Around the same table

In an atmosphere of family and full of diversity, we gathered from 17 to 19 January in the Marist House of Formation to hold the VI Meeting of the Laity of Venezuela, with representation from San José, San Vicente, Tucupita, Juan XXIII, Champagnat, Misael Vílchez, Manuel Puchi Fonseca, Ildefonso.

We had some days for evaluation, study of our documents on the laity and the progress of the Institute, sustained by sharing life, prayer and celebrations inviting us to continue taking steps towards new lands.

They were days for renewal and for giving concrete shape to some challenges of the near future such as concern for the continuation of the charism, consolidation of the local groups in accord with the situation of each, and for this reason, the invitation to leaders in each place who feel the call to accompany this process and be trained for this, the need to propose and promote the lay Marist vocation in our processes of vocations mainistry. We reviewed our operating plan and proposed running a formation experience for brothers and laity this year.

We finished the meeting with the engagement to meet the days following in our local situations to become even more practical and to propose goals to help us move forward on the way and provide responses to the calls we felt here, but from our local reality, with the responsibility of making these known to the national team or community of animation.

This lay journey is in the hands of Mary of the visitation, with whose help, and that of our beloved Marcellin, we can take sure decisions and be bold in going to new lands.