Family day gathers four Marist branches

The four religious branches of the Marist family in the Philippines attended a “Marist Family Day” on April 21 at the Agro-Industrial Foundation College in Davao City.

The Marist Sisters, the Marist Missionary Sisters, the Marist Fathers, the Marist Brothers, laity, the members of the International Commission of Brothers Today – who were visiting the Marist Brothers’ formation house in the city – gathered under the theme “Doing mission in Asia today as Marists.”

During the event, the superior general of the Marist Fathers, Father John Larsen, affirmed that Marists in Asia express the “feminine face of God” and touched on four characteristics of the mission in the continent.

According to Fr John, the characteristics include prayer that results in mission, reaching out, a sense of community that is open and welcoming, and individual missionary.

The participants were challenged to “dance for mission” in Asia and do it in the way of Mary. Gathered in groups, they shared their reflections on a few questions including how Marist community life can better express the Marist missionary vocation in Asia.

In the homily of the Mass that concluded the gathering, Fr John emphasised that doing mission in Asia is neither easy nor “humanly attractive.” 

But he added that Marists are invited to missionary work like Mary did when she discovered that Elizabeth was pregnant.
He underscored that she acted as quickly as she could, in a dynamic way, carrying only the Word of God, without bringing “big luggage.”

Fr John also stressed the need to pray in solitude, in a deeply contemplative way, resonating the reality of the world today.