Sharing Our Marianist Stories

This year, 2026, is an abundant year for the Marianist Family. Across the United States and reaching as far as Bogotá, Colombia, the three branches of the Marianist Family in North America are gathering to pray, plan, and "forge the future." In this special preview episode, we hear from leaders from across the Family about the upcoming Marianist Family Congress, a Common Bond Reunion, the Society...

While history often focuses on the “visionary spark” of Father Chaminade, the Marianist charism was equally forged in the practical, gritty leadership of two remarkable women: Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon and Marie Thérèse de Lamourous. In this episode, Sr. Laura Leming, FMI, and Jessica González Uhlig return to discuss how these women embodied a “relational leadership” that still speaks to our m...

While Father William Joseph Chaminade provided the visionary spark for the Marianists, the full story comes to life through the incredible partnership he shared with two remarkable women. In this episode, Sr. Laura Leming, FMI, and Jessica González Uhlig discuss the foundational partnership between Father Chaminade, Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon, and Marie Thérèse de Lamourous. Sr. Laura and Jessi...

"I'm still here, Matt." Those four words, spoken during a moment of profound challenge, changed everything for Matt Naveau. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories , Matt shares his deeply personal journey of encountering Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon—not as a distant historical figure, but as a living companion through some of the most challenging years of his life. At age 33, Matt was d...

In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories , Bro. Esteban Reyes, SM, shares his inspiring journey as a Marianist Brother--from Mexico to serving in the United States--and details the profound role Our Lady of Guadalupe and a miraculous sign during prayer played in confirming his vocation. After serving in administrative roles in Mexico, he transitioned to missionary work in the US, which led...

In our 50th episode, we sit down with Fr. Jim Fitz, S.M., a man with much to celebrate. He recently marked his 50th Jubilee of ordination in 2024 and recently celebrated his 60th Jubilee of first vows in the summer of 2025. On top of that, he's preparing for his semi-retirement from his significant role as Vice President for Mission and Rector at the University of Dayton. Don't miss this conversat...

What happens when students from three Marianist Universities come together for a powerful service-immersion experience? In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Sarah McLeeson (University of Dayton), Esmeralda Lopez ("Esme," St. Mary's University), and Isaiah Atalig (Chaminade University) dive into their journey of building community and grappling with the complexities of immigration. Hea...

Kelli Kinnear’s connection with the Marianist Family dates back to her mom’s employment at the University of Dayton. After attending UD and working at Chaminade Julienne High School in Dayton, Ohio, for 32 years, Kelli began her new role as Executive Director of Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning in late June 2024. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories , Kelli reflects on her professi...

When he traveled to Rome for the Society of Mary’s General Chapter of 2024, Brother Dennis Bautista, SM, did not anticipate being elected to the Society of Mary’s General Administration. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Brother Dennis recounts his initial reactions to his election, the challenges and reflections in his transition period, his emotional farewells with various commun...

Over 75 years ago, in October 1949, three Marianist Sisters arrived in Somerset, Texas to establish the first foundation of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (Marianist Sisters) in the United States. Roughly 21 years after that foundation, Sr. Gretchen Trautman, FMI professed first vows with the Daughters of Mary Immaculate. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories , Sr. Gretchen describes...

In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories , Carol Ramey, former NACMS director and a sought-after presenter on Marianist topics, reflects on Father Chaminade’s exile in Saragossa, Spain. Father Chaminade’s inspiration during his time in Saragossa, including numerous prayer experiences at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar, fueled his vision for the Marianist Family, and it can inspire us...

After spending the last two years at the Novitiate in Dayton, OH, Joseph Choi, nSM, will profess first vows with the Society of Mary on June 22, 2024. In this episode Joseph describes his journey from high school in South Korea through his time in the Novitiate. He shares about the impact his experience in the United States has had on his own formation and his aspirancy experience that included ti...

After spending time in aspirancy and the last two years at the Novitiate in Dayton, OH, Guillermo Pena Contreras, nSM, (more commonly known as Memo) will profess first vows with the Society of Mary on June 8, 2024.  In this episode Memo shares what attracted him to vowed religious life, how his experiences of aspirancy and novitiate shaped him, how his background in family law impacted his vo...

After spending time in aspirancy and the last two years at the Novitiate in Dayton, OH, Chicago Joe Schuller, nSM, Memo Pena Contreras, nSM, and Joseph Choi, nSM will each profess their first vows with the Society of Mary this summer (2024). We’ve sat down with each of them to learn more about their discernment to become a Marianist Brother and what their formation process has entailed. Chicago Jo...

Susan Buckley is a Lay Marianist living in Dublin, Ireland where the Marianist Family has had a presence since 1967. She stopped by NACMS while visiting Dayton in September 2023 and sat down with us for an interview. In this episode, Susan shares about her engagement in a virtual Lay Marianist Community with others in the United States and her experience at the 2023 International Lay Marianist Ass...

In June 2024 Tom Mengler will conclude twelve years of serving as the President of St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas and Winston Erevelles will begin his tenure as the University’s President. This episode provides a brief inside look into their lives. They each share how they came to the Marianist Family, how the Charism has impacted their lives, how they have seen the Charism at work th...

Al Prendergast has been a Lay Marianist since he took the vow of stability in 1970. Sr. Laura Leming, FMI made first vows as a Marianist Sister in 1978 and, later, also took the vow of stability. They each participated in MSP 2.0 in 2019-2020 which focused on the topic of “Marianist Stability: Rooted Presence.” In this episode, Al and Sr. Laura share their historical and sociological research on t...

Meghann Naveau and Nancy Woeste are Lay Marianists serving on the Dayton Marianist Family Council and have been part of the Queen of Apostles Community (or QAC) which transitioned from a non-territorial Marianist parish to a Lay Community on January 1, 2024. They share about their experiences of serving on the temporalities committee of the Dayton Marianist Family Council and how that engagement p...

Sr. Nicole Trahan, FMI professed first vows of June of 2008 and serves as the Vocation Director for the Daughters of Mary Immaculate amongst many other professional roles. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Sr. Nicole shares about her experience in Nairobi, Kenya as a participant in the Nazareth Program, a formation program for emerging formators within the Marianist Family. Af...

Laura Koonce and Jon Watase are two staff members at Saint Louis School in Hawaii, a Marianist school serving boys in kindergarten through twelfth grade. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories they share about the impact of the agricultural program that Jon helped establish, how their lives have been impacted by the Marianist Family, and their experience of the 2023 Lay Marianist Assembl...

Ann Mueller has been connected to the Marianist Family since 1988 when she began working for the Society of Mary’s Province of St. Louis. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Ann gives an insider’s view of what it’s like to work for the Society of Mary. She shares how her work with the Society of Mary impacted her spiritual life and reflects on the experience of working for...

Marianist PULSE, a postgraduate year of professional non-profit service rooted in the Marianist Charism, has had an impact on numerous individuals and communities. In this episode, Abby Shahady, Ani Artero, and Dominic Sanfilippo share their stories of discerning, engaging in and completing a year of service with Marianist PULSE. Each of these PULSE alums share the impact the program had on their...

The Catholic Church’s annual celebration of National Vocation Awareness Week, during the first week of November, promotes and celebrates vowed religious life. In recognition of this celebration, Bro. Mark Motz, SM and Sr. Rose Rucoba, FMI share their stories of discerning and living vowed religious life within the Marianist Family. Their stories highlight significant influences in their disce...

Bro. Bob Moriarty, SM has been professed with the Society of Mary for over sixty years and now lives in community in Philadelphia, PA. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Bro. Bob shares about his journey with the Society of Mary, professional experience in parish ministry, vision for the Marianist Family in parishes, and The Best of Quest , a resource he developed that NACMS ha...

Marceta Reilly has a long tenure of familiarity and engagement with the Marianist Family. Jeri Albright came to know the Marianists as a result of her friendship with Marceta. In this episode of Sharing Our Marianist Stories, Jeri and Marceta share their experience as Lay Marianists living near Topeka, Kansas, where there aren’t many Marianists. Marceta and Jeri share the origin story of...