Constructing a vision of the future for the Institute
After five days of community building in Tarquinia, where they began working on their community project, the General Council has been meeting in plenary session since 22 March. While this has involved activities of varying intensity, the period of Holy Week permitted them to harmonize work and celebration.
The first phase was to recapitulate the topics this Council has inherited, plan the tasks entrusted to it by the General Chapter, and begin to define policies and future activities for the animation and government of the Institute. An important part of this process has been listening to people involved in the processes lived in previous years.
Among these have been the various offices which functioned during the last years of the previous General Government. Thus the Council agenda has included consultative meetings with the Brothers in charge of the secretariates: finances, The Marist International Solidarity Foundation (FMSI), which looks after solidarity projects and promotes the defence of children?s rights, the Bureau of the Laity, and Mission ad gentes.
On Wednesday, 21 April, the General Council met with all the members of the General Administration. Brother Emili Turú, Superior General, reminded them that the General Administration serves some 47,000 brothers and lay persons who look after 661,778 children and young people in 79 countries. The mission of the General Council is to give unity to the Institute, to animate, guide and accompany persons and works so as to assure efficiency and fidelity to the mission. The role of the brothers and laity of the General Administration is to help the Institute carry out its mission of educational activity.
Divided into groups, the members of the General Administration considered both the positive and the negative aspects of their work in the General House and offered suggestions to the General Council as to how their service of the whole Institute could be improved.
Before concluding the meeting, Brother Emili left open the possibility of holding another meeting at the end of the Plenary to impart information and communicate some decisions made.
The aim of this long session is to build a vision of the future for the Institute which will allow for the drawing up of policies and efficient programmes of animation and government.