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Updates

to keep you informed and inspired along our journey of encounters.

Summer at Bergamo Center

Over the summer of 2025, Bergamo Center hosted two local groups from Dayton: The Noble Circle Project, which supports women through a cancer diagnosis by empowering them to help one another, and Women Affirming Women, which supports single mothers and kinship caregivers. Other groups, such as the Kairos Retreat, Marianist LIFE, and the UD Callings Program, for students from Marianist Schools and Universities, also gathered at Bergamo for a time of reflection, prayer, and lear

Marianist Award at the University of Dayton

Fr. James Heft, SM, was presented with the Marianist Award by the University of Dayton (UD) on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The Marianist Award is presented annually to a Roman Catholic whose work has made a significant contribution to intellectual life. A leader in Catholic higher education for more than 30 years, Fr. Jim spent many years at UD, serving as chair of the Religious Studies Department for six years, Provost of the university for eight years, and Chancellor for 10 y

Today’s Actions Create Tomorrow’s World

Marianist Family Retreat Center community members worked to plant trees and shrubs on the sand dunes along the coastline of Cape May Point, New Jersey. Sand dune erosion along Cape May Point is a significant and ongoing issue, primarily driven by coastal storms like Nor'easters and hurricanes, wave action, and sea-level rise. Some of the key effects of sand dune erosion are the loss of coastal protection to act as a natural barrier against storm surge and coastal flooding, an

A Peace Pole Is Installed at CJ to Commemorate International Peace Day

This year, on International Peace Day, Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School installed a Peace Pole in a garden dedicated to Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdN. CJ became the first Catholic secondary school in Ohio to have a Peace Pole, joining with the University of Dayton's Peace Pole, which was installed in 2013. On the afternoon of Friday, September 19, Chaminade Julienne’s Peace Ambassadors Student Group commemorated International Peace Day with a peace pole dedication ceremo

Joseph Norton Memorial Peace Garden on the CCP Middle School Campus

Chaminade College Preparatory Middle School’s Peace Garden is dedicated to the school’s beloved Marianist Educator, Joseph Norton, who passed away in 2024. The Peace Garden is a space of reflection, peace, and inspiration for all who seek to find these values amongst the beauty of creation.   The Joseph Norton Memorial Peace Garden stands as a living tribute to a beloved Marianist educator whose faith, kindness, and dedication deeply shaped our Chaminade family. Designed by o

Caring for Creation, One Butterfly at a Time

Marianist Brothers Stan Zubek, Richard Schrader, and Esteban Reyes   from the Marianist Family Retreat Center, Cape May Point, NJ, created the Milkweed garden to care for the Monarch butterflies. They also tag these butterflies during their amazing migration journey from North America to Mexico. At the Marianist Family Retreat Center – Mary’s House, we believe that caring for the environment is part of our mission. Brothers Stan Zubek, Richard Schrader, and Esteban Reyes bega

Bergamo Commits to Sustainable Practices

Bergamo Center, Dayton, OH, is committed to Laudato Si initiatives, such as adopting sustainable practices for all its retreats and programs. In collaboration with the rest of the Mount Saint John campus, the Bergamo Center takes seriously its commitment to caring for the local and global environment. Since 2023, Mount Saint John has had 1,900 solar panels on its campus, which means that nearly 100% of the electrical energy used on the property has been solar! The best way fo

God's Amazing Race Summer Retreat at Marianist Family Retreat Center

This summer, the Marianist Family Retreat Center in Cape May Point, NJ, held a summer family retreat themed "God’s Amazing Race." The retreat focused on Marianist topics and explored the Arctic region, thus creating ecological awareness in the light of the Marianist charism. It might’ve been hazy, hot, and humid down in Cape May Point, NJ this summer, but at the Marianist Family Retreat Center, it was as cool as the North Pole!   Our summer family retreat theme was “God’s Ama

Together for Tomorrow: A High School Summit on Caring for Our Common Home

This academic year, 25 students from CMCP will attend Together for Tomorrow, a High School Summit held at Barry University through the Archdiocese of Miami. There are five goals to the Marianist Family Encounters Project. There are also seven Action Steps to the Laudato Si' Platform. It is a unique experience when a program is implemented that incorporates all these goals and action steps. On Thursday, October 9, 2025, 25 of our students will attend a High School Summit title

Central Catholic’s Ecology Club Works for Change

Central Catholic’s Ecology club worked at parks around San Antonio, TX, performed landscaping and cleanup, focusing on planting native species and removing invasive ones. The Ecology Club at Central Catholic has been busy this quarter. They have been involved in three projects where they picked up trash, cleared out invasive plants, worked on landscaping, fixed up a dog park, and planted native plants at parks around San Antonio, TX.  The most recent project they worked on wa

Villa Angela-St. Joseph's paperless initiative

Villa Angela-St. Joseph introduced digital passes and service forms, replacing paper this academic year. Villa Angela - St. Joseph High School has officially gone paperless! We are proud to announce that our campus has officially done away with paper passes and paper service forms. Approximately 300 passes are given to students in a single day. Using the new digital pass system, Minga, and utilizing one Chromebook kiosk in each room, this reduces the use of paper products on

Upcoming Events

View and register for any of the Marianist Family's upcoming events, such as the Autumn Inspiration Retreat on September 20 at Mount St....

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