2023-01-31 BRAZIL

3rd National Congress of Marist Youth Ministry

About 300 young Marists from Brazil gathered in Rio de Janeiro to take part in the 3rd National Congress of Marist Youth Ministry, which took place from January 26 to 29, 2023, at the Colégio São José da Tijuca.

The event, organized by UMBRASIL and the three Provinces of Marist Brazil, had as its theme “+ Echoes and – Egos, a continuous exercise of spirituality, respect and youthful protagonism”.

At the opening, the participants listened to a message sent by Brother Ernesto Sánchez, Superior General of the Institute. “Marist youth ministry is at the heart of the Marist mission,” said Brother Ernesto. “One of the things that marked my life was the Marist youth ministry experience,” the Superior General further emphasized.

Brother Luis Carlos GutiĂ©rrez, Vicar General, also participated virtually, and desired that the meeting was “a space for reflection and proposal, whose center is protagonism in pastoral, social, solidary and political life”. And he added: “this third congress invites you to think and make proposals relative to three axes: youth protagonism, integral ecology and the common house. These three themes are also key points for the Marist Institute at the international level”.

On the first day, the young people received a warm welcome from the Provincial of the host Province, Brother JosĂ© de Assis, who motivated them by saying that “it is time to strengthen unity, act with creative fidelity to the charism and always renew ourselves. We are a great community that educates and evangelizes”. Then the young people, divided by provinces, shared their trajectory, their enthusiasm, and their commitment to belong to such an important youth movement. And to conclude the day, there was an exchange of seeds among the young people, highlighting sustainability and connection.

In the morning of the second day, the young people visited the famous “Cristo Redentor”, where they participated in the mass. During the afternoon, the participants listened to the reflections of Sister ValĂ©ria Leal, national advisor of the Brazilian Bishops’ Youth Pastoral, whose theme was “what kind of youth are these?”

The third day was marked by a dialogue on the commitment to the Common House, motivated by the encyclical Laudato Si’, under the guidance of advisors Gabriela Consolaro and Eduardo Brasileiro.

On Sunday the meeting ended with a mass celebrated by the auxiliary bishop of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Celso Dias do Nascimento.

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