relationship with those entrusted to their care
that was uncommon in early 19th century France. “Love your
students,”he said, “pray for them, and work to earn their
respect.”
This afternoon, these same challenges go out to all of us
associated with the Institute, brothers and lay partners alike.
And so, we must ask ourselves: are the institutions and other
works in which we serve committed to helping young men and
women to make Jesus the center and passion of their lives? We
can only achieve this end if we are in the midst of young
people, willing to give them our time without counting the cost,
and doing it in Marys way: with simplicity.
The qualities of zeal, a spirit of faith, endurance, and the
absolute audacity to take on great challenges were surely
evident in the life of Marcellin Champagnat and during the
founding days of the Marist project on this continent. They
need to be equally visible in each of us today: brothers and lay
partners alike.
For the last forty years, we have used one human means after
another in our attempts to renew our way of life. But
facilitation, pastoral plans, and feasibility studies are but
means to an end. For it is a profound revolution of the heart
and faith alone that is needed to get the job done. Religious
life was never meant to be balanced, professional, with regular
hours, clear job descriptions, and all sorts of guarantees.
Rather it was meant to entail enough sacrifice to be worth the
gift of our lives.
And so today as we mark these 125 years of Marist life and
mission in the United States, let us pray that the Spirit of God
lights in us the fire of renewal. Let us pray, too, for the courage
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to be as bold, as daring, and as in love with God as was the
simple country pastor and son of Mary named Marcellin
Champagnat. May we, like him, be fire upon this earth, making
Jesus known and loved among poor children and young
people. Amen. (3399 North Rd, Kieran Gate House,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601; 845-575-3233) (The full reflection
can be found on the Marists All web site. Editor)
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From GUS NOLAN (1948) and RICH FOY (1946): Our
Marists All editors have agreed to provide for our readers a list
of those Marist Brothers who have died and are buried in either
Poughkeepsie or Esopus. An addendum to the printed copy and
a complete listing in the essay section on the Marists All web
site will offer our readers a ready reference.
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News briefs arriving too late for insertion in the printed
newsletter.
Brother Victor Serna
(27 May 1924 - 28 Nov
2011) and
Brother Raoul Molnar
(5 Nov 1940 - 28 Nov 2011)
both died this Monday. They had resided at Champagnat Hall,
Bronx NY. No information yet about wake, funeral Mass or
burial. . Check the obituary section of the MaristsAll site, by
clicking on the highlighted name to go to a brief obit.
“Oke” O´Connell reported that James Zanni (Eugene
Philip ´58) died August 22, 2011, at the age of 71.
Brother Valerian Doiron ´31 died 9 December 2011 at
Champagnat Hall, Bronx NY. Brother Valerian was the dean of
the United States province. No details available as of 9
December 2011.
Brother Edward Vollmer ´44 died the morning of 10 December
2011 at Champagnat Hall, Bronx NY, after a long illness.
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Last year, Eddie celebrated his 67th year as a Marist Brother.
No details available as of 10 December 2011.
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First edition 27 November 2011; revised November 28, 2011; news briefs added
November 29, 2011 and December 3, 2011; December 9, 2001; December 10,2001.