Full of grace and hope

The first American meeting of the Champagnat Movement of the Marist Family (MChFM) was held at Fusagasugá (near Bogotá in Colombia), having been convoked by the General Council?s Laity Commission. From the 2nd to the 5th November 2005, the delegations from ten Marist Provinces in America (Canada, México Central, México Occidental, América Central, Norandina, Brasil Centro Norte, Brasil Centro Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Cruz del Sur and Santa María de los Andes) met to share on the development of the Movement in their respective countries.
Seventy-five per cent of Marist fraternities are found in America and hence the interest of the General Council to call together the animators of this continent.
The main objective of the meeting was to get to know each other: the type of fraternities, the style of animation, the apostolic activities and solidarity that characterise the Champagnat Movement in each Province.

We started with a reflection on the great challenges of the Movement: its ecclesial identity, its link with the Congregation, the role of the liaison brother, the plans for formation, etc. Finally, we tried to discern future pathways that demand an accompaniment of the laypeople who have chosen to live their baptismal vocation according to the spirituality left to us by Saint Marcellin.
The translation service was provided in French, Portuguese and Spanish.
A special word of thanks is due to the team of laypeople from Colombia, entrusted with the preparation of all the infrastructure of the meeting. This was truly ?an historic meeting? which ?filled us with grace and hope? as Brother Seán Sammon, Superior General, declared in his letter of greeting to the participants.
We will publish material on this meeting on the web page. It will allow those interested to continue to promote communion and participation.