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In this second week (16-22 May) in Monte San Martino, we experienced two workshops. The first half of the week was led by Enrique Martinez Lozano in transpersonal theory and the dual model of cognition for a re-reading of spirituality. In the second half, we were joined by Pep Buetas (co-director of the Secretariat of the Laity) and Ana Sarrate (former co-director of the Secretariat of the Laity and Coordinator of the Commission of Marist Laity of the Iberian Province), inviting us to gather around the same table.

Spirituality allows us to correctly answer the crucial question: "Who am I?" If the whole is non-separate, but the way of wisdom, as we read in the temple of Delphi: "Man, know thyself yourself and know the universe and the gods." To access our true identity – the dimension that is the source of the human being and what we call "spirituality" – we need to quiet our minds and train ourselves in Silence to be able to taste it. 

Spirituality is the knowledge that brings us into the territory (which is Fullness) and a paradoxically beautiful way is our true identity.

"If you could stand still and stop running from one place to another in search of God, you would find it and you would see that it is in yourself." In this way we realise that we are in God.

Our life story can be lived as salvation history. God will always say something new and personal: these moments are "flashes" of God’s presence among us. In this story, at some point, we come to embrace a style of living the love of God, which is the style of Mary that we inherited from Champagnat. It is part of the story of our life that has been woven from experience, encounter and people.

Something is happening, something is moving in our Marist history. It is an invitation to rediscover and unite synergies and steps to recognise and experience diversity, to put colour in life, to allow ourselves to feel the music, to dance to a new beat: this is the moment of a new relationship that we call communion.

We are taking the opportunity to further the implications of our own vocations, to recover the wealth of experience of those who speak of interpersonal relationships, connecting with life and family experience, to hear the female perspective, to enjoy life in fraternity, to be generous in our service, discipleship and a life in and out of interiority.

We must continue to take care of these days of dialogue, listening, contemplation; We stress the need to live in authenticity and vocation depth (life project); We want to get rid of attitudes, gestures and thoughts that do not help build community; we learn to contemplate and celebrate life; leadership should be shared and lived in a horizontal manner; we are invited to be present in contexts where we are and move, with a style of Mary. Together, men and women are called and recognise ourselves in communion, with our beautiful and sacred stories intertwined.

Around Champagnat who celebrated his birthday, we feel blessed to share the Marist charism today without borders, with one Spirit.