Constructing together the future of the Marist mission in Africa

Dec. 29, the third day of our meeting, began with the usual morning prayer, animated by one of the groups participating.  

The day picked up the reflection of the previous day; the Provincial Councils shared in mixed groups and in the plenary session what they had studied with respect to the topics presented.

Then it fell to Br Joe Mc Kee, Vicar General, to develop the whole operating dynamic of a Provincial Council between the immediate present and the future.

Are we content with filling gaps or are we taking really strategic decisions?

First in personal time and then in the Councils, all were invited to review their way of acting as persons and as a group, as government and with respect to animation.

When we visualize situations of priority, do we really define the means to attend to them, in a way connected with other situations of great vitality, or do we lose ourselves in convenient decisions which go in the opposite direction?

In the afternoon session, we were able to express what we had experienced and learned in the different stages of the meeting. It was proposed to identify possible themes common to the whole region.

These themes were agreed on at the round tables and written up on strips of paper, which were placed on the ground creating clusters of related ideas.

Thanks to the participation of everyone, three main nuclei were formed: ongoing formation, especially for the young Brothers;   leadership, with animation programs for Councils, community animators…, andfinancial autonomy, with the preparation of personal and common projects.

In the context of common projects, the idea of a new interprovincial mission emerged.

With respect to formation, other ideas were emphasized, such as post-MIC formation, preparation for perpetual vows, perseverance (and the topic of the materialist culture and the influence of the mass media), common novitiates and the question of languages.

All these ideas and suggestions were entrusted to the Conference of Provincials of the continent.

The meeting finished on 30/12. An open forum allowed Br Superior General and the members of his Council to respond to various questions relating to different areas of the life of the Institute.

After a time reserved to a written and shared evaluation, we all headed to the chapel for the closing Eucharist.

At the end of the Mass, Br Emili Turú addressed some words of thanks, encouragement and sending to everyone.

All the Provinces, the District and also the General Council received as a symbolic record a Madera carving, signifying that only united will we accomplish our mission.

Nairobi, 29 and 30 December 2011.

27/12 | 28/12

District of West Africa	Southern Africa
Francis Lukong, Sylvain Yao (sup.), Daniel Taylor, Tata Oliver Tunka, Vincent de Paul Kouassi.	Felizardo Maceia, Patrick Bwalya, Nicholas Banda, Joe Walton (prov.), Fortune Chakasara, Jude Pieterse, Tomás Sawayenga.
Nigeria	Madagascar
Mark Omede, Chima Onwujuru, Joachim Ezetulugo (prov.), Celestine Okoye, Matthew-Mary Ogudu, Paul Angulu.	Pierre Joseph Rasolomanana, Sylvain Ramandimbiarisoa, Thomas Randrianantenaina (prov.), Raymond Razafimahatratra, Michel Razafimandimby.
Africa Centre-East	General council
Teodoro Grageda, Charles Nzabanita, Hosea Mugera, Valentin Djawu (prov.), Albert Nzabonaliba, Straton Malisaba.	Víctor Preciado, Ernesto Sánchez, Eugène Kabanguka, Joe Mc Kee (v.g.), Emili Turú (sup.g.), Michael De Waas, John Klein, Antonio Ramalho, Josep Maria Soteras.