Life as a Lay Marianist—post-PULSE!

Guest blogger Matt Dunn brings the focus of our Spectacle of Saints blog to involvement in the Marianist Family beyond PULSE!  Matt is the current chair of MLC-NA (Marianist Lay Communities of North America) and the Marianist Family Council of North America. 
Matt at the Piano
Marianists live their faith in the context of community. Marianists also recognize that, within community, everyone brings their own gifts to contribute to the life of the community. This is true for the PULSE community and for the Marianist Family in general.
I first became involved in a Marianist Lay Community after being in formation with the brothers and then choosing a different path for my life. After being “out of the loop” for several years, I commented to a friend (and Lay Marianist) that I was looking for a more meaningful Church experience. She invited me to a community meeting and the rest, as they say, is history.

Joining a community isn’t a one-time thing where you get settled and comfortable. I’ve always been a proponent of the saying, “you get out of it what you put into it.” Since being a committed lay Marianist is a vocation, and a way of life, you must immerse yourself in community life and in the Marianist Family. Doing so produces great results, yields many blessings, and generates lifelong friendships around the world. Yes, around the world.  Our global family is not bound by a household, community gathering, or specific geography.
There are many ways to be involved in the Marianist Family. They include but aren’t limited to joining a Marianist Lay Community (typically based on geography), getting involved in the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative (MSJC), working or getting involved in a Marianist-sponsored ministry, participating in activities sponsored by local Marianist Family Councils, and more! You might even consider a religious vocation! Involvement could mean leading meetings or discussions, planning prayer, collaborating with others, etc. Participation also creates leadership opportunities as heads of committees or by running for elected positions.  
Lay Marianists at the recent Province Assembly in St. Louis, MO
My own path led me from actively participating in community life to joining an MSJC issue team, to co-chairing that team. I attended a Lay Assembly and learned new things about the Marianists across the country and beyond. My desire to be engaged deepened and I ran for an MLC-NA elected office (elections approximately every two years due to overlapping election cycles).  Having served in several positions, I am currently chair of MLC-NA as well as the Marianist Family Council of North America. I was among a delegation that represented North America at the international lay assembly in Peru in 2014 and will do so again in South Korea this August. It is a labor of love, a blessing, and a privilege.
It takes many heads, hearts, and hands to make things happen. If you want to explore how you might become involved, write to info@mlc-na.org.
As you discern your path and your involvement, I have found these dispositions (and subsequent actions) to be fruitful and fulfilling:

Be willing to identify and state your own needs and desires.
Be willing to share your gifts with the community and beyond.
Be willing to invite others to join you on the journey.
United in Jesus and Mary,
Matt Dunn

Comments

Popular Posts