MARIST BROTHERS’ VOCATION

(For awareness of the Marist Brothers’ vocation)

Taken from Vocations Resources Page from www.maristbr.com

Teachers have a responsibility and unique opportunity to guide their students in awareness of God and God’s overwhelming love for each person. They nurture in youth that personal relationship with the Lord, through which a student will gradually come to hear the Lord’s vocational invitation and be able to respond. You are encouraged to review the first entry on the Vocation Resources Page, Promoting A Culture of Vocations in Marist Schools for an overview. Contained there are general suggestions for getting an overall sense of what can be offered. Specific items focus on service projects with other USA Marist students, suggestions for interviewing and visiting Marist communities where practical, excerpts from the Standards For A Marist Education, and guidelines for a Marist Senior Group, among other ideas. Below are suggestions for how you might use the additional entries on the Resources Page in a given year. These are merely suggestions. Use the resources as you see them fitting into your own class needs. You might want to supplement vocation education with other sources you are familiar with.

As of March 2013 in the USA, we are 158 Brothers ministering in 14 high schools, two summer camps, and one retreat center for young people. We serve as teachers, administrators, campus ministers, guidance counselors and spiritual directors. Worldwide there are over 3,500 Marist Brothers ministering in 79 countries. We directly share our mission and spirituality with more than 50,000 laypeople, and together we are educating close to 500,000 children and young people.

Freshman Year

#4 ‐ A Heart That Knew No Bounds: video on St. Marcellin’s life. Accompanying Study Guide offers 3 approaches to reviewing the video.

Nb. Some Marist schools have been using this video as an introduction to Marist charism during freshman orientation sessions with great success.

#5 – National Vocation Awareness Week materials, contains lesson plans and suggested activities for varying grade levels. Link includes junior high, high school, and young adult lesson plans, plus Liturgy prep, Homily notes and a Service.

#6 – What Is A ? Brief video explaining what a Brother is. Following the video students could be asked to share their observations or interview a Brother basing their interview on questions the class brainstorms after seeing the video.

Sophomore Year

#2 ‐ Real Brothers, Real Stories, A Real Difference video. This video emphasizes Marist history, ministry and community life. Accompanying Lesson Plan expands upon what students observed in the video. An opening prayer is also included.

#11 – Life of Champagnat handout provides basic information about St. Marcellin and is a good follow up to the Real Brothers video. #5 ‐ National Vocation Awareness Week materials, contains lesson plans and suggested activities for varying grade levels. Link includes junior high, high school, and young adult lesson plans, plus Liturgy prep, Homily notes and a Prayer Service.

#8 – Benedict’s Call To Young People: This power point presentation is a short, inspiring meditation using Benedict’s words at a Youth rally at the seminary during his USA visit at Dunwoodie, NY. The PowerPoint encourages young people to consider the religious life and priesthood as a way of following Christ.

Junior Year

#3 – Live Marist video: This video encourages Marist spirituality development and enhancement throughout one’s life. Accompanying Lesson Plan expands upon what students observed in the video. An opening prayer is also included.

#19 – Water From The Rock serves as a primer of Marist Spirituality. Students can research Marist Spirituality thematically. WFTR Meditations are also included in #19.

#7 – In The Footsteps Of Christ Our Brother video introduces Brotherhood as a viable option to God’s call. Five different communities of Brothers are highlighted including the Marist Brothers. Accompanying DVD contains lesson plans that expand upon what students observed in the video. Nb. Links from the Resource Page to the videos are not available. Nb. Videos had been sent to each school when they were first published.

#14 – What Is Religious Life handout overviews the vows that Religious Brothers and Sisters live by.

#17 – General Vocation Lesson Plans include 2 extended lessons with activities.

#18 ‐ Class Prayer Service on Vocations

Senior Year

Use any of the previous mentioned videos, Real Brothers, Real Stories, A Real Difference… Live Marist… A Heart That Knew No Bounds, etc. followed by general impressions/questions from the students.

#12 – Accompaniment brochure is geared for senior boys as it explains how one becomes a Marist Brother.

#13 – Overview of Marist Initial Formation Programs also offers information on how a young man actually becomes a Brother at the in Esopus, NY. Depending upon availability and practicality, a or novice who might actually be in the Novitiate might be invited to speak to the class about his experience in becoming a Marist Brother. Marist Novitiate Esopus phone number: 845‐384‐6106.

#19 – Water From The Rock serves as a primer of Marist Spirituality. Students can research Marist Spirituality thematically. WFTR Meditations are also included in #19.

For students interested in more

#15 – Make A Difference! A guide For Life Choice offers practical steps in learning how to discern life choices.

#16 – Insights Into The Discernment Process is a video leading the viewer through a discernment process. Video can be stopped periodically to reflect on the content.

Additional resources (#21)

VISION Magazine can be referenced for research assignments. Its articles highlight various Priests, Brothers and Sisters and their stories. Additional articles center on the discernment process.

GUIDE TO RELIGIOUS MINISTRIES is a resource book containing useful information about many religious communities of Priests, Brothers, Sisters and Lay Volunteer groups in the USA.

Marist Brothers USA website www.maristbr.com provides current information on the Brothers vocation in the USA. As of February 2012 in the USA, we are 166 Brothers ministering in 14 high schools, two summer camps, and one retreat center for young people. We serve as teachers, administrators, campus ministers, guidance counselors and spiritual directors.

Marist Brothers International website www.champagnat.org has a wealth of current and archival pieces related to the Marist Brothers presence and ministries worldwide. As of February 2012, there are over 3,700 Marist Brothers ministering in 78 countries. Worldwide, we directly share our mission and spirituality with more than 40,000 laypeople, and together we are educating close to 500,000 children and young people.

Supplemental resources

#9 Marist Brothers Poster Bro Program highlights 10 Marist Brothers in poster form.

#10 Marist Brothers Prayer Services provide a three year cycle of over 120 services on the theme of vocations.

#20 ‐ Evangelizers In The Midst Of Youth: text with resource guide. #21 ‐ American Marist Province Newsletter – quarterly publication from the Marist Provincial highlighting recent happenings in the province.

#22 ‐ Marks Of A Marist Student: what is hoped for as a student progresses through and graduates from a . Each poster is designed for our individual Marist schools.

MARIST VOCATIONS and MARIST EVANGELIZATION newsletters also available on the website.

Contact information:

Marist Vocation Directors 1241 Kennedy Blvd. Bayonne, NY 07002. 201‐823‐1115. [email protected]