Updates

St. John Vianney High School, St. Louis, MO, has committed to sustainability in recent cost-saving, energy-efficient upgrades to the school's HVAC and lighting systems, alongside the upcoming Summer launch of a student-led community garden. HVAC System and LED Lighting: Our upgraded HVAC system uses modern, energy-efficient technology to regulate temperature more precisely while using less power. By reducing energy waste and improving airflow, our school lowers its overall en

By hosting recent blood donation drives, the Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School and St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School communities transformed their Marianist values into concrete, life-saving acts of solidarity and community connection.   CMCP’s Blood Donation Drive Advances the Core Goals of the Marianist Family Encounters Project   by   Patricia Brown, RN, and Bro. Jack Ventura, SM The Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School community continues to li

To answer the call for ecological responsibility outlined in Laudato Si', the Marianist Community at Hollywood, FL, has implemented a series of practical, eco-friendly changes in daily lifestyle, home infrastructure, and financial practices to actively demonstrate the community's commitment to environmental stewardship and the common good.   Inspired by Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, which calls all people to care for our Common home through ecological responsibility,

The Paschal tapestry of the Easter Season contains rich biblical, liturgical, and natural symbols revealing how everything in sacred traditions, from flora to fauna, reflects the profound faith, hope, love, and mystery of Christ's Resurrection. From the blazing light of the Paschal candle to the quiet emergence of a butterfly from its chrysalis, the Church has used both sacred Scripture and the natural world to communicate Christ's ultimate victory over death. Christ's Resurr

A recent "Rooted in Hope" weekend refugee retreat at the Marianist Family Retreat Center provided over thirty Haitian participants with a much-needed opportunity for rest, prayer, and uplifting community connection. There is a Haitian Creole saying, “Lespwa fe viv (Hope is Life),” and this sentiment was evident at the recent family retreat for refugees at the Marianist Family Retreat Center.  Over 30 Haitian participants joined our team of volunteers (some of whom are part of

CCP High School's 11th graders engaged in a series of faith-filled, justice-oriented activities — including a reflection on Pope Francis' documentary The Letter and its themes from Laudato Si' and an Economic Justice-themed Monopoly game. Future plans include a student-led ReWork Wardrobe clothing drive — all uniting care for creation, Catholic social teaching, and meaningful service to those in need. CCP’s 11th graders recently watched “The Letter” by Pope Francis. The stude

Inspired by Pope Francis' Laudato Si', the Cape May Point community and Mary's House Retreat Center are championing environmental stewardship, spiritual growth, and social solidarity through a comprehensive range of sustainable practices and inclusive outreach programs. The community of Cape May Point, in collaboration with our Marianist Family Retreat Center, Mary’s House, has been actively engaging in a variety of actions to support Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ initiative thro

The Marianist Religious Community at Sawmill Road, Dayton, OH, promotes ecological initiatives in community living, including support for local immigrants and families in need. As regards MFEP, the community continues to do the following: Recycling More waste reduction by composting and not using plastic bags, etc. Using more eco-friendly detergents Owning more efficient appliances. Increased use of LED lighting in the house. Maintaining the natural and local plants and flowe

MEEC mentions the successful native plants symposium held in February and the dialogue with MSJC’s Integral Ecology team for all members of the Marianist Family to discuss their joint statement. Click here  to view MEEC’s upcoming events, which include an upcoming Spring retreat. MEEC had a productive and active start to the year, from finalizing the next strategic plan at the MSJC Steering Committee meeting in San Jose to hosting educational events like the River Stewards se

A new faith-based health center run by the Marianist Sisters began in November 2025, in Tchébébé, Togo, to provide basic healthcare to people of all ages and social classes. We are pleased to share the initial steps and achievements of the Lorenza Longaretti Peripheral Care Unit (USP) in Tchébébé, Togo (center manager: Sr. Marie Adèle Awidaya, FMI). Opened on November 17, 2025, this non-profit, faith-based health center is run by the Marianist Sisters and is dedicated to prov

St. Francis de Sales School and Parish collaborated to implement reusable trays and flatware in the school’s lunchroom. In recent years, lunch at Cincinnati’s St. Francis de Sales School sent about 220 styrofoam trays to the dumpster. Hoping to “green” the lunchroom, St. Francis de Sales Parish Green Team set its sights on the disposable trays. We met with Principal Joanne Browarsky, and she agreed that the cost savings and environmental benefits of reusable trays were exciti

Central Catholic High School (CCHS) students and parents joined in a pilgrimage for Our Lady of Guadalupe. The school also undertook various service projects and food and supply drives for organizations such as VFWs, Project MEND, ADL, LovePurse, Catholic Charities, and more. Our Campus Ministry team here at Central Catholic has been exceptionally busy over the past two months! For the first time, Central Catholic joined other Catholic faithful in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Pi

We had a reflective conversation on February 12, 2026, focusing on various themes. A synopsis of the Conversation is shared below. Further, we have shared this year’s   Prayer and Reflection Guide  for the Annunciation of the Lord, March 25, 2026, the Patronal Feast of the Marianist Family. Our February 12, 2026, Conversation Series was attended by five Marianist Encounters Committee members: Sr. Leanne Jablonski, FMI, Bro. Steve O’Neil, SM, Tara Poling, Tony Garascia, and Ha

Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory’s annual Service Week, this year, united students, faculty, and the Board of Trustees in a transformative experience of reflection and hands-on volunteering across the local Broward County to actively embody their Catholic-Marianist mission of compassion, justice, and environmental stewardship. CMCP Service Week February 17-21, 2026, Each year, Service Week invites the Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory community to step beyond the cla

CCP High School's plant nursery continues to produce and distribute plants for restoration projects across the LA basin. The following are some of the initiatives undertaken by them, including some proposed plans and future opportunities. We donated 300 plants to an organization in Westlake that looks to convert their lawn and hillside into a native habitat. Students will help install plants on Saturday, February 21, 2026. We donated 600 plants to test plots for restoration p

Read Pope Leo XIV’s Lenten message  for 2026, which is a call for conversion and bringing God back into the center of our lives. This year, Pope Leo emphasizes a time of listening, fasting, and journeying together. Further, we have shared Lenten resources, including reflections, prayers, and calendars. Dear brothers and sisters,   Lent is a time in which the Church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in

Colegio San Jos é ’s faculty, staff, and students participated in community service in the local Rio Piedras community. They undertook trail cleaning, weeding, and replanting, and other activities. Colegio San José has made conscious efforts to strengthen its presence and engagement with the local Rio Piedras community. In line with this goal, Colegio San José has established a partnership with the Capetillo Garden located within this community.   Huerto Capetillo (Capetillo

Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day by hosting a dynamic panel of alumni and current women sports leaders that translated the Marianist commitment to women in education into an inspiring dialogue on leadership, resilience, and the holistic development of young women. National Girls and Women in Sports Day offers more than a moment of recognition—it is a call to action. Within the Marianist Family’s Global Compact on Educatio

In the Marianist Encounters Newsletter, November 2025 - January 2026 issue, we honor Our Lady of Lourdes on her feast day, February 11, also the World Day of the Sick. This issue also provides updates from Marianist Institutions around the US and highlights the teachings of Pope Leo XIV, including the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te and the Apostolic Letter, Drawing New Maps of Hope. The final section features extensive quotes from Blessed Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon on pre

Our MFEP Conference 2024: Follow-up Conversations Series for Participants resulted in fruitful exchanges of experiences, ideas, and opportunities. Given below is a brief synopsis of the two days of Conversations on Jan 12 and Jan 20. Jan 12, 2026 Conversation We had a 45-minute conversation that included a welcome, prayer, introductions, and sharing. We had three Marianist Encounters Committee members, including our co-chair Sr. Leanne Jablonski, FMI, and   three MFEP Confere