Authentic Marianist Community

Writing this week on the importance of collaboration between lay and vowed Marianists, Spectacle of Saints welcomes Executive Director of Campus Ministry at the University of Dayton, Crystal Sullivan. Crystal is also a member of the Micah Theotokos lay community. She shares with us important lessons she has learned from collaborative efforts between Catholic Marianist vowed religious and lay persons:

I am a Lay Marianist. For me, this means that as I live my daily life, I strive to witness our charism authentically—to live as a Catholic, aware that my witness as a Marianist can impact the world around me.  

Marianists are a collaborative bunch. In fact, I would not be a Lay Marianist were it not for the invitation from other Marianists, both lay and vowed, to collaborate in the Marianist mission. In my work as a campus minister, the gift of working alongside other lay and vowed Marianists has been a formative and significant aspect of my Marianist life.  From these I have learned a few things that are worth sharing.

Lay and vowed, all of us help one another “grow-up”
I borrow this idea from a friend and Catholic author, Ann Garrido. Some of the most important life-learning relationships we have growing up are with siblings. We learn to play, we learn to celebrate, we learn to fight, we learn to forgive—at early ages—with brothers and sisters. Siblings help us grow up. My relationships with brothers and sisters (vowed religious) and with other lay Marianists have helped me see myself as others see me; in both joy and in brutal challenge. And I have done the same for them. The love of friendship, Marianist family fraternity and unity in mission helps us all grow up as Christians. For this I am grateful. And we are all better people for it.  

Never underestimate the power of the witness of community
Community is an essential element of our charism. Often, community is misunderstood to be about “feel good” relationships. But as Marianists, we have come to understand it as much more. Community is about commitment; people who come together intentionally to pray and support one another in living our mission. It shows tenderness; seen in the witness of brotherhood or sisterhood when vowed Marianists say goodbye to their beloved dead or when community members care for one another in a time of need. It is about mission; as people come together to discern how to make a significant impact on social justice within a local community. It is about challenge; when personalities clash and opinions differ, community calls us to be more than our weaknesses. We do discipleship in community. We are better, stronger Christians as a community. I cannot imagine doing it any other way.

I am a Lay Marianist because it is my vocation. God calls me to live and grow as a disciple in this way. I do it in unity with vowed brothers and sisters and other lay Marianists  pointed towards a common vision of the kingdom of God. Being a partner in ministry and growing together with brothers and sisters in living the charism is one of the gifts that makes this easy to live. The Church needs our charism. It needs our relationships with one another. It needs authentic Marianist community.  

Peace,
Crystal