Not So Far Afield is a bimonthly publication of the Maryknoll Affiliates. The name is a play on the title of the original Maryknoll Magazine: The Field Afar.
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Maryknollers and Affiliates from three Northwest chapters were hosted by Roger and Kitty Schiltz, enjoying good food, music, and talk about the Mini-Regional Affiliate meeting, Mission Nonviolence, to be held in Portland on September 21-23. They look forward to seeing you in Portland, OR, and pursuing Active Nonviolence. For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Attendees (L to R): Anna Clarke Johnson, from Seattle, Team Leader, Western Region & Young Adult Outreach for the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, Judy Pinney, Walla Walla Chapter, and granddaughter Chelsea, Fr. Mike Bassano, MM, stationed in South Sudan, Chris Pinney, Walla Walla, Ralph Maughan, Affiliate Regional Coordinator, and Kate Maughan, Seattle Chapter, Manny Hotchkiss, Portland Chapter.
Present but not pictured were Mary Ryan-Hotchkiss and Gabriella Maertens, Portland Chapter, and from the Seattle Chapter: Carolyn Creighton, Yvette Jorg, Roger and Kitty Schiltz.
What Do You Think?
* Does your Chapter want new members?
* If so, who is most likely to be interested in Maryknoll Affiliates?
* How would you find these people?
* What would you say to them?
* What activities would attract them?
* What image or photo would attract them?
We want to hear your ideas. Drop a note or email to a Board member, your regional coordinator, or our executive coordinator,
Bob Short. Or send them to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will forward them to the Board.
Diverse Cultures United—New Alternatives Emerge
Written by Rosa Beatriz CastañedaRosa Beatriz Castañeda – Guatemala Chapter, Board Member
Three years ago, Pope Francis released Laudato Si (Praise Be to You), his encyclical on “Care for Our Common Home,” to “communicate above all a sense of deep urgency and profound concern for the precarious state of our common planetary home.” [P. Francis - 1]
Nine months ago—at MAC 2017 in Guatemala—the Buen Vivir cosmovision helped us realize that we are citizens of different countries, belonging to one world that urgently needs love and care!
“The cosmovision shared by indigenous communities tells us that we are interdependent with one another. Harming any natural resource is harming us”.—Quechua, Peru Native
Kathy Ress – NE Ohio Chapter
“They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.”—Dinos Christianopoulos
From April 20-23, I was privileged to attend Ecumenical Advocacy Days, “A World Uprooted: Responding to Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People,” in Washington, DC. At this event, over 700 persons from various faith communities across the US gathered to learn about and bear witness to the urgent
immigration crisis.
For three days, faith leaders passionately called on us as believers to join an URGENT call for safety and prophetic witness to the migration of more than 65 million displaced persons around the globe, a number that is rising. They passionately reminded us of the age-old narrative and command of scripture to respond to those in exile, welcome the stranger, and meet the angel among us. On the last day, we met for a vigil and made visits to our legislators on the Hill.
Maryknoll Spirit Lives in Cincinnati Chapter
Written by Mary Ryan-HotchkissMary Ryan-Hotchkiss – NSFA Co-editor
(l to r) Liz Maxwell, Mike and Kathy Gable, and visitor Mary Ryan-Hotchkiss.
Cincinnati Affiliates have wide and deep connections to Maryknoll. Many in the chapter had been a Maryknoll priest, sister, or lay missioner, or attended a Maryknoll seminary and maintain contacts with their Maryknoll associates. Members enjoy coming together for community and to share their activities but don’t usually work together on one project. Some are no longer comfortable with long distance travel, but several attended the 2015 regional meeting in Wisconsin. Mission and Global Vision are evident in their actions for peace and justice in their current professions or volunteer work.
Mike Gable travels extensively as part of his role as the diocesan Director of Missions. He enthusiastically mentioned many programs in the Cincinnati area that facilitate connections and sharing between parishes, teachers, communities, and faiths around the world. He strongly endorsed JustFaith as an excellent peace and justice formation and community-building program. His connections as a returned Maryknoll Lay Missioner with his wife Kathy, and as an Affiliate, also keep him well involved.
Ahn Vu, another returned Maryknoll Lay Missioner, and Bob Bonnici also appreciate their on-going international connections in their work with youth. Over the years, members have worked as volunteers with Cesar Chavez, taught English in China, math in Africa, and worked locally with immigrants and GED programs, and in many other service roles. Jane Friels, who celebrated her 80th birthday at this gathering, reflected that Maryknoll was the first place that made her aware and appreciative of other cultures. Liz Maxwell added, “We never stop learning.” The chapter recently met with local Muslims.
Liz graciously hosted this midweek gathering of six Affiliates and told us a little about her husband Bob Maxwell, who passed away last year. We saw a poster for the Bob Maxwell Peace Builder Award inaugurated in 2017 after his death. The spirit of Maryknoll lives on in Bob Maxwell’s award, and in the global vision, relationships, and actions of this chapter.
Can’t attend the regional conference in Portland, Oregon, this September?
Here’s how to explore Active Nonviolence on your own:
- Read the entertaining Nonviolence by Mark Kurlansky or an inspiring book on nonviolence from Orbisbooks.org.
- Take the Nonviolence Pledge at PaceeBene.org. Here’s the pledge link:
http://org.salsalabs.com/o/859/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14090&okay=True - Get involved in Campaign Nonviolence:
* Attend the Nonviolence Convergence in Washington DC, September 22
(http://www.paceebene.org/2018/07/12/covenant-of-nonviolence-for-convergence/)
* Join one of the over 1,000 2018 Campaign Nonviolence events being held across the US in the week of September 15-23.
* Create a Campaign Nonviolence event in your area. Get your DIY instructions here:
http://www.paceebene.org/programs/campaign-nonviolence/
Bob Short – Executive Coordinator
I’m not at all sure what prompted it, but on a phone call yesterday afternoon, a close friend asked me if, simply by association, “Maryknoll” had become for me a vicarial way of convincing myself that I was living out a committed life of service in a global world. Now, this friend is a smart person (who else uses vicarial these days?) who knows and loves Maryknoll. Still, his question initially disturbed me. What prompted him to ask? What did he mean by it?
We talked for some time. Unfortunately, the glass of wine poured earlier was out of reach from the chair next to the phone. While the question could have rather complex psychological and theological implications, I simply understood it to mean that I shouldn’t allow my connection to Maryknoll, most especially in those days of past glories, to become a vicarious substitute for all the commitments in and around me (some global and some domestic and rather unexciting) that I needed to attend to.
How a Maryknoll Immersion Trip Changed My Life
Written by Margaret MottMargaret Mott – California Central Coast Chapter
In 2004, My husband and I went on a FAB (Friends Across Borders) trip to Kenya. We knew in advance that this would be a special trip but went with no idea about how this would affect our lives.
When we arrived in Nairobi, it was early morning and the city was awakening. The ride from the airport was a wake-up to life in a developing country; the smell of burning garbage filled the air, and street children were wandering through the outskirts of the city to begin their day, alone and in search of their daily bread. People were everywhere, walking or waiting for the small crowded buses—matatus—to take them into town for their business of the day.
I knew nothing about this country and her people but was anxious to learn about everything we were going to experience as we were immersed in the work of Maryknoll in the bustling city of Nairobi. I truly was in awe as the day progressed. We settled into the Maryknoll House and began our friendships with our drivers—Paul, Rashid and Simon, and with the Maryknoll priests and lay missioners.
Everyday life and all it takes are holy.
Every single breath is & gift of God. Every exhale is an act of trust.
How close am I to God?
“As the Father is in me, so also am I in you.”
—From the jottings of Bob Maxwell,
Maryknoll Affiliate
More...
A review of
AT PLAY IN THE LIONS’ DEN, by Jim Forest, Orbis Books, 2017
Mary Ryan-Hotchkiss – Portland Chapter
This biography and memoir of Daniel Berrigan, recently released by Orbis Books, has justly received much good press. It was reviewed by both America (https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2017/11/01/daniel-lions-den-berrigan-biography) and NCR (https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/my-friend-dan-berrigan-another-daniel-lions-den).
As I began reading, I was impressed that there are pictures on almost every page, and that the book has an extensive index, notes, and a bibliography. Pertinent quotes fill frequent sidebars, and readers are treated to snippets of his poetry.
In just the first few pages, I learned that three former Maryknollers were included in the Catonsville Nine, who were tried with Berrigan for their 1968 burning of draft records that earned him and several others a prison term. Some stories added insights into Berigan’s close relationship with Phil Berrigan, his activist priest/brother.
My uncle’s vim and vision and vitality crackle out of the pages of Jim Forest’s book.
Dan Berrigan, Presente!
—Frida Berrigan
I kept reading, enjoying the personal stories, his connection with prominent authors such as Thomas Merton and Dorothy Day, and his evolving consciousness about the Viet Nam War, war in general, and nuclear weapons. Since I have lived through some of the same evolutions and times, his memoir allowed me to see with a new perspective and to better acknowledge the troubling positions of the Catholic Church and our country with respect to war. Orbis and Jim Forest have done it again—bringing us great stories and insights. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this book!
Note: Affiliates, don’t forget to ask for your special 40% discount!
Paula Schaffner – California Central Coast Chapter
When the opportunity has presented itself, I have enjoyed being physically present to engage in short-term mission work. However, this time the call came as a request for “someone to help update our website” in Chicago Affiliate Renate Schneider’s Haitian Connection newsletter. My husband and I had twice volunteered at the university she spearheaded after the 2011 earthquake, and we knew of some of the various programs Renate shepherds through her NGO. Having learned how to post articles on our Maryknoll Affiliates’ website and not having an overloaded schedule, I thought I could help support her efforts in this way.
The updating became a matter of starting a new website from scratch with a WordPress format, partly because I don’t know how to “write code,” the way her original website had been developed. I had to learn new skills even to do this, but no one else had offered to help, and Renate was extremely patient. After only about six months, off and on, we were able to launch the new website. From now on, my volunteer job will be only to post occasional updates.
Although I sat on my couch to do this volunteer work, I felt it was a worthwhile offering. My frequent struggles reminded me of one bible scholar’s comment that God asks us to perform from our weakness, not our strength. Maybe that’s so we’ll realize God was helping us when we succeed.
Besides sharing this experience to encourage you to be open to new ways of doing mission, I want to invite you to visit Renate’s new website:
Learn about the many initiatives she has developed—building homes for women, microcredit, small business startups, mental health programs, and more. Maybe you will see a way that you can help!
Hi Bob,
I’m writing to you, but feel free to share it with anyone.
I think it’s due to all the crap going on in the world, or here in our once wonderful country, but when I read the latest issue of the Not So Far Afield, it just lifted my heart in a beautiful way that I desperately needed.
Although I know there at many people doing wonderful things around the world, these articles helped to put things in a better perspective so that I can try to look at things in a different way. It really made a difference in my attitude—at least until the next ... fiasco.
So thanks to you and all the Affiliates for your great contribution to the disadvantaged in this world.
Love, Kathy*
*Kathy Wright served the Maryknoll Lay Missioners for over 30 years, in the role of
Admissions Co-coordinator for a good part of that time.
John Moritz – NE Florida Chapter, SE Regional Coordinator
Why focus on inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue? Maryknoll has always included finding and crossing the borders, the boundaries, to encounter the “other,” that which is foreign, different. Inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue are necessarily an integral component of our mission. We, as Affiliates, reflect that charism, and these offerings are valuable resources for both reflection and action.
Words to Live By: Sacred Sources for Interreligious Engagement, edited by Rose, Ziad, and Hessler
This collection of essays by authors from various religious backgrounds is very readable and gives flesh and blood to the notion of dialogue. The stories convey a sense of the oneness that people experienced in developing relationships with those of different backgrounds and faiths. This is a really good source book for personal reflection in preparation for interreligious dialogue activities.
A Christology of Religions, by: Gerald O’Collins, SJ
Just as I began to tire of what was becoming too academic or remote in this readable but scholarly text, another gem would jump out. O’Collins placed the traditional elements of Christology in the context of today’s’ emerging understanding of Church. His Christological framework, well within traditional teachings, helps on my journey to move from an ego-centered to an eco-centered theology.
The Risk of Hope: How to talk about God in the World Today, by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle
This book proclaims all that Maryknoll stands for in a most humble, caring, and truly loving manner. Cardinal Tagle shares himself in a series of anecdotes which illustrate that this man “gets” servant leadership. People who have endorsed his writings say that he has to be on a very short list for successor to Pope Francis at the next conclave. I sure hope so.
Note: Affiliates receive 40% off at Orbisbooks.com.
