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.