 | From Your Alumni Chaplain, Fr. William Rowland, SM   Homily: Marist Mothers Prayer Group
2/27/2012
The following homily was preached on Friday, February 24th at the Mass for the Marist Mothers Prayer Group. Following Mass, Marcia Gaddis, author of the book, "When God Draws Near," spoke to the group about the death of her twenty-six years old daughter. In 2007, Ms. Gaddis was diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a fatal, degenerative brain disease that eventually led to her death. This, in turn, led Marcia to ask such heart-rending questions as, "Why does a loving and all-powerful God allow suffering? Why am I chosen to suffer? Where is God when I need Him the most?" Marcia shared with the Marist Mothers Prayer Group how these questions led her onto new paths and brought her into contact with some helpful, caring companions on her own journey of faith.
Our Catholic tradition speaks about the Commuion of Saints. By reading about their lives, studying their wisdom and praying to them; they, too, become our invisible companions on our journey of faith. This is epsecially true of Mary, the Queen of Saints. The Marist Mothers Prayer Group, named after Mary, the Mother of God, is invited to seek her guidance and support on their own journey of faith.
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 Homily: Alumni Retreat February 19, 2012
2/26/2012
Gospel: Luke 5: 1-7
"While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking."
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 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 2012
1/16/2012
The following homily was given to those sophomores and juniors participating on the Nazareth Retreat during the weekend of January 13-15, 2012.
What are you looking for…on this retreat? Why did you leave your family, the shopping mall, T.V., sports, your familiar routine, the comfort and security of your home and come all the way to Covecrest?
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Mary, the Mother of God
1/1/2012
What is your favorite image of Mary, the mother of God? When you pray to her and ask her intercession, how do you envision her?
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Feast of the Holy Name of Mary – September 12, 2011
9/19/2011
Yesterday, we remembered the 10th anniversary of the tragedy of September 11, 2001. One person commented that, on that day, he felt as though things in the world had just gotten a thousand times worse. In the midst of the turmoil and violence of 19th century France, I can imagine Fr. Colin and the early Marists making a similar assessment of their situation.
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The Nativity of Mary - September 8
9/8/2011
Today the Church celebrates the Nativity of Mary which is understood as being primarily a feast in preparation for the birth of Christ. [1] You could also say that it is a feast in preparation for our own re-birth in Baptism? "In what way?" you might ask.
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The Queenship of Mary - August 22
8/26/2011
Do you know the story behind the composition of the hymn, "Salve Regina," (Hail Holy Queen)? After having heard the story about its composer, I suspect that you will sing and pray this beautiful and familiar song a bit differently from now on!
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Will Catholics Be Taken Up In The Rapture?
5/20/2011
There has been a lot of coverage in the news about the supposed end of the world that is to occur on Saturday, May 21st. What is a Catholic to make of all of this talk about “the Rapture” and predictions of the end of the world?
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Fourth Sunday of Easter: This Evil Stops with Me
5/17/2011
I don’t know exactly when this practice started: the practice of having characters in movies wear a necklace with a cross. Often, these very same characters will be engaged in some immoral and criminal activity. Now, this is not done by accident. Everything that appears on the screen serves a purpose. What do you think is the point that movie producers are making when they have their characters where a necklace with cross while they are engaged in actions that are blatantly unchristian and evil?
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Third Sunday of Easter: On the Road to Emmaus
5/10/2011
When you are traveling and you realize you are going the wrong way, what is the first thing you should do? The first thing you should do is stop! If you keep going in the wrong direction, you will only get further and further away from your destination.
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An Easter Reflection
4/24/2011
Perhaps you have viewed the Easter greeting sent to you from the Marist Alumni Association. The focus is on the two stained glass images from the Holy Family Chapel at Marist School, dedicated in the memory of Esmond Brady (1893 – 1961). One is of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the other is of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
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Introduction of the Chaplain to the Marist Alumni Association
12/3/2010
Dear Alumni,
It is my pleasure to write to you as the first designated chaplain to the Marist School Alumni Association. For well over one hundred years, Marist religious have been counted among the faculty and staff at Marist School. Many of you consider the impact that a particular Marist religious has had on their lives as having been a special blessing.
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| Fr. Bill Rowland, S.M. comes to Marist as Chaplain of Alumni
Father Ted Keating, S.M., American Provincial of the Society of Mary, has appointed Fr. Bill Rowland, S.M. to a new assignment at Marist School. Fr. Rowland previously worked closely with the school and the Marists as Provincial, and more recently, Vocation Director for the province. As Vocation Director, he spent half of each year living at Marist School and the other half in California.
Father Rowland serves as chaplain for alumni and their activities and as special assistant to the President, Father John Harhager, S.M.
You can reach Fr. Rowland here or by telephone at (770) 936-6458. Fr. Rowland's office is in the Wooldridge library building. |
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