Marist Spirituality

Theme 7Thursday 28 July, 2016

Benedictus Karl Jenkins

Spirituality

What aspect of your own life and search for life does the word spirituality

signal?

DefinitionsPhilosophers - capacity to know the truth

Psychologists - gives a person energy

Religious Person - experiencing the ultimate or Holy

Genesis 32: 22-26The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, I will not let you go, unless you bless me.”

So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob”. Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you has striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face-to-face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the hip socket, because he struck Jacob on the hip socket at the time muscle.

Genesis 32: 27-32

Christian Spirituality

St Benedict 480-547

Mary’s Place in the Church

431 Council of Ephesus - Theotokos (God bearer)

1100s Mary is seen as mother and associate of Christ

1516 Reformation - Challenge to Marian piety

1950 International Marian Academy established

1964 Constitution on the Church

A Society of Mary

• Society of Jesus 1534

• Society of Mary 1816

• Seeking a Marian Church

The Pledge

The Four Marist Founders

• Jean Claude Courveille

• Jeanne Marie Chavoin

• Marcellin Champagnat

• Jean Claude Colin

Positive Pedagogy• The four Marist Founders

devote themselves to education

• They believe evangelisation is a work of education demanding time, patience and hope

• Besides personal attention, the maternal heart not only represents affection, it also represents a positive pedagogy (Forissier, 1992, pp.241-247)

We must have Marist educators

(Brothers)

Marcellin saw Mary as his ‘inspiration’

and only ‘real superior’.

Letter to Br Barthelemy

Association

Faith

Mission

Family

Spirituality

communion

passion

our hopes and priorities 2016-2018We Marists....

Best Practice Today

Key Elements of our Spirituality

Our Personal Response• The angel of the Lord came to Mary.

• Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

• Do not fear, Mary, the Lord has looked kindly upon you.

• The Holy Spirit will come upon you.

• Blessed are you who believed.

• I am the handmaid of the Lord - let it be done to me as you have said.

Water from the Rock, 2007, p.39

Implications for my Work

BibliographyBowe, B. (2003). Biblical Foundations of Spirituality.

Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield.Coates, G. (2000). Marcellin in the Footsteps of Mary.

Marcellin College. Bulleen. Forissier, A. (1992). For a Marian Church. Slough: St Paul

Publications. Laurentin, R. (1965). Mary's Place in the Church.

London: Compass.Turú, E. (2016, 25 March). Fourvière: The Revolution of

Tenderness. Letter of the Superior General. Rome.