European Council of the MCHFM

The Champagnat Movement in Europe is a lay Marist reality that is well established and growing.  This is true even if in some places it is not deeply rooted.  During the l990?s and even earlier, the first Fraternities got started, seeking to live out in a communal way the spirituality typical of the Marist Brothers, as a way of helping them actualize their Christian way of life.  Today the Fraternities are rediscovering themselves as places where life experiences are shared, where missionary outreach takes place and where the Marist charism is recreated. 

At the present time, there are emerging many Fraternities made up of young married couples and their children, groups that are highly involved in nearby Marist Brothers? apostolates and working, in fact, not only with the Marist Brothers but with the local church as well.  Their future is truly a sign and a promise for Marist life in Europe. 

Today we would like to offer you some general data about the Champagnat Movement in Europe, as presented by the European Council of the MCHFM.

We offer you some data about the fraternities of the Champagnat Movement of the Marist Family in Europe:

STRUCTURES

Provincial assemblies of Champagnat Movement

C. W. Europe:

1. 1 annual of delegates.
2. 1 annual, in Belgium, open to all the members of the fraternities.

Iberica:

1. 3 annual of delegates from every fraternity.
2. 1 annual with all members of all fraternities.

L?Hermitage

1. 1 annual of delegates in France and another in Greece.
2. Some meetings in France of fraternities that are close to each other.
3. 1 annual in Greece.

Mediterranea

1. 1 annual of delegates in every part of the Province.
2. 1 annual, open to all the members of the fraternities.

A standard meeting of a fraternity:

1. A prayer
2. Formation documents.
3. Time for sharing life.
4. Parties and celebrations.
5. Checking of personal and communal projects.
6. Synthesis of the work
7. Solidarity actions (Athens)

 Provincial coordination :

1. It exists in three Provinces: Iberica, L?Hermitage and Mediterranea.
2. The coordinating team of a given Province is formed of some delegates of the Movement and the Marist Brother who is the coordinator for the Province.

Functions:

1. Coordinate and promote the fraternities in the Province.
2. Create a reflection process that could be used by the Movement.
3. Promote the creation of a formation plan.
4. Organize and prepare the annual meetings.
5. Make contact with Provincial Commissions of Spirituality and others
6. Share Information about our needs.
7. Become familiar with the objectives of the Province.

A provincial formation process for the Movement:

1. There aren?t any specific processes of formation for the Movement.  In one Province there is a new group working on a design for a formation process aimed at groups of young people in their twenties or thirties, to help to prepare and decide if they want to belong to the Movement.
2. We have information about a good formation process used in the Central America Province, and this has been used in some European Provinces.

Journals or News Bulletins:

1. In Belgium: ?Navette?
2. In Ibérica: ?Tres violetas?
3. In L?Hermitage: ?Frats Echos?

Web sites

• Iberica : www.maristasiberica.es
• L?Hermitage: www.maristes-france.org
• Mediterranea: www.fraternafms.com