2025-01-18 MEXICO

Interprovincial retreat closes the Jubilee Year in Mexico

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On December 31, the brothers and lay Marists of the Provinces of México Central and Occidental celebrated the closing of the Jubilee Year of Marist Mexico, which in the course of 2024 commemorated the 125th anniversary of the presence of the Marists of Champagnat in the country and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Brother Basilio Rueda Guzmán, Servant of God. The Jubilee Year concluded with an Interprovincial Retreat held December 27-31 in Guadalajara, with the participation of 110 Brothers from the two provinces.

Brother Ernesto Sánchez, Superior General, sent a video message to all the Brothers of Mexico gathered for the interprovincial retreat: “It is a joy to celebrate 125 years of Marist presence in Mexico by living a Jubilee year. A year also of the 100th anniversary of the birth of our Brother Basilio Rueda, a blessing for the Institute for all that this brother lived and accomplished. (…) I invite you to live more a visible and credible fraternity, as I said in my circular letter ‘taking care of life and generating new life’”. See the message in Spanish.

The interprovincial retreat 2024 began on December 27 with the opening words and reflection of the two provincial, Brothers Luis Felipe Gonzales, from Central Mexico, and Luiz Enrique Rodriguez, from México Occidental. The 5 days of the retreat were guided by Brother Antonio Martínez Estaún, ex-postulator, who also shared information about Brother Basilio Rueda. In addition, on each day, a topic on the history of the Marist presence in Mexico and its two provinces was treated by Brothers Carlos Martinez Lavin, Lalo Navarro, Juan Carlos Robles, Enrique Escobar, and Luis Felipe Gonzáles.

On the second day of the retreat, Brother Antonio MartĂ­nez EstaĂşn spoke about Brother Basilio Rueda: his letters, his circulars, his commitment to the evangelical counsels and his life in the Marist Mission. Brother Guillermo Villarreal, the current postulator, spoke about the process of canonization of Brother Basilio.

During the retreat, on December 29, 10 temporary Brothers renewed their vows. Seven from Central Mexico (Brothers Nicolás Chablé Ríos, Mario Alberto García Ríos, Jorge Édgar Almanza García, Yarib Zaín Daza García, Óscar Israel Souberville Espinoza, Nicolás Pedro Pinzón Martínez, Cristóbal Sebastián Tovías Fraga), and three from Mexico Occidental (Victor Hugo Franco Méndez, Jesús Andrés Morales Reyes and Albino Quiroz Alejándrez).

On December 30, a Mass was celebrated in honor of the Jubilarian Brothers who celebrated their years of service in the mission (80, 75, 70, 70, 50 and 25 years), recalling the words of Brother Basilio: “Today I feel more Marist than ever”.

The Brothers of the Sector of Haiti, who are part of the Province of MĂ©xico Occidental, made their provincial retreat at the same time, with the theme: We have left everything to follow you Lord. Thirty-eight Brothers and four novices gathered in Torbeck, Les Cayes, at the Capuchin Fathers’ house.

At the end of the retreat, the brothers spoke about the future of Marist Mexico, with a view to the union of the two provinces, guided by Mary and Jesus.

The retreat concluded on December 31 with a sending Eucharist.

Read more about the Jubilee in Mexico:

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