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The Marianist Family Council of California:
The Marianist Family Council of California (MFC of CA) is a group of lay and religious Marianists who gather to facilitate and foster ongoing connections among the members of the Family of Mary in California. Its mission statement is as follows:
MISSION STATEMENT-
MISSION STATEMENT-
The Marianist Family Council of California is called to proclaim the vision of our Founders by strengthening connections that build up the Family of Mary in California.
The Marianist Family Council of California is called to proclaim the vision of our Founders by strengthening connections that build up the Family of Mary in California.
Through the use of the Office System (Spirituality, Education and Temporalities), the MFC of CA provides opportunities for members of the Family of Mary to gather for support and ongoing formation in the Marianist Charism.
At this time the council consists of 8 members (6 lay and 2 religious): Vittorio Anastasio (Affiliate), Ellen Celaya (Affiliate), Virginia Suppan (Affiliate), Marcela Yerena (Lay Marianist, Affiliate candidate), Luis Guerra (Affiliate, consultant) and Kathleen Gushoney (State member, consultant). Click here to see their biographies and photos.
Marianists in California:
At this present time the Marianists are involved with two educational institutions: Chaminade College Preparatory (grades 6 to 12) in Los Angeles and Archbishop Riordan High School (grades 9 to 12) in San Francisco, Other members are involved with The Schola Cantorum of The Pacific (St. John Chrysostom Inglewood, CA), Schola Escalonía Pacífica Choir School (Assumption Grade School, East LA), the Institute for Catholic Advanced Studies at USC, parish work at St. John Eudes Parish, Chatsworth, CA, other high schools such as Louisville, volunteering at LA Juvenile Detention Center, Gardena Serra High School, Guadalupe Center and USC Catholic Center and various careers in their areas of residence.
Lay Marianists in California are members of various Marianist Groups - the Wrightwood Marianist Lay Community, Visitation State Community, Marianist Affiliation and other Marianist groups from across the country (virtually)
There are three (3) Marianist Religious Communities: Cupertino Marianist Center (Retirement and Health Care), LaLanne House (near USC) and the West Hills Community connected with Chaminade College Preparatory.
HISTORY
The MFC of CA grew out of the Marianist Province of the U.S. June 2018 Assembly strategies that were developed by the CA area Religious Marianists with CA area Lay Marianist representatives who attended the assembly. The strategy that was instrumental in development of the FMC of CA states: We ask the Spirit’s guidance as we establish a Marianist Family Council to improve our communication and to strengthen our Marianist Way of Life.
Bro. David Betz, SM along with Kathleen Gushoney and Luis Guerra (The CA representatives to the 2018 June Assembly) met in October 2018 to talk about initial steps needed to be taken for the development of the Family Council. An email was created to be sent to the lay and religious Marianists to solicit feedback about what would people want to see in a Family Council.
In January 2019 after the feedback was gathered, a list of possible lay and religious Marianist candidates for the Family Council was created. Invitations were sent out to the individuals on the list. They were asked to consider becoming members of the council. From these invitations 6 people, lay and religious, accepted to be on the initial council. In March of 2019 a video conference took place with the six people plus the two CA area representatives. Bro. Jack Ventura gave a presentation about Family Councils across the U.S. The council members then introduced themselves and shared their personal Marinaist stories. It was decided to have a face to face meeting in May 2019.
The face to face meeting took place in May 2019 at the West Hills Marianist Community. This meeting happened in conjunction with the first conversation that the Southern California area had concerning the Marianist Province of the US Direction Statement. At the council meeting the mission statement was developed. It was decided to use the Marianist Three Offices System as a tool for organization. The council moved to start developing a CA Marianist contact list. Finally it was decided to invite representatives from other area Family Councils for a conversation concerning best practices.
Since the May 2019 meeting the MFC of CA has had video conferences approximately every 6 to 8 weeks to continue its planning process. The council assisted with the second round of the Province Direction Statement conversation in September/October 2019. Sponsored a social event at the MSJC LGBT Issue team annual retreat in Menlo Park, CA. It is continuing its ongoing communication plan which includes this website and CA Marianist contact list updating. In April 2020 the MFC of CA sponsored an initial meet and greet via Zoom for the Family of Mary in CA with a conversation concerning the Marianist Mission.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Area Coordinator
Brother Jack Somerville SM professed vows as a member of the Society of Mary in 1969. From his first profession of vows, wherever he has been sent, he has been a member of a local Marianist lay community. This journey has taken him to Dayton, Dublin, Lusaka, Nairobi and currently in Cupertino. His primary ministries have been as a working brother and formation of young brothers. He learned all the building trades. He spent 40 years doing building maintenance and construction at Mount Saint John in Dayton. He did the same in Nairobi and Lusaka. For six years he was Assistant Director of Novices in Dayton. He was also Assistant Director of Novices in Nairobi. He is currently the director of the brother’s retirement and health care community in Cupertino.
Chair/Temporalities
Ellen Celaya was introduced to the Marianists when she began working at Chaminade College Preparatory in California in 1999. As the Executive Assistant to the President she was involved in almost every aspect of school life and worked closely with the Marianists living in the local community and those serving on the school’s Board of Directors. When she retired in 2016, she knew she didn’t want her Marianist involvement to end. She and her husband are now Marianist Affiliates and Ellen currently serves as the area representative for the West Coast region of the Marianist Lay Community of North America.
Spirituality
Bro. Dave Murphy, S. M. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where I attended St. Joseph High, a Marianist School. My family's faith-life, my mothers dedication to the Blessed Virgin, Mary and the influence of the Brothers at St. Joes nurtured my vocation. I made first vows in 1966. As a teacher and guidance counselor I served in Marianist Schools in Kalamazoo, Memphis, Cleveland, Honolulu and Los Angeles. I am now retired and before quarantine I visited juveniles in the detention center. I am happy to serve on the board of the Marianist Family of Southern California.
Spirituality
Marcela Yerena - I have had the honor for being connected to the Marianist Family since 1999 when I became a student at Chaminade University of Honolulu. I became a Marianist Affiliate in the middle of the pandemic and also became part of the Marianist Family of California (MFCA) Leadership Team. I am currently the co-chair for Spirituality, which has meant planning formation and faith sharing sessions for the larger MFCA. I have also taught theology at Chaminade College Preparatory and other Catholic schools for the last 15 years, though I have been in professional ministry for nearly 20 years.
The Marianist Charism is a daily part of my life that I primarily model for my kids. I remind them of the importance of God’s blessings that are revealed to us, even in the smallest ways. I try to always be attentive to God’s presence in my life through others, experiences, nature, and even challenges. Being a Marianist reminds me to always say “Yes” to God’s call to serve and be a voice of justice in a world filled with the opposite. Most importantly, I seek to participate in all things Marianist when possible. Being a part of a faith community is what keeps me connected to the Marianist Family.
Education
Janet Hoben Born and raised in Southern California, Janet is a second generation native. She lives with her best friend of over 43 years Chris, her Goddaughter Theresa, and their three cats. Janet holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master of Science in Instructional Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction from National University, and and MBA in Marketing from Walden University.
Education
Marty Procaccio -
Temporalities
John Kolski -
Ad Hoc
Ad Hoc
Vittorio Anastasio is ever grateful for his personal experience and enduring commitment to Marianist education. Starting with his time as a student at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco to becoming an employee at the school working in a variety of positions including head wrestling coach, science teacher, department chair, counselor, director of guidance, dean of students, principal and interim president. Vittorio has been an active participant in Marianist life activities. Through the years Vittorio participated in over 20 Marianist retreats and faith formation conferences including LIFE, LIT, and classes at the University of Dayton. In March 2018 he proudly became an official Marianist Affiliate. His marriage was officiated by a Marianist, and Marianist priests baptized his children. He along with his wife and twin daughters live in San Francisco while he currently owns and operates Vista United LLC and SF Elite Wrestling
Virginia Suppan is originally from The Basque country located between France and Spain. She was raised in Bordeaux France, and spent her high school years in a boarding school in Bayonne, France, when her family decided to move back to San Sebastian Spain. Virginia has been affiliated with Chaminade High School West Hills Marianist Community since 1994 when her husband Michael Suppan started working as a religion teacher and still remains working to this day. Virginia taught foreign languages, French and Spanish, for almost 20 years at Bishop Alemany High School, in the San Fernando Valley. For a number of years, Virginia was involved as a volunteer with the Development Office at the school while their two boys were at Chaminade High School West Hills. In February of 2019, she became a lay marianist and since then, is actively involved in meetings, including the Marianist Family Council of California.
Consultants
Consultants
Katie Gushoney
Katie Gushoney
Luis Guerra
Luis Guerra
Past Leaders
Past Leaders
Bro. David Betz, SM has been a member of the Society of Mary since he entered the novitiate in 1984. He has been involved with small faith communities since his initial contact with the Marianists when he was a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh. His educational background includes a B.S. in Sociology, M.A. in Theatre Arts, M.A. in Pastoral Ministry, Masters in Social Work and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction. He presently works part time at St. John Eudes Parish as the RCIA Coordinator. He has several responsibilities for the Province of the U.S.: Area Coordinator for CA, Spiritual Advisor for Marianist Affiliation for the Pacific Area and the U.S. Promoter for the Marinaist Saints. He is the first facilitator for the MCF of CA. (This is a term limited position)
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