International Gathering of Marist Youth – January 2019

The international commission preparing the International Gathering of Marist Youth met in Guatemala City from June 27 – 30 to continue the preparations for the youth gathering that will be held in the city in January.

The International Gathering of Marist Youth – Guatemala 2019 is organised by the four branches of the Marist Family and is expected to have 200 participants from different places with Marist presence. They will represent the Administrative Units of each Marist congregation, chosen by the branches.

The main purpose of the meeting of the International Commission was to retake and understand all processes and preparations so far to bring us to the same page by checking what we have done and what ought to be done.

The meeting also helps the commission to revisit some important places that are related to the gathering.

The objectives of the gathering were checked and details of the technical aspects of the gathering were discussed.

The coming together of both the international commission and local organising commission was a peak moment as they look forward to the hope that something unique will be prepared in order to give the young Marists an enriching encounter and experience during the fourth-coming gathering.

The commission emphasised that participants at this meeting will gain an experience that can be shared with their groups when they get back to their countries.

The choice of the young people is important to the gathering hence the need to make the WEAVING LIFE clearer in our conversation and presentation.

With the help of experts, the commission discussed ways of planning, coordinating, and the logistics of movement.

The commission reflected a lot on how to bring out the meaning of the metaphor of WEAVING LIFE in the entire preparatory process and during the encounter.

The commission reviewed the task of the different committees in charge of the encounter.

The commission members are follows: Br Carlos Alberto Rojas, Br Mark Omede, Fr Juan Carlos Piña (SM), Sr Anne McCabe (SM), Sr Cristina Giustozzi (SMSM). The local organising commission members are: Brothers Jorge Sanchez, Luis Manuel Gómez and Carlos Vélez. The lay members include Kim Peña, Yasmin Arriaza, Heidy Ceōrrez Cerrano, Alejandro Ciares and Victor Santizo.