Happy Centennial!

Kicking off our official unofficial beginning of our 100th Year, Fr. Jim Madden and Mr. Fred Goddard presented a Food for Thought presentation on the history of the Maryknoll Affiliates, Then and Now.

Jim helped design the Affiliates program back in 1991. Fred is the current head of the Affiliates. 2011 is the Afflilates 20th anniversary.

In the 1970s and 1980s, many former Maryknoll P, B, S & LMs communicated with one another and wanted to maintain contact with and support for Maryknoll. Sr. Ellen McDonald expressed interest and the Maryknoll Sisters gave her permission to help. Early on, global vision, spirituality, community and action became the four pillars of the program. The chapters are called Basic Mission Communities. They follow the Pax Christi motto of Think Globally, Act Locally. Twenty two affiliate chapters started in the first year. Twenty of the 22 original groups lasted more than three years.

A chapter needs a minimum of four members and three meetings a year. They pay all their expenses. The Society and Congregation help pay fir the director's salary and expenses. Other priests, Brothers, Sisters and lay Missioners joined the governing board. In 1995 the Affiliates accepted overseas chapters. Jim and Ellen stepped aside to let the Affiliates direct the program while they remained as support staff.They have an international gathering every two years. Jack Moynahan took Jim's place and Fr. Jack Sullivan took his place. Fred Goddard was later hired as Director. Regional Coordinators now visit their local chapters.

Their publication is called "Not So Far Afield" (Get it?)

Schools and Youth Groups have formed following the high school in Red Bank, New Jersey, so now there are student groups supporting mission.

More and more Affiliates (almost 30%) have also gone to mission overseas in Namibia and Cambodia, among other places, and work through Maretta McKenna and the Short-Term Volunteer programs.

There are now Affiliate Chapters in Tanzania, Peru, Nicaragua, Mexico, Guatemala and the Philippines. Prior to his death, Fr. Tom Goekler helped establish the chapter in Guatemala. Members of that group helped revitalize the almost defunct chapter in Connecticut. Reverse Mission at it's best!

From the beginning, the Affiliates were ecumenical and inter-religious. A minister was inspired by the witness of the four churchwomen in El Salvador. A Jewish doctor has volunteered his services to help the Sisters overseas.

A 12-session (one year) formation program has been created to help introduce new Affiliates to the Maryknoll charism and history.

There are approximately 62 chapters around the world.

October surprises?

+ We welcome Fr. Dave Smith, newly from Tanzania, who has arrived at Mother Knoll to take up his new role as Maryknoll's Chief Financial Officer, replacing outgoing CFO Fr.Richard Callahan. Dave shared some interesting tidbits of news from Tanzania, currently in the midst of a presidential election. Tales of chicanery and dirty tricks rivals anything going on here in the U.S., one week from midterms.

I strongly urged Dave to get involved in some kind of week-end ministry, just so he can get out of this loony bin and maintain his sanity. Interestingly enough, Dave said I was the second person to suggest that in the past 30 minutes. I maintain you can tell by how a person conducts himself here whether or not he gets away on weekends or not.

+ Super G, Fr. Ed Dougherty is, even as we speak, visiting the DPRK for the first time. (One wag at dinner suggested he's there to pick up tips. Another countered that the new heir designate could pick up a few pointers himself.) Fr. Gerry Hammond, who visits several times a year with the Bell Foundation that supplies medical supplies to the North, is accompanying him. Would be nice if Gerry finally gets permission to establish a residency in Pyongyang. Wouldn't THAT be a great way to inaugurate our centenary celebrations!

+ Keep sending prayers for the Holy Spirit to bless participants at the vocation retreat going on right now at Los Altos. Fr. Dennis Moorman, Fr. Jim Madden and Deacon Steve De Martino are directing the retreat for five prospects.

+ The new security system in now active. You'll need a swipe card to get in any door except the main entrance. I doubt this will curb the mysterious recent disappearance of the purificators from the sacristy, along with the new aspergellum, the old aspergellum, both holy water buckets, and complete set of summer vestments. Seems the foxes are living in the chicken coop.

Maryknollers on the move

I'm not sure these have been officially announced yet in the (very retro hard copy of the Council Bulletin), but since multiple sources all seem to discuss this in our dining room, I figure it's OK to share them with you.

Fr. Jim Madden is in to take over as head of Maryknoll F & B Vocations Office starting September 1 from Fr. Dennis Moorman. Dennis is itching to get back to Brazil but has agreed to hang around to assist in the transition. Dennis is even as we speak in Tanzania with the two winners of the Explore My Mission contest.

Fr. Jack Northrup is back from our now closed Border Project in Juarez. He turned off the lights but Fr. Juan Zuniga has gone back to lock the doors. This was a valiant and noble effort over more than 20 years and not only helped the people on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border but also helped many vocation prospects discern whether or not mission was for them. The violence has gotten totally out of hand in recent years to the point where our presence might inadvertently make things worse for the people we are trying to help. "You got to know when to fold 'em" as the gambler says.

Fr. Stephen Taluja will assist Fr. Ray Nobiletti in Chinatown for about a year starting September 1. To explain all the machinations that took place since his ordination last year would make the Byzantine imperial court look like the Salvation Army. Rather than read between the lines, ask Stephen yourself.

Fr. Tony Brodniak, formerly of Japan, now assists OSP in offering spiritual direction to the members here. He is using the office of the late, great Fr. Al Schiavone, right next to my room R-203.

On another liturgical note, plans are afoot to replace those concelebration stoles (You know, the red/white reversible ones with the red yarn fringe from back in the1970s) with new ones in honor of our 100th. Fr. Joy Tajonera, if you are reading this, please contact me if you are able to get us a good price on some quality, handmade stoles from any of your contacts. Absent this, ironically both Fr. John Kaserow and Super G Ed Dougherty thought it would be nice to have them made overseas, preferably by some "XXXXX ALBINO XXXX in XXXXXXXX. (My prudence chip once again got the better of me.)

Speaking of a throw back to the 1970s, IMHO I think it's past time to throw back our 1970s theologies and ecclesiologies. But that is grist for another blog mill.