Marist education for the XXI century
“Meeting No 15” of the Education Sub-commission took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 6 to 10 October. This organization depends on both CIAP and CIM (Inter-American Mission Commission), and has as objective to realize on the American level the dreams of the future of the XXI General Chapter. Its members are Ernesto José Reyes Plaza (Co-ordinator – Santa María de los Andes), Br José Wagner Rodríguez da Cruz (Brasil Centro-Norte), Irma Zamarripa Valdez (Marist Research and Development Institute, México Occidental) and Br Luis Carlos Gutiérrez Blanco (Provincial América Central).
The meeting touched on different topics being worked on in the process, including:
1. To move forward in the analysis and proposal for the Continent of the Model of Evangelizing by Educating; the Model of the Catholic School and the Model of Management of school works.
2. To continue promoting the work in network, holding our page for disseminating our material on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cim.subcomisioneducacion), with the aim of sharing, discussion, and downloading educational content to the Provinces.
3. Working on and disseminating our text: “The Director and his Administration at the service of the Mission”, which is already published in the 4 languages and is being sent or will be sent to each Province. On Facebook there are videos for introducing and explaining each chapter.
4. Master in Administration. On the basis of the model of formation presented in the book mentioned above, the possibility is being offered to Directors or potential Directors of America of gaining the degree of Master in Administration for school centres via online with the Marist Marcellin Champagnat Universities of Lima, Peru, and Guadalajara, Mexico. In the former, the first generation from the Province of America Central is already completing the course.
5. III Meeting on American Marist Education, to be held from 30 March to 3 April 2016, in a city to be defined. Its title will be “Marist Education for the XXI Century: Challenges and future prospects on the way to the Bicentenary.” Its general objective is to continue visualizing Marist education for the XXI century, in contexts of cultural and social change and transformation. We are in the process of organization and details.
6. Tutorships on the continent. We wish to make effective in our work the “carrying out of systematic work on network, realizing the exchange of good practices and tutorships, which allow directors and teachers to improve their work, at least once a year, during a week in a different situation from their usual environment”. We will enter a stage of vigorous propagation of this topic.
In each place where the meeting is held, an opportunity is taken for a time of growth in formation by getting to know what is happening in the Province. In this case, it was a meeting with the Provincial Board of Management of Marist works, led by Br Juan Ignacio Fuentes, and the visit of the works of Luján (Colegio Nuestra Señora de Luján and Centro Nazaret), as also of the Colegio Champagnat of Buenos Aires. They were all moments of great fraternity, enrichment and experiences of the great vitality of the charism.
By means of this note we would like to express our gratitude for the cordiality, welcome, inclusiveness and openness of the Province of Cruz del Sur, in the name of its Br Provincial Horacio Bustos, so that our meeting could take place in peace, harmony and bear the expected fruit. It was a beautiful experience for all to be in another land but feel ourselves one in heart and spirit.
At all times, whether with the Brothers and laity of the Community of the Provincial House or of the Provincial Board of Management, we felt ourselves part of the Marist Family, in which in “co-responsibility” we continue dreaming the future in order to evangelize through education.
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Ernesto Reyes Plaza – Co-ordinator of the Sub-commission
http://www.maristas.com.ar