1934 – 2014
On December 8, 2013 – accompanied by Brother Provincial, Horacio José María Bustos, and two General Councilors, Brothers Eugène Kabanguka and Josep Maria Soteras – the Marists of Uruguay started celebrating the 80th anniversary of their arrival in the country. Brothers and lay people from all the Marist works in Uruguay participated in a Eucharistic Celebration and had lunch together in a family atmosphere. We took the opportunity to give thanks for the service and commitment of several brothers who celebrated different anniversaries of religious profession: Juan Ignacio Fuentes, 25 years; Juan Walder, 50 years; Teófilo Gurrea, 60 years; and Quirino Calvo, 70 years.
This was the first of many ceremonies that will take place in 2014 to celebrate the 80 years of Marist presence in Uruguay.
When the brothers arrived in 1934, they first founded St Mary’s School behind the Holy Land Parish in the neighborhood of La Blanqueada, Montevideo. The school operated there until 1939, when it moved to the current location on 2966 Ocho de Octubre Street. Other schools were subsequently founded: Colegio Zorrilla of Montevideo in 1939; San Luis de Pando and San Luis de Durazno in 1941; and Colegio Larrañaga in Rocha, which does not belong to the Institute anymore. The Marist Home of Montevideo and the insertion community of Tacuarembó were established in the 1990s. How many students, families, people and places, how many lives have been touched and transformed by the Marist charism throughout these years!
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