2016-03-10
ECUADOR
?Being Brothers Today: a story of grace?
From March 8 – 11, the General council and the provincial councils of the six provinces of the Arco Norte region met in the spirituality house María Auxiliadora of Quito, Ecuador, for a meeting of the Extended General Council.
The singing of the birds and the light of the sun awaken us in Ecuador. We are surrounded by mountains, with steeples of great cathedrals pointing toward the blue sky.
Children of the Marist elementary school of Quito begin to gather at 7.30am in order to welcome the 47 participants at the meeting. Thirty minutes later, accompanied by regional music and with colourful clothing, the smallest children, between six and nine years old, performed a welcoming dance and presented various folkloric acts. Everything shows the welcoming heart of the peoples of the “Half the world.”
Finally, we entered the hall of meetings of superior general Brother Emili, after welcoming all the participants under the theme – “BEING BROTHERS TODAY: A STORY OF GRACE” – the objectives and methodology of the meeting will last four days. He invited the Arco Norte region to a contemplative dialogue that must lead to a co-creation of a new beginning.
After the pause to have a coffee, Brother Ernesto Sánchez indicated that the meeting would cover the aspect of fraternity, a gift we receive, share and transmit. To locate ourselves, he presents a summary of the document on the “Identity and mission of the religious brother in the church.”
It shows how the mystery / interiority, communion / community and mission / promotion of integral salvation of man, are closely related.
A personal time follows to enter in touch with the contents of the document.
In the afternoon, the brothers Josep Maria Soteras and Víctor Preciado presented to the assembly the sub-topic of the mission, noting that while the number of Brothers has decreased, the mission has not stopped growing.
This represents a grace and an invitation to an open view to growth rather than mere subsistence.
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F. Eugène Kabanguka