Celebrations of Marianist Heritage
Whether it is called Founders Week, Chaminade Week, Marianist Heritage Week, or—for some—Marianist Heritage Month, every January, Marianist institutions pause to celebrate the humble yet bold beginnings of the Society of Mary. Across schools, parishes, libraries, and ministries, the Marianist Family once again made visible a living charism—one rooted in faith, community, service, and a deep trust in Mary’s accompaniment.
From St. Louis to Honolulu, San Antonio to Nairobi, it’s a time filled with prayer, creativity, remembrance, laughter, and renewed commitment to the mission entrusted to us by Blessed William Joseph Chaminade.
Chaminade Julienne High School
At Chaminade College Preparatory School in St. Louis, students were surprised when Blessed Fr. Chaminade himself “stopped by” during lunch. His visit launched a campus-wide scavenger hunt, inviting students to discover his teachings and reflect on how they are called today to become the men the world needs. It was a joyful reminder that Marianist heritage is not just remembered—it is actively lived and learned.
Meanwhile, at St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis, Bro. Chicago Schuller led a service for students and faculty featuring relics of Blessed Chaminade. In recalling that Chaminade founded the Society of Mary amid the turmoil of the French Revolution, the community reflected on courage, perseverance, and faith lived courageously in uncertain times.
Fr. Tim Kenney presided at a vibrant Mass celebrating Marianist Heritage Week at Central Catholic High School in San Antonio. “The students were very respectful and engaged, and when four brothers sang the Salve Regina, they received a standing ovation. It was a beautiful experience,” reflected Fr. Tim. He added that during the homily, he invited students to consider a Marianist vocation—a quiet planting of seeds for the future.
At Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory in Hollywood, FL, Founders Week came alive through Mass, French-inspired meals, dress days honoring Marianist roots, and even a faculty-versus-student kickball game—joyful expressions of community rooted in mission.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fr. Oscar Vasquez participated in a Founders Celebration at Colegio San José. “I had the blessing and privilege of presiding at the Founders Celebration. It was amazing to experience the deep faith of our students. As I listened to the boys sing, it was clear that their favorite song was ‘Santa María del Camino,’ which invites the Blessed Mother to come and accompany them,” said Fr. Oscar. He added that it served as a reminder of the General Chapter’s invitation to “encounter” young people where they are.
That same spirit of accompaniment echoed at Our Lady of Nazareth (OLN) Primary School in Nairobi, Kenya, a Marianist-supported school serving nearly 1,900 children. Students gathered to celebrate Mass, and the joy of the day was beautifully captured as preschool children recited a poem honoring Blessed Chaminade—a reminder that the Marianist mission is alive even in the youngest hearts.
Fr. Sudhir Kujur invited parishioners of Holy Rosary Parish in San Antonio to participate in a week of remembrance and hope, marking 77 years of Marianist presence there: “This special week is an opportunity to pause, remember, and give thanks… While Holy Rosary is not formally a Marianist parish, the Marianist spirit has profoundly shaped parish life for generations.” Fr. Sudhir reminded the community: “Heritage is not only about history; it is about people whose daily ‘yes’ continues to strengthen the parish family.”
The pastor at Our Lady of the Pillar parish in St. Louis, Fr. Tom French, said “yes” to an invitation from Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco. Fr. Tom, the school’s former president, presided at Mass with nearly 1,200 students. “It was a joy to see a number of faculty members who are still at Riordan, and even more moving to meet former students whom I once taught and who are now teaching at the school themselves. That sense of continuity and shared mission is truly a Marianist gift. It was a grace-filled visit, and I am grateful for the opportunity to return home, even briefly, to a place that shaped me so deeply and remains one of the great blessings of my ministry,” said Fr. Tom.
At Chaminade University of Honolulu, Marianist Heritage took on a vibrant, deeply local expression. The community gathered for the annual Marianist Founders’ Day Mass, honoring the legacies of Father Chaminade, Mother Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon, and Marie Thérèse de Lamourous. New students were joyfully welcomed into the charism through Color Me Marianist—an interactive tie-dye experience introducing the Five Characteristics of Marianist Education, blending creativity with mission. The celebrations also included the beloved annual lei-draping prayer service at the statue of Fr. Chaminade, held with Saint Louis School—a powerful symbol of gratitude, remembrance, and shared heritage.
At St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Marianist Heritage Month opened with Adoration for Vocations, lifting all those discerning God’s call. The community also gathered for a Marianist Heritage Mass, giving thanks for the mission that continues to shape the university: Rooted in faith, guided by Mary, and united as one community.
At the Marian Library at the University of Dayton, the Marianist Charism took artistic form. Visitors were invited to explore an art installation in St. Mary’s Hall, where each ceramic piece represents a facet of the Marianist vision—faith made tangible through beauty.
Across the country, similar celebrations unfolded at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School, St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School, Purcell Marian High School, Gross Catholic High School, and every Marianist school and ministry— each honoring educators, students, and alumni who embody Marianist values in daily life.
Archbishop Riordan High School
Blessed William Joseph Chaminade once wrote: “Ours is a work, a magnificent work. If it is universal, it is because we are missionaries of Mary, who has said to us, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’”
Across continents and cultures, that magnificent work was clearly alive this month of January. Through prayer and play, awards and art, Mass and music, the Marianist Family once again testified that our heritage is not confined to one month—it continues wherever faith is lived in community, guided by Mary, for the sake of the world.
More photos from various celebrations can be found by clicking here.
In The News
Provincial Council Appointed
Superior General of the Society of Mary, Fr. André-Joseph Fétis, announced from Rome the appointments of the three remaining members of the U.S. Provincial Council to be installed later this year.
Bro. Thomas Wendorf — Assistant for Education
Bro. Robert Metzger — Assistant for Temporalities
Fr. Michael Chiuri — Councilor
Each of these brothers brings formidable gifts, skills, knowledge, experience, and devotion to Marianist life. Along with his duties as Assistant Provincial, Fr. Bob Jones will also head the Office of Religious Life.
Many thanks to Fr. Oscar Vasquez (Provincial), Bro. Bernie Ploeger (Assistant Provincial), Fr. Tim Kenney (Assistant for Religious Life), Bro. Jesse O’Neil (Assistant for Education), and Bro. Joe Markel (Assistant for Temporalities). They have provided exemplary leadership to the Province over the last seven-plus years—and will continue to do so for several more months until the new council officially takes the reins at an assembly in Dayton, OH, in late June. Bro. Ed Violet (Provincial designate) and Fr. Bob (Assistant Provincial designate) both served as councilors for the current Provincial Council.
University of Dayton Joins National Network for Synodality
The University of Dayton (UD) is joining a network of 16 Catholic colleges and universities, funded by a $10 million grant, to strengthen “synodality” in the U.S. Catholic Church.
The Lilly Endowment made a $10 million grant to Loyola University Chicago through its Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, which is designed to help theological schools respond to the most pressing challenges in preparing pastoral leaders for Christian congregations now and into the future.
Catholic colleges and universities across the country have been discerning how to respond to Pope Francis’ call for a Church renewed through listening, dialogue and shared discernment. The Catholic Education Network to Enact and Resource Synodality (CENTERS) will strengthen ministry leadership formation, develop new models of synodal practice, and help animate a more participatory and mission‑focused Church in the United States.
CENTERS will support this work by funding projects at participating institutions, conducting retreats and trainings, convening national assemblies, and endowing a ministry leadership formation program for ministry students.
UD will be involved in each aspect of the network’s work, but especially engaging the UD community and Catholic communities in the region in ministry, leadership education, and formation.
“We look forward to engaging ministry students on our campus and others in our region. Working closely with Xavier University and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, we will provide educational and faith-formation opportunities that help develop the skills of the next generation of Church leaders in local parishes,” said Kelly Adamson, senior director of UD Campus Ministry.
St. Mary’s University Incentivizes STEM Teachers
St. Mary’s University was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for the education of future STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) teachers. The NSF Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at St. Mary’s University is seeking students to pursue careers in STEM teaching, with a focus on environmental themes. Students are invited to consider careers in STEM teaching and to apply for these scholarships.
The proposed program plans include Training and Professional Development activities, including a watershed-based STEM curriculum teacher-training course developed by the San Antonio River Authority.
Marianist Ministries in Action
Building Community with Mary
You are invited to the 2026 Assembly of the Marianist Lay Community of North America (MLC-NA). It is scheduled from July 23 to July 26 in Louisville, KY. Find more details below.
Written by MLC-NA
As Marianists, we are community builders. We build community everywhere we go because of Mary, for Mary, and in a way that is informed by Mary. Some of the communities we build up are within the three branches of the Marianist Family, as well as its many ministries and educational institutions.
But Marianists are also engaged in building community in every other area of life as well: from family life to civil society, from the business world to the margins of society. “Building Community with Mary” is therefore a theme that will help us encounter Mary on a deeper level, while also developing our means of carrying out our community-building efforts in the Church and world.
The keynote speaker will be: Prof. Natalia Imperatori-Lee, PhD. She is a theologian and author whose work explores how the stories we tell about the Church shape its future. A lifelong Catholic and professor at Fordham University in New York, she writes and speaks widely on women in the Church, community life, Mary, and the role of faith in today’s world. Her books, including Cuéntame: Narrative in the Ecclesial Present and Women and the Church, invite readers to see the Church through the lens of lived experience and storytelling. Natalia will be joining us from the Bronx, NYC, where she lives with her husband and two children.
Registration Information: https://www.mlcna.org/assembly/registration
Marianist Moments
Do You Need Rest and Rejuvenation?
Sometimes, you just need to exhale the stale and breathe in the beauty of a refresh. Whether slugging through the doldrums of winter, reeling from busy routines, or just looking forward to a spring or summer renewal, our Marianist retreat centers offer a variety of opportunities for rejuvenation.
The Marianist Family Retreat Center in Cape May, NJ, has its 2026 retreat calendar available with countless options that cater to everyone from teens, young adults, families, the aging, and everyone in between. Also, week-long family retreats begin in June and last through mid-August.
If you desire rest, silence, and deeper listening this summer, consider joining In the Stillness, a week-long silent retreat for women and men religious, offered July 17–24, at the Marianist Retreat and Conference Center (MRCC) in Eureka, MO. This retreat is not about doing more, but about allowing God to restore strength, clarity, and peace. MRCC also has a variety of offerings, from personal reflection days to marriage enrichment and more.
Sometimes, you may not have time for a weekend retreat but need a day away. The Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning in Dayton, OH, offers a certain day each month for personal retreats and can include a Spiritual Director if you choose. The Center welcomes people of all faiths to experience spiritual growth through its educational and ecumenical programs.
When God gently invites us to pause—to rest, to listen, and to be renewed—explore retreat opportunities at one of our Marianist centers.
Pray With Us
Please join us in prayer for these members of the Marianist Family.
◆ Recent deaths and those in need of prayers for healing in the Marianist Family
◆ Obituaries of U.S. Province Marianist brothers and priests since 2022
Good to Know
National Catholic Schools Week (CSW) was held from Jan. 25 to Jan. 31, 2026, with the national theme being “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Schools celebrated with various activities, Masses, and events highlighting the value of Catholic education, often with daily themes focusing on faith, community, students, nation, vocations, staff, and family.
While faith is the binding element in Catholic schools, the Church reiterates that parents are the first teachers of their children. Holding this tenet, Catholic school communities expand beyond the walls of school buildings to envelop the family as an integral part of the school community. Together, teachers, administrators, staff, students and parents fuel the light of faith by integrating culture with faith and faith with living.
Encounters Follow-Up Conversation
The Marianist Family Encounters Project continues its conversation series.
The last scheduled Zoom in the series is set for Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, 5-5:45 pm ET, 4-4:45 pm CT, 3-3:45 pm MT, 2-2:45 pm PT, 11-11:45 am HT.
It is also open to Ministry Leads of Marianist Encounters at our Marianist Schools and our Marianist Religious. The Zoom meeting is expected to last for 45 minutes. For more information, please write to support@marianistencounters.org
JOIN US!
Click here to discover job opportunities within our Marianist Ministries across the United States.
New listings include:
Purcell Marian High School (OH) – Principal
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Region Update #100 from the Marianist Region of India
FatherSide Chats is a web video series featuring Fr. Gene Contadino. Discover new episodes every Tuesday about a variety of topics. Click the graphic to view episodes. Click here to read more.
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