2013-04-22 GENERAL HOUSE

II Marist International Mission Assembly

Dear Champagnat Marists. We can truly say that the celebration of the first Marist International Mission Assembly in 2007, with the entire process that unfolded in the different provinces and districts of the Institute, was an historic event, the first time that brothers and lay men and women from all over the world, participating on an equal basis, set about reflecting on the purpose of the Institute now and in the future, as well as its very identity.

Though lived with varying degrees of intensity around the world, that experience was universally looked upon as a very positive one. So much so that the XXI General Chapter not only incorporated some of the ideas coming from that Assembly I, it explicitly issued an invitation “to organize another Marist International Mission Assembly in tune with the spirit of Mendes.”

Convinced that the Assembly can once again be a very effective instrument in service to our Marist mission, the General Council has invited an international Commission to put in place the process necessary to hold a new Assembly in 2014. The members of this Commision are Mrs. Alice Miesnik from the Province of United States; Mrs. Mónica Linares, Cruz del Sur; Br. Mark Omede, Nigeria; Mr. Frank Malloy, Australia; Mr. Manuel Gómez Cid, Mediterránea; Br. Paul Bhatti, South Asia; Br. César Rojas, the Secretariat of Brothers Today; Br. Javier Espinosa, Secretariat of the Laity; and Br. João Carlos do Prado, Secretariat of Mission and the Commission’s coordinator. My sincerest thanks to all of them for the excellent work that they are doing, with great creativity and a very visible commitment to our Marist life and mission.

The logo chosen for this II Assembly features giant tongues of fire. Many peoples, in particular some from cultures on the African Continent, where the final phase of the Assembly will take place, are coming together around the fire to talk about and celebrate their lives. It is this beautiful experience that we are being called to reproduce at each level of participation: local, provincial and international. Being called to gather around the fire that captivates us, illuminates our minds and warms our hearts with its mystery.

Fire is also a symbol of the Spirit, and reminds us of the events of Pentecost. I think that all who participated in Assembly I unanimously agreed that the real star of those proceedings was the Holy Spirit, who made Her presence strongly felt, leading every participant to personally experience discovering new facets of our Marist mission. And so starting now I invite all Marists of Champagnat to actively involve ourselves in these new international proceedings, very open to the action of the Spirit, present among us.

src=http://www.champagnat.org/images/news/1496.jpgAs the 200th Anniversary of the founding of the Institute appears on the horizon, the invitation could not be more clearly expressed: “New Marists in mission.” How I hope that the road that all of us Marists of Champagnat are about to travel will allow us to continue to explore the profound meaning of that call to “newness” that we heard so insistently during our most recent General Chapter.

Mary brought the first Christian community together; today, too, as the “new” woman, she is in our midst to inspire and support us in our commitment to build a Church with a Marian face. Together we ask her to bless the proceedings of II Assembly, to bring about an ever greater vitality of our Marist charism.

Fraternally,
Br. Emili Turú, Superior General
Rome, March 25, 2013

Read more about the Assembly: www.champagnat.org/nairobi/

PREV

Marist Union of Brasil - UMBRASIL...

NEXT

Technology and dialogue...