January 15, 2016

Dear Administrator, Pastor, Campus/Youth Minister, Teacher, and Moderator,

On behalf of the Marianist Province of the United States and our Regional Coordinating Teams, I invite you and your students to participate in our Marianist LIFE summer program for 2016. Marianist LIFE (Living In Faith Experience) is a national faith formation program for high school students rooted in Catholic and Marianist tradition. Since 1970 Marianist LIFE has provided parishes and high schools opportunities for small faith communities to form, grow, and flourish. Our annual summer program provides faith formation for high school students and their adult moderators. The students and moderators participate in a week-long experience of small faith communities, sacraments, prayer, leadership development, retreat, and social justice education.

The following are the dates and prices for Marianist LIFE Central, (Moderator and Student Days are held at Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning in Dayton, OH):

Friday, July 15-July 23 $675.00 Adult moderators; must be at least 21 yrs. old

Monday, July 18-July 23 $525.00 Students

Minimum # of students is 4; maximum # is 6 for Marianist institutions and 5 for non-Marianist institutions (1 adult is required per group of 4-6 students; 1 or 2 adults are permitted for 6 students). Two institutions (or more) cannot combine students from different schools and/or parishes to form a LIFE group for the summer program.

Limited financial assistance is available; please contact the National Coordinator.

ALL adult moderators (new and returning) are required to attend and participate fully in Moderator Days prior to student arrival. Moderator Days begin on Friday, July 15th at 12:00 PM and continue up to student arrival on Monday, July 18th (between 12:30 PM & 1:30 PM)

The purpose of Moderator Days is to:

1)  Model the very essence and mission of Marianist LIFE by building small communities of faith prior to the students’ arrival

2)  Benefit from faith formation experiences that help create healthy small faith communities for high school students to model throughout their LIFE week experience

3)  As a first-time moderator, to become familiar with Marianist LIFE and the various components, materials, and activities that take place throughout LIFE week

4)  As a returning moderator, to be notified of any program changes, to assist first-time moderators, and to build community with a new group of people.

Note: Shared bedroom and bathroom/shower facilities are provided.

All registration forms can now be filled in on Microsoft Word.

Please forward the link of the registration forms to your moderators and LIFErs. They would have to print them for signatures out once all parts are filled in digitally. Original hard copies are still due to the National Office by the specified dates.

We hope your school or parish will join us this summer for a Marianist LIFE summer program. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Peace,

Toni Mesina

National Coordinator

Registration Payment, Deadline, Cancellation, and Priority Information

All registration materials and payments must be mailed to the national office:

Marianist LIFE Registration

1341 N. Delaware Ave. #301

Philadelphia, PA 19125-4300

All registration payment checks must be made payable to Marianist Province. Please mail ONE CHECK from your institution per due date (collect monies from students separately and mail ONE check per payment; DO NOT send multiple checks).

REGISTRATION MATERIALS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY:

o  March 15

§  Due: Pre-registration form

§  Due: 50% payment due (check made payable to Marianist Province)

o  April 15

§  Due: ALL Student and moderator registration forms

§  Due: ALL Hawai’i student names for travel agent

o  May 15

§  Due: Final payment (check made payable to Marianist Province)

§  Payments received after May 15 will incur a 5% weekly surcharge of remaining balance due

CANCELLATION POLICY

-  Cancellations made between April 15 and May 15, 2016 will incur an administrative fee of 50% per total individual registration fee

-  Cancellations made between May 16, 2016 and two weeks prior to the summer program will incur a 100% administrative fee per total individual registration fee; NO refunds will be granted; NO participant substitutions are allowed within two weeks of the start date of the summer programs.

REGISTRATION PRIORITY

-  Due to the space of our retreat centers, there is a possibility that a Marianist LIFE summer program can reach maximum capacity

-  Priority is given in the following order until March 15:

o  Marianist schools and parishes

o  Groups returning within the last two years

o  New groups

-  If the rare situation arises that a program is overbooked, the National Office will notify you as soon as possible after March 15, 2016.

After March 15 (pre-registration deadline) unreserved spaces will be opened up to institutions with lower registration priority and institutions wishing to bring additional students.

National Guidelines:

Moderator & Student Participation for Summer Programs

CRITERIA FOR DISCERNING MARIANIST LIFE MODERATORS

It is vital to the success of Marianist LIFE that the chosen moderators:

·  Are at least 21 years of age

·  Are effectively able to lead and facilitate groups of students in an educational and/or ministerial setting

·  Are educational or ministry professionals respected by their colleagues and students

·  Are healthy role models for young people

·  Are emotionally mature and stable

·  Possess an interest and a positive attitude about ministry and Marianist LIFE

·  Are capable of participating fully in a demanding schedule of activities during the summer program, that include late nights during Moderator and Student days

·  Profess a faith and are practicing members of that faith

·  Are capable and willing to work with students in the Campus or Youth Ministry Program

·  Are capable and willing to develop and work with Marianist LIFE Communities at their home school or parish throughout the academic year

CRITERIA FOR DISCERNING MARIANIST LIFE STUDENT PARTICIPANTS

It is vital to the success of Marianist LIFE that the chosen students:

·  Are incoming high school juniors or seniors, who have not participated in a previous Marianist LIFE summer program and have not graduated from high school prior to the summer program.

·  Profess a faith (preferably Catholic) and are practicing members of that faith

·  Have a desire to deepen their faith commitment and are clearly aware of the faith sharing dimensions of the program

·  Are willing and open to learning about forming LIFE Communities

·  Are willing to make the time commitment to participate in a LIFE Community during the academic year upon returning to their home school or parish

·  Are personally able to participate in a demanding schedule of activities during the summer program

·  Behave with healthy maturity, demonstrate a sense of emotional stability, and have respect for their peers

·  Are comfortable sharing experiences with their peers in small group setting

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2016