THE MARIST CALENDAR FOR SEPTEMBER

In this Marist Bulletin we are publishing the Marist Calendar for September, which appears each day on our web site www.champagnat.org

1
The first Marist Brothers left for Zimbabwe in 1937; for Cameroon, 1965 – First Monday of the month: remembrance of deceased Marists
2
?As long as we do not make the poorest children and young people our top priority, our lives will have little meaning? (Br. Adolfo Cermeño, FMS Message, vol. 32)
3
1903: Our Marist mission began in Argentina ? ?As Marists, aren?t we being called to redefine the school in service to the world of today?? (Br. Gonzalo Santa Coloma, FMS Message, vol. 32)
4
1908: The first Marist Brothers left for Peru ? ?Our Marist Mission in Education: a spirit, a document? (Br. Real Cloutier, FMS Message, vol. 32)
5
International Day of Peace ? ?Are we really convinced that today?s ?Montagnes? need us much more than other children and young people currently in our care?? (Br. Laurentino, FMS Message, vol. 32)
6
1826: Marist Sisters made their first profession in Belley, France ? Marist Saturday: specially dedicated to praying for the Marist Family
7
23th Sunday in Ordinary Time ? The Marist Brothers began their mission in Fiji in 1888 and Syria in 1895
8
Celebration of Mary?s Birth ? World Day of Literacy ? 1823: Jeanne Marie Chavoin founded the Marist Sisters
9
?Would it be merely utopian to dream of a mission project using less rigid structures?? (Br. Claudino Falchetto, FMS Message, vol. 32)
10
1966: Our Marist mission began in Pakistan ? ?To choose life is to choose change? (Br. Richard Mutumwa, FMS Message, v. 32)
11
Pan-American Day of the Teacher ? ?A brother willing to serve has a spirituality of mission that leads him to abandon a life of security? (Br. Pedro Wolter, FMS Message, 32)
12
Feast of the Holy Name of Mary ? Feast Day of all branches of the Society of Mary
13
1971: The first Marist Brothers community opened in South Korea ? Marist Saturday: specially dedicated to praying for the Marist Family.
14
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time ? Exaltation of the Holy Cross
15
Our Lady of Sorrows ? 1907: The Marist Brothers began their mission in Greece.
16
International Day for Preserving the Ozone Layer ? To receive news and interviews in our Marist Bulletin by E-mail, simply sign up at www.champagnat.org It?s free!
17
World Day of Peace ? You can find all previous issues of our Marist Bulletin at www.champagnat.org
18
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year 5762 since the creation of the world ? Sign up family and friends to receive our Marist Bulletin. It?s free! At www.champagnat.org
19
?Religious life is like a microclimate but it requires special conditions? (Br. Nicolas Garcia, FMS Message, vol. 32)
20
World day of people suffering from Alzheimer?s ? Marist Saturday: specially dedicated to praying for the Marist Family.
21
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time ? St. Matthew, Apostle
22
1948: The Marist Brothers began their mission in Mozambique ? ?To be brothers of the Gospel, simple, in the family of Mary; working with children and young people, especially the least favored? (Br. Oscar Martin, FMS Message, vol. 32)
23
1968: The first Marist Brothers left for Paraguay ? ?Imagine: A new style of community for a new Marist project? (Br. Leo Shea, FMS Message, vol 32)
24
1836: St. Marcellin and the first Marist Fathers professed their religious vows
25
1866: Jean-Claude Courveille died at Solesmes ? 1897: The first Marist Brothers left for Brazil.
26
1889: The first Marist Brothers left for Colombia ? ?We would do well to begin thinking about a blueprint of shared formation for brothers and the laity? (Br. Josep Maria Soteras, FMS Message, vol. 32)
27
World Day of Tourism ? Marist Saturday: specially dedicated to praying for the Marist Family
28
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time ? ?The beginning of true sharing will only come about when we?re willing to take risks? (Br. Gilles Ouimet, FMS Message, vol. 32)
29
Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael – 1963: The first Marist Brothers left for Taiwan ? Day of the Emigré ? World Day of Birds.
30
?Life is meant to be shared, not only enjoyed in isolation. Better said, life is lived by passing it on? (Br. Antonio Martinez, FMS Message, vol. 32)

BROTHER FRANÇOIS? YEAR (III)
6 june 2003 ? 6 june 2004

BROTHER FRANÇOIS? INTERCESSION
A miracle is always one of God?s gifts. But the faithful who desire one often ask for it through the intercession of a servant of God. God?s people have recourse to a servant of God whom they trust because of the quality of his Christian life and because there are bonds of affection and devotion between them. This is what we call holiness reputation. People do not pray to a saint who is outside their daily life.
The type of prayer will often be a novena. But prayers may be made by some heavenly friends. They too, become intercessors for some sick persons they love. They may pray for the realisation of important projects, for people in difficult situations or people facing moments of crucial decisions. But they invite a servant of God to lead them and to intercede with them. François is near God, he is God?s friend and ours too.

Can we Trust Brother François with our Petitions? Yes! But?
Yes, he is indeed a great friend of God, this extraordinary man He gave us. The testimonies brought forward prove this fact either for his love of God or for his love of man. There must be a minimum of friendship between him and ourselves. Let us be honest: how can we worry a saint for a favour if he is absent from our hearts? This is why we must start weaving a friendship. One may ask favours from a friend; one can trust his friend; with a friend one can insist.
The booklet that justifies the decision of this special year in honour of Brother François enumerates a few favours obtained within a very short time. François is indicating to us that he is ready to intercede for us. As for ourselves, let us hurry to improve our friendship with him and let us dare to ask for his intercession.

BROTHER FRANÇOIS? THOUGHT
«?Our Father, may your name be sanctified!? To sanctify the Lord?s name is to know, to love and to serve Him. For a Marist Brother it is to spread this knowledge and this practical love into the minds and the hearts of the tender youth through all possible means.» (Circ. : 15 January 1842)
«Those who believe let them not hold onto the captive truth in their hearts, but may they spread the truth while they themselves behave according their faith!»
(Circular on faith, 15 December 1848, p. 14 Volume 2)

THE VIRTUE OF CHARITY: LOVE OF GOD
Using the language of their time, the witnesses handed down to us Brother François? attitudes that still make up the heart of holiness.
1. God before everything else? but we go to him with love since He is Father.
2. We meet Jesus at the Eucharist and during our visits to the Blessed Sacrament. The frequency of the visits reveals the need we feel to be together.
3. Prayer should lead us to contemplation.
The testimonies in favour of Brother Basilio tell us the same things but with a more familiar language.
«God?s love, the apex of perfection was practised in a heroic way by Brother François. This charity grew with age along with his taste for prayer and his attraction for contemplation.» (Witness 49)
«Brother François loved our Lord with all his heart. One day, I was attentively looking at a holy picture. Brother François held it, looked at it with devotion then kissed it and handed it back to me. I saw his eyes full of tears. The picture represented Jesus being kissed by Judas.» (W. 4)
«It was specially during the religious solemnities that his love for the Lord beamed to his full content. He sang with all his soul; his love for Jesus manifested itself by a mild and gracious smile of happiness. One would have thought that this was the nicest moment in his life.» (W. 26)
«Really, his life was a continuous prayer.» (W. 64)
«The Servant of God was a model of prayer. In the chapel, one would have thought that he saw Jesus; he was very edifying. Love of prayer was one of Brother François? characteristics.» (W. 4)
«I affirm that the Servant of God loved God at a high degree. This love led him to a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, to numerous visits to the chapel, specially in the difficult moments.» (W. 42)
«He made frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament. I often saw him in the recollected attitude of a true saint.» (W. 5)
«His respectful composure on the way to communion made us understand what interior preparation he had made to receive Jesus». (W. 13)
«After he had received the body of the Lord, his face beamed with a heavenly smile, he was like a transfigured person. Numerous witnesses saw that scene that fascinated them.» (T.I.O.P.)
«I witnessed his happiness at communion time. This is what struck me most. I saw him laugh during thanksgiving ? I repeat: laugh like a happy person. One would have thought that he was in ecstasy.» (W. 59)
«Whenever a sick brother was about to receive holy communion, he prepared him carefully with words burning with love.» (T.I.P.A.)
«Brother François? deeds were wholly to please God and to incite the Brothers to do the same.» (T. 12)
«His continual equanimity was remarkable. But when he discoursed on sin he was another man. We saw his pain, rather his horror of the offence made to God.» (T. 17)
«He burned with a great zeal to know Jesus and to make him known.» (T. 24)
«He said that the day when we love Jesus most was a day when we suffer something for Him.» (T.I.P.A.)

PRAYER
Brother François, we pray to you simply that our friendship may grow.
Our friendship with you will surely lead us
To a greater love of God, to the joy of sanctifying his name,
And to a faith that will be held prisoner of routine.
François, we pray to you simply that our friendship may grow.

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