Fall-Winter 2013-2014

R ecently, I received a letter from a Marian Helper expressing his concerns about the need for greater accountability by nonprofit organizations in fundraising. I share his concerns, and that’s why I love that we’re able to offer Marian Helper magazine every quarter. Each issue keeps our Marian Helpers informed about how their gifts help us to serve Christ and the Church. Just one problem: There’s so much good going on that it’s difficult to express it all. I mean, the usual 30-something pages of Marian Helper just don’t provide enough space. They only give a snippet, a snapshot of how the Marians and our Marian Helpers are making a difference. In view of this problem, I thought we’d do something big … literally. I decided to combine the Fall and Winter editions of Marian Helper magazine, making this issue a whopping 48 pages and dedicating it to stewardship. I also wanted to take this issue as an opportunity to thank you, our Helpers, for your faithful prayers and support. While this issue still has many of the familiar columns and departments, it also includes a 12-page cover story that high- lights certain categories of Marian activity, two pages at a time. For instance, in two pages, we cover “works of mercy” and in another two, “evangelization.” But because it’s impossible to describe everything we do in a given category in just a cou- ple of pages and because “a picture is worth a thousand words,” we decided to show you the good that you’re doing — not just tell you. That way, in one glance, you can better appreciate the staggering amount of good that God has been pleased to do through us, His lowly instruments. Putting together this issue has been a great blessing to me personally. Having been the director of the Association of Marian Helpers for nearly three years now, I thought I had a pretty good grasp of all our activities. That being said, I have to admit that as I was working on this issue, listing each of our activities one by one, I became pleasantly surprised. It was so much! Normally, during my day-to-day work at the Marian Helpers Center, I deal with only a few areas of activity at a time. I’d never actually taken the time to list them all together. It was truly amazing to see it all at once! Unfortunately, even with a jumbo issue such as this one, we couldn’t include every- thing that was on my list. But I think when you go through the issue, you’ll get the idea. I pray that seeing these pages will fill you with the same joy I have in serving at the Marian Helpers Center, the joy that comes from working together to bear fruit for the king- dom of God, fruit that will last. By the way, when I was going through the list of activities, I not only felt joy but gratitude — in fact, an overwhelming gratitude. I was so grateful that God has allowed such a small community, the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, to do so much good. I was so grateful that He has sent us so many dedicated, hard-working laypeople who work right beside us day after day. I was so grateful that He has sent us so many generous, prayer- ful Marian Helpers. Truly, without your support, we could not do all this! Without you, the pages of this issue would be empty. So I invite all you Marian Helpers out there to prayerfully sit down with this issue and soak in the good things of which you are an essential part. May the photos and stories of these pages fill your hearts with joy. And may you know how much we, the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, appreciate you . Wherever you may be and however you support us, we say to you from our hearts, “Thank you!” Wr i t e s Father Joseph “Father Joseph, MIC,” is the honorary title of the director of the Association of Marian Helpers. The current director is Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC. An expanded edition just for you 4 M arian H elper • F all /W inter 2013 • www.marian.org­ Back to index