Notes from Rome By the Most Rev. Joe Roesch, MIC We Marians are approaching the conclusion of our 350th jubilee celebrations of our founding. One unforgettable grace of the jubilee is the approval, during our general chapter meeting in February and then subsequently by the Holy See, of our Marian priests and brothers having the right to wear the white habit once again. Our Founder, St. Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary (16311701), wanted us to wear a white habit as a sign and symbol of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Our Congregation wore that habit for over 200 years until we were forced to live clandestinely at the beginning of the 20th century because of religious persecution. For the next 100 years, we did not wear our religious habit. It has always remained part of our patrimony. During the general chapter meetings held every six years, the idea of returning to the wearing of the habit was often discussed but never approved until this year. Perhaps it was a grace of the jubilee that it was accepted this year as our solemn garb to be worn especially on our Marian Community feast days. Since those who entered during the last century have not worn a habit thus far during their religious lives, the Holy See recommended that we give the option to our members either to wear the habit or to continue to wear what they have been wearing thus far during their religious lives. The habit will be given to all those who profess their perpetual vows, and all those already in final vows will have the option to wear the habit. It might seem a bit confusing at times to see different Marians wearing different religious garb. However, the Church moves slowly. We will see over the course of time what God had in mind by this change that He inspired during our general chapter meeting. I believe this change will help to strengthen our Marian identity and deepen our understanding of our religious charism, which has the mystery of the Immaculate Conception as its essence. This mystery teaches us that God ardently desires the salvation of everyone! He saved Mary in an extraordinary way through the Immaculate Conception, which we celebrate on Dec. 8. He saves us through the ordinary means of the Sacraments. As our Marian Constitutions state, “From her conception, free from sin and full of grace and filled with the gratuitous love of the Holy Spirit, she is the fruit of the paschal victory of Christ and the first partaker of the redemption.” Mary teaches us how to follow her Son. “By this mystery above all, Mary urges the confreres to trust in the unlimited fruitfulness of the work of the redemption, to avoid all sin, to love purity of heart, to imbue life fully with divine grace and charity, and to so build up the Church in unity ‘that it be holy and immaculate’” (Eph 5:27). Please pray that we will be able to live out our charism as God calls us to do! STRENGTHENING IDENTITY It certainly has been an eventful year for me! I began the year in January attending the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI here in Rome. In February, I was elected the 40th superior general of our Congregation. Since then, I have travelled to the United States, Poland, Lithuania, and Rwanda. A trip to the Philippines is scheduled for later this year. The Most Rev. Joe Roesch, MIC, is the superior general of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. He lives in Rome. Listen to his new podcast, “Venerable Casimir and Our Lady,” on TheDivineMercy.org/podcasts and DivineMercyPlus.org/podcasts. Marian Helper • Winter 2023-24 • Marian.org 7 Father Joe talks about the white habit.
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