Assembly of the MSIN: Monday, June 17
MSIN Assembly | Photos in Facebook | Video Br. Ernesto | Video Br Lanfrey
The III Assembly of the Marist Solidarity International Network (MSIN) [began on Monday, June 17 at the General House. The meeting brings together 56 participants, representatives of various realities of the Institute. The first day was marked by the welcome, the words of the Superior General and the intervention of Brother André Lanfrey.
The assembly began with a prayer and a welcome by Brother Ángel Diego Otaola, Director of the Secretariat of Solidarity-Cmi. This was followed by a speech by Brother Ernesto Sánchez, Superior General. His speech consisted of two parts. In the first, he emphasized solidarity as a prophetic service and inserted this characteristic into the Marist DNA, starting from the motto chosen by the MSIN Executive Committee for this assembly: “L’Hermitage, cradle of solidarity“. Brother Ernesto reminded the participants of the calls of the General Chapter and of the intuitions detected by the Provincials during the last General Conference. At the heart of the Superior General’s intervention was the invitation, at this particular moment of the 200th anniversary, to consider what led St. Marcellin Champagnat to build the House of Notre-Dame de l’Hermitage at a critical moment in the history of the Institute, what sustained the hope of the Institute’s founder, what allowed him to look beyond and build the Institute on the ” Strength of the rock”. Undoubtedly, said the Superior General, it was “the fact of listening to and following the intuitions that the Spirit was dictating in his heart. And, at the same time, the confidence that all that was happening and being accomplished was not his own work, but the work of God and of Mary.” He then highlighted three pillars on which Champagnat built his vocation and which he suggests are also ours: spirituality, care for life (our own and that of those around us) and attention to children and young people most in need. Finally, he asked, “What does it mean for us today to relive the experience of the building of the Hermitage?”
The second part of his talk focused on the experience of synodality in the Church. Brother Ernesto highlighted his first-hand experience at the Vatican assembly last October, presenting how the Church strives to chart a path of listening and shared mission, where the Holy Spirit is the protagonist.
At the end of the morning there was a session dedicated to presentations, the creation of groups and practical information on the functioning of the house. This was followed by the presentation of two important documents of the Network: the strategic plan and the manual of functions of the Network.
After lunch, the group returned to the Champagnat Room to listen to a talk by Brother André Lanfrey entitled “Social thought and action in Marcellin Champagnat and his early followers” (PDF – French). He emphasized that notions such as “solidarity” or “social”, commonly used by us today, hardly figured in his thinking, but that Champagnat wanted to restore a Christian society through catechesis and charity towards the poorest. This is what he and his brothers attempted in a somewhat utopian and anarchic way at the time of La Valla; then in a more cautious and organized way from L’Hermitage onwards. He was one of the rare personalities of his time to believe in the possibility of renewing society through the massive education of children, and to devote himself to it successfully.
The day continued with three other presentations. First, the actions of two of the Network’s five focal groups were presented: “social works”, presented by Inma Maíllo, and “rights”, presented by Analía Ruggeri, both from the Network’s Executive Committee. Finally, Andrea Rossi, from FMSI, presented the theme of the Universal Periodic Reviews (UPR) and the work carried out by the Institute’s foundation.
The day concluded with a Eucharistic celebration.
Participants
- Alejandra Elizabeth García – México Occidental
- Álvaro Barragán Salin, fms – México Occidental
- Ana Belén Salas García – Compostela
- Analía Ruggeri – Comité Ejecutivo
- André Lanfrey, fms – L’Hermitage – Ponente
- Andrea Rossi – FMSI
- Ángel de Pedro – Ibérica
- Ángel Diego, fms – Sec. Solidaridad
- Bárbara Pimpão Ferreira – Brasil Centro-Sul
- Bruno Manoel Socher – Brasil Centro-Sul
- Camille, fms – Comité Ejecutivo
- Carlos Monroy, fms – América Central
- Cho Nchang Atzi-nwi , fms – West Africa
- Christian Onukwufor, fms – Nigeria
- Claudia González López – Santa María de los Andes
- Cristina Roldán Varo – Mediterránea
- Dan O’Riordan, fms – United States
- Dante Amisola, fms – La Salle
- Darren Burge, fms – Star of the Sea
- Diego Zawadzky, fms – Administración General
- Edvaldo Ferreira de Lima, fms – Brasil Centro-Norte
- Evaristus Mbiydzenyuy, fms – West Africa
- Fiorella Floiras Fuentes – Santa María de los Andes
- Francis Jumbe, fms – Southern Africa
- Gisela Favaro – Cruz del Sur
- Inma Maíllo – Comité Ejecutivo
- Isabel Teresa Tresca – Cruz del Sur
- Javier Cendoya – Edelvives
- Joe Nacianceno – East Asia
- John Healy, fms – USA
- José Antonio Rosa – Marist Region Europe
- Josep Lluís Martí, fms – L’Hermitage, Translator
- Josep Maria Prats – L’Hermitage
- Joseph Nguyen Van Ly , fms – MDA
- Juan Ignacio Casamayor – Mediterránea
- Libby Cisneros – América Central
- Luis Naranjo – Comité Ejecutivo
- Luz Margarita Espinoza Torres – Norandina
- Manuel V. León, fms – East Asia
- María del Socorro Alvarez Noriega – México Central
- Marti Enrich Figueras, fms – MDA
- Maryury Yurley Morales Pachón – Norandina
- Monica Yerena Suárez – México Central
- Niño Pizarro, fms – Administración General
- Osuji Gregori Ekene, fms – Nigeria
- Pau Tristany, fms – L’Hermitage
- Pepe Sánchez, fms – Administración General
- Peter Monaghan – Comité Ejecutivo
- Raimon Novell – Diktia
- Raja Kumar, fms – South Asia
- Rita Pala – FMSI
- Roberto Lobo Mota – Compostela
- Sam King – Comité Ejecutivo
- Sothun Nop – Star of the Sea
- Tiana Michel, fms – Madagascar
- Valdicer Fachi, fms – Administración General