Sharing Our Marianist Stories

North American Center for Marianist Studies

Stories and reflections of Marianist life

  • 25 minutes 58 seconds
    An Irish Perspective: Susan Buckley

    Susan Buckley is a Lay Marianist living in Dublin, Ireland where the Marianist Family has had a presence since 1967. She stopped by NACMS while visiting Dayton in September 2023 and sat down with us for an interview. In this episode, Susan shares about her engagement in a virtual Lay Marianist Community with others in the United States and her experience at the 2023 International Lay Marianist Assembly in Madrid. She also sheds light on what it is like to be a Lay Marianist in Ireland amid the current context of the Catholic Church there.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 14 Sept 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)




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    26 April 2024, 2:16 pm
  • 25 minutes 15 seconds
    A Presidential Transition: Tom Mengler and Winston Erevelles

    In June 2024 Tom Mengler will conclude twelve years of serving as the President of St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas and Winston Erevelles will begin his tenure as the University’s President. This episode provides a brief inside look into their lives. They each share how they came to the Marianist Family, how the Charism has impacted their lives, how they have seen the Charism at work through their work and leadership at St. Mary’s and the significance of Marianist Universities amid Catholic Higher Education.


    Resources mentioned in this episode include:


    See a transcript of this podcast episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 1 March 2024. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)



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    12 April 2024, 3:00 pm
  • 47 minutes 24 seconds
    The Vow of Stability: Al Prendergast and Sr. Laura Leming, FMI

    Al Prendergast has been a Lay Marianist since he took the vow of stability in 1970. Sr. Laura Leming, FMI made first vows as a Marianist Sister in 1978 and, later, also took the vow of stability. They each participated in MSP 2.0 in 2019-2020 which focused on the topic of “Marianist Stability: Rooted Presence.” In this episode, Al and Sr. Laura share their historical and sociological research on the vow of stability and reflect on what this vow has meant in their lives. Their stories can significantly influence our understanding of how the Marianist Charism empowers us to remain committed to birthing Christ in our world today by sharing the Marianist Charism with others and standing firm amid life’s challenges.


    Read Al’s research paper entitled “Marianist Vow of Stability and the Marianist State” under e-publications on our website.


    See a transcript of this podcast episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 23 Oct 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 March 2024, 4:58 pm
  • 40 minutes 10 seconds
    Facilitating Connections: Meghann Naveau and Nancy Woeste

    Meghann Naveau and Nancy Woeste are Lay Marianists serving on the Dayton Marianist Family Council and have been part of the Queen of Apostles Community (or QAC) which transitioned from a non-territorial Marianist parish to a Lay Community on January 1, 2024. They share about their experiences of serving on the temporalities committee of the Dayton Marianist Family Council and how that engagement positioned them to help the Marianist Family respond to needs within the City of Dayton. They also share about the impact the Marianist Family has had on their lives and some upcoming steps for the Dayton Marianist Family to enhance their engagement in solidarity initiatives in the Dayton area. Tune in and be inspired to think about how the Marianist Family is calling you to be a catalyst for solidarity and the common good in your local context.


    Learn more about the Dayton Marianist Family Council.

    Learn more about the Mission of Mary Cooperative and the Dakota Center, two of the Dayton Marianist Family’s Solidarity Initiatives that are briefly mentioned in this episode.


    See a transcript of this episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 6 Dec 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 March 2024, 7:14 pm
  • 24 minutes 51 seconds
    Forming the Formators - The Nazareth Program: Sr. Nicole Trahan, FMI

    Sr. Nicole Trahan, FMI professed first vows of June of 2008 and serves as the Vocation Director for the Daughters of Mary Immaculate amongst many other professional roles. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Sr. Nicole shares about her experience in Nairobi, Kenya as a participant in the Nazareth Program, a formation program for emerging formators within the Marianist Family. After giving a brief framework of the program itself, Sr. Nicole describes the dynamic of community that developed amongst the program’s participants, how that sense of community was impacted by the diversity within the group, and how this experience fuels her ministry and her hopes for the Marianist Family.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    See a transcript of this episode here.


    Recorded on 6 Nov 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    9 February 2024, 3:00 pm
  • 19 minutes 40 seconds
    The Responsibility of Stewardship: Jon Watase and Laura Koonce

    Laura Koonce and Jon Watase are two staff members at Saint Louis School in Hawaii, a Marianist school serving boys in kindergarten through twelfth grade. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories they share about the impact of the agricultural program that Jon helped establish, how their lives have been impacted by the Marianist Family, and their experience of the 2023 Lay Marianist Assembly in St. Louis. Their insights about 'Āina-Based Learning in relation with the agricultural program at Saint Louis School are substantive reminders of the responsibility we all have to be good stewards of the Earth.


    Learn more about Saint Louis School.


    See a transcript of this episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 17 July 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 January 2024, 7:15 pm
  • 24 minutes 16 seconds
    Where the Heart Is: Ann Mueller

    Ann Mueller has been connected to the Marianist Family since 1988 when she began working for the Society of Mary’s Province of St. Louis. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Ann gives an insider’s view of what it’s like to work for the Society of Mary. She shares how her work with the Society of Mary impacted her spiritual life and reflects on the experience of working for the Marianists before and after the merger of provinces in 2002, which resulted in the inauguration of the Society of Mary’s US Province.


    In this episode Bro. Tim Phillips, SM, NACMS’ Marianist Scholar in Residence, provides some background on the significance of a Province and how the Society of Mary’s provincial structure in America has evolved over time.


    See a transcript of this episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 15 July 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    12 January 2024, 6:57 pm
  • 30 minutes 51 seconds
    The Impact of Marianist PULSE: Abby Shahady, Ani Artero, and Dominic Sanfilippo

    Marianist PULSE, a postgraduate year of professional non-profit service rooted in the Marianist Charism, has had an impact on numerous individuals and communities. In this episode, Abby Shahady, Ani Artero, and Dominic Sanfilippo share their stories of discerning, engaging in and completing a year of service with Marianist PULSE. Each of these PULSE alums share the impact the program had on their engagement with the Marianist Family, their sense of their vocation, and their personal growth. They conclude this episode with their own wisdom and encouragement for those who are discerning applying to PULSE.


    To learn more about Marianist PULSE visit: https://www.marianist.com/PULSE and e-mail [email protected].


    See a transcript of this episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 30 Oct 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    8 December 2023, 8:20 pm
  • 32 minutes 48 seconds
    A Series of Small Steps: Bro. Mark Motz, SM and Sr. Rose Rucoba, FMI

    The Catholic Church’s annual celebration of National Vocation Awareness Week, during the first week of November, promotes and celebrates vowed religious life. In recognition of this celebration, Bro. Mark Motz, SM and Sr. Rose Rucoba, FMI share their stories of discerning and living vowed religious life within the Marianist Family. Their stories highlight significant influences in their discernment journeys, the blessings and challenges of vowed religious life, their current ministries, and their hopes for the future of the Marianist Family.


    To learn more about discerning and becoming a Marianist Brother, Priest, or Sister, visit the Marianist Vocations website and email the Marianist Vocations office.


    See a transcript of this episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 3 Oct 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 November 2023, 5:43 pm
  • 23 minutes
    Expecting Excellence: Bro. Bob Moriarty, SM

    Bro. Bob Moriarty, SM has been professed with the Society of Mary for over sixty years and now lives in community in Philadelphia, PA. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Bro. Bob shares about his journey with the Society of Mary, professional experience in parish ministry, vision for the Marianist Family in parishes, and The Best of Quest, a resource he developed that NACMS has published. Learn more about Bro. Bob and how the mantra of “expecting excellence” has impacted his life from his years at Chaminade High School in Mineola, NY in the mid 1950s until now.


    The Best of Quest and a version of the presentation Bro. Bob references from the most recent Lay Assembly are available under e-publications on our website.


    See a transcript of this episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 14 Sep 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 October 2023, 4:03 pm
  • 22 minutes 22 seconds
    Sharing from the Heart: Jeri Albright and Marceta Reilly

    Marceta Reilly has a long tenure of familiarity and engagement with the Marianist Family. Jeri Albright came to know the Marianists as a result of her friendship with Marceta. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Jeri and Marceta share their experience as Lay Marianists living near Topeka, Kansas, where there aren’t many Marianists. Marceta and Jeri share the origin story of the Harvest Prayer Marianist Lay Community, the impact the community has had on their lives, and the community’s impact on their Catholic Parish.


    See a transcript of this episode here.


    Follow the North American Center for Marianist Studies on Instagram and Facebook - @ThisIsNACMS.

    Visit our website for access to all our resources, including e-publications, our bookstore, programming and more.


    Recorded on 20 July 2023. Hosted and edited by Mike Bennett, Media Administrator for the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS).

    Music: “Travel Light” by Jason Shaw (used with permission via Creative Commons License; see more of his work at http://audionautix.com/)


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    13 October 2023, 4:57 pm
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