PFIC President Fr. John Langlois, O.P.,
with Stephen and Maryanne Means.
Photo by John Whitman.
FRIENDSHIPS AND
THE FIRE OF TRUTH:
STEPHEN AND
MARYANNE MEANS
By Br. Paul Clarke, O.P.
Over eight hundred years ago, a pregnant
mother dreamt of a dog bounding around
the world, a blazing torch in its mouth. The
dream proved prophetic, as Blessed Jane of
Aza’s son Dominic would found an Order of
Preachers who would crisscross the globe,
setting hearts and minds ablaze with the light
of the Gospel. This same mission has attracted
the friendship and support of Stephen and
Maryanne Means, who foresee that “St.
Dominic’s Order will play an increasingly
critical role at being a light for all to see…the
light of Faith expressed through Reason.”
This renewal is not the only factor that
draws the Meanses to the Dominicans. Their
generosity grows out of friendships built with
friars, friendships first sparked when Stephen
was taught by Dominicans as a seminarian
at Mount Saint Mary’s in Emmitsburg. He
entered the Dominican novitiate, but
eventually discerned that his vocation was to
remain in the lay state.
The Meanses now live in Annapolis. Stephen
worked as a senior executive in commercial
and business aviation and now serves on
the Board of CUA’s Busch School of Business
and Economics. Maryanne has had senior
managerial positions in a number of startup
companies. They raised three daughters and
are blessed with four grandchildren.
With his wife, Stephen enjoys rekindling his
relationship with the Dominicans: “As our
friendships have deepened, the opportunities
to return to the House of Studies have revived
the many wonderful memories of my time in
the Order.”
What inspires the Meanses to support the
work of the PFIC? “We truly believe that our
current times make the call for evangelization
more critical than ever. The Dominican
charism for preaching, combined with their
commitment to orthodoxy, places the Order
at that point of impact between the culture of
our times and faith.”
“The Dominican charism for preaching, combined with
their commitment to orthodoxy, places the Order at that 7
point of impact between the culture of our times and faith.”
Faith & Reason - Volume V, Issue I