Jacob's Well: Mental Health

Our mental health and wellbeing are crucial parts of our overall health. We are growing, as a society, to talk more openly about our mental health. We are learning this truth more and more: it is ok not to be ok. 

Here are some resources for your ongoing mental health, for your own use, or to offer as helpful resources to people in our ministries. A number of these services are offering COVID-19 specific services and programs. The online spaces offer privacy and security, while still providing comprehensive and personal service. A number of these sites offer connection to a health care professional if needed or wanted. 

Please look after yourself, and please share your feelings and mental health with people in your life that you trust, love and find support. In addition, reach out for help whenever you need it. I am here to listen and be present, as well as other people in our team, in our Marist ministries and in professional mental health services . 

Mindspot

MindSpot is a free service for Australian adults who are experiencing difficulties with anxiety, stress, depression and low mood. We provide assessment and treatment courses, or we can help you find local services that can help. The MindSpot team comprises experienced and AHPRA-registered mental health professionals including psychologists, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists who are passionate about providing a free and effective service to people all over Australia. We have a dedicated IT team to ensure that this happens as securely and efficiently as possible. MindSpot is based at Macquarie University, Sydney. We are funded by the Australian Government and contracted by the Department of Health as a regulated clinical service. We are Australia’s only free therapist-guided digital mental health clinic. We provide information about mental health, online assessments, and online treatment to adults with anxiety, stress, depression and chronic pain. 

https://mindspot.org.au/

Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live. Beyond Blue is here to help people in Australia understand that these feelings can change. We want to equip them with the skills they need to look after their own mental health and wellbeing, and to create confidence in their ability to support those around them. Our vision is for everyone in Australia to achieve their best possible mental health. Through our support services, programs, research, advocacy and communication activities, we’re breaking down the stigma, prejudice and discrimination that act as barriers to people reaching out for support.

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

Moodgym

Moodgym is like an interactive self-help book which helps you to learn and practise skills which can help to prevent and manage symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is like an interactive, online self-help book which teaches skills based on cognitive behaviour therapy. Moodgym consists of five interactive modules which are completed in order.

https://moodgym.com.au/

This Way Up

This Way Up is an online initiative of the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, UNSW at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. At This Way Up we believe that everyone should be able to access practical, effective, and evidence-based resources to help them improve their mental health. Our team of dedicated mental health clinicians have taken the research-backed tools and strategies used in face-to-face psychological treatment, and created practical online courses to guide you through using new coping skills to improve how you’re feeling.

https://thiswayup.org.au/

headspace 

headspace began in 2006 to address this critical gap, by providing tailored and holistic mental health support to 12 - 25 year olds. With a focus on early intervention, we work with young people to provide support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future. 

https://headspace.org.au/

Jacob's Well: National Vocations Awareness Week

August 2 to 9 marks National Vocations Awareness Week across Australia. It is an opportunity to engage with the vocational expressions within the Church in Australia. The Vocations Office of the Province of Australia has produced this attached resource for this week. 

This resource offers some reflection materials on the life of the Marist Brother. In particular, it launches three videos on three aspects of our life: Mission, Community and Spirituality. These videos were visioned, created, actioned, and produced by Conor Ashleigh, a visual storyteller and communications consultant who has journeyed with numerous Marist communities around the world for many years. His passion and insight into the realities of our world have captured the modern context of the Marist Brother in Australia in a stunning and meaningful manner.

These media presentations will also feature in our social media platforms during this week. Please feel free to check out these platforms, browse our content, and witness the contemporary expressions of Marist Brothers life in Australia.  Details of our platforms are listed on the last page of this resource, or search for “Marist Brothers Life” on Facebook and Instagram. Coupled with these videos are some written resources and imagery that offer complimentary perspectives on the life of the Religious Brother. 

My invitation to each of you is to spend some time this week reflecting on the beautiful whispering of God in your heart and to God’s invitations in your life. Some questions may assist you:

What are I being called to do at this time? 

What are I being called to be? 

How do I want to live my discipleship of Jesus more fully? 

What expressions of my discipleship am I being called to? 

What expression of Christian, Marist and/or religious life am I being called to?

Jacob's Well: Marcellin and his maternal influence(r)s

In this age of social media, the role of an influencer is a source of income for some, and a source of inspiration or guidance for others, for better or worse. There might be people on your feeds that you specifically follow out of interest, or in search of deeper connection with them. Good for you! However, this form of profession has always been with us throughout history: people who, by their example, advice or behaviour, change the way others see or act. Their identification in our lives, and in the lives of other people, whether for good or bad, is important. 

A return to Marcellin. A little history about Marcellin, and the women that influenced his life. It is not a coincidence that Marcellin had a strong devotion to Mary: his lived experience was one of being surrounded by courageous, intelligent, faithful and powerful women. 

This week, I wanted to share some stories of these women in Marcellin’s life.

From Br Lluís Serra Llansana, (2001), “Founder of the Institute of the Marist Brothers”:

While political events unfold, Marcellin lives a close relationship with his mother. Mrs. Champagnat is involved with the silk and lace trades, and she expands the family income by farm work and milling. Marcellin's mother, Marie Therese, exercises a moderating and calming influence upon her husband activities. A few years older than her husband, her forceful character and her competence in managing home and children make it easier for her to fulfil her obligations. She raises her children carefully, putting the emphasis on piety, social relations and a spirit of thrift. Louise Champagnat, Marcellin's aunt, is a Sister of Saint Joseph. She was expelled from her convent in the Revolution. The influence she leaves upon Champagnat by her prayer, teaching and good example is so marked that he will frequently remember her with pleasure and gratitude. When he is seven years old, Marcellin asks, "Aunt Louise, what is the Revolution? Is it a person or some kind of wild animal?" In the environment of the time, one could not but feel the pulse of history. Marcellin's upbringing unfolds at the intersecting point where the new ideas introduced by his father meet the deep, traditional religiosity represented in his mother and aunt. At the heart of the family, problems are experienced in all their intensity, and find their resolution through a spirit of moderation, one that is more at the service of people than of ideology. There prevails a spirit of community, a closely-knit bond among the brothers and sisters.

Another story from Br Lluís Serra Llansana, “Marcellin's Pilgrimage to Lalouvesc”:

In the summer of 1803 two recruiters for the priesthood visited the Champagnat family to see if any of the boys in the family might consider the priesthood. When the proposal to train for the priesthood was presented to the three sons, it was only Marcellin who showed interest. The one great drawback was that Marcellin was almost illiterate. His father thought this to be too great an obstacle and repeatedly questioned the lad on his intentions but Marcellin's mind was made up: he thought only of becoming a priest. 

Marcellin was 14 years old... his decision to enter the priesthood caused him to do some study under his brother-in-law Benoît Arnaud, married to Marcellin's sister, Marianne. Formerly, Arnaud had been a seminarian. Marcellin made little progress in his studies whilst staying with his brother-in-law over two years. Benoît decided to tell Marcellin to forget about studying and to do something else. However, this failed to shake Marcellin's determination. He prayed harder invoking the intercession of St John Francis Regis.

Finally, Benoît brought him back to his mother, declaring that he could not agree with Marcellin's going to the seminary. Yet the more the obstacles piled up in his path, the more determined Marcellin became in his vocation.

His mother, seeing her son's determination suggested a pilgrimage to Lalouvesc (or La Louvesc), in the conviction that they would find help at the shrine of St John Francis Regis. For this Pilgrimage they walked the 40km from Marlhes to Lalouvesc and back in three days. When they returned, Marcellin declared that he had made up his mind to go to the seminary. He was sure it was God's will for him to do so. 

Br Seán D. Sammon, (1999), “A Heart That Knew No Bounds”:

What about the women who inspired Marcellin? Marie Thérèse Chirat, his mother, was the first. A prudent person of steadfast character, she married Jean Baptiste in 1775. Marked by “utter integrity, sterling faith, and a love of work,” this woman instilled in her son the rudiments of prayer and the first stirring of his vocation.  Louise Champagnat was the second woman to encourage Marcellin. A religious Sister of Saint Joseph and a sister to Jean-Baptiste, she was expelled from her convent by the new government and sought sanctuary with his family during the days of revolutionary excess. Louise assisted in the boy’s early religious formation; she was probably the first to model for him the merging of a life of prayer with one of service to others. 

Finally, there was Mary, the mother of Jesus. While a later arrival in Marcellin’s life, in the end, she would make all the difference. Devotion to her was part of the rich texture of faith in the local dioceses of Lyons and Le Puy. Marcellin would, in time, place Mary at the center of the community of brothers he founded. In keeping with the spirituality of his times and particularly of the region around Marlhes, she became eventually for him a “Good Mother,” his “Ordinary Resource”. 

Jacob's Well: A Video Break

For the last few weeks Jacob’s Well have been heavy on content. For this week, I thought I would offer a few short videos that may comfort, inspire or help you, in this mid-winter period that overshadows us. You may have seen them, or they may new to you.

The Great Realisation | Tomfoolery (from Kiwi-born Welsh YouTuber and poet, Tomos Roberts). This story will soon be released as an illustrated book.

Psych2Go, an organisation that wants to contribute to positive mental health through access to introductory psychology. Its videos are informative, fun and a gateway to deepen your understanding and wellbeing. Always consult professional help at all stages of your mental health journey. Here is one example of their videos, 7 Things That Harm Your Mental Health. 

TED-Ed. It is an extension of TED’s mission of spreading great ideas through animations, where you will find carefully curated educational videos. Highly enlightening and beautiful. “What happened when we all stopped” narrated by Jane Goodall.

Jacob's Well: Marcellin and the Three Virtues of the Violets

One part of the Marist folklore that has found grounding in Australia has been the image of the so-called “three Violets” and the associated virtues of humility, simplicity and modesty. It has become a symbol of being Marist in a number of environments, even though it is not a native flower to Australia. The purple flower that is referred to in documents, lapel pins, banners and classrooms finds its origins in the wild fields of France. The Violet of reference is itself unremarkable, and it is assumed that it was deliberately chosen by Marcellin for that reason. One of the asserted character traits of Marcellin was that he wanted to highlight the ordinary aspects of life, and so would use his environment to illustrate his teachings. The violet itself, is supposed to grow wild in the fields of LaValla, and throughout France. It could be a Common Dog-Violet (Viola riviniana. French name: La violette de rivin), Early Dog-Violet (Viola reichenbachiana. French name: La violette des bois), Sweet Violets (Viola odorata. French name: La violette ordorante) or any of the other common violets that form part of the 400-500 species of Violets in the genus of Spring flowering plants in the family Violaceae. 

Sometimes in history, the story we tell in a modern context says more about ourselves, than it does about the original context from which the story grew. For Marists, it has become a way of expressing identity, somewhat losing its aspirational leitmotif along with the movements of time. 

The three virtues of humility, simplicity and modesty which Marcellin Champagnat put before the Marist Brothers as cornerstone virtues can be found in the light of comparison against, or in compliment to, the French Revolution’s famous trilogy of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”. It is important to remember that while Marcellin emphasised personal discipleship to Jesus, engaging with civil society as an active and positive participant was also of significant importance. This understanding underlies another of Marcellin’s oft-quoted phrases of being a “Good Christian and a good citizen.” The two ways of being are interconnected.   

Evidence of Champagnat’s constant references to this phrase is found scattered throughout the Furet biography of Marcellin: 

“…in order to be Religious truly devoted to Mary and genuine imitators of the humility, simplicity and modesty of that noble Virgin and of her hidden life.”

“In leaving the purchase in the hands of the Brothers, there was the danger, despite all precautions, that they might deviate from the humility, simplicity and modesty becoming their way of life.”

“The Bishop was very edified by the humility, modesty and simplicity of Father Champagnat.”

“...the Society of Mary, as modelling itself not on previous Congregations but on the primitive Church and on Nazareth, the characteristics of the Society, as humility, simplicity and modesty.” (Marist Fathers Chapter 1852)

“…he wanted humility, simplicity and modesty to be the distinctive characteristics of his new Institute.”

This formula of three virtues is typical of 19th century spirituality and was placed in the Society of Mary Constitutions in the article on the Society’s spirit. From Colin’s article, the formula passed to the Rule of the Brothers, confirmed by their General Chapter of 1852 – 1853. Champagnat was a living example of the three virtues he placed before his Brothers. His directness, authenticity, simplicity and sense of humour caused some surprise, not to say scandal, among some of his contemporaries. One contemporary priest wrote:

“His confreres criticised him a lot when he began his work. They would have liked to stop him doing it on the grounds that it was not in keeping with the priestly character, living as he did such a wretched life which was far too poor.  When he built the Hermitage he did all the masonry work himself.”

In the Footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat: A Vision for Marist Education Today, article 104, briefly describes a modern understanding, 

“To simplicity we link humility and modesty, making the “three violets” of our Marist tradition: patiently allowing the action of God to work through us and seeking “to do good quietly”. In being aware of our own limitations and potential, we are more likely to be understanding of young people, respecting their dignity and freedom.”

 One of our former Superiors-General, Br Charles Howard, also provides a short explanation of the virtues, in his Circular, “Marist Apostolic Spirituality”,

“Humility is a basic element in our relationships since it has to do with clear self-understanding. It means knowing and accepting the truth about ourselves, being honest with ourselves, being free of pretension and self-delusion. Simplicity has to do with the way we live the truth of ourselves, giving us a personal transparency, which allows others to know us and to relate to us as we are. Modesty can be seen as the result of humility and simplicity especially in the respect that we show to others, our sensitivity towards them in what we say and in what we do. These Marist virtues give “a quality of authenticity and kindness to our relationships with our Brothers and with other people that we meet.” 

So, what does it mean for us today?

Jacob's Well: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Resources

Yesterday, July 5, the Catholic Church in Australia celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday. This year's theme, ‘Together in the Spirit’ reminds us that the call of solidarity, especially with the poor and marginalized, is an intrinsic part of our discipleship. In our current context, the ongoing importance of learning from, and engaging with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples cannot be understated. In this spirit, here are some resources that might assist you in your own life, and in your ministry. 

 

Firstly, an important issue to address is terminology. One of the best guides comes from the ACT Council of Social Services. It is important to understand the contexts of the words we use, and the impact they can have. In some places, there is a preference, or a movement away from, of the use of indigenous, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or other terms.

It is important to note that preferences in terminology will vary across Australia for individuals, communities, and agencies. Furthermore, these preferences can change over time. When seeking good practice for your communications, we suggest you discuss preferences with staff, clients, stakeholders, the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community and their agencies. 

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’ (adjective) is a term extensively used and has wide acceptance throughout Australia when referring to Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders, and related topics. 

‘Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples’ (plural) is a preferred term used by some, to refer to the many Aboriginal groups and Torres Strait Islander groups within Australia. This can also be applied when referring to other topics such as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultures. By doing so, you are referencing two cultures rather than a joint ‘culture’.

‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person’ is a term used when referring to a person of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.

 

Indigenous 

‘Indigenous’ (capitalised) is a term extensively used throughout Australia when referring to the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, and related topics. 

Be aware that some, if not many, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples are dissatisfied with the term ‘Indigenous’. 

Reasons may include: 

• It can detract from the preferred identity of the individual, or group of people 

• Although the term is used for inclusiveness, Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders are dissimilar in many ways, such as their identity, culture, traditions, language, beliefs, ethnicity, issues, protocols, continuity of existence, and history before and after the settlement of other peoples

• It is a generic term and does not adequately describe Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples 

• The term is merely used for convenience, to alleviate repeating ‘Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander’. Taking this into consideration, you may prefer to articulate either Aboriginal, or Torres Strait Islander, or both. 

‘Indigenous Australians’ is another term used to describe the indigenous peoples of Australia. Acceptance of this term varies.

‘indigenous’ (adjective, lower case) can refer to anything native to a particular region or country, such as flora or fauna. It is also used internationally to describe all indigenous peoples of the world. It is not appropriate to use the term ‘indigenous’ in lower case when referring to Australia’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

‘non-Indigenous’ is a term used in Australia when providing two perspectives, the Australian Indigenous peoples, and the rest of the Australian population. As previously stated, there is some dissatisfaction with the usage of the term ‘Indigenous’. There is also some dissatisfaction from the rest of the population with being labelled ‘non-Indigenous’. You may prefer to rephrase your communications. 

 

Aboriginal 

‘Aboriginal’ (adjective, capitalised) is a term extensively used and widely accepted throughout Australia when referring to Aboriginal peoples and topics. Aboriginal peoples are the first peoples of mainland Australia and many of its islands such as Tasmania, Groote Eylandt, Hinchinbrook Island and Fraser Island. 

‘Aboriginal’ (noun, capitalised) is less preferred today. As an example, you may prefer to say, ‘Matthew is an Aboriginal person from Yass’, rather than ‘Matthew is an Aboriginal from Yass’. You may hear a person say, ‘I am Aboriginal’ (where the word ‘Aboriginal’ is used as an adjective), rather than ‘I am an Aboriginal person’. This is a personal preference expressed by the individual.

Some government and non-government agencies have asserted a preference to use the term ‘Aboriginal’ only in their communications. 

Reasons may include: 

• Aboriginal peoples’ dissatisfaction with being labelled ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander’ 

• Recognition that their core service group is Aboriginal peoples

• Recognition that their core business and issues predominantly relate to Aboriginal peoples 

• Recognition and respect for the traditional custodians of the land they work on.

 

First Australians, Australia’s First Peoples and First Nations Australia 

‘First Australians’, ‘Australia’s First Peoples’ and ‘First Nations Australia’ (capitalised): these terms may be seen as growing in acceptance. You may wish to discuss preferences with staff, clients, stakeholders, the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community and their agencies in your region, to gauge general acceptance. 

There are agencies in Australia that have been named accordingly, such as the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples and the First Nations Australia Writers Network. You may also encounter usage of these terms in speeches such as a Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country, media such as film (e.g. The First Australians) and within email acknowledgements. 

 

First Nations or First Peoples

‘First Nations’ or ‘First Peoples’ (capitalised) can refer to the peoples or nations of people who were there from the beginning, prior to the settlement of other peoples or nations. These terms have some general acceptance but can also be perceived as generic or not adequately describing the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. 

The term ‘First Nations’ is also used in Canada when referring to descendants of the original inhabitants of Canada such as the Mohawk and Cree.

Find the full document here: https://www.actcoss.org.au/sites/default/files/public/publications/gulanga-good-practice-guide-preferences-terminology-referring-to-aboriginal-torres-strait-islander-peoples.pdf

 

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) is the peak advisory body to the Australian Catholic Bishops on issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics. The council was founded in 1992 and the Secretariat is based in Adelaide. There are over 130,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics in Australia and it is the youngest and fastest demographic. Their website is excellent for resources related to their work and spirituality:  https://www.natsicc.org.au/  The Resources Tab contains excellent sections for deepening your understanding of culture and faith, as well as liturgy resources that could be used in a variety of settings: https://www.natsicc.org.au/resource-hub.html

 

Common Grace is an online Australian Christian movement for justice. It is drawn from various Christian traditions. The organisation focusses on inspiring and organising Australian Christians to think, speak and act like Jesus for a more just world. Common Grace is a diverse community of people passionate about Jesus and justice campaigning on four key justice areas: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice, climate change, refugees and asylum seekers, domestic and family violence. Information is here: https://www.commongrace.org.au/aboriginal_and_torres_strait_islander_justice

 

The two peak organisations for resources and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are Reconciliation Australia and National NAIDOC committee. They are the starting points for any information.  

 

Reconciliation Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation. Their vision is for a just, equitable and reconciled Australia. Their purpose is to inspire and enable all Australians to contribute to the reconciliation of the nation. Reconciliation Australia was established in 2001 as the national body on reconciliation in Australia. This organisation was established following the disbandment of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (CAR) in 2000. The CAR was established in 1991 under the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Act 1991. Here is the link: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/

 

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, the celebrations will be postponed to November. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself. The National NAIDOC Committee (NNC) make key decisions on National NAIDOC activities including the dates for the week-long celebrations, the focus city, the theme, the National NAIDOC Poster Competition winner and the National NAIDOC Awards winners. The NNC is a voluntary Committee independent of Government and comprises of eight committee members and two co-chairs. Link: https://www.naidoc.org.au/

 

Finally, the ABC series “You Can’t Ask That” is an excellent resource for first-hand, raw conversations with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences of life. Check out the episode from Series 1, “Indigenous” which asks Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for their opinion on the most appropriate terminology to use. Here: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/you-can-t-ask-that/series/1/video/LE1517H008S00#playing

 

May we continue to listen to the voices of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and progress towards greater understanding, peace and love.  

Jacob's Well: Mary's Books

We all know of the importance and place of Mary in our Marist and Christian traditions. Each of us also have a unique perspective and relationship with Mary, the mother of Jesus, whether it is one of high regard, personal connection, confusion, little thought, neutrality, or somewhere on the spectrum of these evocations. The origins of our Christian story are interwoven with the story of Mary, and her story and place has continued to be woven throughout two thousand years of the evolution of the Christian family. 

One of the temptations with Mary is to have her as the centre of our Christian spirituality. Even in the Brothers, we can lose sight of the devotional practices that put Mary on a pedestal, one that she would have been uncomfortable with in her lifetime. Within my own community, in our Chapel, our sacred space consists of a beautiful statue of Mary, a solid white candle and flowers that decorate the area. While these symbols highlight the presence of the divine in their own way, it is important to reflect on the deeper focus and meaning of the symbols, and on what is present and absent in one’s representation of God. One of the clearest elements of Marian spirituality is the fact that Mary always leads us to Jesus. Having a grounded, well-reasoned and historically informed perspective on Mary leads to a healthy personal spirituality. Here are some resources about Mary that can contribute to a positive and knowledgeable understanding.     

Kathleen Coyle’s introductory book is a short and substantial presentation of the history and theology of Mary. Kathleen balances the concise nature of her writing with poignant insights about the person of Mary, and her interpretation over the centuries. An excellent preliminary read. 

Here is a summary of the book:

Here is a portrait of Mary as a woman, strong and resourceful, who proclaimed God’s compassion for the poor and oppressed of her day. Traditional images have often portrayed Mary as silent and submissive. Her convictions firmly rooted in current scholarship, Sr Kathleen Coyle presents Mary as a model of discipleship – a strong, active and resilient woman of faith – who continues to hold great importance for Catholics seeking to express their faith today. As she scratches for and develops a Marian theology more in tune with today’s issues and attitudes, the author critiques Marian symbols and traditional images. She calls for a new theology that restores to our understanding of God the divine prerogatives borne by the image of Mary through the ages. With a new theology of the Trinity, the church can retrieve Mary as a woman of faith, a model disciple, proclaiming a song of liberation for the poor and oppressed of our world today.

This book, for me, is the definite study of Mary in the Biblical texts. One of the first and best ecumenical (Protestant, Anglican, Roman Catholic) surveys of the evidence for beliefs concerning Mary. These scholars analyse what can and cannot be surmised from the Biblical texts, how later traditions evolved, and whether there is room for dialogue and consensus. You will be a Marian expert after this read! 

Here is a summary of the book:

The role that Mary plays in God's plan of salvation is an issue that over the centuries has divided Christians and their churches. In part, these differences stem from disagreements about what the New Testament says about the mother of Jesus. This book should go a long way toward solving the disputes. It is not a collection of essays but rather a collaborative statement prepared by a team of Protestant, Anglican, and Roman Catholic scholars who have reached substantial agreement on how Mary was pictured by Christians of the first two centuries. This book follows the same methodology as an earlier volume, Peter in the New Testament, produced by the same research group. The status of that first book as an ecumenical achievement of American biblical scholarship is attested to by the welcome it received and by its translation into five foreign languages. In light of the difficulty of the subject matter, Mary in the New Testament may be an even greater achievement. If Roman Catholic and Protestant scholars can agree on what the oldest Christian sources said, is the way open for the churches to agree on a fundamental Christian attitude toward Mary? This book is written by scholars, but it is not meant only for scholars. The authors have taken pains to make the work intelligible to students, clergy, and the knowledgeable laity of their churches. It combines scientific research with a respect for Christian sensibilities.

Sr Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ, is one of the most prominent theologians of our time. In her book, she offers a grounded and thorough contextualisation of Mary, both within her own history and story, but also within the traditions her grew out of, and the people that preceded and proceeded her. This book breathes life into my soul whenever I read it.  

Here is a summary of the book: 

The first century Jewish woman, Miriam of Nazareth, mother of Jesus, proclaimed in faith to be Theokotos, the God-bearer, is the most celebrated female religious figure in the Christian tradition. So varied and manifold are the traditions about Mary, both popular and scholarly, that some would speak of Mary as a collective noun or refer, in George Tavard's memorable title, to The Thousand Faces of the Virgin Mary. In this text, which forms a diptych with Friends of God and Prophets, Elizabeth Johnson offers an interpretation of Mary that aims to be theologically sound, spiritually empowering, ethically challenging, socially liberating, and ecumenically fruitful. In particular, she construes the image of Mary so as to be a source of blessing rather than blight for women's lives in both religious and political terms.

There are so many books I would like to share about Mary, but let’s start with these three. Happy reading!

Jacob's Well: Salve Regina

As this time of isolation and changed social conditions has taken its toll on our spirits, it has also been a time of tremendous hope and creativity. Recently, I stumbled across this recording on YouTube: Salve Regina (tono simple), 450 voces – coro virtual, Música Católica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0YWKLNhTvE&t=0s

The Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) is a Marian hymn. It was first recorded as being used as a processional chant at Cluny, France by 1135. The authorship is now generally ascribed to Hermann Contractus. Around 1218 the Cistercians adopted it as a daily processional chant and in 1251, it was established as an ending to Compline (Night Prayer, in the traditional canonical hours prayer structure, commonly known as the Liturgy of the Hours or the Divine Office). It is one of four Marian antiphons, with following versicles and prayers, traditionally said or sung after night prayer, immediately before going to sleep. It is said from the end of Eastertide until the beginning of Advent. 

Latin: 

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. Amen.

English: 

Hail holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

As many of you may know, the Salve Regina has an important and long history in our Marist story. Marcellin had a strong and personal devotion to Mary that was expressed in many ways throughout his life. One particular story, in the midst of some difficult events in 1830 and the years prior, highlight this:  

After the events of 1830, since the Congregation was not approved by the Government, the story went abroad that it would be suppressed. In fact, the Prefect 30 of the Loire, whether he had received ministerial instructions or was simply spurred on by the evil inclinations of his heart and his hatred of religion, was preparing to close the novitiate.

In these circumstances, instead of losing his calm and his courage, Father Champagnat, as usual, had recourse to the Blessed Virgin, confiding his community to her. Having assembled the Brothers, who were now beginning to be anxious, he assured them: "Don't be frightened by the threats made against you, and put aside all fear for your future; Mary who has gathered us in this house, will not allow us to be driven from it by men's malice. Let us be more faithful than ever in honouring her, in showing ourselves her genuine children and in imitating her virtues; let us redouble our confidence in her and remind ourselves that she is our Ordinary Resource. To merit her protection and to keep away every danger, we shall sing the Salve Regina of a morning before meditation."  

This was the only precaution he thought necessary to take; and Mary, in whom he had placed all his confidence, didn't let him down: the Prefect was transferred and the house was in no way disturbed. Afterwards, the singing of the Salve Regina in the morning was maintained and became an article of Rule.

After this particular year, it became a tradition that the Brothers would always begin the mornings with the Salve Regina. This tradition continues today: morning prayers around the world in Marist Brothers communities still incorporate and intone the Salve Regina. 

 One of the most beautiful stories of the Salve Regina comes at the end of Marcellin’s life. It was the last song he heard before he died, sung by the gathered brothers as the cancer that had been slowly consuming his body took its final toll on our Founder.

During the night, he continued his aspirations to Jesus, Mary and Joseph. At about half past two, he remarked to the Brothers that their lamp was going out. "Excuse me, Father", one of them explained, "but the lamp is burning well." "But I can't see it", he protested. "So bring it closer." This was done without any improvement in the situation. "Ah", he said, with a dying voice, "I understand that it is my sight which is failing; my hour has come; thanks be to God!" He then whispered a few more prayers and soon his agony began. It lasted for more than an hour but was mild and peaceful. The vomiting had stopped, for nature was utterly exhausted. At twenty past four, his breathing slowed up and became more laboured and then spasmodic. The Brothers were at that time assembled in the chapel for the singing of the Salve Regina. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin was immediately begun, and during its recital, without effort or struggle, the pious Founder fell asleep in the Lord.

 His death took place on Saturday, June 6th, the vigil of Pentecost. He had declared several times during his sickness: "I would like to die on a Saturday, but I don't deserve that favour, while I do hope for it from Mary's kindness." Not only was he given that grace, but also another: he died at the time, which for thirty years he had devoted to meditation and to union with God. It was during the prayer which followed the Salve Regina that the Mother of Mercy led him from exile to the fatherland, and showed him Jesus, the fruit of her virginal womb.

For Marist Brothers today, here in Australia and around the world, the Salve Regina hold a special and unifying place. Every Marist Brother knows this hymn. In communities where languages are multiple and communication difficult, the Salve Regina hold our fraternity together. Personally, I can recall many significant memories of Marists together joining their voices in the intonation of the Salve Regina. There is nothing quite as stirring in my heart as when the fallen body of a Brother is placed in his final resting tomb as the Brothers gently, stoically and with quiet tears, sing the Salve Regina. 

Have a blessed week. 

Jacob's Well: The Boy Who Died Twice

Last week, in conversation with the MYM Sydney team, we were discussing one of the reported inspirations of Marcellin Champagnat, Jean-Baptiste Montagne. This narrative has been etched into our repertoire of Marist traditions in recent decades, proclaimed from lecterns of school assemblies or studied in religion classes across our Marist education institutions. History, though, is never simple, and seldom complete. One of the tenets of a historiographical framework is the understanding that past events, people and narratives are construction (or reconstructions) based on evidence, examination and interpretation. History is not a cold study of objective truth, but the highly charged activity with great power and influence over present and future events. I digress. Essentially, we are shaped by the stories given to us, but we should always be aware of the malleable and incomplete nature of history. Even in our own Marist patrimony. 

So, in 2017, Brothers Michael Green and André Lanfrey, two of the current historians of our Marist Institute, undertook a critical analysis of the Montagne experience. The story that we thought we knew isn’t the complete picture. As a result, Jean-Baptiste Montagne has become the boy that died twice. Here are some teasers of the article by Br Michael: 

Marists of today often believe that they know well enough the basics of the Montagne story. What they may not realise is that it is an event that was constructed a long time after the death of this youth, using a seminal story that was told from the beginning and connecting it with other data which came to light in the last century and which have been connected to it. It may surprise many Marists to learn that there is, in fact, no proven link between the original story and death of Jean-Baptiste Montagne, or even any evidence that Marcellin visited the Montagne home on the night in question. The young Montagne boy did indeed exist – we have his birth, death and burial records – but whether he is the “dying child” of the story appears to be highly questionable. Indeed, there is no record of any attempt to identify the child as J-B Montagne until the 1930s, and no active promotion of the name until after 1966 when Marist scholar, Brother Gabriel Michel, linked the death and burial records of this boy with the old story that had been with us from the time of Marcellin. The link is theoretically possible, but there are difficulties with sustaining an argument for it.

Br Michael Green elaborates on the evidential basis for his doubt of the dying boy being Jean-Baptiste Montagne:  

There are problems with the location, the year, the age of the child, the improbability of the Montagne family’s disconnection from the faith and their local parish, and also the low likelihood that a priest to anoint the dying boy would have been sought from La Valla rather than from nearby Tarentaise. First, all of the early accounts (among them the Life by Brother Jean-Baptiste Furet; the Memoir of Brother Sylvestre; and the Notes of Father Bourdin which recorded the actual words of Father Champagnat) speak of the event taking place with a child in foothills of Mt Pilat whereas, of course, Les Palais is up on the plateau. None of them names the child. The Bourdin notes are additionally interesting because of the sequence in which he orders the events. This entry in his notes seems straightforward enough: “What made the work urgent: a child sick in the foothills of Pilat, needed the sacraments... Goes to a neighbour for a moment, returns, child dead, reflection: “How many children far from the means of salvation... if instructed, know how to repent, know...” But Bourdin – quoting what he has heard directly from Father Champagnat own lips – lists this encounter after Marcellin’s recruiting Jean-Marie and two other brothers, his buying the house, the beginning of the brothers’ work with young people, and La Valla’s pre-existing “drunken schoolmaster” leaving town.

This all takes us well into 1818, eighteen months after the death of J-B Montagne. Perhaps Bourdin does not mean to imply a chronology in his notes but the order is curious, nonetheless, especially when considered against other inconsistencies among the accounts. Brother Laurent, the next oldest account after that of Bourdin, is clear that the event occurred in 1818. 

A third reason to question whether young Montagne is the dying child is prompted by the age given in the different documents. While Brother François, in his notebooks, describes the young person’s age at seventeen, all other accounts – including the official version of the Life by Brother Jean-Baptiste – have the child at eleven or twelve. We know J-B Montagne was sixteen when he died. Even though chronological age might have been regarded to be of less importance at the time than level of maturity, it is another inconsistency. Taken together, and from French writers known for an often-pedantic accuracy, it is not easy to explain away, let alone to reconcile, these apparently varying accounts….

Another thing to which Laurent draws our attention is that the situation of the “dying child” was not a one-off, and that Marcellin was growing in his appreciation of the extent of this problem for at least two years after taking up residence in La Valla. The civil registers indicate that seven relatively young people over the age of seven died in Marcellin’s first year at La Valla, coming from six different hamlets.  

Finally, there is the problem of why Father Champagnat would have been the priest called to attend J-B Montagne, when there were two priests at Tarentaise, just a twenty-minute walk away. To get a message to La Valla would have been a two-hour trek down to that town, with no guarantee that he would have been there, then a steep two-hour climb back….

 So, on the balance of probabilities, it seems problematic to claim that Jean-Baptiste Montagne was in fact the dying boy. It is much more likely to have been another child of the parish. That does not mean, however, that we should forget the Montagne story. In fact, it is most instructive to look at why this story and this boy have captured Marist imagination, since Brother Gabriel Michel started recounting the name and place to Marist pilgrims in the late 1960s. But let us approach it as nuanced mythology rather than dubious history. Like all good foundation myths, it tells us more about why than what.

Poor Montagne. Br Michael proceeds to highlight additional historical evidence to support his hypothesis.  However, as Br Michael highlights, the importance of the story isn’t in the literal details, but the meaning that we garner from the substance of the legend.  

The story of Marcellin’s encounter with the dying child is, like all good founding myths, a tale that one generation should to continue to pass onto the next, as a way of maintaining integrity and identity, and of defining deeper purposes. But such myths also risk being read simplistically. One key for Marists in their unlocking of the Montagne story is for them to see it in the context of its origins. As we contemplate the Montagne myth, it is not Jean-Baptiste, in the final analysis, on whom we should be focussed. Perhaps this is one reason why the early Marist chroniclers did not give a name to the “dying child”. That child represented all young people whose circumstances meant they had a diminished capacity for appreciating who they were as a son or daughter of God and what the Gospel of Jesus Christ could mean in their lives. The focus is, rather, on those who respond to this need and what is needed for them to be the kind of Marist evangeliser that Marcellin imagined. It is a story ultimately about the reader.

In the same edition of Marist Notebooks, there is another article by Br André Lanfrey, which takes the hypothesis even further. I have attached this edition, number 35, with both articles. Enjoy the (unsettling) reading!

Jacob's Well: Jesus and Justice

It would be near impossible this week to be untouched by the voices of our brothers and sisters amid difficult and oppressive circumstances. Unfortunately, these voices are not new: the voices of those who suffer injustice echo throughout history, and in all parts of our modern world. As Christians, God always invites us to hear and listen to the cries of the poor, in the myriad and diverse ways that these roars of pain and hurt come into our lives. And even when these shouts fall on ears that do not listen, or are lost as whispers in time and space, God hears. And God moves. With justice.

The concept of God’s justice is one of the richness, oldest and most powerful values in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The Old Testament is bursting at the seams with stories, psalms, praises and people who proclaim the justice of God with full voice. This manifestation is not out of the Marcionite understanding of God that separated the experiences of the divine in the Old and New Testament into dualistic entities. The story of the Jewish people, and the subsequent Christian communities, is deeply tied to the justice and liberation for the people of God. In our Catholic tradition, Catholic Social Teaching is one of the most substantial expressions of this ongoing legacy of God’s justice and needs many weeks to unpack! Finally, the concept of God’s mercy cannot be separated from any discussions of God’s justice. It is crucial to hold these additional elements as part of this reflection.  

I would like to draw your attention to a few examples of the words and actions of Jesus that continued, developed, and emboldened this understanding of justice. There are plenty more in the Gospels that illustrate the ongoing action of God as the embodiment of mercy and justice. This week, I would invite you to reflect on these passages as we delve into the beginning of this massive idea: The Justice of God.

As we covered in a previous week, the proclamation of the Reign (or Kingdom) of God was central to the ministry of Jesus Christ. In fact, it is central to the entire being of Jesus: God is his everything, and for whom, with us, he gave his life. So, we see at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, in the Gospel of Luke, his first words are grounded deeply in the tradition of his ancestors and their understanding of justice. 

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to let the oppressed go free,
 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. (Luke 4:16-20) 

Jesus, right from the beginning of his ministry, signals out this unique group: the poor. The poor is broad in his understanding, as expressed in the Gospels, and is always connected with the unjust ways that the poor are treated and systematically oppressed. Make no mistake: the poor are not poor because of their own circumstances, but because the system is not built for them. Jesus was never satisfied with the status quo. Jesus didn’t die because he said nice things: he was challenging a system of oppression, exclusion and death. His cry remains as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago.

The quintessential expression of God’s Justice, for Jesus, is captured in the Beatitudes. 

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-12) 

One of the most poignant reminders I have seen at this time has been this question: if you were listening to Jesus say this, what would be your response? In echoing some of the arguments that exist in our world today, would you be the one who would stand up and say, “No, Jesus, blessed are all people!”? Or is your response one that truly listening to the words of Jesus?  

Luke’s Beatitudes takes Jesus’ words one step further. Jesus absolutely singles out people who are suffering and who are bringing about the Kingdom of God. For Luke though, there are harsh words for those who opposed this preferential option for the poor. 

Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.
 “Blessed are you who are hungry now,
    for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.

 “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

 “But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have received your consolation.
 “Woe to you who are full now,
    for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
    for you will mourn and weep.

 “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. 

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

(Luke 6:20-36)

The concept of God’s Justice is intimately connected to the Love of God. In fact, God will not only bless those who suffer. God is on the move. Parable after parable express that God will not remain locked in place waiting for those who need God. These parables are revolutionary: of course, the ordinary person would not leave the ninety-nine to search for the one! God is profoundly challenging us. This is the Justice of God.  

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15: 1-10) 

This text is followed by one of Jesus’ most powerful parables of love, loss and forgiveness, the Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother (or more commonly known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son). I invite you to read these, and the other parables of the Gospels, and to be unsettled and uncomfortable by their challenging nature. 

Finally, one of the foundational Gospel texts of justice highlights one more important fact: God not only with those who are oppressed, poor or excluded, but God IS one of them. Matthew clearly states this. It is God that suffers as well. 

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46). 

May you continue to be inspired to be a person of action, and an agent of change. A disciple of the Justice of God.

Jacob's Well: Games, Games, Games!

My hope with Jacob’s Well is to provide a variety of useful resources, ranging from input for your personal and spiritual formation, as well as practical ideas and suggestions for your ministry. This week, let’s return to some hands-on resources to animate your day: games! Apart from the intrinsic value of games as purveyors of fun and joy, games have always served a purpose in ministry to build and foster community. During this time, when the physicality of our usual frivolous endeavours is temporarily absent, there are plenty of variations being developed for the online spheres that can benefit the current delivery of our ministry.  

In one of the earlier Jacob’s Well editions, the podcast, Youth Ministry Answers, was provided as a resource. I am increasingly impressed by the content that they are producing in this podcast, and their accompanying website. It is a bit of a gold mind for Christian youth ministry. Granted, it does have a focus on engaging teenagers in a North American setting, and they push their “Grow” Ministry Framework and Curriculum heavily. However, the ideas and discussions are on-point with current youth ministry programs and engagement. I was listening to a recent episode called, “10 Tips on How To Build A Weekly Strategy For Online Youth Ministry,” (which is worth a listen in these current times, although we are already doing some of these, and very well!). They spoke of examples of icebreaker and engagement fun for an online setting and that might be excellent resources for you. Some you will recognise, and others may serve as inspiration for a variation.

Check out some of their suggestions here: https://stuffyoucanuse.org/games/

Another great free website for games, with new resources for interaction, is Youth Group Games. This is a popular free site for group games, but its design content and quality remain high. Again, you will recognise several games that you would have used and/or played, but they do have good context-specific games for online and isolation environments.

Check them out at: https://youthgroupgames.com.au/

Finally, this next website is one of many subscription-based programs but offers some free games that might be useful. They are mostly for in-person use, but with our team, your creativity knows no bounds!
Check it out: https://www.playmeo.com/activities/?subscription=free

Jacob's Well: Movies for Ministry

Welcome to our second requested topic for the year!  I am always excited when I get the chance to generate some ideas and discussion on topics submitted by the team. And this week, I am certain that everyone has plenty of thoughts on this practical subject. We know how useful and powerful media can be in our ministry. Movies, in particular, craft people’s lives in stories that evoke the strongest and wildest emotions and responses. We all possess scenes from movies that we will remember for a lifetime: whether it is sweeping scenes of roaring seas, the hum of a lightsaber that lights a darkened theatre with neon warmth, or that first momentous introduction of our favourite cinematic character. Great movies have the ability to express universal truth, and by doing so, express deeply the movement and love of God in profound ways, consciously or unconsciously.  

Sorry, I am beginning to sound like the introduction to an award at the Oscars. 

For this week, I wanted to share some of the movies that you might find useful in ministry settings. There are so many! Please contribute your own ideas as well, as we build a stockpile of blockbuster proportions. I am sure that we will need a few editions of this particular topic!  I hope these are helpful! 

Disney Films 

Disney has always had a remarkable ability to produce films with universal and timeless appeal. While the materials are drawn from well-known and crafted narratives from various cultures and traditions, Disney movies usually highlight two particular themes that resonate across their movies: Identity and Transformation. There are three particular movies that speak to me, at the moment, that provide substantive materials on these themes. 

Frozen 2 is an excellent exploration of the journey into transformational space. “Into the Unknown” is a confronting song of hesitation mixed with curiosity and courage, when one is on the cusp of change brought about a mysterious divine spirit. “The Next Best Thing” is a heart-song about grief and facing anxiety with small powerful steps. 

Moana is a brilliant vocational story: a journey of self-discovery and encountering the divine with profound effects. The “Song of the Ancestors” is a vivid articulation of embracing one’s identity and vocational discernment at its finest. And, no spoilers, but I could spend hours talking about the spiritual insights of Moana’s encounter with the divine. 

Inside Out is one of my favourite films, and its internal journey, coupled with the external narrative, is a healthy mix of these two themes of identity and transformation. It is another great example of the movement through liminal space in the universal experience of puberty. 

Side note: check out some of the short-animated films from Disney. They are brilliant!  

These titles available on Disney+

The Way

The Way is a 2010 American-Spanish drama film directed, produced and written by Emilio Estevez and starring Martin Sheen. The film honours the Camino de Santiago and promotes the traditional pilgrimage. Pilgrimage has a longstanding Christian connection, and as an area of spirituality, really speaks to people’s hearts and life experiences. The movie is an emotional journey that asks, and faces, some difficult questions of life, relationships and faith, just as all pilgrimages do. We are a pilgrim people.  

The Way is available on Netflix

Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium 

This movie is a hidden gem. It is a fantastical journey into the creative and absurd, and its heart is warm, profound and full of wisdom. Natalie Portman’s character’s (Molly Mahoney) journey of self-belief, her struggle and joy of faith and encountering the divine offers a rich resource for our ministry. One of my favourite scenes is one I call “37 seconds.” In the day where Molly and Mr Magorium spent a day of adventure and fun, they are in a clock shop, all for a bit of mischief. In anticipation of a little scheme that is about to unfold, Molly comments, “37 seconds…. Now we wait.” Mr Magorium replies, “No. We breathe. We pulse. We regenerate. Our hearts beat. Our minds create. Our souls ingest. 37 seconds, well used, is a lifetime.” I love it. 

This film is available on all good online purchasing platforms

Jacob's Well: Mary, Our Good Mother and the Virgin of the Vow

We are all familiar with the constant reference of Mary, Our Good Mother, in our Marist tradition. While Mary seems to acquire a title for just about everything, this unique designation for Mary traces itself back to Marcellin’s own lips and spirituality, to Mary, Notre Bonne Mère. One of my favourite things about history, is that there is no effect or consequence without a cause. Or, in other words, everything is connected. Am I sounding a little like Br Graham?! I hope so.

So, I would like to share some excepts from an article from Br André Lanfrey about the connections between the images of Mary, Our Good Mother, and its mysterious predecessors, the Virgin of the Vow. The full article is available in the Marist Notebooks (or the link here:https://www.champagnat.org/e_maristas/Cuadernos/30_EN.pdf). I think it is an interesting addition to our rich Marist history.  

“The Good Mother” and the Virgin of the Vow: Reflections on an iconographic tradition

In several recent publications, Brother Agustin Carazo, former postulator general, has been working on the Marial statues of the Institute especially on that of “the Good Mother” (“la Bonne Mère”), a statuette moulded in plaster of virgin and child, about 75cm high, carefully restored and today preserved in Rome. In these texts, he reminds us that this statue probably figured at the Hermitage from 1824 in the “chapel in the woods” and even before, at La Valla, in the room of Fr Champagnat. Replaced subsequently by larger statues, probably more in keeping with the taste of the period, it seems to have been somewhat forgotten, although Brother François mentions its presence at St Genis-Laval in the room which had been occupiedby Brother Jean-Baptiste.  It figures again in 1882 in a portrait of Champagnat writing at his work, painted by Brother Wulmer, a Belgian Brother. The statue then took part in the displacements of the Mother House: in 1903 to Grugliasco, in 1939 to Saint Genis-Laval and finally to Rome in 1961. It was there that, in the archives, Brother Agustin Carazo, looking for documents, found it by chance in a bag in February 1982. He then relates the story of the “resurrection” of this statue, which is given the name of “Good Mother” and which photographic reproductions make popular among the Marist Brothers. A Brazilian Brother, Francisco das Chagas Costa Ribeiro, author of a thesis on Mariology in Rome in 1988, indicates that the model of this plaster statue is located in the cathedral of Rouen, under the name of the Virgin of the Vow (La Vierge du Vœu).

From a second statue of “the Good Mother”, crudely painted, and still at the Hermitage, a Brother of the province of Castille (Estebàn Martin) made a mould, and so statues of plaster, wood, terracotta and other materials, of various sizes, have multiplied, especially in Latin America. Nevertheless, this representation does not seem to have gone far beyond the world of the Marist Brothers.

Two original statues of “the Good Mother”?

Brother Agustin has given us a very solid history of the statue of « The Good Mother » among the Marist Brothers which has allowed for a sort of resurrection of this important piece of our early spiritual patrimony. I think, however, that he underestimates the importance of the statue still present at the Hermitage which, in his opinion, is much smaller than the Rome one and of a later date. So he comes up with the hypothesis that it would have been acquired after 1860 by Brother François when he returned to the Hermitage.

In my opinion, this statue is about the same age as the one in Rome. But since my basic proposal is to complete the historical work of Brother Agustin Carazo, I will present the discussion on this particular point at the end of my article.

The Virgin of Lecomte (1777)

The Virgin of the Vow in Rouen is a marble statue of normal height (about 1 m 60) placed today in the chapel of Sainte Marguerite, one of the many side chapels of the nave of the cathedral of Rouen in Normandy. It rests on a stone cube set on the altar in place of the tabernacle, on which is inscribed the formula “Nostra clemens, accipe vota” (Our clemency accept our vows). This inscription confirms the traditional name given to the statue, “the Virgin of the vow”.

Sculpted by Félix Lecomte, it was offered to the Rouen cathedral about 1775 by the Cardinal-Archbishop Mgr. de la Rochefoucauld. It is characterized by one original trait: the baby Jesus is sucking his forefinger. But it should be noted that this statue is not isolated: the altar front bears a bas relief by the same sculptor shows a dead Jesus wept over by Mary and the holy women.

According to the Dictionnaire des artistes de l’Ecole française au XIX° siècle Félix Lecomte was born in Paris in 1737 and died in 1817. In 1764 he won the grand prize of sculpture, and in 1771 was accepted as a member of the former Academy of Painting and Sculpture. He was as well professor of the Academy and member of the Academy of the Fine Arts. His statue of the Virgin and the bas relief of Rouen are considered among his master works.

The medieval rood screen and the first Virgin of the Vow

This altar of the Virgin of the Vow is not the first one erected under this title and it is not in its original position. In fact, there existed in Rouen, as in most of the medieval cathedrals, a rood screen separating the choir from the nave. About this one, certainly in the Gothic style, Jean-François Pommeraye gives, at the end of the seventeenth century, the following details:

“The rood screen which closes off the choir has been enriched with two magnificent altars of very rich sculpture, crucifixes and other ornaments of woodwork all gilt […]. The altar of the vow was made from the contributions of the factory. I understand, from the memoirs of an individual who wrote about what he had seen, that this altar of the Virgin was completed at the end of March 1639 […] that on 26 April […] this altar was consecrated by M. François de Harlay the elder who placed in it the relics of St Paul apostle and Nicaise. It was called the vow because of a great plague which afflicted the city of Rouen for a long time; this had obliged them to have recourse to God’s mercy”.

The author adds, “The principal ornament of this altar is the image of Our Lady made of alabaster which was donated about 1357 by a canon named François Le Tourneur” […] “The altar of Saint Cecilia, which is next to the one of the vow is celebrated because of the confraternity of this saint where the musicians gather every year to solemnize her feast”. […] “I learned from several memoirs that on 23 April 1642 this altar was finished and the two images set in place”. To commemorate the event, a procession took place on 20 September and a lamp burns in front of the Virgin’s altar.

Thus, a medieval Virgin, probably already present in the cathedral, is set up in 1643 as the  « Virgin of the vow » on the medieval rood screen, in company with St Cecilia who certainly figured there already.

IN CONCLUSION

As always happens, research resolves a certain number of questions and raises new ones. We can say that the Institute possesses two old but quite different statues of “the Good Mother”. The authenticity and age of the one in Rome are not in doubt. As for the Hermitage one, although not well documented, it seems to merit being considered a rare piece dating from the time of Fr Champagnat and attesting to the Marian devotion of the Brothers, perhaps linked to the practice of the Month of Mary.

In the wider context, it seems that quite soon after the Revolution a statue moulding workshop was set up, supplying the religious art shops with smaller statues on the Lecomte model. Moreover, circumstances lent themselves to it: after a phase of iconoclasm which destroyed or dispersed the furnishings and fittings of parishes and convents, this plant allowed the restoration of an important element rapidly and inexpensively, while situating itself in continuity with the aesthetic preferences of the eighteenth century which was still close.

Nevertheless, the small size of these statues, their weakness in evoking a theological message, as well as the rise of a preference for the neo-Gothic, the devotion to the miraculous medal and the emergence of a Saint-Sulpician statue industry, must have progressively marginalized this type. But we have seen that a model of this statue appeared worthy of interest for a Saint-Sulpician art enterprise in the middle of the nineteenth century.

We are left with the question of an iconographic tradition of Virgin and Child current from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, based on Christ as a baby, and without an obvious theological message. I proposed one interpretation earlier and Brother Agustin Carazo proposes Psalm 130 (131): “ …enough for me to keep my soul tranquil and quiet like a child in its mother’s arms”. But, although interesting, this interpretation appears no more founded on certain sources than mine.  It may be precisely because it allows for a great diversity of interpretations, from the most theological to the most sentimental, that this tradition of Virgin with Child sucking its finger holds an attraction through very different periods and despite copies of very unequal artistic value.

Jacob's Well: Marist Patrimony (Edition 11)

There is a plethora of sayings that link knowledge of one’s future with knowledge on one’s past. For Marists, we are blessed with a rich recording of our history, and the values that underlie this foundation, in documents and stories that fill libraries across the world. Many of you are familiar with some of our foundational documents:Water from the Rock, In the Footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat, A Heart That Knows No Bounds. Others that you may not be as familiar with, but are still important, includes Evangelizers in The Midst of Youth, Gathered around the Same Table, or even The Constitutions of the Marist Brothers. I will talk more about these in future editions of Jacob’s Well, but today, I would like to introduce (or revisit for those who know) a set of documents that contain some hidden treasures of our Patrimony. Marist Notebooks

Marist Notebooks are a collection of articles, produced since 1990, written by some of the greatest Marist historians of the Institute. Now, I know you might say, how are these articles relevant to me? Like I said, the future is shaped by the past. Why is Montagne an important symbol for the Marist family? Because his story was researched and presented by one of the writers in Marist Notebooks. How do we know so much about the personal spirituality of Marcellin Champagnat? You guessed it: it is covered in these books. The Notebooks even contain the ongoing controversy about the boy who died twice: is Jean-Baptiste Montagne the dying boy who inspired Marcellin? Ask Br Michael Green about that one or read about in Edition 35! 

The best place for the resources for this is on the International Marist Brothers website. Here is the link: https://champagnat.org/en/library/marist-notebooks/

I will highlight a couple of really good articles in the coming weeks as well.

Finally, not directly related to this, but related to our times, I would like to share a poem from one of my favourite poets of the 20th Centuries: Maya Angelou. This poem, written in 1995, is beautiful and stark and fills me with hope. May it help to take your next step, in these times of hesitancy.

A Brave and Startling Truth

We, this people, on a small and lonely planet 
Traveling through casual space 
Past aloof stars, across the way of indifferent suns 
To a destination where all signs tell us 
It is possible and imperative that we learn 
A brave and startling truth 

And when we come to it 
To the day of peacemaking 
When we release our fingers 
From fists of hostility 
And allow the pure air to cool our palms 

When we come to it 
When the curtain falls on the minstrel show of hate 
And faces sooted with scorn are scrubbed clean 
When battlefields and coliseum 
No longer rake our unique and particular sons and daughters 
Up with the bruised and bloody grass 
To lie in identical plots in foreign soil 

When the rapacious storming of the churches 
The screaming racket in the temples have ceased 
When the pennants are waving gaily 
When the banners of the world tremble 
Stoutly in the good, clean breeze 

When we come to it 
When we let the rifles fall from our shoulders 
And children dress their dolls in flags of truce 
When land mines of death have been removed 
And the aged can walk into evenings of peace 
When religious ritual is not perfumed 
By the incense of burning flesh 
And childhood dreams are not kicked awake 
By nightmares of abuse 

When we come to it 
Then we will confess that not the Pyramids 
With their stones set in mysterious perfection 
Nor the Gardens of Babylon 
Hanging as eternal beauty 
In our collective memory 
Not the Grand Canyon 
Kindled into delicious color 
By Western sunsets 

Nor the Danube, flowing its blue soul into Europe 
Not the sacred peak of Mount Fuji 
Stretching to the Rising Sun 
Neither Father Amazon nor Mother Mississippi who, without favor, 
Nurture all creatures in the depths and on the shores 
These are not the only wonders of the world 

When we come to it 
We, this people, on this minuscule and kithless globe 
Who reach daily for the bomb, the blade and the dagger 
Yet who petition in the dark for tokens of peace 
We, this people on this mote of matter 
In whose mouths abide cankerous words 
Which challenge our very existence 
Yet out of those same mouths 
Come songs of such exquisite sweetness 
That the heart falters in its labor 
And the body is quieted into awe 

We, this people, on this small and drifting planet 
Whose hands can strike with such abandon 
That in a twinkling, life is sapped from the living 
Yet those same hands can touch with such healing, irresistible tenderness 
That the haughty neck is happy to bow 
And the proud back is glad to bend 
Out of such chaos, of such contradiction 
We learn that we are neither devils nor divines 

When we come to it 
We, this people, on this wayward, floating body 
Created on this earth, of this earth 
Have the power to fashion for this earth 
A climate where every man and every woman 
Can live freely without sanctimonious piety 
Without crippling fear 

When we come to it 
We must confess that we are the possible 
We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world 
That is when, and only when 
We come to it. 

Maya Angelou

Jacob's Well: The Kingdom of God

Today marks the recognition of the one’s of the biggest concepts in popular culture: a history of Galactic Republics, Civils Wars, cruel, authoritarian Empires and the practitioners of a religion that explores the light and darkness of the universe. It is an epic story.

For me, it raises the question in our epic story of faith: What are we about? I would like to return to exploring the central ideas of our Christian faith. The Kingdom of God can be an inaccessible and confusing term. It sounds very heavy: what exact relevant can the image of the Kingdom (and God as King) offer to us, living a democracy that has a complicated relationship with faith, a society that values the economy as the marker of success and a community navigating its way through issues of trust and apprehension with the Church?

The Kingdom of God, referred also as the Kingdom of Heaven and the Reign of God, is a central concept of Christianity, and one that Jesus himself used and articulated extensively in his ministry. In a nutshell, Jesus was all about proclaiming this radical vision of a life transformed by God, individually and collectively. We see this in the Gospel of Luke, where the words that Jesus speaks at the beginning of this ministry completely summarises his purpose. It is like his inaugural speech, his introduction at the beginning of assembly when the new teacher is starting at a new school: Jesus wants to tell people, right from the beginning, what he is about. 

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to let the oppressed go free,
 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. (Luke 4:16-20)

Let me give you two brief explanations to help you out.

The first is from Oxford Biblical Studies, a foundational theological resource.

The central theme of Jesus' preaching according to the synoptic gospels, and a major subject of scholarly investigation for more than a century.

The term does not occur in the OT; it is mentioned in the book of Wisdom (10: 10) about 50 BCE and in the targum of Isaiah (c. 100 BCE) and was current, though not common, in the time of Jesus. Matthew usually prefers the term ‘Kingdom of Heaven’, which is not to be understood as the realm of the departed hereafter; ‘heaven’ simply reflects Jewish reluctance to utter the divine name.

The primary meaning of ‘kingdom’ is ‘rule’ or ‘sovereignty’ or ‘kingship’, and Jews could not believe that the existing state of the nation, subject to Roman rule, was compatible with the justice of God and the covenant with his chosen people. God their king was bound to intervene. The proclamation of Jesus was that this kingship of God was indeed to break in on the world. Albert Schweitzer wrote the classical exposition of the view that for Jesus the Kingdom lay in the near future. In the Beatitudes, the Kingdom is promised as a future reward. In the Lord's Prayer, the disciples are to pray that the Kingdom will come. Schweitzer maintained that Jesus regarded himself as the Messiah to come and that he went up to Jerusalem to take upon himself the ‘Messianic woes’, the period of suffering sometimes expected by Jews before the coming of the Kingdom, and thus force the hand of God. He was willing to die because God would be obliged to vindicate him. Jesus did not tell the public about his role, and imposed a seal of secrecy on the lips of the disciples, though Judas betrayed this secret to the leaders.

An alternative reading of the synoptic evidence is that Jesus preached that the Kingdom was actually present in his own ministry, as demonstrated by the exorcisms (Luke 11: 20). The main thrust of the parables is that of the mysterious arrival of the Kingdom—e.g. the Hidden Treasure, the Costly Pearl. A greater than Solomon was there! It is these sayings, of the presence of the Kingdom, that make it difficult to accept Schweitzer's theory that Jesus regarded the Kingdom only as God's future intervention. For the Kingdom will not come with apocalyptic signs to be observed but could be discerned already—it is ‘among them’ or ‘within their grasp’ in their own society (Luke 17: 20–21)—if only they would recognize it. The present-ness of the Kingdom is obscure and expressed in the parables in which the seed is hidden in the ground or so small that it is almost invisible. Jesus did not encourage expectations that there would soon be a dramatic manifestation of God's rule. He did not foretell an eschatological battle or the intervention of a host of angels, as in the OT book of Daniel, or in the War Scroll at Qumran, or in the Assumption of Moses (a Jewish work

probably written during the lifetime of Jesus). Evil, in his view, was to be eliminated by suffering and refusing to retaliate (Matt. 5: 38–48).

The Kingdom is still future in the sense that the Rule of God is not yet fully operative in the world. Like the mustard seed, the rule of God will continue to grow and this is how it will be to the end of time (Mark 4: 26–9). So disciples are to act ‘as if’ they were already members of the Kingdom, ‘as if’ the new Age was already here. Absolute obedience in our human conditions may not be possible, but Jesus by his words and deeds laid down the guidelines which should be our aim, which is to live as though the Rule of God is already in our midst and yet preparing for its ultimate fullness when ethics will be irrelevant.

Modern scholarship has made it plain that in the gospels the Kingdom cannot be identified with the Church, as it has often been since the time of St Augustine, nor can it be envisaged in terms of human virtue or social righteousness, ‘building the Kingdom’. Nevertheless both these interpretations have relevance: the rule of God implies a realm in which rule can be exercised, and the Church is the society which aims to keep alive the incentive and the attraction of the Kingdom. And although the kingdom of God is not to be equated with a human Utopia, there are important ethical and social consequences of embracing or entering the Kingdom, the coming of which is to be sought (Matt. 6: 10). Social hierarchies and class discriminations are irrelevant (Matt. 22: 9–10) and evidently Jesus himself lived out these principles (Luke 7: 33–4). The Rich Young Ruler was asked to give away everything; there must be unquestioning trust in God and selfless love of others; Peter was told to forgive seventy times seven; the Samaritan of the parable did help a wounded Jew. And there could be an allusion to the concept of the Lord enthroned as king in the Holy of Holies in the Temple.

The second comes from the Centre for Action and Contemplation’s faculty member Cynthia Bourgeault.

Throughout the Gospel accounts, Jesus uses one particular phrase repeatedly: “the Kingdom of Heaven.” The words stand out everywhere. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like this,” “The Kingdom of Heaven is like that,” “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you,” “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Whatever this Kingdom of Heaven is, it’s of foundational importance to what Jesus is trying to teach.

So, what is the Kingdom of Heaven? Biblical scholars have debated this question for almost as long as there have been biblical scholars. Many Christians, particularly those of a more evangelical persuasion, assume that the Kingdom of Heaven means the place you go when you die—if you’ve been “saved.” But the problem with this interpretation is that Jesus himself specifically contradicts it when he says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you” (that is, here) and “at hand” (that is, now). It’s not later, but lighter—some more subtle quality or dimension of experience accessible to you right in the moment. You don’t die into it; you awaken into it.

Others have equated the Kingdom of Heaven with an earthly utopia. The Kingdom of Heaven would be a realm of peace and justice, where human beings lived together in harmony and fair distribution of economic assets. For thousands of years, prophets and visionaries have laboured to bring into being their respective versions of this kind of Kingdom of Heaven, but somehow these earthly utopias never seem to stay put for very long. Jesus specifically rejected this meaning. When his followers wanted to proclaim him the Messiah, the divinely anointed king of Israel who would inaugurate the reign of God’s justice upon the earth, Jesus shrank from all that and said, strongly and unequivocally, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

Where is it, then? Author Jim Marion’s wonderfully insightful and contemporary suggestion is that the Kingdom of Heaven is really a metaphor for a state of consciousness; it is not a place you go to, but a place you come from. It is a whole new way of looking at the world, a transformed awareness that literally turns this world into a different place.

Marion suggests specifically that the Kingdom of Heaven is Jesus’ way of describing a state we would nowadays call “nondual consciousness” or “unitive consciousness.” The hallmark of this awareness is that it sees no separation—not between God and humans, not between humans and other humans. These are indeed Jesus’ two core teachings, underlying everything he says and does.

The Kingdom is here, and not yet here. It may take a lifetime to understand it, and yet also, you living a life of love, faithfulness and hope is exactly the Kingdom in its reality.

Jacob's Well: Chocolate and Ministry (Edition 9)

This is my first requested topic, and nothing could make me happier! Chocolate. For me, it is certainly one of the most visible signs of God’s love in the world: something this pure and joyful and wonderful can only come from an unconditionally loving divine being! Now, I know you may be thinking: how are you going to integrate the topic of chocolate into a program of faith formation and resource development? 

The starting point for this answer lies in the origins of chocolate itself!  The history of chocolate can be traced to the ancient Mayans, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico. The Aztecs took chocolate admiration to another level. They believed cacao was given to them by their gods.  Etymologists trace the origin of the word "chocolate" to the Aztec word "xocoatl," which referred to a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans. The Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means "food of the gods." Food of the Gods! Right from its earliest beginnings, the connection between divinity and chocolate is well established.

So, what makes chocolate so delicious? Science. 

The secret of chocolate making lies in understanding the six stages of crystallization of cocoa butter. Cocoa butter, the “fat” in chocolate, can crystallize in any one of 6 different forms (polymorphs, as they are called). Unfortunately, only one of these, the beta crystal (or Form V), hardens into the firm, shiny chocolate that we want. Form VI is also a stable hard crystal, but only small amounts of it form from the good beta (Form V) crystals upon lengthy standing. When you buy commercial chocolate, it is in the form of beta crystals.

When you melt chocolate and get it above 34°C, you melt these much-desired beta crystals and other types of crystals can set up. If you simply let melted chocolate cool, it will set up in a dull, soft, splotchy, disgusting-looking form. Even the taste is different. Fine chocolate has a snap when you break it and a totally different mouthfeel from the other cocoa butter forms.

How can we get chocolate to set up in these hard, shiny beta crystals? The process of melting and then cooling the melted chocolate so that it will form beta crystals is called tempering. Tempering is necessary only for real chocolate which contains cocoa butter, not for compound chocolate or summer coating which contains fats other than cocoa butter.

Cocoa butter can crystallize into six polymorphic forms designated as I–VI according to their stability and different physical characteristics such as gloss, hardness, and melting point. The chemical composition is identical in all forms; only the arrangement of the lipid molecules varies.

The diverse polymorphs are formed under different crystallization conditions. The thermodynamically most stable form, VI, has a dull surface and soft texture; only form V shows the hardness and glossy surface appreciated by the consumer. Gourmets only accept chocolate in its crystal form V, as it is this form that has the noble surface sheen, crisp hardness and the pleasant melting sensation in the mouth.

SO, what are the implications for ministry? This answer lies in one of the greatest writing achievements of the modern age: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. As some of you may remember, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry and a number of students were confronted with Dementors, the epitome of despair and hopelessness, on the Hogwarts Express, Professor Lupin provides much needed presence in his ministry to young people. Let’s take a look….

"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else.

"One of the dementors of Azkaban." Everyone stared at him.  Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat,” he repeated.  "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me...”

…Professor Lupin had come back.

He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile,

"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know...." Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes.

He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

[In the Hospital Wing later in the chapter]

"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.

"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

Finally, why does chocolate taste so good? It is a gift from God. And who am I to ignore the will of God, in providing chocolate to others (and myself) as part of my ministerial responsibility? So, go and enjoy that delicious block of chocolate. Jesus wants you to. 

Jacob's Well: Marcellin and Resilience

I have been reflecting recently on a question posed to me last week, in the context of the usual discussions of our time. A person asked me, “What did Marcellin do, when faced with difficult circumstances that were imposed on him?” I provided something of a rote answer, but this question lingered in my heart and mind in the days that passed.

So, my mind fell on one of my favourite stories about Marcellin and I thought I would share it this week. It is recorded in Chapter Seventeen (Part One) of the Life of Joseph Benedict Marcellin Champagnat by Brother John-Baptist Furet. It comes during 1830, when France saw itself in the midst of a time of fear, rising violence, social tensions and increasing anti-religious sentiment in many parts of the country. For me, it is a story of Marcellin’s deep trust in God, but also a story of his practical wisdom of facing life with honesty, openness and courage. 

However, at the same time that Father Champagnat was preparing to give his postulants the religious habit, there was considerable agitation in the country. Bands of idle workmen roamed the streets of the neighbouring towns, singing impious and revolutionary songs, while insulting and threatening respectable people. Several times, they prepared to go up to the Hermitage to knock down the cross from the spire and to do away with other religious emblems adorning the house. One Sunday afternoon, some people ran in haste to warn that such an attack was imminent. The advice of one of the chaplains was that Father Champagnat should send the Brothers out of the house so that they would not witness the scandal the assailants might cause. "If you like", he volunteered, "1 shall take them for a stroll in the woods until evening."

"Why should you take them for a walk?" replied Marcellin. "What have they to fear here? We shall sing Vespers and commend ourselves to the Lord; let men do their worst; they can do us no harm without the permission of God." The Brothers, in fact, chanted Vespers peacefully and were not in the least disturbed.

However, alarming stories were doing the rounds among the public and these were of a type to compromise the community.

It was said that the house was an arsenal, with cellars full of arms. The assertion was even made that the Brothers had been seen doing military drill, at night in the dormitories and in the courtyards. The rumour also went abroad that a certain marquis was hidden in the house and that he was the inspiration behind the Brothers' plans for a counter-revolution; and that it was he who taught them how to use arms.

These calumnious stories came to the knowledge of the Government and a house search was immediately ordered. This was carried out by the Public Prosecutor, with the assistance of a troupe of police. When the door was opened, the Prosecutor asked: "Isn't it true that you have a marquis here?" The Brother porter, who was a good simple soul, replied: "I don't know what a marquis is, but the Father Superior will tell you whether there is one; please wait a moment while I call him." "Yes, yes", insisted the Prosecutor, "you are hiding a marquis here", and instead of waiting in the parlour, he set out after the Brother who came upon Father Champagnat in the garden, and announced: "There is a man here, Father, asking for a marquis." The Prosecutor butted in to declare: "Your Reverence, I am the Public Prosecutor!" “A great honour certainly for us", answered the priest. Then, noticing the police surrounding the house, he added in a firm and deliberate voice: "You are not alone, I see, sir. I know what you want. Well, you must make a thorough search to find out whether we are harbouring nobles, suspected persons and arms. You have probably heard that we have cellars; let us begin with those!"  

He led the Prosecutor and two police straightway to the washing-house and a small cellar with a well that supplied water for the whole house. "Have a good look at our cellars, gentlemen", he invited, "and see if there is anything here to alarm the Government." The Prosecutor gathered from the words, and the tone in which they were delivered, that the reports about the house were pure inventions. He therefore wanted to cut short the visit, but Father Champagnat insisted: "No, sir, you must see everything! Otherwise, the rumours will persist that we are out of order."

At this juncture, the Public Prosecutor said to the police: "Follow the priest and continue the investigation!" For his part, he returned to the parlour. Father Champagnat took the police to every corner of the house. Each time they entered a room, he would say: "Have a good look to see if there are any weapons!"

Reaching a locked bedroom, he asked for the key, which was not available because its occupant, the chaplain, was away. The gendarmes wanted to call a halt. Father Champagnat was adamant, remarking, as he sent for an axe to break open the door: "If we don't inspect this room, they will say that it is the one concealing the weapons and the marquis." The door was soon opened, revealing nothing but a poor bed, a small table and a chair.

The investigation being completed, Father Champagnat graciously offered the Prosecutor and the police some refreshments which they gladly accepted, apologizing profusely for the unpleasant duty they had just carried out. The Prosecutor assured Father Champagnat: "Have no fear, your Reverence: I promise you that this visit will prove advantageous to you." And noticing, as he left, an unfinished building, he exhorted him to complete it. "There is not much encouragement to finish off such works", retorted the priest, "when we see the crosses stripped from them." The Prosecutor withdrew, with renewed assurances that his visit, instead of harming the house, would help it to flourish. In fact, a few days later, he wrote an article on his visit, in the Saint-Etienne newspaper, contradicting all the vexatious reports which had been circulating. The article sounded the praises of the house and of its Religious.

Jacob's Well: Youth Ministry Podcasts (Edition 7)

Thank God for technology. In our current COVID-19 cocoons, our computers and phones are cementing themselves as essential workers in our own lives and bedrooms. While we could debate the healthy or unhealthy status of this perspective, I thought for this week’s Jacob’s week, I would offer a few Podcasts that you might have some time to listen to and embrace. They have a common theme: Youth Ministry.

The first three Podcasts, all produced in the United States of America, offer three different perspectives and insights into Christian Youth Ministry. A couple of disclaimers: the USA have different contexts across a broad spectrum of Christian viewpoints and theologies, and a much bigger industry of Youth Ministry that encompass Catholic and Protestant ministries. It is always important to listen to information with openness, coupled with a critical and discerning heart. One of my favourite lines I often hear in media broadcasts is, “Opinions stated by various contributors are not to be considered as endorsed. Visitors are urged to use their own discernment to draw their own conclusions.” Each Podcast, though, offers some significant practices and professional learning that are very helpful in our work as Christian Youth Ministers. Programs are often self-contained and vary in length, with some only 15 minutes long, and others close to an hour, so they offer a variety of listening experiences for you to choose.

 The last Podcast is a series of programs reflecting on being a teenager in the modern world. It is especially interesting with engaging on topics that affect the age demographics in our schools, to whom we minister.

I have provided the synopsis that each Podcast have written for themselves. I hope these Podcasts are helpful! 

Youth Ministry Answers/ Student Ministry Podcast 

A podcast from Stuff You Can Use, hosted by Kenny and Elle Campbell. Every episode of Youth Ministry Answers features a question about student ministry submitted by youth workers, youth pastors, and volunteers just like you! You ask the questions, we search for the answers. Submit your questions at ymanswers.com and check out stuffyoucanuse.org for more ministry resources. 

Listen to this podcast

The Student Ministry Podcast 

The Student Ministry Podcast is designed to be a Gospel-centred resource for any adult leader serving the next generation of future leaders.

The information covered in our episodes is for youth pastors, small group leaders, Young Life leaders, parents, campus ministry directors, Sunday school teachers, college pastors, young adult ministers, and educators who just want to learn more about ministering to youth and young adults.

This show gives quick, simple, and practical ideas to help leaders address some of the tough scenarios that they might be facing as they serve in youth ministry, family counselling, or college ministry.

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Youth Ministry Booster Podcast

Welcome to the Youth Ministry Booster podcast. The most honest podcast in student ministry. Hosted by Zac Workun, Chad Higgins, and Kristen Lascola Enjoy weekly episodes as the team asks the toughest questions related to student ministry and youth pastor health, success, and expectations. We hope that this weekly dose of honesty and humor boosts youth workers and youth pastor. Find out more @ http://www.youthministrybooster.com

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Today’s Teenager

For more than 20 years Roy Petitfils, LPC has worked with teenagers as an educator, youth minister and today as a counsellor in private practice specializing in adolescent and family therapy. He offers insight to help you understand today's teens with practical tips, tools and strategies to help you communicate with, discipline and positively influence the teens in your life.

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Jacob's Well: Saint Marcellin (Edition 6)

Let’s continue the theme of getting to know our central spiritual figures, and the next one on the list is one who is familiar to us all. It is our very own Marcy or Marcie or Joseph Benedict Marcellin Champagnat. 

I want to introduce you all to the three main sources of information about Marcellin. Each text really forms the basis of what we know about Marcellin, his life, the early Brothers and the Marist Project.

Life of Joseph Benedict Marcellin Champagnat

Our first text is quite a rare commodity: a biography from the 19th Century written just after Marcellin died, and by one of the first brothers of the community. Written by Br John Baptist Furet, titled “Life of Joseph Benedict Marcellin Champagnat”, or commonly known as the Blue Book, it is the first biography written, and an excellent primary source of information. It has its own limitations and biases (John Baptist wanted Marcellin to be recognised as a saint, and so take some liberties with truth in pursuing this direction), but it provides the foundations for many of the stories we use in the Marist tradition.

One of the stories that illustrates this, and makes me smile, goes like this, ”Although she loved all her children dearly, little Marcellin’s mother felt a particular affection for him. This was not due to his being the youngest, it was because of a presentiment of what the future held for him. His intuition was fully confirmed by a sign which could not be other than supernatural and which presaged God’s plans for the child, as well as the benefits God wished to bestow on the Church through him. Several times, on approaching the cradle where baby Marcellin was lying, she noticed a king of luminous flame which seemed to issue from the child’s chest. When it hovered around the child’s head, the flame rose and spread through the room. Such an extraordinary occurrence filled her with a fear in which surprise and admiration. She was now convinced that Heaven had merciful designs in that child.” Marcellin was lit! Wow, I’m sorry, I regretted that as I typed it.

 Achievement from the Depths

Another key text is “Achievement from the Depths,” by an Australian Brother Stephen Farrell. This one is a little more academic but has a stack of information and is well researched. It is definitely dense. However, the book does have really good photographs and pictures of people and places, so I found it much easier to read! Reading it in sections, or just using the indexes to refer to specific stories, events and people is easily navigable.

A Heart that Knew No Bounds

The final text is probably familiar to you: “A Heart that Knew No Bounds” by former Superior General of the Marist Brothers, Br Sean Sammon. Deliberately written as a summary of Marcellin’s life, it is a short read but a good one. It covers the broad strokes of Marcellin’s life, in a manner that really captures the spirit of Marcellin, and the invitation to keep living the Marist Mission today.

The books written by Brothers John Baptist Furet and Sean Sammon are available on www.champagnat.org   

Jacob's Well: Mary, The Met Collection (Edition 5)

 I find that drawing on the rich history and significant people within our Christian tradition can inspire me to keep going. So, over the weekend, as I reflected on Jacob’s Well for this week, I thought that continuing the Marian theme seemed fitting!

A few years ago, I was fortunate to have two years of my formation as a Brother living in the United States of America. I lived in a Mittagong-style retreat centre that the Brothers operated, about an hour and a half outside of New York City (sorry to place-drop!). On weekends, I would jump on the train and spend time in the City. One of my favourite places was the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the largest and most spectacular art museums in the world. In another life, I would like to be incarnated as an artist, but alas I lack the talent, smarts and bravery to be one in this life. However, on one occasion, with some of the other Brothers, I was asked to compile a little guide of the Marian art in the Museum.

Hence, attached is an amateur’s guide to some of the Marian art in the Museum, with some notes to introduce you to the constructions of Mary in art.

It does not cover all the art in the Museum, or the complete art history of Mary, but I hope it is a good start. During this time, the MET is closed to the public, but its website, www.metmuseum.org is one of the most informative and interactive websites going around. Maybe we could do an online tour together and have a look at the art? It is worth an exploration during these days!

As always, please let each other know about any complementary resources about Mary in Art. What is your favourite image of Mary?