During Mass at Provincial Assembly on Tuesday, several new associates made their initial commitments to the Viatorian Community: Associate Leslie Bottcher, Associate Dianne Marshall, and Associate Patrick McGarry from the Arlington Heights-Chicago region; and Associates Sue and Scott Goselin and Associates Mileen and Jimmy Joines from the Bourbonnais-Kankakee region.
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Fr. Pat distributed Bibles and special pins to the newly committed Viatorians: (left to right) Leslie, Dianne, Sue, Scott, Pat, Jimmy, and Eileen.
Leslie is a longtime Viator House of Hospitality volunteer and a Saint Viator High School alumni parent.
- Dianne is a parish faith formation director and former Saint Viator High School campus minister.
- Pat is the Saint Viator High School Theology Department chairperson and teaches Theology.
- Sue is a principal for Bishop McNamara Catholic School, leading the PreK-5th grade campus in Bourbonnais on the campus of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, where she is also a parishioner.
- Scott is a part-time campus minister for Bishop McNamara Catholic School at the 6th-12th grade campus in Kankakee and a retired public school superintendent. With his wife Sue, he is a parishioner at MBVM.
- Mileen is an active volunteer at Maternity BVM, including playing a big part in planning the parish Belize trips; she is a retired firefighter and accountant who still works as a paramedic.
- Jimmy is an active volunteer at Maternity BVM with his wife, Mileen; he is a retired accountant who often donates his time and skill to nonprofit organizations.
Susana and Jackie are now definitively committed as Viatorian associates.
Additionally, two associates made their definitive commitments as Viatorians: Associate Jackie Dupon and Associate Susana Tellez.
Fr. Tom von Behren, CSV, who is a provincial councilor, represented the congregation leadership and celebrated Mass in the Saint Viator High School Alumni Memorial Chapel. Coordinator of Association Fr. Patrick Render, CSV, presented the associates to Fr. Tom, and Associate Tim Schwarz, a definitively committed associate who became a Viatorian in 2000, gave a reflection at Mass.
Tim reflected on Jesus’ call to discipleship and his 25-plus years as a Viatorian. “As associates, we don’t preach at Mass every day; instead, our challenge is particularly to live it out every day. Our mission is to know and live the Gospel,” Tim said. “We may wonder if what we do matters. Our job is not to control the outcome. Our job is to persevere, to be consistent. And we draw on our community, which is about being together: mourning, crying, laughing, and ministering to one another.”
The community also received several recommitments: Associate John Dussman, Associates Gema and Jose Rangel, and Associates Kathy and Curt Saindon each recommitted for five more years; and Associate Jennifer Anderson, Associate Larry D’Urso, Associate Terry Granger, and Associate Dan Masterton each recommitted for three more years.
This begins a big slate of association commitments this year. In total, across Provincial Assembly and this fall’s regional Querbes Day and Viator Day gatherings, 17 new associates will make initial commitments as Viatorians, and 17 associates will recommit to the Viatorian Community. Typically, new associates commit for two years initially, and then recommitments follow for a three-year period, a five-year period, and subsequent renewals or a definitive commitment.
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Left, Fr. Tom received the five-year recommitments of (left to right) Kathy, Curt, John, Gema, and Jose; right, Dan, Terry, Jennifer, and Larry recommitted for three more years.