Marist Fraternities: Identity and process

The sixth Provincial meeting of Marist Fraternities (MChFM) from the Province of América Central took place in Guatemala from the 28th to the 30th October 2005. This brought together 150 brothers and laypeople from Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. We also had the pleasure of the presence of Brother Adolfo, Provincial, and of Brother Michael Flanigan, Secretary of the Laity Commission. The meeting was preceded by evaluation works and reading in each fraternity. The co-ordinating committee from Guatemala had created an appropriate atmosphere for good communication and looked after hospitality and organisation details.

The participants, coming from nineteen fraternities of the Province, reflected on two subjects: Marist identity as well as formation and life of the fraternities. The first subject corresponded to a concern manifested by Brother Seán and which was taken up at the last Assembly and at the Provincial Chapter in 2004. Using a document developed by laypeople, the participants analysed the contents to find paths of action in order to enrich and to strengthen Marist identity amongst us. Through expositions, collective activities, works from group secretaries and from the commission which had formulated the propositions, we could outline action lines and points for reflection for the following years. With this same method, we reflected on a journey of growth and of formation for the Fraternities, according to six stages or proposals. The work allowed us to gather ideas of fraternity members, to agree on the process to be adopted and to clarify it.
Also included in this meeting were an evaluation of the Movement during the previous years and the identification of future objectives. The meeting provided an opportunity for fraternisation, sharing, for prayer and for recreation to profit from the presence of very varied and rich cultures of our countries.