Marcellin inspires our mission – XVI message from the Marist International Mission Commission
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The XVI messagefrom the Marist International Mission Commission, with the title of Marcellin inspires our mission, invite to “feel the joy of inheriting the beautiful legacy of Marcellin Champagnat, our Father and Founder, and that of the first Brothers. They are an inspiration to us, encouraging us to listen to the Spirit, to discern present realities and to act according to the will of God.”
The text, prepared by Brother Gregorio Linacero, on behalf of the International Commission, highlights the “spiritual patrimony received that we must pass on”, and recalls that “this transmission is the continuation of a spirit that is alive and that allows us to reinforce the vocational dimension of both the brothers and lay men and lay women, as well as to continue building the Kingdom of God in society and in the Church with a characteristic Marist flavor.”
In the same way, the message highlights the role of Marists – brothers and laypeople together – as continuators of Champagnat’s intuitions, “in fidelity to the Gospel, we show attitudes of welcome and preference for those on the margins of society, and we work for the inclusion of people and respect for their dignity.”
In the document, the commission encourages Marists to follow their own style of mission, inspired by Mary, the Good Mother: “She models in us a way of being and living the faith”. The text also speaks about the “significant presence” of the Marists, and points out that “this presence, as well as being physical, must be emotional and spiritual”.
Through this XVI message, the International Commission calls on all Marists “to be witnesses (parable and prophecy) for the Church:
- in the face of a culture of violence and separation, propose the value of fraternity.
- in the face of a culture of segregation and discarding, propose the value of the option for the marginalized of society and of the Church.
- in the face of a culture of individualism and isolation, propose the value of integral care, both for people and for the environment.”
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