Today's Marists V.6 Issue 1 FALL 2020

Today’s
Fall 2020
Volume 6 | Issue 1
Marists
Society of Mary in the U.S.

Today’s
Marists
Fall 2020 | Volume 6 | Issue 1
Publisher
Editor
Editorial Assistants
Archivist
Editorial Board
Paul Frechette, SM, Provincial
Ted Keating, SM
Elizabeth Ann Flens Avila
Communications Coordinator
Philip Gage, SM
Randy Hoover, SM
Susan Plews, SSND
Susan Illis
Ted Keating, SM, Editor
Michael Coveny
Mark Dannenfelser
Thomas Ellerman, SM
Mike Kelly
Joseph Hindelang, SM
Randy Hoover, SM
Bishop Joel Konzen, SM
Jack Ridout
Nik Rodewald, SM
Bill Rowland, SM
Today’s Marists is published three times a year by The Marist
Fathers and Brothers of the United States Province. The contents
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Today’s Marists Magazine
Society of Mary in the U.S. (The Marists)
Editorial Office
815 Varnum Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017
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www.societyofmaryusa.org f
In this issue...
3 from the Provincial
by Paul Frechette, SM
4 A Plea for a Marian Church
by Ted Keating, SM
6 A Slice of Life in 2020 on the Southern
Border
by Tony O’Connor, SM
8 Compassion and Mercy for a Pastoral
Conversion!
by Ricardo Navarrete Gutiérrez, SM
9 News Brief
10 Movie Review: Contagion
by Brian Cummings SM
Society of Mary of the USA
12 A Glimpse of the Pandemic’s Effects on Our
International Marist Ministries
by Albert Kabala, SM, Ivan Vodopivec, SM and Isaia Wairoga, SM
16 ‘Bright spots’ in the Midst of a Pandemic
by Mike Kelly and Michael Coveny
21 Remembering the Marists and the
1873 Yellow Fever Epidemic
by Susan J. Illis
22 The Pandemic - Making Us Rethink Charity
and Mutuality
by Nik Rodewald, SM
23 Teaching Adult Faith Formation Online
by Mark Dannenfelser
24 Obituaries
26 Jean-Claude Colin and Caretaking
by Tom Ellerman, SM
27 Supporting the Marists
by Denise D’Amico
Marist Provincial House
815 Varnum Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017
Marist Center
4408 8th Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017-2298
Marist Center of the West
625 Pine Street, San Francisco, CA 94108-3210
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Contact our Editorial Office. Our website offers additional
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© 2020 by Society of Mary in the U.S. All rights reserved.
Cover Explanation
The iconic photo of Pope Francis during the Urbi et Orbi Blessing and Address on
the coronavirus on March 27, 2020 shows the emptiness and darkness of St. Peter’s
Square amidst a steady rain. There is a similarity between this photo showing Pope
Francis counseling us and Jesus reassuring the disciples during the turbulent storm:
“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (Mark 4:35-40) Pope Francis entrusts us
to the Lord through the intercession of Mary. We Marists know her as the hope that
believes that “nothing is impossible with God.”
Printed on partially-recycled stock with a vegetable-based ink mixture.
Design: Beth Ponticello | CEDC | www.cedc.org
2 Today’s Marists Magazine

from the Provincial
Fr. Paul Frechette, SM
How the Pandemic has affected
our Marist communities
Every June the majority of our members of the USA province
head to the Midwest part of the United States for our annual
retreat, assembly and occasional workshop on a timely
topic. Many of us look forward to this break. It is a time for
prayer, celebration of the Eucharist, fraternity, friendship and
reflection on our ministries, since outside of that week many
of us are absorbed in the daily responsibilities of our own
ministries.
This year – everything suddenly changed. In an instant, it
seemed, we were reminded that we ultimately are not in
control.
For many Marists, the forced quiet allowed time to immerse
ourselves more fully in prayer and to renew relationships
with the Lord and with others in our local community. We
had more time to reflect upon our life as religious and our
responsibilities as brothers during these stressful times. We
saw how the pandemic affected our friends, our families and
our communities. According to the United States Department
of Labor, about 60 million unemployment claims have been
filed since mid-March. As of late September, the Center for
Disease Control (CDC) reported over 202,000 deaths from
COVID-19.
A few weeks ago, I asked members of the United States
Province to share their reflections with me regarding these
challenging times. Their responses moved me. One member of
the Province wrote that the pandemic “freed up my time to do
other things for mind, spirit, and body. It forced me to reflect
more carefully what I am doing next. … It also automatically
slowed me down. Slowing down helps reflection, prayer,
reading, exercise and the intentionality for what I am doing or
receive any visitors. Our national Mission Office felt the impact
of the pandemic as many of the Mission Co-Ops planned for
May and June had to be cancelled because of the shelter-inplace
policies that were in effect in many states. In an article
within this Today’s Marists issue, “A Slice of Life in 2020 on
the Southern Border,” Fr. Tony O’Connor, SM reflects on the
challenges faced by asylum seekers he and fellow parishioners
minister to at San Felipe de Jesús Parish in Brownsville, Texas.
Fr. Tony emphasizes a message from Pope Francis regarding
the pandemic, “We have realized that we are on the same
boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time
important and needed, all of us called to row together, each
of us in need of comforting the other.” (Urbi et Orbi, March 27,
2020)
Furthermore, in the Centerspread of this issue, you will
read about the impact the pandemic has had on some of our
international Marist communities, specifically in Africa,
Brazil, England, and Oceania. A common thread that runs
throughout the Centerspread is the question “When will
this pandemic end?” Although no one can answer this with
precision, we are reminded that we are in this fragile time
together, and with the grace and strength of God and united in
prayer we will get through this pandemic.
In conclusion, the pandemic is teaching us the fragility of
our world. As Marists we are called to be bridge builders,
instruments of hope and bearers of the Good News. This is
the time for us to be bearers of hope as we respond to this call
and answer the question “Who is my neighbor?” As the Marist
Superior General John Larsen, SM reminds us, “countries have
closed their borders and so many people can be tempted to
close their hearts out of fear of the virus, there is a special need
One member of the Province wrote that the pandemic “freed up my time to do other things
for mind, spirit, and body. It forced me to reflect more carefully what I am doing next."
not doing. But there is [also] a negative side [to this slow down]
- my ministry came to a sudden halt. I was not able to have
access to those I meet daily in the ministry, whether school
or parish. We had to shelter in place which limited our social
experiences. There is the normal anxiety of what happens next
and will this ever end?”
Several of our Marists residing in nursing homes found the
lockdown time to be lonely and isolating as they could not
for the freshness of the love of the Holy Spirit breathing life and
joy among all of us Christians.” He continues to remind us that
the Society of Mary “speaks of open borders, open hearts and
unity of purpose.” We can encourage and accompany those
whose worlds may be closing in on them. The global dimension
of our congregation is an expression of hope as we reach out to
our neighbors. Be assured of our continued prayers and may
the gentleness of Mary be our strength.
Fall 2020 3

A Plea for a Marian Church
by Ted Keating, SM
“The Society (of Mary) must begin a new church over again. I do not mean that in a literal sense,
that would be blasphemy. But still, in a certain sense, yes, we must begin a new Church…”
(Venerable Jean-Claude Colin, A Founder Speaks)
The year 2020 will long be remembered. One of the most
frequent conversations for most of the year had to do with
“Who could have predicted this?” “How could so much have
changed so rapidly from even the early months of the year?”
“Will we ever get back to the normal we once knew?” Often the
words to describe most of this year are beyond us because they
are clearly beyond anything that would have described our life
before this year.
We were sharing back and forth on Zoom and other forms of
social media in early Spring 2020 about what “sheltering in
place” (almost a new normal itself at that point until it got
“old”) was doing to or for us. There were conversations about
monastic living, contemplation, and having the time to read
and reflect. Parents were home with their children as both
the workplace and classroom turned virtual. A volume could
be put together of poems shared back and forth to describe
the experience. Artists and other musicians began using the
internet to meet our aesthetic needs and keep our spirits up.
Then the thundering reality grew into its own crescendo
of illness and death as the virus took its widespread and
shocking toll. We became aware of the frightening reality of
the elderly succumbing just because they were elderly. Then,
African Americans were dying in numbers grossly exceeding
white people, and, then, immigrants and refugees were next
in line. Like a prophetic voice from the Jewish Testament,
successively tearing down the illusive veils that cover so much
of our society, we had to face the unspeakable realization of
how many were suffering without basic health care. The lack
of access to hospitals in cities and states where the virus was
most crushing, and the frightening impact on our economy as
it gradually shut down so as to protect people from physical
proximity and possible contagion. As so often happens, this
pandemic most impacted the poorest members of society as
well as many who had been maintaining a basic, relatively
comfortable life until widespread unemployment began to take
its toll. The statistics about how many people in our society
live one paycheck away from homelessness were suddenly and
graphicly revealed to us as we watched miles and miles of cars
in line seeking just daily bread.
Our politics in so many ways cracked and shattered into
weakening partisan rhetoric that made direct and persistent
work to hold back the virus almost impossible.
And then the brutal images of a black man being purposely
strangled under the knee of a white police officer as he
pleaded for his life. “I can’t breathe” led to a powerful national
movement including large numbers of supportive people from
all ethnic backgrounds, determined to take up the issue of
racism in the United States through widespread protests and
a new consciousness of white privilege that remains mostly
unconscious.
The year 2020 will not be forgotten. A Plea emerges from our
human heart in the name of justice and equality, compassion,
sensitivity to one another, reconciliation, and forgiveness that
tests our capacity to love one another as a nation, as a people,
and as the “the Beloved Community” to use that missionary
phrase of Dr. Martin Luther King. The “face mask” has
gradually became a sacramental manifestation of our love for
one another. It doesn’t protect us so much as our brothers and
sisters around us. The other great symbol that remains in our
imagination and memory is the widespread national protests
by ethnically diverse groups of people joining with blacks and
whites, marching together for a more just and loving nation
that can become a model and witness of a newer world afflicted
by all these challenges.
The poetic depiction of our Marist vision of a Marian Church
calls us to move beyond mere poetry to a lived Plea for a
Marian Church on behalf of our Founder, Fr. Jean-Claude
Colin’s broader call to “the whole world Marist.” We Marists
do not seek to become world famous as a Congregation, but
we do seek to project a Marian Church pouring its mission,
ministries, and proclamation of the mysteries of Christ into
a world that represents the values of “The Marian Church.”
Vatican II in the Church in the Modern World clearly sought
to create a Church aware of its mission to all humanity. The
Council was bold enough to declare that the Church is the
Sacrament of the reconciliation and oneness of all humanity,
which is also the definition of each celebration of the Eucharist.
So, our Plea here may seem terribly idealistic, but as Marists we
understand that Mary is the one who knows that we worship a
God for “whom nothing is impossible.” So the causes we face
are as large as God’s desires even when to others these causes
appear hopeless.
In recent months, Pope Francis has written extensively about
his concerns for a post-pandemic world. He may be the only
world leader reflecting on these challenges and putting them
on the frontlines of mission and ministries, especially in
areas where people live daily with poverty, limited health
care, social instability, and growing difficulties in feeding
themselves. These populations are also the first to suffer from
the dangerous shifts in climate that are showing their paths of
destruction in the enormous increase in hurricane intensities
and the ferocity of massive fires in many parts of the world,
including the U.S. He is calling for an attentive widespread
reflection and plan of action for after the most devastating
4 Today’s Marists Magazine

of the virus outbreaks lessen. Pope Francis has established
a Vatican group addressing this topic. They are currently
analyzing and strategizing and will seek to come up with a
large coalition going into the post-pandemic world.
The Vatican Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
along with the World Council of Churches in Geneva has
already published in recent weeks a document titled Serving
a Wounded World in Interreligious Solidarity: A Christian Call
to Reflection and Action During COVID-19 and Beyond. The
purpose of this document is to establish a Christian basis
for interreligious solidarity that can inspire and confirm,
for Christians of all churches, the impulse to serve a world
wounded not only by the pandemic but also by many other
wounds.
As this issue goes to press, Pope Francis has released what
is perceived as the Encyclical that he hopes will define his
ministry as the Pope for now and into the future. According to
John Carr, the Director of Initiative on Catholic Social Thought
and Public Life at Georgetown University in Washington,
DC, “Fratelli Tutti is a powerful expression of faith in a time
of doubt, a call to hope in a time of fear, and a challenge to
love in at time of anger and division. Pope Francis’ letter is a
combination of Franciscan themes and Jesuit discernment,
shaped by Argentinian pastoral experience and traditional
Catholic social teaching. The encyclical affirms and applies
the principles of Catholic social teaching to the “new things”
of 2020: a global pandemic, an economic crisis, political
polarization, and social isolation and exclusion.” How will
Marists throughout the world respond to Pope Francis’s call
in Fratelli Tutti? We are sure that we will be reflecting carefully
on this document in future Today’s Marists issues.
In the preceding paragraphs you find the concerns and
inspirations that arose from our planning for this first issue
of Today’s Marists in Volume 6. We have gathered articles from
around the Marist world on the impact the pandemic has had
on our Marist missions and ministries. You will read about the
experiences of Marists in Africa, Oceania, Mexico, and London.
Here in the United States, you will read about the impact that
COVID-19 has had on our schools in Pontiac, Michigan and
Atlanta, Georgia, with some early reflections on what may be
the long-term impact on education in the future, here in the US
and perhaps around the world.
In the second issue of Volume 6 we hope to bring reflections
that bear on the reality of racism in our changing world. The
third issue of this volume will include articles focusing on
the adjustments the pandemic has brought to education and
worship in our world.
The poem “A Marian Church” by François Marc, SM
(www.societyofmaryusa.org/our-mission/marian-church)
offers guidance for our plea for a Marian Church as we are
called to serve a wounded world with compassion and love.
When we face the brokenness of humanity, a Marian Church
is “…moved by compassion and, with infinite tenderness, she
tends their wounds. She is the safe harbor, who is always open,
the refuge of sinners, ‘Mater Misericordiae,’ Mother of Mercy.”
AN EXCERPT FROM
A Marian Church
By François Marc, SM
The Marian Church knows she is the object of a gratuitous
love, and that God has the heart of a mother. She has seen
God on the doorstep, on the lookout for the improbable
return of a son; she has seen him throw his arms around his
neck, place the festal ring on his finger, and himself organize
the home-coming feast. When she pages through the family
album, she sees Zacchaeus in his sycamore, the woman taken
in adultery, the Samaritan woman, foreigners, the lepers,
beggars and a common prisoner at his place of execution.
So you see, the Marian Church despairs of no one, and does
not quench the smoking flax. When she finds someone
on the side of the road wounded by life, she is moved by
compassion, and with infinite tenderness tends their wounds.
She is the safe harbor, who is always open, the refuge of
sinners, “mater misericordiae”, mother of mercy.
The Marian Church lets in the wind of Pentecost, the wind
which impels one to go out, which unties tongues. In the
public square, not for the sake of hammering doctrine, nor to
swell her ranks, she proclaims her message: the promise has
been kept, the fight has been won and the Dragon crushed
forever. And this is the great secret which she can only
murmur: to win the victory God has laid down his arms. True,
we are in an intermediate time, the time of human history.
And that history is a painful one.
Yet every evening at the end of Vespers the Church sings
the Magnificat. For the Church knows where her joy is to
be found. And look: God has not found our world or its
afflictions, its violence or its wickedness uninhabitable. It is
there that He has met us. And there, on the Cross, we have
seen the “mercy”, the open heart of God.
Full poem available at:
www.societyofmaryusa.org/our-mission/marian-church
Fall 2020 5

A Slice of Life in 2020
on the Southern Border
by Tony O’Connor, SM, Pastor, San Felipe de Jesús, Brownsville, Texas
Persevering does not mean always doing
the same thing. We leave behind what
does not work. We adapt to the everchanging
needs. We listen to the spoken
and unspoken words of the people. The
pandemic demands that we reach out
with heart and mind, beyond the local
surroundings as best we can, even just
across the river to the other side of the
same valley, to the cities of Brownsville,
Texas and Matamoros, Tamaulipas in
Mexico.
A Tale of Two Cities
Brownsville and Matamoros are a tale
of two cities. They have been united and
divided for centuries. In normal times
the three bridges that connect the two
cities are traversed with great frequency,
but well before the beginning of the
pandemic the United States government
began to restrict border crossings and
COVID-19 became a good excuse for
increased restrictions. This means that
aging parents in Matamoros are not
being visited and supported so much by
their kids in the United States and the
less expensive medical services used by
our simple folk in Brownsville who have
no insurance is also impeded, including
treatments for COVID-19. What was a
tale of two united cities has become even
more a tale of two divided cities.
The asylum seekers, who were illegally
impeded from crossing the bridges
before the pandemic, now await their
suspended court hearings. On Tuesday,
August 18, 2020, Edwin Rodrigo Castro
de la Parra, a Guatemalan and an asylum
seeker camp leader was found drowned
in the nearby river, survived by his wife,
his two little girls, his grandmother and
his sister who had just given birth to a
baby girl. One of his friends said, “Only
God can help us at this moment. It is
only desperation that drives the brave to
meddle with the Rio Bravo.”
We had a group of ladies who crossed
the river to take food and clothing to
the migrants. Now a friend takes money
donated to us at San Felipe de Jesús and
gives it to a small non-governmental
organization (NGO) that uses it to buy
basic necessities, especially medicines
for those with COVID-19.
The Sides of a Great Divide.
The city of Valle Hermoso in Mexico has
poor neighborhoods, Barrio 18 is one
of them. Mayra is our link to helping
people in these parts of Valle Hermoso.
She miraculously crosses the bridges and
border controls to take food and clothing
to many people. In the early morning
of August 18, 2020, Mayra took a load
over the bridge. Stopping for breakfast
at a local stand, a little boy, maybe 8 or
9 years old, told Mayra he was hungry.
Mayra bought him breakfast. He sat with
her but only ate half. He said that the
other half of the breakfast was for his
little brother outside who was hungry
too. So, Mayra bought the brother
breakfast, however both boys left half of
their breakfasts untouched. You see they
live with their grandparents who were
hungry too.
Here in Brownsville no one is really
hungry. On the other side of the river
there are many who literally are. The
divide is immense, not just the currents
in the river or the line marking the two
countries, but in the risk that there is in
sharing.
This is not to say that there is no need
in Brownsville. Living in the United
States is very expensive, especially here
in Cameron Park, one of the poorest
neighborhoods on the southern Border.
You need money for rent, to own and
drive a car, for bills, medicines and food.
Although little boys and girls here are
generally not hungry, some grandparents
feel the pinch. Hunger and great need
can be found here on this other side of
our great divide, on this other side of the
river.
At San Felipe de Jesús we spend hours
under the hot Texan sun giving out food
from agencies and occasionally putting
up with the bad mouthing of some who
feel the world owes them a favor. Most of
the time it is pleasing to serve the food
and a way of keeping close to the people,
a union of hearts, minds and bellies.
At the same time our heart bleeds for
those two little boys in Barrio 18, their
grandparents and other families too.
6 Today’s Marists Magazine

Top: Proud fathers with newly baptized
Bottom Left: Funeral service for Sandra
Bottom Right: Wedding ceremony for Clarissa and Frank
Death
With the casket at the church door I was
prepared: Holy Water for the blessing
and the white baptism veil to cover the
casket. When the casket was at the altar,
it was time for the funeral Mass to begin.
I have buried my mom, my dad and a
kid sister, and I managed to get through
these services, but this time my eyes
were clouded and no words came. There
was silence. Someone finally led the “I
confess” to get the Mass started.
Jesus cried at the tomb of Lazaro and
cried when he saw Martha and Mary
so upset. But me? The deceased was
no intimate friend. That’s what the
pandemic is doing. Even when the
families come later with the ashes of
their loved ones - it is the same. It is as if
the church is charged with sadness and a
void. Not having been with the deceased
in their agony, nor seeing them lying in
state, but rather just left in the end with
a little cardboard box or urn to hold
onto tenaciously until it is placed on a
table before the altar. The air is charged
with tears, whether it be for 48-yearold
Sandra who suffered from Down
syndrome who died on July 14, 2020,
or Miguel y Mia whose wife died from
COVID-19 on July 21st. Now a month
later the family is gathered for a ritual
farewell: two urns on a table, the couple’s
photo, the bright paschal candle and
beautiful flowers. Scenes at the cemetery
can be worse.
New Life
But with death comes life. Due to the
pandemic, to get a body or ashes back
takes two weeks. Meeting and accepting
the pain takes longer than that, but
morning light does break through the
dark.
A Pandemic Wedding
Some churches are reluctant to do
weddings. But not here. Clarissa and
Frank were the first not deterred from
having their wedding. A lovely mature
and gracious couple, now happily
married, and I believe until death do
them part. A new life cycle begins.
Death has lost its sting.
The same rituals in church with
“protocols” in place but joyfully new: We
keep on baptizing! An individual bottle
of water for each kid, cotton buds for
anointing, mask wearing and keeping
six feet apart. On August 22nd dads
were proud to present 15 kids for the
sacrament of Baptism. A day for families
to celebrate after a tiring COVID-19 filled
summer.
Fall 2020 7

Compassion and Mercy
for a Pastoral Conversion!
by Ricardo Navarrete Gutiérrez, SM (Newly Ordained on September 26, 2020)
On September 7, 2020 I was preparing to
celebrate the Liturgy of the Word in one of
our Marist parishes in Mexico City. I read
a reflection on the Gospel for that day
where Jesus, healing a man’s paralyzed
hand on the Sabbath, is criticized and
opposed by the scribes and pharisees.
How is it possible, Jesus wondered, that
the Sabbath, a day made for the benefit
and consecration of people, had turned
into a rigid ritual and a burdensome
observance? The whole Jewish religious
system, apparently, had forgotten
compassion and mercy!
The global pandemic, similarly, has
been forcing us to avoid human contact
and closeness to others. Certainly, to
stay away from our neighbor is the
safest solution, but in a country like
Mexico where not everybody has the
basic resources to survive, even when
there is no pandemic, and many people
need to go into the street to seek some
money, contact is inevitable. So, for us,
compassion and mercy have been part of
our pastoral discernment as we strive to
attend to the needs of those who are poor.
Times of crisis, like the one we are facing
these days, are not moments of paralysis
for us, especially when there are people
out there dying of hunger and disease.
At the beginning of this year the pastor
of Immaculate Conception Church
proposed the renovation of an old
building in order to create the “Dining
Hall of Mercy” for feeding those who are
poor. The renovation was completed just
before the pandemic hit. News about the
“Dining Hall of Mercy” spread quickly,
and many people in need started coming
forward to receive food. Then, the virus
struck. This wonderful parish ministry
was at risk of being shut down. Was it safe
for hungry people to come and expose
themselves to COVID-19? No. From
the outset, it was not safe, but to have
abandoned them to their uncertain fate
could have cost more lives. The dining
room has continued to operate during the
pandemic but with strict precautions in
place. We are still serving about 130 meals
to those who have lost their jobs or are
experiencing difficulties.
Aside from this enriching and challenging
experience, all the Marists in Mexico, as
in other places of the Marist world, have
been trying to implement creative ways
to reach those to whom we minister.
Unfortunately, in our Marist schools we
have seen a 20% drop-out rate of new,
incoming students. This decrease in
enrollment reflects the struggle families
Top: Man collecting a one-month supply of food donations
for his family
Bottom: Dining Hall of Mercy - due to the pandemic
food cannot be served inside the facilities
8 Today’s Marists Magazine

News
Brief
Marist Laity
Framework
by Michael Coveny, Marist Way Director,
Marist School, Atlanta, Georgia
Dining Hall of Mercy has switched to distributing food outside for visitors to take home to their families
are facing to keep themselves afloat.
Moreover, our schools have had
to adapt to virtual learning. Some
teachers found it hard at the beginning
to change from in-person teaching
methods that they were trained in,
to televised classes where everyone
maintains distance. If some teachers
were initially reluctant to bring
technology into their teaching, the
pandemic has forced them to update
their skills. We recognize, however, that
online lessons do not offer the same
experiences as in-person teaching.
Children need attention and the help
of good teachers to acquire necessary
knowledge and skills. We admire the
hard work that the kindergarten and
primary school teachers undertake
to keep their pupils engaged, even
if virtually. Nevertheless, the Marist
schools are quite blessed compared to
government schools where sadly those
who do not have their own personal
computer have to follow classes on
a shared TV set. Some parents and
grandmothers who come to the
“Dining Hall of Mercy” complain about
the scattered school lessons that are
broadcast on TV.
A few weeks ago, we were allowed
to re-open our churches and youth
centers at limited capacities. The
Marists here also decided to live
stream Mass and other liturgies on the
internet. Many people have expressed
their appreciation for these services
because at least in this way we can
enter families’ homes. The concept
of sacraments as visible and effective
signs of God’s grace and the gathering
of Christians to celebrate Liturgy might
not be happening, but God may be
operating in other ways with families at
home who follow our prayer services.
Challenging times demand creativity
from our Marist communities. Some
Marist lay people have already been
engaged in promoting prayer and
spiritual support through the internet.
This gives us a glimpse of what aspects
we might have to modify in our Marist
pastoral work.
The News media often describe
this time as a global crisis. Crisis, in
its original meaning, is not about
everything collapsing and people just
giving up. A crisis is a time when we
realize that our human systems are
not working, and they need to change.
Crisis means to separate, discern and
make decisions to do things better. So,
it is for the Church and our Marist work,
too. As Marists, we believe that Mary
accompanies the Church at all times,
and thus, we must emulate her spirit.
We hope that when we come back to a
safer reality, we may have undergone a
pastoral conversion and become better
ministers of mercy.
Delegations of World Marist Laity met in
Dublin in August 2019 and appointed a
leadership committee to develop a future
framework for Marist Laity. The leadership
committee assigned to the task included Bev
McDonald (New Zealand), Elizabeth Piper
(United States), Jorge Lopez (Mexico) and
David Sanz (Spain).
That framework was presented to the
Society of Mary governance in Rome for
deeper study and guidance and exchange
throughout the year 2020. These discussions
are ongoing between the World Laity
leadership committee and the Society of
Mary, focusing on essential questions such as:
• What is the minimum vision for
Formation to be considered a “Marist?”
• What is the appropriate or necessary
private and public Commitment — a
commitment made in response to the
Call from Mary to do her work?
The Laity Framework has been inspired
by the Society of Mary mission statement
from the General Chapter of 2017 and the
same call of the Marist Fathers and Brothers
as found in the Marist Constitutions - that
is “to be truly missionary: they are to go
from place to place, announcing the word
of God, reconciling, catechizing, visiting
the sick and the imprisoned, and doing the
works of mercy. They attend especially to
the most neglected, the poor, and those
who suffer injustice. They are ready to carry
out these tasks anywhere and at any time.”
(Constitutions of the Society of Mary, #12)
Fall 2020 9

MOVIE REVIEW
We Must Choose
Prayerful Reflection with the Movie Contagion
by Brian Cummings, SM, Director, Pā Maria Marist Spirituality Centre, Wellington, New Zealand
Watching Steven Soderbergh’s movie Contagion is somewhat
disconcerting, although that has not stopped many people
around the world from watching it in recent months. In one sense,
it’s an “older” movie, since it first appeared in 2011. In another
sense, it’s uncannily close to depicting our world in 2020.
Essentially, the plot is straightforward and one with which we
can readily identify. There is a rapid spread of an unknown virus
originating in Asia which graphically begins to claim lives within
the first 20 minutes of the film.
We recognize the admonition to wash your hands frequently,
avoid touching your face and to stay home from work or school
if you feel unwell, all the things that have been constantly
reinforced in our current world. In addition, people undergo a
major level of social disruption and chaos, as well as multiple
conspiracy theories and an unscrupulous individual seeking to
take advantage of peoples’ fears.
I would call it a gripping movie with an impressive list of wellknown
actors including Laurence Fishburn, Kate Winslet, Jude
Law and Gwyneth Paltrow. As well as being attention-grabbing,
Contagion also won high praise for the way in which it depicts
how a deadly disease could explode around the world.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases, has said of the movie, “It’s one of the
most accurate movies I have seen on infectious disease outbreaks
of any type. It depicts what would be an extremely rare possibility
of a worst-case scenario. Audiences will look at this and say,
‘Could it happen?’ Certainly it could happen, but it’s extremely
unlikely to happen.” (cf Robert Roos, Sep 09, 2011, CIDRAP
[Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy]).
The really interesting point about those comments is that they
were made in 2011, not 2020. Dr. Fauci is, of course, still very much
part of today’s COVID-19 world, and the “extremely unlikely to
happen” scenario has become a reality.
What makes Contagion disconcerting is that we feel that we are
watching our world, but through a somewhat distorted lens. So
much of what is depicted in the film is, indeed, our experience
today, but with differences.
Those differences were highlighted recently by director Steven
Soderbergh in an interview in The New York Times in response to
the question: “Is there anything happening now that you didn’t
foresee when making the film?”
Soderbergh replied, “What I couldn’t have predicted was the
fracturing of society that it [COVID] would generate, and all of the
things it would expose when the tide goes out, so to speak. I didn’t
anticipate that it would reveal so starkly the sort of economic
disparity that we’re aware of intellectually, but that a lot of us are
also able to insulate ourselves from being directly affected. Now,
nobody escapes it. There are very few people whose lives will not
be completely altered by COVID.” (cf ‘Steven Soderbergh and
Amy Seimetz Made the Pandemic Movies of the Moment,’ Kyle
Buchanan, July 31, 2020, The New York Times)
Pope Francis made a similar point recently at his first public
audience in six months when he said “We do not come out of a
crisis the same way we were before. We either come out better, or
worse. We must choose. Solidarity is the way to come out better.”
He went on to explain that “solidarity” refers to “something more
than a few sporadic acts of generosity. It presumes the creation of
a new mindset, one which thinks in terms of community and the
priority of every person’s life as opposed to the appropriation of
goods by only a few. It is not merely a question of “helping others,”
he said. “It is a matter of justice.” (cf Gerard O’Connell, September
2, 2020, americamagazine.org)
At the end of Contagion life goes on – but not as it was previously.
And that will also be true for us today as individuals and as a
society.
There can be no question of “surviving” in the sense of “riding out
the storm” so that we can carry on with life just as it was before
2020. As Francis says, “We do not come out of a crisis the same as
before.”
And so we need to ask ourselves as Marists, how do we cope with
what is going on, and how do we help others? In order to address
these questions, of course, we have to take time to reflect on just
what is going on?
10 Today’s Marists Magazine

Father Augusto Zampini-Davies, the adjunct secretary of the
Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development
in Rome, had this to say in an article in the London Tablet in
May of this year, “This is a time to reset. What is essential? This
is the question. What is essential for the Church to resume, to
regenerate, and to allow the Holy Spirit to ignite the essential
dimension of Christianity? If Christ is walking with us in this
tragic moment, where does he want to lead us?” (cf ‘Reflecting
on Post-Covid Catholicism,’ by Christopher Lamb, The Tablet, 30
May 2020)
And so, once more, with Mary, we are called to ponder and to
reflect on all these things in our hearts. To “ponder” is to ask that
we may see as God sees, and so then to act as we believe God
would want us to act. This activity is what we call discernment.
As we look at ourselves, our Church, and our society and at what
has been and is being revealed in our COVID-19 world, we ask
“What would Mary do?”
Inevitably, we are led to focus on our Marist call to be
“instruments of divine mercy.”
We strive to portray, as Craig Larkin, SM has written in A
Certain Way, “the ‘feminine features” of God, and to help build
a church which is not perceived in terms of power, planning,
control, administration, or competition, but rather in terms of
community, compassion, simplicity, mercy, and fellowship.”
As an expression of that attitude, we are also called not only to
help individuals in need, but also to actively work to change
systems and structures that oppress people. “It is not merely a
question of helping others. It is a matter of justice.” (Pope Francis)
There can be “no return to normal” in our own lives, in our
Church, or in our society.
We are living through extraordinary times that have affected,
continue to affect, each of us in so many ways: spiritually,
physically, psychologically, emotionally, financially and so on. We
need to ask ourselves the fundamental question, “Who am I in
this present world, and what am I being called to be and to do?”
We need to ask (as Zampini-Davies says) of the Church, “What is
essential to resume, to regenerate, and to allow the Holy Spirit to
ignite the essential dimension of Christianity?”
And we need to ask similar questions of the society in which we
live. “What is essential for it to resume, to regenerate….” To quote
Pope Francis again, “solidarity [is] something more than a few
sporadic acts of generosity. It presumes the creation of a new
mindset, which thinks in terms of community and the priority of
the life of every human being as opposed to the appropriation of
goods by only a few.”
We cannot ignore any of these questions. We cannot shut
ourselves off physically or psychologically and wait until it is safe
to emerge back into the world.
As François Marc, SM has written, “A Marian church stands at
the foot of the cross. She does not take refuge in a fortress, or in a
chapel, or in cautious silence, when others are being crushed. She
is vulnerable, in her deeds as in her words. With humble courage,
she stands with the most insignificant.” (from Plea for a Marian
Church)
Our conclusion? Contagion is certainly worth watching. It may
be nine years old, and it doesn’t exactly depict our present reality.
But it does lead us into contemplation and it leads us to ask the
question, “What would Mary do in a COVID-19 world?”
Fall 2020 11

A Glimpse of the Pandemic’s
Effects on Our International
Marist Ministries
The Marist Mission in Africa
and Coronavirus: The Effects
on Education
by Albert Kabala, SM, District Superior of Africa
In Senegal (West Africa) and Cameroon (Central Africa),
churches and mosques have reopened on a limited scale to
welcome devout faithful who desire to personally implore the
mercy of God. The pace of life during this pandemic, however,
is still slow. While there are government-ordered hygiene
measures (mask wearing and hand washing) as well as social
distancing in place, people do not always follow them rigorously.
We know that in Africa the contamination figures as reported
do not reflect the reality. Some people think that across the
continent various governments are increasing the numbers
of COVID-19 cases reported, and others think that other
governments are hiding the actual number of cases because
African countries do not have the technical and financial
resources to fight the virus. There are those who ignorantly deny
the existence of the disease and ignore the safety measures in
place because they believe that COVID-19 does not exist. Since
not everyone who is infected with the virus has the means to go
to the hospital, the actual number of COVID-19 cases in Africa
is higher than what is reported. The need for medical services
has caused our Caritas services and religious communities to
crumble under the demand for medical help. People who are
dying in their homes will never be counted. While the number of
COVID-19 cases and deaths increases every day, many continue
to deny it. Such reactions are due to the lack of means available
to meet their daily needs. This is the new rhythm of life imposed
on us by the coronavirus pandemic. The situation grows ever
more alarming and deplorable.
Top: Students social distanced in the classroom at the school in Dakar, Senegal
Bottom: Parishioners socially distanced at St. Ann Parish in Yaoundé, Cameroon
The Marists in Africa continue to educate and sensitize people
to the existence and the danger of the virus. The Marist parish
at Obili in Yaoundé, Cameroon has organized awareness
campaigns as a way to keep encouraging the faithful to heed the
safety measures already in place: wearing face masks in public,
washing their hands at all times with soap and water and always
carrying hand sanitizer. When virus symptoms appear, we tell
them to isolate themselves and to call the emergency services.
12 Today’s Marists Magazine

“So many people keep asking when will this pandemic end? No one can answer
that with any kind of precision. ...together, we must continue to pray for all humanity.”
This health crisis has also affected our schools. Although classes
in Senegal and Cameroon have resumed, they are open only
for students to come and complete their exams. The majority
of children remain at home. The limited re-opening of schools
will undoubtedly lead to a decrease in learning and an increase
in the number of students who drop out of school. To help
address the current situation, our Marist school in Senegal, in
collaboration with the teachers, has organized ways for students
to continue with their lessons so as to not fall behind. Teachers
have prepared exercises and homework for students in order
to keep them mentally active while at home. Furthermore, we
created a WhatsApp group for the parents of the “CM2” students
(students in the exam class). This provides a way to help with
students’ questions and to offer them follow-up for our “CFEE”
exam candidates. With the grace of God, we hope to return to
school in-person for the new academic year which starts in
November.
So many people keep asking when will this pandemic end?
No one can answer that with any kind of precision. Based on
information from the World Health Organization (WHO), we
understand that the world will have to come to live with this
disease. One thing we have not forgotten, however, is that,
together, we must continue to pray for all humanity who have
been deeply affected, and pray that the Almighty may deliver us
safely from this pandemic.
Sandwich Service at Notre
Dame de France Continues
During the Pandemic
by Ivan Vodopivec, SM
Outreach Work Coordinator, Notre Dame
de France, London, England
Normally on a Saturday morning the parish center at Notre
Dame de France (NDF) in Soho, London (Leicester Square)
would be full of volunteers preparing sandwiches, potato
chips, cakes, cookies, fruit and soup to welcome our 100-
120 visitors. Most of our visitors are homeless or vulnerably
housed. However, on March 14th all that stopped. The
normally lively, bustling Leicester square with hundreds of
thousands of people and tourists on the go became a still and
quiet and somewhat eerie space. The lockdown had begun,
and because of social distancing measures, our center was not
allowed to welcome our guests so that we could do our part to
keep everyone safe from the virus.
Thanks to the volunteers in the sandwich service and
members of the NDF team, we decided to offer a takeout
service to anyone who needed food. Some of the people were
continues on page 14
The happy bunch of NDF volunteers
Volunteers at NDF Sandwich Service – behind the masks are smiling faces
Fall 2020 13

COVID-19 and the Tutu Rural
Training Center (TRTC)
by Isaia Wairoga, SM
Tutu Rural Training Center, Tutu, Fiji
In the spirit of unity and togetherness during this trying time
when the coronavirus pandemic is affecting us throughout the
world, we are all experiencing uncertainty, even confusion.
Guest being served at NDF Sandwich Service
living on the streets, and others had some kind of living
accommodations but lacked the funds to buy the food they
needed.
A big supporter for us has been Westminster Council (part of
local government) whose coordinator swung into action and
formed the Faith Volunteer Network. Together, churches and
other organizations started a weekly Zoom conference with
Westminster Council to plan a schedule for food distribution
and the locations where people could take showers. It was
through this exchange that NDF decided to provide our
sandwich service on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons
and evenings. On average we welcome 80-100 guests at every
service.
At the Tutu Rural Training Center (TRTC) in Tutu, Fiji, we are
indeed much affected by the worldwide impact of the pandemic.
The purpose of the TRTC is to equip young people in Fiji to
be successful farmers on their own land and to empower
them to make a positive and productive contribution to their
communities. Everyone went on lockdown when the first
positive COVID-19 case appeared in Fiji, and it has definitely
impacted our work. Implementing this safety measure of
isolation, however, allows us to stay within our bubble, and we
continue to provide our services from a distance. We have sent
our six-month participants home earlier than expected for their
safety. At this time of year, we usually have our young farmers
for their ninth term. But since the travel ban within Fiji and the
curfew have been implemented, we have delayed their arrival
until the government lifts the restrictions.
The coronavirus has taught us so many lessons. Our most
affected sectors in Fiji are the landless farmers, daily wage
earners, and the non-formal sector in the cities and rural areas.
In these sectors people are very concerned about how to earn
wages so as to buy food and pay their bills.
We appreciate our government’s efforts in responding to the
challenges and difficulties we face within our sector. There
has been significant social awareness of COVID-19, mass
virus testing, strengthening of the healthcare workforce and
establishing treatment facilities for patients suffering from
Covid-19.
Our sandwich service at NDF continues. It is striking that as
Leicester Square has become busier again with people returning
to restaurants and shops, people stop and look at the long line
outside our door and wonder what is going on. The more curious
stop and ask what we’re doing?” And when we tell them, they are
genuinely moved, and some ask, “How can I help?” Some give a
donation, and others simply reply, “Thank you.”
As I chat with our guests waiting in line and having to endure
being stared at by passers-by (they sometimes have to wait for
a long time), I am always impressed with how patient, quiet
and good humored they are. When they receive their food, they
always give us a heartfelt “Thank you.”
One of our volunteers, Cosme, put it well when he said, “Sure,
the sandwich service is ostensibly about food because people
are hungry. But even if they are with us for only a few minutes,
it is also about an encounter, a link, a connection, a means to
reach out and talk with others.”
Personally, when I see the exchange of a smile, the humor and
laughter between our volunteers and guests, I see there the face
of the living God.
TRTC farm tunnel house with raised beds
14 Today’s Marists Magazine

Farm tunnel model replicated at TRTC participant’s residence
In addition to the pandemic restrictions and the increasing
number of positive COVID-19 cases, most parts of Fiji were also
impacted by the Category 4 Cyclone “Harold” in April. During
that time the government deployed many services to the victims
of this natural disaster.
During the pandemic, our TRTC group, which consists of the
course staff members, carpentry and maintenance workers and
all other available hands, are all helping with the weeding and
harvesting of the young farmers’ taro (dalo) and kava (yaqona)
blocks. In order to prepare everyone for maintaining the young
farmers’ crops while they are keeping safe at home, we initiated
organized community training for all TRTC staff members and
families.
A positive outcome of the pandemic is that the gardening at
TRTC has provided food security as well as a short-term cash
crop to keep up with the center’s expenses, in a self-sustaining
way. From our perspective, COVID-19 has made us aware of the
need for short-term crops such as vegetables to realize a quick
return. During our regular discussions, innovative ideas have
been proposed such as the introduction of micro-hydroponic
gardening. A trial of this type of gardening was piloted by the
Lura Marist community and is attracting a lot of interest from
farmers who have smaller growing areas.
Another new farming technique implemented by the Lura
Marist community is the building of a farm tunnel house that
Food Development Unit selling locally sourced produce and goods
included raised growing beds. This type of gardening for offseason
vegetables provides a way for growers on smaller farms
to combat the rise of non-communicable diseases and safeguard
their families’ food security. These farming methods will help
farmers move away from reliance on commercial agricultural
methods. It also opens another door for food security and a way
to generate income for the TRTC and families. We believe that
the incorporation of these new farming techniques requires
both changes in thinking as well as attitudes towards farming.
Within the Tutu bubble, our newly established Food
Development Unit has been busy converting the locally sourced
breadfruit into breadfruit flour. The flour is then used to bake
bread that is sold to local families while in lockdown. The
resources available at TRTC enable us also to make jams and
other assorted spices.
We continue the mission of TRTC, “empowering people to
become more autonomous and to take charge of their lives in a
rapidly changing world.” The motto ‘act local and think global’
will revolutionize, we hope, the agriculture industry as our “new
normal.”
We Appreciate Your Donation!
We ask for your prayers for our international ministries
during these challenging times. If you are able to help
financially, please use the envelope in this magazine
to send your gift. Please check “Marist ministries and
outreach to those in need” on the inner flap of the
envelope. Thank you for your generosity and be assured
of our prayers!
Fall 2020 15

‘Bright spots’ in the
Midst of a Pandemic
Reflections gathered by Mike Kelly, Director of Marketing, Notre Dame Preparatory and
Marist Academy, Pontiac, Michigan and Michael Coveny, Marist Way Director, Marist School,
Atlanta, Georgia
Introduction
On the last day of classes before Notre Dame Prep’s annual Irish Week celebration
in March 2020, the coronavirus was not the topic on the of mind of for then-senior
Meghan Kozole, and she certainly did not think her last few months on campus
would end up being so disrupted either.
“At that time, I was not concerned too much about COVID-19, and I for sure didn’t
think that March 12 was going to be my last day of high school in the building,” she
said. “Ultimately, I became sad because pretty soon I came to realize how much I
was taking my school experience for granted.”
However, Kozole accepted that new reality back then and says that she adapted well
to the online learning environment.
“The faculty was super understanding and it’s nice knowing that the teachers and
even the staff — a shoutout to campus ministry, counseling and the office staff
— care so much about the students even when we weren’t in a structured school
environment,” she said.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, Marist School marked both the beginning of Term 3
and the transition to virtual learning. In response to the global pandemic COVID-19
and with just a 72-hour notice, Marist completely shifted academic learning online,
calling on faculty, staff, and students to begin a learning journey they had never
previously undertaken.
For Grace Lorys, a student at Marist School in Atlanta, the onset of the pandemic
was unusual, to say the least. “You hear about pandemics in your history classes, but
actually finding yourself in the middle of one is a little surreal,” she said. “There are
a few things that can prepare a person for complete isolation from everyone but their
family for months on end.”
Now back in class on campus, Lorys is equally stressed about staying safe and
staying on campus. “There’s the matter of going to school in the midst of rising case
numbers, eating lunch six feet away from friends, breaking through thick layers of
cotton and filters and knowing that none of it will end anytime soon because young
people still are going out on the weekends and partying - most definitely without
masks and social distancing.”
Lorys also notes that despite the many difficulties of last spring and this fall, there
are bright spots. “All of this brings challenges as well as joy,” she said, calling out in
particular the “spectacular level of innovation that our teachers have shown.”
As with Lorys and Kozole, the stress and resiliency exhibited by students and
teachers alike were readily apparent in thoughts shared about this most uncertain
academic world in which we now live. The following excerpts will give you a glimpse
of what teaching and learning have been like as a result of the pandemic.
“You hear about pandemics in your history
classes, but actually finding yourself in
the middle of one is a little surreal,”
16 Today’s Marists Magazine

Notre Dame Preparatory
and Marist Academy,
Pontiac, Michigan
(The following are responses shared by
students and faculty about a disappointing
end to last school year and a hopeful beginning
to the current school year.)
Love and Care at Home or in School
For Elena Schwegman, a senior at Notre
Dame Preparatory (NDP) School in
Pontiac, Michigan, the last few months of
the 2019-20 school year were disruptive
and highly unusual. However, the
closing of the school’s campus due to the
pandemic also provided an opportunity
for her and her classmates to more
clearly recognize what’s really important
and what is not.
“The way we finished our school year
last spring gave us all a time to reflect
on what really matters,” she said. “Being
stuck in our homes and secluded from
our friends, made us think about things
quite different than what we usually
think about. Personally, I realized how
much I had taken in-person learning for
granted. But NDP’s amazing teachers did
an outstanding job making the difficult
and unexpected transition to online
teaching. However, online learning
cannot compete with the massive
benefits in-person learning offers.”
She said there’s something special about
being in the classroom rather than
sitting at home behind a screen and she
understands how lucky she is to be at one
of the few schools that was able to figure
out a way to enable in-person learning
for the 2020-21 school year. Schwegman
also said that those few months learning
from home last spring provided another
unexpected benefit.
“It gave me the opportunity to take a
break from my normal daily hassles and
enjoy the outdoors,” she said. “I went
on more bike rides during quarantine
than perhaps I have my entire life. Plus,
in becoming more connected with
the outside world - with creation - my
eyes were opened to all of its intimate
beauties. As Christian people, we are
called to understand God’s perfectness
and majesty, and I realized it doesn’t take
any more than a step or two into nature
to feel awestruck by His wonderful
creation.”
‘Craziness’
Jacob Anderson, another NDP senior,
echoed Schwegman’s somewhat more
optimistic view of the campus shutdown
last school year.
“Those few months away from school
gave me more time to reflect on myself
and my goals in life,” said Anderson,
who like Schwegman is a member of
NDP’s student council. “Although it was
a little more difficult to learn, I think
it helped in some ways. I had so much
going on that it kind of felt good to have
everything slow down for a bit. After
a while, I started to get a little crazy; I
think we all did. I think it really helps
that we are in-person right now at school,
seeing all of our classmates, and getting
rid of some of that craziness.”
Dan Staniszewski, an NDP alum and
longtime math teacher at the school, said
he, too, learned some important lessons
during that “craziness.”
“I think the most important thing I took
away from remote learning is that math is
not the most important thing I teach,” he
said. “Yes, I really want students to know
the quadratic formula, how to take the
sine of an angle and how to use implicit
differentiation, but I learned that teaching
is so much more than that. Check that...
remote learning cemented in my mind
what I already knew: teaching is more
than conveying information: Teaching is
performing! Teaching is loving! Teaching
is having fun! And for all these reasons
and more I teach!”
Staniszewski also said that despite
missing the normalcy he came to expect
at the end of every school year, there
were some “amazing” memories.
“I got to watch movies remotely with
many in the Class of 2020,” he said. “I
was able to deliver lawn signs to many
of my favorite students to celebrate their
completion of high school. I got to show
up in my truck on graduation day, clap
for them, see them again, and even take
a few distanced selfies with them. And I
got the chance to wear my cap and gown,
be a part of their graduation ceremony
and take some pictures with them
afterward!”
Notre Dame Prep math teacher Dan Staniszewski takes
a selfie in front of Malorie Wilson NDP’20 during the
special May 17, 2020 senior parade at NDPMA
Adjusting Quickly in the Lower School
For Kathy Dugan, another faculty fixture
at Notre Dame, she and her fourth
graders also handled remote learning
last spring pretty well.
“My students adjusted very quickly,”
said Dugan, who has also taught prekindergarten
and kindergarten classes
during her 15 years in the lower school.
“We had a great system in place that
seemed to work very well for my students
and for me. We were able to make great
progress through our fourth-grade
curriculum. Of course, I was working
with an outstanding group of students
who also make my job a delight.”
Notre Dame senior Isabella Slifko said
remote learning for her was difficult last
spring in that she missed her classmates.
“Peer interaction is something I am used
to and need,” she said. “However, with
that being said, NDP did a spectacular
job with virtual learning. I could not
have wished for anything more. The
counselors, teachers and administrators
were by my side every step of the way.”
Now with the campus back to in-person
learning for the 2020-21 school year,
continues on page 18
Fall 2020 17

With a blend of old and new technology, Notre Dame
fourth-grade teacher Kathy Dugan conducts a virtual
math lesson with her students last spring
Slifko is glad to be with her classmates
and friends once again in spite of all the
rules and restrictions in place.
Overall, these first few weeks of school
have been great,” she said. “I am so glad
to be back with my teachers and friends.
I also believe the changes to our inschool
routines are necessary and that
NDP is doing their very best to keep us
all safe.”
Tender Ears
Math teacher (and assistant varsity
football coach) Staniszewski also is glad
to be back to a reasonably normal school
routine that still holds some challenges.
“Now we’re well into the 2020-21 school
year, which is almost as different as
the way last year ended,” he said. “Of
course, I’m worried and anxious and
scared about many things. I am worried
about my health, the health of my family
and the health of my students. And if
you think that grocery shopping while
wearing a mask is tough, try being a
student and wearing one for 6 ½ hours
a day in class, or even worse, try being a
teacher and lecturing through your mask
for 6 ½ hours a day!”
He’s also trying to get used to all his new
responsibilities given still uncertain times.
“Things like cleaning desks between
classes, taking temperatures, asking
health-screening questions at football
practice and acting as a pseudo-counselor
when students just need a friendly ear to
listen to them,” he said. “But with all that
is weighing heavily on me currently, the
most important lesson I can learn comes
to me from my favorite prayer:
“‘God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know the
difference.’”
Staniszewski notes that even though last
year did not end the way he expected,
and this year did not start the way he’s
used to, he’s trying to take it all in stride.
“Yes, I’m more anxious than normal, my
ears are a little tender (6 ½ hours in a
mask is really rough on your ears) and I’m
falling asleep at home on my couch earlier
than usual. But I believe this is going
to be a great year because I am putting
everything into my job, whether I’m at
school in a mask or home conducting
class from my dining room table.
“However, the most important thing for
me is that my students know they are
loved and cared for. And as long as they
know this, I will consider myself a very
successful teacher - even if they don’t
know the quadratic formula.”
Marist School,
Atlanta, Georgia
(The following are reflections written by
students and faculty.)
Anything but a Normal Senior Year
For Alexandra Adair, looking back on the
initial thought that there would be two
extra weeks of spring break, it’s amazing
to see how much has changed. When
Marist went fully virtual, the whole
dynamic of school switched, and many
of those changes have stayed in place
for this new school year. We technically
still have the same curriculum, but the
style of learning and assessments have
changed drastically. Classes are split,
where one half is in-person and the other
is online, but sometimes we’re expected
to become unison, which can be very
challenging with the screen barrier and
lagging computer speed. In other classes,
there are lectures that are fully virtual,
and half of the time the teacher has either
muted themselves or the class. Lots of
confusion is created due to the absence
of direct dialogue about directions or
due dates on assignments. Almost all
tests have gone open note, which is a
nice accommodation that teachers have
made because they know that, if not,
the students at home would have an
advantage over those in the classroom.
Although Marist has had to change many
aspects of the normal school day to allow
us to come to school, there are a few
things that have stayed the same.
Marist still allows after school sports,
and they put their best effort into making
it feel like a normal day with homeroom,
lunch, and class changes. I find the block
schedule less stressful because even
though the classes are longer, you only
have 4 a day, so you usually have less
homework or tests for the next day. My
senior year has changed a lot, but my
friends and I have made the most of it. I
try to look on the bright side by always
reminding myself that even though it
isn’t a normal senior year, at least I’m at
school for it.
Ups and Downs of Education
During a Pandemic
So far, this the start of the 2020-21
school year has been weird according to
Babalola Awe. The splitting of the A and
B groups makes it so that I kind of just
forget half of my grade exists. Constantly
wearing a mask just feels foreign; I didn’t
realize how much I touched my face
until the pandemic came. People seem
so tense, rigid and uptight. I can’t really
blame them though - this is an extremely
sketchy time. It’s a little harder to have
conversations with people in-person
since you can’t see the lower half of their
face. It’s a little bit harder to read body
language, but overall, it’s not too bad.
In terms of academics, I definitely
do not like having to learn virtually.
Although I get to wake up later, at the
end of the day I just kind of feel like I’ve
been sitting in meetings for the past 5-6
hours. At the end of a virtual school day
it basically feels like I’ve done nothing.
It’s also extremely hard to focus virtually
since there are so many distractions.
Do I really want to learn about some
ambiguous, arcane math concept when
I could just as easily play a game, text my
friends or watch YouTube videos without
anyone knowing that I’m not paying
attention? I think not.
In addition to these downsides of
the pandemic, there have also been
upsides. For example, I think it has made
people appreciate their daily, normal,
‘boring’ lives per se, and made them
18 Today’s Marists Magazine

appreciate the small things in life, like
handshakes, hugs, conversations with
their friends, etc. Although it may sound
a bit pretentious or seem like a cliché, I
know that at least for me this pandemic
has made me appreciate other people
more. I’m naturally a bit reticent and
reserved, and before this pandemic I
oftentimes would kind of be a weensy bit
of a loner. I’m not saying one must always
be talking with other people, as it is ok to
sometimes be alone. I am fine with this
aspect of my personality. However, as
the quarantine grew longer and longer,
I really noticed how lonely I felt. My
friends and other people around me also
felt this same loneliness. One does not
appreciate the opportunities presented
to them until they are no longer there;
I think that this has been the case for
me, socially. Now, I’m more willing to
talk with people and connect with them
since I know how it feels to not have the
opportunity to do so.
Coping with New Circumstances
According to Grace Lorys, you hear about
pandemics in your history classes, but
actually finding yourself in the middle
of one is a little surreal. There are a few
things that can prepare a person for
complete isolation from everyone but
their family for months on end. Then
there’s the matter of going to school in
the midst of a rising number of virus
cases; imagining eating lunch 6 feet away
from friends, breaking through thick
layers of cotton and filters, and knowing
that none of it will end anytime soon
because classmates are going out on the
weekends and partying-most definitely
without masks and social distancing. In
elementary school, it was the kid in the
back of the classroom who would not
be quiet, preventing you from going to
recess. Now, it’s the 18-year-old going out
with his or her friends, preventing you
from living a normal life.
It’s nice to see people, don’t get me
wrong, but it’s different. I feel isolated
from my classmates - being yelled at
when I come within 4 feet of my friends is
difficult during senior year. Senior year.
I waited 6 years of my educational career
to get to this mark of adulthood, and it is
nothing like the stories say, thanks to the
kid going out without a mask. Of course,
this brings joys and challenges, namely
the spectacular level of innovation that
our teachers have shown. Sure, it’s easy
to just talk to their students and make
class as ordinary as possible (we sit,
they lecture), but if anything joyous has
come out of this pandemic, it is how well
I have learned to be resourceful from
the example set by my teachers. Half of
the time at school and half of the time at
home caused a learning barrier that the
teachers overcame with versatile lesson
plans and their comfort (though it might
be fake, it’s completely believable) with
the new environment. Everything is new
to us. It’s a learning process for all of us.
Coping with the new circumstances is
a feat beyond normal expectations. I
have taken up teaching myself piano as
a past time, channeling my occasional
frustration and exhaustion into a
performance that I can hear and share
with other people. That’s only my
approach, but people have done other
things…TikTok, knitting and coloring,
just to name a few. This whole “learning
in a pandemic” thing has taught me the
resourcefulness of humankind. I have
seen an increase in empathy, intelligence
and love for our neighbors despite
the isolation. That’s why I still have
patience for the kid who goes out on the
weekends, because I would do the same
if that was my way of coping. Everything
is new. Everyone is learning.
Hope is Not Lost for Amelia Humphrey
Click, clack the sound of my sweaty
fingertips smashes into my keyboard
trying to resolve the technical error that
has just appeared on my screen in the
middle of my test. My teacher is yelling
at me, but slowly becomes frozen due
to my lack of internet, and there I am
again, stuck while the screen reloads.
I eventually cave and move my sweaty
hands to form an apology email hoping
the teacher will understand that yes, my
Wi-Fi really is not working.
When I think of Marist, I am flooded
with memories of football games and
group exercises on the front field. This all
becomes a blur in this new school year
as I trudge through the halls wearing
my mask and staying six feet apart
from everyone, barely being able to
communicate a word. Yet, I am reminded
of our success as a school to remain open
and optimistic, and my emotions begin
to fade.
When I enter my classes, I am welcomed
by comforting teachers who risk their
own health to provide for others.
Teachers who not only accommodate
to all but continue to be a light to those
suffering from loneliness during this
unprecedented time. What used to be an
open-air arena of laughter in the arcade
area of St. Peter Chanel Hall is now a
spread of chairs spaced with moderators
in between. But hope is not lost.
Our Marist community continues to
prevail. Through celebrations of cross
country meets and streams of online
games - we continue to support each
other unconditionally, even when our
future is unknown. Although we may
now all need blue light glasses, we
“The pandemic may limit our ability to come to campus,
but we will not let it dampen our spirits.”
continue to participate and strive to do
our best in and outside the classroom.
The pandemic has brought less traffic, no
more cafeteria lines, and above all a new
fashion statement: masks. The pandemic
may limit our ability to come to campus,
but we will not let it dampen our spirits.
Education Amid a Pandemic – An
“Unprecedented Event”
For Camille de St. Aubin …. I am sure
everyone has heard that phrase more
times than they could count on their
fingers and toes. It is true that these
times of face coverings and social
distancing have never been experienced
in our 17- or 18-year lifetime. The
pandemic itself is associated with a lot
of loss - loss that should be mourned
and felt deeply. However, if not met with
a small glimmer of optimism each day,
that loss will swallow us whole.
The bleachers that once were home to a
cheering, joyful student section now sit
in reflection. The silence is eerie, and it
makes us uncomfortable. What used to
be is no longer. We forget that everything
follows that cycle of change; it is more
the abruptness of this change that pains
continues on page 20
Fall 2020 19

Hybrid learning in Gina Parnaby’s first period class
us. Never did I or any other senior expect
to be sitting in their basement instead
of in the front row of the student section
with a headache from yelling and color
powder inside their ear drums. What
pains us is the fact that we never got to
say goodbye. That part feels unfinished.
However, I cannot do myself or others
reading this the disservice of forgetting
what has filled those empty bleachers -
the community within those four walls
is still alive and well – only now those
four walls look a little different. Rather
than in the bleachers Marist students
watch the games from their home. Two
hours every Friday night the entire
Marist community finds themselves
encapsulated by the same event. We
are together apart - Marist instilled
that in us. While miles away from our
classmates, together we complain over
a bad call by the referee, together we get
up and dance at each touchdown scored
and we sing the alma mater because we
are a family. We celebrate each other’s
wins, and we lean on each other during
the losses. By watching those games
together, the Marist community, while
it may not be physically together, never
walked away from each other. We never
let the fear of the unknown stop us
from still being that family that every
student, teacher, staff, coach, parent
and alum is a member. Right now we
may feel unfinished and our futures feel
unknown, but we choose to walk into
it together (6 feet apart of course). We
choose to embrace each other closely
and walk out to the other side.
Teaching Methods Have Changed –
The Message Has Not
For English Department Chair Gina
Parnaby, when Marist School announced
on March 13, 2020 (Friday the 13th –
how appropriate!) that we’d be learning
from home beginning the following
week, we believed it would be a shortterm
solution. As spring continued and
COVID-19 cases kept rising, it was clear
that “short-term” was now “long haul.”
The long haul has now extended into
the current school year, and masks,
hybrid schooling (half the students in
the classroom and half at home) and
social distancing have become our new
normal.
Although the medium has changed, the
message has not. In 1873, the Marists
laid out the “threefold duty” of teachers
to students: “to form them into strong
and faithful disciples of Christ; to
impart to them all solid virtues…; and
finally, to teach them letters and the
various sciences.” For the past 147 years,
Marist education has held firm to these
principles that continue to guide our
work in the midst of crisis. Sr. Madeleva
Wolff, C.S.C., shared with the women
of Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame,
Indiana in 1943 that “…we know that you
can be secure only when you can stand
everything that can happen to you. If
your school has prepared you for this,
it has been a good school.” That sort of
preparation comes grounded in faith and
guarded by virtue.
Our daily classroom routine has now
added squirts of hand sanitizer to prayer,
but the conversations remain the same
as they have for generations of Marist
students: What does it mean to be and do
good? What is God calling me to do? How
can I use my gifts to serve others? In the
model of thinking, feeling and acting as
Mary, students and faculty are focused
on caring for one another and building
up our caritas, that loving care for other
people, in particular ways. Teachers
are using a variety of technology tools
not only to teach content but to build
connection. Extracurricular activities
like drama, marching band, robotics,
debate and athletics are continuing,
adopting innovative adaptations to
accommodate the current situation.
With the start of the new school year,
for me, it’s a comfort to hear students
laughing and chatting with one another
again, and to walk past the plaques and
memorials to Marist’s past. We’ve guided
students through wars, pandemics and
depressions, and will continue to do so
under the protection and guidance of
Mary, our mother. Her spirit is palpable
in these halls.
20 Today’s Marists Magazine

Remembering the Marists and
the 1873 Yellow Fever Epidemic
by Susan J. Illis, Archivist, Archives of the Society of Mary, US Province
In 1863 the Marists arrived in Louisiana
to begin their mission service in the new
land. While the languages, religion and
culture were similar to what they had left
in England and France, the missionaries
encountered unfamiliar diseases, just
as they did in Oceania. Primary among
these was yellow fever, a mosquito-borne
disease that caused deadly outbreaks
in frequent intervals, preying mostly on
newcomers.
In 1873 vulnerable Marists experienced
the “strangers’ disease,” as yellow fever
was also known, and five Marists at
Jefferson College in Convent, Louisiana
died over a six-week period. Rev. Henri
Gaud, SM, born in France in 1832, had
been named president of Jefferson
College in 1870 and was establishing
his reputation as one of the most
distinguished priests in the archdiocese.
Although caring for sick colleagues was
not one of his presidential responsibilities,
it was a duty that he nonetheless selflessly
undertook. Rev. Matthew McGrath, SM,
prefect and professor, was the first to fall
ill, followed by Brother Joseph Michard,
SM, who died on September 15, 1873.
McGrath died a few weeks later. After
nursing his confreres for over a month,
Gaud finally succumbed to the disease on
October 8, 1873. Rev. Peter Freyssinet, SM,
one of the original Marists at Jefferson
College, also died a few weeks after Gaud.
With a third of the faculty decimated
by illness, the college reopened in early
November with Rev. Jean-Baptiste Bigot,
SM, as president.
A few days after Gaud’s death, Papal
bulls arrived from Rome, appointing him
auxiliary archbishop of New Orleans.
Had he not been a victim of the saffron
scourge - a more fanciful appellation for
yellow fever - Gaud would have been the
first Marist bishop in the United States.
Interestingly, in 1906 James Blenk, SM,
became archbishop of New Orleans when
his predecessor died during a second
yellow fever epidemic in the area.
Although all the Marist losses were keenly
felt, Rev. Gaud was especially mourned:
For forty days the good Father had been
on his feet continually, he had valiantly
fought against the epidemic. His
attainments, his theological knowledge,
his generous character, and his deep
piety had made Father Gaud a man of
eminence. At the time of his passing,
the Bulls were on the way from Rome,
preconizing him as the Coadjutor to the
Archbishop of New Orleans. His passing
was a matter of public mourning.
In 1878, a second more severe outbreak
of yellow fever ravaged the Mississippi
Valley, claiming 20,000 lives. The
Marists were spared fatalities early in
the outbreak, with one contemporary
commenting, “Heaven was satisfied with
the tribute it had paid in 1873, when five
of its members fell victims to the same
fearful scourge.”
Rev. John Muncaster, SM, had just
completed one academic year of his first
assignment at Jefferson College, where
he was adored by faculty and students
alike. Only 27 years old, he believed his
youth and vitality would protect him
from the disease. Fr. Muncaster spent the
summer filling in not only at St. Michael’s,
the Marist parish in Convent, Louisiana,
but also assisted at other churches left
unstaffed due to the outbreak and also
attended to the spiritual needs of those
stricken with the disease. Despite dire
warnings from those familiar with yellow
fever, Muncaster continued at a frenetic
pace all summer.
Fr. Muncaster was called back to Jefferson
College from his ministrations in Bayou
Lafourche, an area in southeastern
Louisiana that had been hard hit by
yellow fever. Unfortunately, he had
already contracted yellow fever and died
in Donaldsonville, Louisiana on October
30, 1878 where he was initially buried.
Rev. John Grimes, SM, recounted that in
December 1878, when the Marists went
to retrieve Fr. Muncaster’s remains for
interment in Convent, Louisiana, they
discovered that despite the unusually
harsh winter weather, a small white lily
was growing out of his grave. Although
all the surrounding trees and plants were
dead, the white flower — symbolizing
purity and resurrection — survived on
the young Marist’s grave.
To learn more about the Marists history
during multiple disease outbreaks, we
invite you to view the online exhibit
“United in One Mind and One Heart:
The Society of Mary and Epidemics” at:
https://bit.ly/3nV09F8
Aerial view of Jefferson College, Convent, Louisiana, early 1900s
Fall 2020 21

THE PANDEMIC
Making Us Rethink Charity
and Mutuality
by Nik Rodewald, SM
In the Marist tradition, the yearning for the fullness of the
coming of God’s Kingdom takes on the image of the Marian
Church, a Church of mercy and compassion, simplicity and
humility. By thinking, judging, feeling, and acting as Mary
in the world, Marists work for the renewal of the Church. By
being “hidden and unknown in the world,” Marists cultivate
a listening heart that allows us to “hear the longings of the
people of God and discern the signs of hope present in today’s
world.” In the midst of a global pandemic that has claimed more
than 200,000 lives in the United States alone, the creation and
development of effective mutual aid efforts across the country
has been a sign of hope and an invitation to us to reconsider our
understanding of mission in the world.
What is Mutual Aid?
Activist and organizer Dean Spade defines mutual aid
as, “a form of political participation in which people take
responsibility for caring for one another and changing political
conditions … by building new social relations that are more
survivable.” (Spade, D. “Solidarity Not Charity,” Social Text 38,
no. 1 (March 2020): p. 136.) At the heart of mutual aid is the
belief that a new world - complete with new, more sustainable
social relations - is possible. Individual networks impact
communities and allow them to be transformed; this communal
transformation then becomes a sign of what a new social order
might enable.
Mutual aid philosophy is built upon the belief that charity, as
it is understood in the contemporary world, creates a cycle
of dependency that disproportionately affects minority and
historically disempowered groups. Wherever charity (or
government assistance) solicits assistance from empowered
individuals and gives this assistance to marginalized
groups, it does nothing to dismantle the system that enabled
marginalization in the first place and classifies the poor as
perpetual recipients of ‘handouts.’ Moreover, the assistance
provided usually only reaches those who are least marginalized
within the group of people who were supposed to benefit from
the assistance. A common example of this is tuition assistance
that is contingent upon an individual’s grades or academic
progress: while this may indeed provide assistance to some
students from low-income backgrounds, it will reach only those
who have the highest intellectual capacity, leaving all others
behind.
Unlike charity, mutual aid employs ‘bottom-up’ strategies for
enacting lasting change. By re-thinking the social hierarchy
and eliminating any qualifications for receiving aid, mutual
aid relies upon building solidarity between different members
of the community. This encourages each member to give
what they have and take what they need, thereby reducing the
community’s reliance on systems of power, government or
charity.
The bonds of solidarity created between diverse people not
only transforms communities, but also leads to individual
flourishing. People learn new skills, collaborate across divides,
and act out of a holy boldness. In the words of St. Paul, as the
community flourishes and becomes a sign of the hope that lies
in store for us, we are “no longer strangers and aliens, but …
members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).
Mutual Aid and COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, existing mutual aid
organizations have grown exponentially, and many new
organizations have formed. With many people stuck inside
their homes, social media has become a critical tool in the
organization of thousands of communities. I personally have
witnessed mutual aid principles through my own involvement
in Grassroots CUA and Ward 5 Mutual Aid Group, both in
Washington, DC. Grassroots CUA is a group that formed at The
Catholic University of America to support DC- area mutual
efforts during COVID-19. Ward 5 Mutual Aid Group is an
informal group of people who have come together as neighbors
connecting people in need with people who want to help during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each of these mutual aid groups began with a simple mission:
provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to those who need
it. Non-contact community drives were formed, and those in the
Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC (Ward 5) provided
more than 1,000 individual items to unhoused members of
the Brookland community as well as those who work in area
homeless shelters. This network quickly expanded, and Ward 5
Mutual Aid Group set up a hotline where individuals could call
continues on page 25
22 Today’s Marists Magazine

Teaching Adult Faith
Formation Online
by Mark Dannenfelser, Director of Adult Faith Formation, Our Lady of Assumption, Atlanta, Georgia
Introduction
Recently, I was teaching an adult faith formation class online
for Our Lady of Assumption Church (OLA) in Atlanta, Georgia
when I received the error message: “Your connection is
unstable.” What does that mean? Is my internet connection
unstable or am I unstable? In a few moments the connection
became stable again, and class went on with no other glitches.
Later that evening I began to consider the importance of
connections: mine and my computer’s.
What is it about connection that is so important to us and how
have our connections, both technical and relational, changed
during these past several months? This issue of connection
is an important one for any teacher to ask and it is especially
important for those of us involved in facilitating faith formation
for adults. Good catechesis asks us to pass on the faith, a faith
that is rooted in relationship, so connection is important.
For many Catholics, limited access to the church building and
the sacraments has felt like a major source of disconnection.
However, in the absence of traditional gatherings,
opportunities for a deep sense of community have also
emerged. Kelly, a parishioner at OLA, reported her experience
of community following an online contemplative prayer
meeting, “Going through so many new life changes during a
world pandemic has been very difficult to say the least. Being
surrounded by a church community through virtual meetings
has truly helped me heal, learn new ideas and increase my
spirituality.”
This article focuses on teaching faith formation to adults using
virtual technology. The discussion is framed through the lens
of relationship, connection and community. Using an online
platform like Zoom or WebEx requires some technical training,
but this is easily accomplished by spending a bit of time
experimenting with how the online platform works. In addition
to the technical requirements needed to get connected, we
must also consider faith formation in light of the relational
issue of connection.
At OLA we have been exploring the challenges of teaching and
offering pastoral care in the midst of the pandemic. Like many
parishes we have adapted our liturgies and faith formation
offerings, mostly by moving these online. This adaptation has
raised questions: How do we still assemble as a community
during a time when we cannot be together physically? What
is our relationship to the church building and to the spiritual
community? How do we still participate in the sacramental
life when we are not able to physically receive the sacraments?
What does it mean to be church today?
I will begin by reflecting on some broad concepts related to
facilitating faith formation with adults in an online format, and
then I’ll briefly discuss some practical considerations.
Broad Concepts
Challenges to create and maintain community during a
pandemic have been many, yet so too have the opportunities
for connection. While much has been lost, much has been
gained during these unordinary times. OLA, like other
parishes, has seen an increased attendance at many of its
adult faith formation offerings. Several small Christian
communities have moved their regular gatherings online and
have reported a renewed interest by many of their members.
At OLA, our meeting rooms have had a virtual expansion as
well, and we find that people who have been away from church
due to illness, family commitments or relocations, can now
participate online. Meetings have become more integrated as
people from other churches, or no church at all, have access to
the online learning environment. This experience has led to
our understanding of community as expansive, inclusive and
needing to get beyond the physical parish boundary.
More options have emerged regarding professional guest
speakers whose schedules might not otherwise permit them to
travel. Without needing to provide a physical space (meeting
space is always an issue at our vibrant and active parish),
we find that more groups can meet at the same time which
increases our variety of offerings. This has also allowed for
timely and streamlined responses to current issues. A good
example of this was the prayer service about racial justice
which we were able to create in the immediate aftermath of
one of the deaths of a black man at the hands of police. To be
able to offer such timely prayers and then to be able to follow
the service with an educational offering to discuss race and the
criminal justice system was both effective and meaningful.
continues on page 25
Fall 2020 23

OBITUARIES
Father Roland Henry Lacasse, SM
1931-2020
Father Roland Henry
Lacasse, SM, entered
eternal life on May
11, 2020 at the age
of 88. He was born
on October 24,
1931 in Lawrence,
Massachusetts to
Wilfred and Eva
(Ouellette) Lacasse. After graduating from
the Marist minor seminary in Bedford,
Massachusetts, he went on to complete his
studies for the priesthood at Marist College
and Seminary in Framingham, Massachusetts
and The Catholic University of America in
Washington, DC. He made his profession in
the Society of Mary on September 8, 1953
at Our Lady of the Elms Novitiate on Staten
Island, New York. Fr. Lacasse was ordained
a Marist priest at the National Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC
on February 6, 1960.
Fr. Lacasse, having prepared for ministries
in secondary education, hospital chaplaincy
and as a parish priest, was first assigned to
Marist schools in Michigan, New York and
Maine. He also served as chaplain at the
Massachusetts General Hospital. Fr. Lacasse
went on to minister as a curate and many
times as pastor in seven different parishes
in Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont. In his
last assignment he served as a member of
the Marist community at the Lourdes Center
in Boston, helping to organize pilgrimages
to Lourdes, answering letters from the
sick, and writing a bimonthly column,
“Marist Guidance” in the Echoes From
Lourdes publication. Fr. Lacasse eventually
retired to the Nevins Manor in Methuen,
Massachusetts.
Fr. Lacasse loved being a priest and
his profound faith was nurtured by the
deep Catholic faith of his parents and
the examples set by the Good Shepherd
Sisters and the Marist Brothers priests who
educated him. When asked on his application
to the Seminary why he wanted to become
a priest he wrote, “To help people to be
happy and holy” - a goal that he achieved “in
spades” as his many surviving relatives, loyal
friends and former parishioners will attest.
He was a great homilist and would
sometimes sing part of a song to illustrate
the meaning of a Scripture passage. Fr.
Lacasse also developed his writing talent
as a curate at St. Anne’s in Lawrence and
through a weekly column, “Insight,” he wrote
for the Lawrence Eagle Tribune in which he
reflected on the deeper meaning hidden in
the everyday events.
Fr. Roland is survived by his elder brother,
Rev. M. Eugene Lacasse, OCSO, his younger
sister Doris (Paul), Bitler, and numerous
nieces, nephews, grandnephews and
grandnieces. When COVID-19 restrictions are
lifted, a Mass and mercy meal will be held.
Memorial donations may be made to Marist
Ministries at the Lourdes Center. Please write
“Lourdes Center” on the inner flap of the
enclosed donation envelope or donate online
at: societyofmaryusa.org.
Father James R. LaCrosse, SM
1939-2020
Father James R.
LaCrosse, S.M.,
entered eternal life
on July 7, 2020. He
was born on May
19, 1939 to James
F. and Ella (Davis)
LaCrosse in Toledo,
Ohio. He completed
his elementary education at St. Vincent
DePaul, Toledo, Ohio. Deciding to pursue a
vocation to the holy priesthood, he entered
St. Mary’s Manor Minor Seminary in Penndel,
Pennsylvania, in 1954 with the plans to be
a missionary priest of the Society of Mary
(Marists) and serve in the South Pacific. Fr.
LaCrosse made his profession in the Society
of Mary on September 8, 1961 and then
attended Marist College in Washington,
DC where he completed his studies in
philosophy and theology. On February 2,
1967 Fr. LaCrosse was ordained a Marist
priest by Bishop Thomas J. Wade, SM, in the
chapel of Trinity College, Washington, D.C.
In his initial assignments, Fr. LaCrosse, served
as a parish priest and as Marist vocation
director. However, he found he most loved
ministering to young people as teacher,
counselor, mentor and coach. His teaching
assignments included St. Peter Chanel High
School, Bedford, Ohio, Immaculata Seminary,
Lafayette, Louisiana and St. Mary’s Manor,
Penndel, Pennsylvania. In 1993 Fr. LaCrosse
became the pastor of St. Vincent de Paul
Parish, Wheeling, West Virginia, where he
served for 15 years. Fr. LaCrosse then served
eight years at Mater Dolorosa Parish, Paden
City, West Virginia. While in Wheeling, in
addition to his pastoral duties, Fr. LaCrosse
served as chaplain, mentor and sports
coach to several of the teams at Wheeling
Central Catholic High School and became a
beloved member of the school community.
Fr. LaCrosse retired to the Continuous Care
Center of Wheeling Hospital. Although Fr.
LaCrosse never made it to be a foreign
missionary, his youthful dream, his
enthusiasm for sharing his Catholic faith and
his love of people certainly made his life truly
missionary.
Fr. LaCrosse is survived by his two sisters,
Mrs. Alice “Sue” Minsel and Mrs. Lois Smith,
and one brother, Thomas LaCrosse. When
COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, a memorial
Mass and reception will be held. Memorial
donations may be made to the Society of
Mary (Marists) using the enclosed donation
envelope or online at: societyofmaryusa.org.
Father Dennis Joseph Steik, SM
1942-2020
Father Dennis Joseph
Steik, SM entered
eternal life on August
20, 2020. He was
born on July 2, 1942
to Joseph and Thelma
Steik in Whittier,
California. He attended
elementary school
at St. Bernard’s in Bellflower, California and
high school and college at St. Peter Chanel
Seminary in San Rafael, California. Fr. Steik
made his profession in the Society of Mary
on September 12, 1963 at the Novitiate in
Rhinebeck, New York. He then continued
his education at University of San Diego,
St. Paul’s College, Marist College and The
Catholic University of America. On May 31,
1969 Fr. Steik was ordained a Marist priest by
Bishop Thomas J. Wade, SM at St. Rafael’s
Church.
Fr. Steik first served as associate pastor
at Mary, Star of the Sea Church, Honolulu,
Hawaii and as Director of Religious
Education, religion teacher and counselor at
Star of the Sea High School. From 1970-72
continues on page 25
24 Today’s Marists Magazine

THE PANDEMIC, continued from page 22 TEACHING ADULT FAITH, continued from page 23
and ask if anyone in the community could meet their needs.
Members would see Facebook and Slack messages asking for
diverse needs: food, clothing, diapers, PPE, housing, legal
counsel, and medical care. We met the needs as best as we could
and asked other members of the community who we knew if
they could provide some of the needed goods and services. A
local businessman donated an empty building as a supply hub
where many of the more common items could be stored in bulk.
Spanish-speaking members of the community began helping
translation needs. People met neighbors they had not previously
known and the community grew stronger. In fact, DC’s mutual
aid networks grew so strong that Mayor Muriel Bowser’s
administration began directing calls from its COVID hotline to
mutual aid networks.
Those of us in Ward 5 Mutual Aid Group noticed that a
disproportionate number of calls were coming from a particular
homeless shelter in this part of the city where residents were
complaining of rodents and spoiled food, as well as harassment
and assault from security guards. True to mutual aid principles,
we worked with formerly homeless activists and residents
themselves to organize protests and amplify the voices of those
who are unheard in our political process.
Mutual Aid and Christian Subsidiarity
Mutual aid is subsidiarity. Christian subsidiarity, “aims at
harmonizing the relationships between individuals and
societies” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1885). Mutual aid,
by emphasizing human connections, keeps the dignity of the
human person at its center. By breaking down barriers of race,
class, religion, age and ability, it enables all participants to
grow in solidarity with each other. By challenging systems of
power and hierarchy, it amplifies the voices of those who find
themselves on the margins of society. Finally, by challenging
our prevailing notions of government assistance and charity,
it challenges us to serve in a “hidden and unknown” way,
ministering not from a position of social power, but from a
position of membership within our local community.
Want to get involved? Find a mutual aid network at:
https://bit.ly/2Itv1MD
OBITUARIES, continued from page 24
Fr. Steik was Vocation Director at St. Peter Chanel Seminary in San
Rafael, California and from 1976-77 was Vocation Director at Marist
College Seminary in Washington, DC. Fr. Steik then served in campus
ministries as Director of the Newman Center in Glendora, California
and as Director and Superior of Campus Ministry in Azusa, California.
In 1983 he was appointed Rector at St. Peter Chanel Seminary and at
the same time served as Campus Minister for Holy Names College.
Fr. Steik continued in Campus Ministry, returning to Azusa from 1986
through 1988 where he was Director and Superior. From 1989-1995
Fr. Steik returned to Mary, Star of the Sea Church in Honolulu serving
as pastor and superior. This was followed by his assignment to Our
Lady Star of the Sea Church in Santa Cruz, Ca., where he served as
Campus Minister. Fr. Steik was elected first provincial of the newly
restructured Atlanta Province of the United States from 2000-2006.
After a sabbatical he was then assigned to Notre Dame des Victoires
in San Francisco, California where he served from 2008 until he
retired in 2017 to Marist Center of the West in San Francisco.
Practical Considerations
Some practical considerations born of my experience teaching
adults online include taking the time to familiarize yourself
with the online platform and its many functions, including
breakout rooms, muting, chatting, screen-sharing, whiteboard
and other functions. Making sure you have checked all your
equipment before every session can help put you and the
participants at ease.
Two features that are important to manage are the camera
function and the chat box. I ask everyone to keep their cameras
on unless something very unusual is happening. I explain
that keeping cameras on can help give us a sense that we are
together in this virtual room. If people need to step away for
some reason, we invite them to keep the camera on so that
we know they are still there. The other function that I think is
important to manage is the chat function. I ask people not to
have side conversations in the chat box. Again, this helps to
simulate the in-person experience of not having a bunch of side
conversations during a meeting. At times, we dedicate specific
moments to have the whole group use the chat function by
answering questions or offering quick responses.
We have also found the breakout rooms to be very helpful in
mixing things up as well as offering another way for people to
engage. Sue shared her experience of the online environment
following the viewing and discussion about a racial justice
film, “It has been a learning experience, but I have enjoyed
seeing new people and hearing from others. Having both small
group and large group portions of the call is really helpful.”
It is important to consider creative ways to incorporate
opportunities for groups to interact informally with each other.
One of our prayer groups has created the habit of closing the
prayer time and then inviting anyone interested to continue to
stay on for social time.
Conclusion
Pope Francis encourages us to persevere in bringing Christ to
the world and doing so with creativity and enthusiasm. “Instead
of being just a church that welcomes and receives by keeping
the doors open, let us try also to be a church that finds new
roads, that is able to step outside itself and go to those who do
not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent.” (“A
Big Heart Open to God” cited in “The Quotable Pope Francis:
He Has a Way with Words.” National Catholic Reporter, Sept. 17,
2015.)
While most of us are eager to see one another again in person,
it seems that virtual faith formation has great value and we
at OLA envision gathering online as continuing to hold an
important place in our formation, prayer life and community
well into the future. We are committed to adaptation and
finding creative approaches to passing on the faith and
deepening our connection to one another and to God.
Fall 2020 25

Jean-Claude Colin and Caretaking
by Tom Ellerman, SM
The present pandemic has rightly brought
attention to caretakers all over the
world. Many have been called upon to be
caretakers for the first time in their lives.
Caretakers are those who give priority
to the well-being of others. They put into
practice in many concrete ways their
“most ardent charity to those with whom
they come into contact.” Caretaking can
take many forms and is vital to the life
of human community. Though there
were times in his life when our founder,
Father Jean-Claude Colin, felt alone and
abandoned, he continued to care for
others. Perhaps more difficult for him was
to accept care for himself. For him, as for
some, being loved was more painful than
loving.
In this article, we examine “caretaking”
of the sick and of the superior general.
Caretaking is most important in the
formation of novices and in the education
of young people in our Marist schools, but
we will leave those two topics for another
time.
The care of the sick and dying is treated
in numbers 230-243 of the Constitutions
of 1872. The infirm are to be the objects
of special care. Here we are talking
about more than medical care, “… all the
services of a most sincere charity are to
be performed for them with kindness,
and nothing is to be omitted which may
comfort them, and lift their spirits, taking
care above all that they are never given
the impression that they are tiresome
or a burden.” (# 239) The superior has
paternal obligations toward the sick
Marist, especially when the illness is lifethreatening.
In life, we encounter many people who
are sick or suffering in some way. Of
course, we would never want to add to
their suffering, whatever its source. We
can be a caretaker by treating them with
kindness, comforting them, and lifting
their spirits. We should never give any
suffering person the impression that they
are a burden to us, even though at times,
suffering does not bring out the best in
people.
Usually we do not think of those in
authority over us as needing care, but
in numbers 337-344 Father Founder
addresses the Society’s care for the
superior general. The principles
enunciated in these paragraphs can
be applied to others who are also in a
position of authority. The Society of
Mary should “show the greatest care for
its superior as a father, and effectively
see to it in the Lord that he be sustained
and helped with his burden.” (# 337)
The Society’s care for the superior is not
simply concerned with his office but also
with the person. We should pray for those
who have authority over us. If we are in
a position to do so, we should try to keep
the superior in good health, make sure his
needs are met and try to keep him from
being overly burdened with duties.
With regard to the superior carrying
out his office, the Society of Mary must
concern itself with supplying all the help
that he needs to ably carry out his duties
for the benefit of all.
What does Father Colin teach us in all
this? Simply put, we all need care in some
form or other, and we should all strive to
be caregivers to others. This should come
as no surprise, since we worship a God
who not only loves us but wants to be
loved by us. Could we possibly be God’s
caregivers?
Cause for Canonization of Venerable Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, SM
Founder of the Marist Fathers and Brothers
by Tom Ellerman, SM
Father Colin was no stranger to crises of all kinds: wars, revolutions, climate
changes, disputes within the Church, economic changes, political disturbances;
yet through it all, he turned to Mary in prayer and to the Church of Rome for
guidance. He remained at peace in the stormy sea of his life and times. He
believed in the Savior, who told him not to fear.
Please report any favors granted through the intercession of Jean-Claude Colin to:
Marist Center | 815 Varnum Street, N.E. | Washington, DC 20017-2298 | USA
For more information about the Cause for Canonization visit:
www.jeanclaudecolin.org.
26 Today’s Marists Magazine

Supporting the Marists
by Denise D’Amico, Administrator, Marist Development
It was September 1995. Spread out before me on the kitchen table was the “Help
Wanted” section of the local newspaper. Having just dropped my young daughters off
at school, my search was on for a part time job. My eyes settled on an ad which piqued
my interest: “Part Time Secretary, 10-15 hours/week, Marist Development Office, Marist
House, Framingham, Massachusetts.” Not too far from home, the right number of hours,
Development might be interesting, but who were the Marists?
I was welcomed into the Marist family with open arms, and I quickly settled into my role
as Secretary in the newly formed Development Office. I eagerly learned about donors and
prospects, capital campaigns and mail files. I managed databases, generated reports and
correspondence and I grew and flourished in the little office tucked away on the third floor
of Marist House.
While I was learning about all things Development, there was something else I was
beginning to observe and understand...something that went beyond spreadsheets and
reports…something that I realized was at the true heart and soul of the Development
Office. That something was the Marists themselves.
As a religious order with a history of working in parishes, schools, missions, retreat houses
and nursing homes, the Marists have spent their lives touching the minds, hearts and souls
of those to whom they minister. Spreading the Catholic faith through their ministries, they
change lives and offer hope. Through education, the Marists have formed generations of
well-educated and faith-filled members of society and live their lives through grace and
under the prayerful guidance of the Blessed Mother.
It was then that I understood that the Development Office IS the Marists. The donors who
give do so because of who the Marists are. Whether educated by the Marists, connected
through Marist parishes, or simply being aware of the extraordinary work the Marists are
involved in, donations are given in gratitude and appreciation. From a single dollar bill
wrapped in tissue paper to an extraordinarily large check, I learned a most valuable lesson
about giving from the heart.
It is September 2020. I continue with my work in the Development Office, now tucked
away at the Lourdes Center in Boston. I think back fondly on my early days at Marist
House and of all the Marist Fathers, Brothers and staff I have been honored to have spent
my days with over the years. I’ve worn many Marist hats in different roles within both the
Marist Retreat House and the Mission Office, but there is a soft spot in my heart for the
Development Office, where my Marist journey began all those years ago.
This, however, is not a “normal” year, being in the middle of a worldwide pandemic.
Since March I have worried about the impact on donations to the Marists through the
Development Office. Would there still be donations coming in? Would the Marist ministries
be affected? What about the Senior Religious? But those who have always supported the
Marists have not forgotten them. The ministries and outreach as well as care of the Senior
Religious continue because of the faithfulness and generosity of you, the donors. I breathe
a sigh of relief and offer a prayer of gratitude.
I would personally like to thank all of you who, throughout the years, have been so
supportive of the Development Office. Through your faith in and support of the Marists
and their ministries, the Marists can continue to do the grace-filled work of the Church
under the protective and loving mantle of our Blessed Mother. Please continue to keep the
Marists in your hearts and prayers.
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Are you drawn to a life of
mercy and compassion?
We Marists seek to bring compassion and mercy to the Church and world in
the footsteps of Mary who brought Jesus Himself into our world. We breathe
her spirit in lives devoted to prayer and ministry, witnessing to those values
daily in community.
To speak with a member of the Vocational Team, call toll-free 866.298.3715.
Visit us online at: societyofmaryusa.org
All About Mary is an encyclopedia of
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with resources on the subject of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
Locate online resources including:
• Art
• Life of Mary
• Music
Checkout the website:
https://udayton.edu/imri/mary
Spirituality of the Society of Mary:
Contemplatives in Action
While the Church has always
emphasized Marian devotion, “We
(Marists) are called to something
much deeper … we are called to
become Mary’s devotion in the midst
of the Church.” – Fr. Ed Keel, SM
For featured articles and talks
checkout the website:
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28 Today’s Marists Magazine