Assuming the mission that we inherit from our Founder

The Annual Assembly of the Champagnat Movement of the Marist Family – Chile Sector of the Province of Santa María of the Andes, took place in Santiago on November 17.

This encounter comprised 27 people, members of the 6 fraternities which make up the MChFM in the province. Also present, Amaya Raúl, director of the Secretariat for the Laity and Ernesto Reyes, Delegate for the Mission of the Chile Sector.  

Following our community prayer, a review took place of the activities carried out over the year: day courses, workshops, retreats and accompaniment, in the different work of the Sector and although preferably dedicated to the parents, should be open to everyone who wants to participate (educators, administrators, auxiliaries, etc.).  

Ernesto Reyes presented a view of the current state of our Sector, how we continue answering the Calls of the General Chapter and the participation of the laity holding diverse responsibilities, with an evangelical view and sharing examples of faith in their lives.  

We concluded the morning with the presentation by Raúl Amaya who shared with us his overview of the laity in the world and the different ways ofexpressing this. Also, the recommendations given to us by the documents To Be a Lay Marist and the Project of Life in Brotherhood and the future plans of the Movements of the Marist Laity, among them the MChFM. 

In the afternoon, we evaluated the year, analyzing the execution of our strategic planning of 2018. These were carried out in work groups, responding through dialogue, with a survey concerning the needs and achievements achieved in the five areas of the programme: a) Solidarity, b) Community sharing-, c) Mission and Service, d) Formation- Spirituality and d) Celebration. We were also invited to take part in a survey relating to the individual participation of each member of the Movement in promoting active co-responsibility. 

We renewed our commitment and desire to continue building on this new beginning, attentive to the Word of the Lord. and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to live our vocation as "lay Marists". We make every effort to strengthen our community experience and to keep alive the Gospel in our situation. This encourages us to assume the mission that we inherit from our Founder: "To make known Jesus Christ and to make him loved, especially by the children and young people", in our specific case, the parents and families of these children and young people, who are their first educators. 

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Amelia Trejo Larenas
Adviser of the MChFM – Chile Sector