Brothers and lay people living together in community
On Saturday 8th of June, Agnes Reyes, Pep Buetas and Raúl Amaya of the Secretariat of the Laity, together with counsellors Brother Sylvain Ramandimbiarisoa and Joao Carlos do Prado, visited the mixed community of Giugliano, in Naples, Italy.
This community, together for almost 10 years, is composed of Brothers Giorgio, Doménico and Damiano and for the laity, Rosa and Gianluca who are married.
The dialogue was very warm, cheerful and with a lot of good fellowship. They told us all about the different stages of their process and how step by step they have come to learn how to share their life, their spirituality and Marist mission through their respective vocations, strengthening their communion and their respect and solving the diverse aspects which come from living together.
These are vocations that depend on sharing and so they become enriched; they make an inclusive home of the community, a welcome space for anyone who visits them; of openness, dialogue and flexibility to integrate the news of the Spirit. Also, it means that you can be Marist without necessarily taking part in educational work, as is the case of Rosa, who is a lawyer and works outside of the school and participates as catechist in her workplace.
To learn about the construction process and growth of the community was a great gift for us. We were witnessing a way that touches people deeply in their answer to the calls of God and of life. The different stages of beginning, advancing, going back and starting again are beautiful dynamics of open hearts which are conscious that there is a horizon to be discovered and that the most important thing is achieved by living and being open to others each day.
The Marist future of Brothers and lay people sharing in community, as a global charismatic family, is already here in this community. It shows that today, Brothers and lay people can live together, strengthening our common vocation and enriching our specific vocations. The important thing is that we are Marists and that our charism brings us together in the service of the Lord, wherever He takes us.
Thank to Rosa, Gianluca, Giorgio, Doménico and Damiano for sharing with us the gift that God has entrusted to them.
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Secretariat of Laity