2013-03-13 MEXICO

A young couple with the Marist missionary vocation

Estela and Rodrigo, a young couple, with their two and a half year old son, Josué, will be taking part in the programme Mission Ad gentes. On this occasion we interviewed them to find out what had made them take this courageous and generous decision.

Both Estela and Rodrigo shared a desire to be missionaries, even before coming to know each other. « Already at the time we were going around together, we discovered this personal desire capable of being shared as a couple ; later we shared it as a married couple, then as a family… »

Estela has studied medicine and Rodrigo design.

For a dozen years they have been taking part in missions in Holy Week : « We have been in many communities, first as single, then as engaged and finally as a married couple. We have also been part of a group of parish missionaries with other young people. »

Recently they lived a year in the region of the Tarahumara with the Marist Brothers.

What process did you follow in coming to your decision ?

Estela.- We were able to benefit from accompaniment, as well as our personal discernment in prayer. We have also benefitted from the help of persons. When we were engaged, it was Br Héctor Dessavre who accompanied us; then, before our marriage, we began accompaniment with Rafa Castro, our marriage sponsor ; he is a psychoanalyst and we remained with him the year before our marriage. The intention of Rafa was precisely to discern with us if we were called to marriage, and not simply to marriage per se, but to form a missionary couple. We then asked ourselves what we really wanted and if i twas God’s will that we form a missionary couple. We reflected on it well before our marriage so as to be sure about it afterwards…

And finally, already married, we followed an accompaniment with Br Quique Escobar. We had  contacted the brothers to collaborate in the Marist mission. Br Quique accompanied us for 6-7 months before our departure for the Tarahumara.

Rodrigo. – When we were already in the Tarahumara, we stayed in contact with him, even if we remained a year without seeing one another… At present it is no longer a matter of discerning but of clarifying…

Was it difficult for you to take this decision ?

Rodrigo. – I don’t think so, it was very clear for us. The discernment helped us strengthen our decision. We have never been in crisis  because of the decision we had taken.

Estela. – For myself, the matter has been clear for many years ; the more things move forward, the clearer it is for me, the firmer my decision, the more certain I am of being able to say : « This is what I want ». We have never had doubts about our choice.

What do you expect of Mission Ad Gentes ?

Rodrigo. – First of all, to integrate ourselves, to follow a process of inculturation in the community where we will be in order to be able to collaborate in something. Yes, we have a very clear idea of serving, of having received a gift to share – our profession, our faith in Jesus, our love as a couple ; in sum, to share something and to serve. And we are sure that in becoming integrated in that way we will learn enormously. So we are setting out with an open heart to learn, to grow personally and as a couple, to grow as a family. If something has been clear to us from the beginning of our relationship, it has been to live among the poor, to live more simply ; so we are counting on, and hoping for being able to live in a way closer to the Gospel.

Do you know where you will be and what will be your activity ?

Rodrigo. – No, we will stay for two months in Cambodia to take part in an introductory course to Mission Ad Gentes, which is the last step in preparation for becoming part of the Ad Gentes sector. We are called group « nine » for we are the ninth Ad Gentes group, made up of a Brasilian lay woman, a Bolivian brother, a Spanish brother, a Filippino brother and the three of us. After the course, each will be appointed to a mission post for three years ; that is when we will learn the work to be done, which will be different according to the place.

Would you like to add something… ?

Rodrigo. – Yes, we are very grateful to the Brothers for letting us share in their charism, for being part of their community.

Estela. – I feel very grateful to God and to the Brothers for they have opened the doors to us, despite their lack of experience of missionary couples. They offer lay people the possibility of serving, of giving oneself more, as Jesus asks of us. Thank you very much because for me the process has been very rapid ; moreover, it confirms me in the certainty that the opening of the Brothers to the laity is very wide.

________________________

The missioning Mass of Estela and Rodrigo took place on Friday 1st of March in the chapel of Loma Bonita. The missionary family was accompanied by parents, friends and many Marist Brothers.

To learn more : http://www.maristas.org.mx

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