Bonding of laypeople to the Marist charism in the province of Norandina
A group of thirty-four Lay Marists from Colombia and Ecuador, from the Province of Norandina, participated, from August 16 to 18, in a retreat where six made their bonding to the Marist charism and twenty-eight renewed their promises. The retreat was held in Cali, at Casa Champagnat, and was attended by Brother Provincial, Carlos Alberto Rojas Carvajal, and the brothers from the community of Cali, Antidio EnrĂquez, Javier Echeverry, Oscar Montoya and Hugo Tapia. The Superior General, Br. Ernesto Sánchez, participated virtually on August 17.
In his speech, Brother Ernesto Sánchez expressed his gratitude for the willingness of the brothers and invited them to create new communities of life, to constantly assume their commitment to Marist vocational ministry, to continue with ongoing formation and their availability to accompany and participate in the various projects of the Province and the Institute. “I know that a large part of Colombia and Ecuador are present. And we join and pray with the brothers and lay people from Venezuela, who are not here now. I believe that your bonding with the Marist charism, in the province of Norandina, helps to give life in those countries, together with the dedication of the brothers and so many other people who are in the Marist life and mission,” said Br. Ernesto.
For his part, Br Carlos Alberto, Provincial, welcomed the participants and received the promises of the members of the Marist family during the Eucharist. In his words, the Provincial recalled the invitation made to the lay Marists to live, dream and build in communion with the brothers, in accordance with the calls of the VIII Provincial Chapter, held in June.
The retreat ended with the incorporation of 6 new members into the Marist charism and the renewal of promises by 28 participants.
Through this itinerary of discernment, the province of Norandina promotes, among the lay Marists, the dimensions of the charism, spirituality, community life and mission; dimensions that help to achieve self-knowledge, interiority, love of neighbor, solidarity, the experience of integral ecology and the constant search for justice and truth to build the Kingdom of God in the style of Mary in the different contexts where lay Marist life takes place.