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In the News: January 25, 2016

By Michael Duricy



Read recent items about Mary in both Catholic and secular news. Also see International Marian Research Institute news and updates.

ML/IMRI Features

Marian Events

Mary in the Catholic Press

Mary in the Secular Press

Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute Features

Updates

The Marian Library was nominated for the Society of American Archivists (SAA) Hamer Award for their work on Faith, Reason, and One-hour Processing. The nomination was from the Catholic Library Association.

Miryam Award nominations sought

This award recognizes the efforts of employees and students to change the atmosphere and the potential for women's achievements at the University. Individuals or groups of U.D. faculty, staff or students can be nominated through February 3, 2016. Visit the Center for Social Concern website for more information and a nomination form.

Mary in Media: Books, Films, Music, etc.

The Marians of the Immaculate Conception offer Free Phone Apps about Mary and also about Divine Mercy. Click here for information. Also, you are invited to begin a group retreat with others who want to consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary. Find out more at AllHeartsAfire.org.

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From the Marian Treasure Chest

Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., sent us the article below along with the following comments: "Chaminade Thoughts from Brother Joe Barrish"

Thoughts about Chaminade by Brother Joe Barrish, S.M.

Looking over the new document Identity and Mission of the Religious Brother in the Church, I am impressed by how the document expresses much of the vision of Father Chaminade from 200 years ago. One section of the document is entitled "New wine in new wineskins." This echoes much of Chaminade's thinking and the phrase from the Book of Judges, "Nova bella eliget Dominus." The Lord has chosen new wars. The importance of faith is stressed in the document and in our Marianist charism.

Chaminade read the signs of the times. He took what was a slogan of the revolution, "liberty, equality, fraternity," and made that part of his enterprise. Chaminade welcomed all kinds of people to his sodalities and to religious commitment. There was to be union without confusion. We know that this does not always occur; and it is always a challenge.

Those who were the first who committed themselves to his vision of religious life as brothers varied in age and career choices: two were seminarians who were 20 years of age; one was a professor and was 26 years old; two men were in business, 26 and 28 years old; two were day laborers--tinkers--men who work making wine barrels. One of these men was 26 years old, the other was 39 years old. Thus seminarians, professional men, and working men lived in a small house on a side street off the Rue Segur. Chaminade had the patience and wisdom to work with this small group of men who were very different in background, temperament, and education.

This unassuming priest, William Chaminade, opted not for the life of a Jesuit as his brother did, or of a typical parish priest. He had to be a man of deep faith to live in such transitional and even violent times, a man of faith who accepted all the challenges that his followers and the times presented. The more I study Chaminade the more I see a wonderful model for our times and circumstances. And who knows, maybe Chaminade is speaking to us today: "As I see you now before me, so I saw you in spirit at Zaragoza a long time ago. It was Mary who conceived the plan of the Society; she laid its foundation, she will see its continued existence."

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Marian Events

ESBVM-USA August 2016 Conference Call for Papers

The Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary USA (ESBVM USA) exists to advance the study of Mary, the Mother of Christ, in Christian biblical and spiritual perspective, and in the light of such study, to promote ecumenical interchange and prayer. Its aim is to show that in Mary, Christians of many traditions may find a focus in their search for unity.

Proposal Due Date: February 15, 2016

Conference Theme: Mary in Scripture

Conference Dates: August 4, 5, and 6, 2016

Conference Location: Mount St. Mary College, Newburgh, New York

Submission Guidelines and Requirements:

The paper proposal should be in DOC or DOCX format and must include:

1) Presentation Title

2) Presenter's Name, professional affiliation (e.g. university or church name), and status (undergrad, grad, student, Ph.D. candidate, faculty, pastor, etc.)

3) Contact information (e-mail address, daytime telephone)

4) Abstract (350-500 words)

5) Equipment needs

The overall theme for the conference is "Mary in Scripture." As such, the ESBVM is looking for papers that discuss viewpoints on Mary, the mother of Jesus, as presented in various Christian traditions, or by individual theologians. This theme may be approached through a variety of avenues such as:

--Biblical typologies of Mary

--Biblical texts used for Marian feasts in the Lectionary

--The Biblical Mariology of a particular theologian (e.g. Hans Urs von Balthasar, Luther, Calvin, John Meyendorff)

--Mary in extra-biblical sources (such as the Protoevangelium of James)

--Systematic, historical, or spiritual reflections on the narrative of Mary in scripture

--Systematic, historical, or spiritual reflections on the words of Mary in scripture

--Reflections on the use of Biblical Mariology to further ecumenical or interreligious dialogue

--The relationship between Christology and Mariology as understood from scripture study

--Biblical Mariology during certain periods of history (e.g. the Patristic Era, Reformation, or after Vatican II)

--Biblical portrayals of Mary in literature, film, hymnody, and the visual arts

--The development of Mariology and scriptural insight

Please submit proposals to the review committee by email at esbvmeditor@hotmail.com.

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Mary in the Catholic Press

Pope Francis and the Evangelicals from Zenit (Vatican City) January 19, 2016

The whole Christian world has watched with fascination as Pope Francis, over the past several months, has reached out to evangelicals. Who can forget the mesmerizing iPhone video, filmed by the Pope's (late) friend Bishop Tony Palmer, in which the Bishop of Rome communicated, with father-like compassion, to a national gathering of American evangelical leaders? His smile, his tone of voice, and the simple, direct words that he chose constituted a bridge between Catholics and evangelicals. What I found particularly moving was the remarkable reaction of the evangelical audience after they had taken in the video: a real prayer in the Spirit....

This evangelical urgency, which Pope Francis gets in his bones, is the leitmotif of this entire Apostolic Exhortation. He knows that if Catholicism leads with its doctrines, it will devolve into an intellectual debating society and that if it leads with its moral teaching, it will appear, especially in our postmodern cultural context, fussy and puritanical. It should lead today as it led 2,000 years ago, with the stunning news that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and the joy of that proclamation should be as evident now as it was then. The Pope helpfully draws our attention to some of the countless references to joy in the pages of the New Testament: "'Rejoice!' is the angel's greeting to Mary;" in her Magnificat, the Mother of God exults, "My spirit rejoices in God my savior;" as a summation of his message and ministry, Jesus declares to his disciples, "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete;" in the Acts of the Apostles, we are told that "wherever the disciples went there was great joy." The Pope concludes with a wonderfully understated rhetorical question: "Why should we not also enter into this great stream of joy?" Why not indeed? Displaying his penchant for finding the memorable image, Pope Francis excoriates Christians who have turned "into querulous and disillusioned pessimists, 'sourpusses,'" and whose lives "seem like Lent without Easter." Such people might be smart, and they might even be morally upright, but they will never be successful evangelists....

Click here to read the complete article.

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Mary in the Secular Press

The director and editors of All About Mary under the auspices of the International Marian Research Institute do not necessarily endorse or agree with the events and ideas expressed in this feature. Our sole purpose is to report on items about Mary gleaned from a myriad of papers representing the secular press.

Wow: Baltimore Ravens Kicker Sings Ave Maria at Catholic Cathedral (aleteia.org blog) December 11, 2015

Justin Tucker can sing. The Baltimore Ravens kicker performed a rendition of Schubert's Ave Maria at a Catholic Charities Christmas Festival event on Thursday night which was held at Baltimore's Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Who knew Tucker could sing like this?

Click here to read the complete article or here for the 4-minute music video from YouTube.

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Weekly Features: January 25, 2016

How do various world religions see Mary?
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Weekly Features: January 25, 2016

How do various world religions see Mary?
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