Asia will develop greater regional collaboration
Three commissions dedicated to spirituality, mission, and laity met from April 9 – 12 in Upper Bukit Timah, Singapore, during which they established ways to develop greater regional collaboration and proposed several activities.
“There is an excitement for us in looking forward to the contribution of Asia in expressing the rich plurality of Asian spiritualties,” affirmed BrotherAlberto Carlos Rojas, director of the Secretariat of Mission.
“This is Asia’s contribution to the life of the Marist,” added Br Alberto Carlos, who attended the meeting.
As a follow-up of the previously developed strategic plan for Asia’s New Models of Animation, the commissions met to review the regional vision, strategic guidelines and priorities and to propose activities and programmes to be able to address them during the next 10 years.
Luca Olivari, advisor to the Institute’s general council, helped the commissions define key areas of collaboration to be addressed within the region.
The Asia Spirituality Commissionstressed the importance of promoting the Marist spiritual patrimony and a Marist Asian spirituality. The Commission proposed to offer joint opportunities for brothers and lay retreats on local spirituality, including Buddhist retreats and meditations during the next five years.
The Asia Mission Commission was asked to look into the formation of Marist leadership, networking with Marist missions, promoting child rights, promoting an ecological awareness and the development of a volunteering programme across the region.
The goal of the Asia Laity Commission is to intensify in number and quality of fully committed Marist laity who are deeply rooted in the Marist Asian spirituality and who are co-responsible for Marist life and mission. The Commission planned formation processes for the laity and joint formation with the brothers to achieve greater communion and co-responsibility in Marist life.
Foreseeing a future of partnership with the Oceania region, particularly in the animation of laity, the chair of the Oceania Partnership Commission, Daniel Dungey, of New Zealand, shared his experiences and resources to help establish the direction for collaboration between the two regions.
Brother Ador Santiago, who had organised the event, expressed his gratitude to participants and his hopes for more synergized and collaborative undertakings of Asia administrative units, making Asia more dynamic in its response to the call of “journeying together towards becoming a global family.”