Closing Event of the 3rd Stage of the International Forum on the Lay Marist Vocation
All good things must come to an end, and so today, Friday 11th November, we held the closing ceremony of the 3rd stage of the International Forum on the Lay Marist Vocation.
At the start of the morning, Manu GĂłmez, Deputy Director of the Bureau of the Laity, invited a representative from each region to share his or her feelings and experience of this most productive stage of the International Forum held in person in Rome.
In his encouraging message, Manu GĂłmez recalled two important points: “We have to be aware that the RUAH (creative spirit) has been with us, inspiring us over these days. Secondly, we have ourselves. I invite you to be the message of this forum, sharing it and also telling others about it“.
At 11.30 a.m. the final Mass took place, led by Fr John Larsen, Superior General of the Marist Fathers, and live streamed on the Institute’s YouTube channel. The brothers and co-workers of the General Administration were also present.
In his sermon Fr. Larsen said, “I am delighted to be here with you today because we are one Marist Family. When I read the statements of your experiences, I felt really very happy about what you have been doing here, following through on the idea from our origins of One Marist Family. Mary has called us to do her work in the world. She is with us. We are blessed to have the example of Mary as Woman of prayer and of mission.”
In his final words, Br Ernesto, Superior General, summed up what he had experienced during these days, “We have spoken of the table of La Valla with room for everyone, of the gift of the charism given to us, both brothers and lay, of our global family, of walking in communion”.
He went on to say, “Personally, this is what I have experienced firsthand in these days with you. We have experienced moments of dialogue, silence and prayer. I admire the witness and the vocational journey of each one of you, brothers and lay, and the sacrifice each one of you made to come and take part, to come and be filled to the brim with this charism and spirit of service. I encourage each one of you to continue to live the Marist charism with an open heart.” He invited the participants, “to continue the journey of this forum over the next two years, striving to live out ever more fully the ideals behind the three floors of the house of La Valla: an inner life and spirituality, fraternity and community, and mission”.
Before the end of the Mass, Manu GĂłmez, from the Secretariat for the Laity, thanked all the brothers and lay people present and all who had made the forum possible, the organising and technical team as well as the translators. Manu also thanked the families and communities of the participants and also the members of the extended Secretariat for the Laity. Finally, he thanked Agnes Reyes for her service to the Secretariat of the Laity and presented her with a picture of Mary.
At the end of the Mass, all participants received an icon to symbolise their commissioning. There was a final moment of shared prayer and then all were invited to share a meal as brothers and sisters, as one.
In coming communications, the message prepared by the Forum and letters of the participants to their respective regions will be shared. Taking up these results will be the task of the next step of the forum, culminating in the online forum in November 2024 where the process will conclude with a proposal to be conveyed to the General Council and the 2025 Chapter.