Central America: Cultivating the culture of care – a transformative annual retreat
Inspired by the “culture of care”, the brothers and lay Marists of the Province of Central America held their annual retreat from November 30th to December 5th in Guatemala.
Under the guidance of Brother Juan Carlos Bolaños, appointed Provincial, and the Provincial Commission “Life of the Brothers”, the Marists addressed the theme “Cultivating a culture of care: a transforming annual retreat”. During the experience, the participants reflected on building a culture of care in the community.
The first day was dedicated to reflecting on Pope Francis’ teachings on the “culture of care”, especially the message of November 5, 2022, on his trip to Bahrain. On the second day, participants looked at how to take care of themselves, understanding that only in this way can they contribute to the well-being of the community. On the third day, the theme “Caring for others” was discussed, reflecting on the gift of fraternity and communion, and on building bridges to strengthen relationships, highlighting that caring is not just an individual responsibility, but also involves building strong relationships and promoting collective well-being. On the fourth day, the theme “Caring for fragile life” focused on the importance of synodality. Those present discussed the idea of embracing the vocational journey of the laity and how, as a Marist community, they can contribute to this exciting moment in history. And finally, the last day dealt with “caring for Marist life”.
The retreat ended with the closing Mass, marked by the temporary profession of three young brothers: Roberto Constanza, Gerardo Rivera and Mesvin Marroquín. At the same time, it was a moment of thanksgiving for the jubilees of religious professions of the brothers of the province:
50 years of Marist life:
- Br. José Antonio Baños Casados
- Br. Adolfo Cermeño Giraldo
- Br. José Luis Vallejo Ortega
35 years of Marist life:
- Br. Alex Francisco García Paredes
- Br. Ángel Jesús Merino Mazuelas
- Br. Carlos Rafael Vélez Cacho
25 years of Marist life:
- Br. Carlos Benigno Monroy Peinado
