Marist formation through distance education

On the 19th and 20th November, the Second Congress of Teleformaristas was organised by the Catholic University of Porto Alegre. Two hundred and ninety educators who work in the Marist schools and apostolic works in Brazil took part in this Congress. Its theme was Spirituality and Ethics: A Challenge in the Mission of Marist Education.
Teleformaristas is a course in Marist formation through distance education, designed for brothers and laypeople who work in Marist colleges or other apostolic works, parents of students, Marist formators, members of Marist fraternities, students and former students.
Its aim is to offer an opportunity to come to a deeper knowledge and understanding of Marist Apostolic Spirituality through study and through encountering yourself, others, God and the world in such a way that provokes a commitment to and an involvement in the Marist educational proposal.

To realise this aim, use is made of the technology made available by the University. This has allowed a large number of people to be involved throughout all of Brazil in a shorter time than usual. At the beginning there were fifty-three groups and following this virtual posts were created so that those who wished could participate in teleconferences that were transmitted every Wednesday from 4.00pm until 8.00pm.
The Second Congress of Teleformaristas was organised to give those who had been involved in this activity the chance to meet each other. With this initiative that was no longer virtual, it was possible to get to know each other and share on the theme of spirituality and ethics that had constituted a valid synthesis of all the themes treated in the previous course.
The meeting was also a chance to experience and celebrate together the typical values of the Marist family. The celebration of a ?Missa Crioula? could not be missed at the conclusion, in which besides the language of the gauchos, their hymns and typical dress were highlighted.