Building communities with new hearts

From 18 July to 1 August, we met at Rionegro (Antioche): 31 Brothers and 1 layman coming from the 6 provinces which form the Marist Northern Arc of the Continent (Canada, US., Mexico Central, Mexico Occidental, Central America and Norandina). With the motto ?To build communities with new hearts? we lived an authentic experience of interprovincial renewal (CIR) during those days, addressed on this occasion to the Brothers animating communities, to provide them with the elements and tools with which they can better carry out their important mission entrusted them by the provincials, and create in our communities true space for personal and group growth.During this experience of Marist brotherhood, we tried to rediscover one another as brothers, and to share joyfully life and mission, to allow ourselves to be called by the God of history out of the reality of our region in order to take up in action and life the calls of the XXI General Chapter and our provincial Chapters. We spent long periods as well considering closely the being of the community animator and in exchanging elements helpful in the mission of community animation.During this CIR we had the good fortune of having four Brothers from Canada and two from the United States. This required us to have the professional service of simultaneous translation but also to open our minds, tongues and hearts to transcend the language boundaries and recover the language of Marist brotherhood.We are grateful to the Brother Provincials of the region for their help and support in the running of CIR. A special thanks to the Brothers who through their interventions helped us to study the different themes: Libardo Garzón, Carlos Rojas, Marco Antonio Vargas and Ramón Benseny, as well as the Jesuit Father Fernando Mendoza. And a very particular thanks to the community of the La Valla Novitiate of Medellín, which from the beginning gave us unconditional support in the running of the meeting.We cherish the memory of marvelous days spent among the La Salle Brothers at Rionegro, and which we desire to continue to live in our provinces and communities. We desire that they become homes around Jesus, Mary and Champagnat, where brotherly encounter, dialogue, service, listening, forgiveness can develop among the Brothers, with the expressions of reciprocal affection, so that our community life may be a true prophetic sign of brotherhood. ______________Br. César Augusto Rojas C.