Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Laicization of MEP and Youth in Asia

EVEN A CURSORY GLANCE around the dining room these days during the National Meeting of Maryknoll Promoters reveals an astonishing reality. Most of our Promoters are hired employees. A majority are lay people but we also have a growing number of permanent deacons (five, by my count) entrusted with the awesome task of promoting Maryknoll and its mission and works to the Church in the United States.

Not too long ago we had 40 some-odd (how true) Developers/Promoters in 16 houses around the States. Yet our fast disappearing real estate can hardly keep up with our even faster declining membership. We now have just 11 Society members working on promotion and three retirees helping out. Thank God for the deacons and laity willing to take up the slack.

It has long been my observation nigh these many years that our employees, especially in MEP, have more enthusiasm, energy and the ever-elucive Maryknoll Spirit than we permanent members do. They certainly bring vitality to our dining room. Would be nice if before they leave we could meet them all, mayhaps at a final Happy Hour. (To date they have been happy separately in the Founders' Room whilst the members gather to be happy in the Third Floor Rec Room.)

Meanwhile, meetings being our second forte after mission, the Young'uns' gathering in Hong Kong continues apace although they have taken an oath of secrecy about just what is on their Hidden Agenda and where exactly they are going to hide it. We do know that all are having a good time, that the liturgies are upbeat and full of energy with strong singing (now we know why they didn't have this meeting here) and that it is still warm enough to swim in Hong Kong.

Aside from that, we can only speculate as to what they are discussing, although having Maryknoll youth in Asia may give us a hint.

1 comment:

  1. Maybe some of your faithful followers on this blog could leak some info. We won't tell anyone.

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