New Marists in mission

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An invitation to celebrate and build together our Marist life and mission Nairobi, 16-27 September 2014

The XXI General Chapter, within the context of the “new relationship between brothers and laity, seeking greater vitality together”, invited the Institute as a whole to “organize another Marist International Mission Assembly in the spirit of Mendes”.

This mandate from the Chapter was assumed by the Superior General and his Council, who appointed a Commission to carry out the preparation and implementation of the Second Marist International Mission Assembly (II MIMA). This Preparatory Commission is integrated by: Mrs. Alice Miesnik, United States; Mrs. Monica Linares, Cruz del Sur; brother Mark Omede, Nigeria; Mr. Frank Malloy, Australia; Mr. Manuel Gómez Cid, Mediterránea; brother Paul Bhatti, South Asia; brother César Rojas, Brothers Today Secretariat; brother Javier Espinosa, Secretariat of the Laity; and brother João Carlos do Prado, Secretariat for Mission and Coordinator of the Commission.

An international assembly is a special moment in the life of the Institute which offers the opportunity for brothers and laity to share, reflect on, celebrate, and build together Marist life and mission on equal terms, looking at the present times and envisioning the future, as we remain faithful to the charism. It is also an opportunity to strengthen our international and intercultural dimension at the service of children and youth.

As we know, the first Assembly was held in 2007 in Mendes (Brazil), under the motto of “One Heart, One Mission.” But living and operating in the spirit of Mendes today requires a step forward in order to discover new horizons leading to the future, dreaming of the “New Marists in Mission”. The XXI General Chapter marked all its work with the sign of innovation, and invited us to “go in haste, with Mary, to a New Land”. New initiatives have emerged and consolidated in many parts of the Institute as a natural consequence. The II Marist International Mission Assembly wants to explore these new initiatives. It challenges us to live a new religious life which may generate a new way of being Brother, in a new relationship of communion between brothers and laity, with a significant evangelizing presence among poor children and young people.

* Local phase: April 2013 to April 2014
* Provincial phase: January to May 2014.
* Assembly: Nairobi, Kenya – 17-27 September 2014
* Regional phase: after the holding of the Assembly in September  2014.

Preparatory Commission – Nairobi 2014

As a commission of Lay Marists and Marist Brothers from the five continents where the Marist Institute ministers, we received -as a gift- the opportunity of accompanying the preparation for the Assembly: Mrs. Alice (USA), Br. Paul (South Asia), Br. Mark (Nigeria), Mr. Manuel (Mediterránea), Mr. Frank (Australia), Mrs. Mónica (Cruz del Sur), Br. César (Secretariat for Brothers Today), Br. Javier (Secretariat for the Laity), Br. Teófilo (Mission Ad Gentes) and Br. João Carlos (Secretariat for Mission), the coordinator of the commission.

Local phase: from April 2013 to April 2014

1 – Definition

This phase includes the study and analysis of the worksheets at the personal and community levels. It will be done in small groups of brothers, laity, young people, and persons who collaborate in the Marist works, belong to Marist communities and movements (such as Champagnat Movement, Marist Youth, Solidarity Groups, etc.) or participate in other Marist initiatives.

2 – Horizons along the road

• Presenting the proposal of the II Marist International Mission Assembly.
• Raising awareness of the international dimension of the Marist Institute.
• Eliciting a fraternal dialogue about Marist life and mission among all the participants.
• Selecting the representatives from the Province/District to the Assembly.
• Living a meaningful solidarity experience with poor children and young people.

3 – Evaluation, report, and celebration of the local phase

To close this first phase of the process, each local group can meet to evaluate the experience, arrive at conclusions, prepare a report addressed to the general coordinator in the Administrative Unit, and conclude with a festive celebration.
The report speaks about the path each group has traveled together, the gratitude for the life and history we have inherited, the new shoots of Marist life we can see emerging in recent times, and the paths we must explore to reach the New Land dreamed by the XXI General Chapter.
The report can take the form of a letter, no more than a page in length, or an artistic rendering of our conclusions (video, painting, music, poster, etc.), a group “creed” or any expression the group or the Commission finds suitable.

Province/District phase: from January to May 2014

1 – Definition

The local phase is followed by the Province/District phase, which immediately precedes the II MIMA. In this phase we organize a Province/District Assembly or a similar event, with the participation of representatives from the local phase. Each Province/District organizes this stage according to its local situation.

2 – Horizons along the road

• Sharing and celebrating the experiences we may live in the Province/District during the preparation of the II MIMA.
• Determining the calls from the Province/District to the II MIMA.
• Proposing the names of candidates, brothers and lay people, to represent the Province/District at the II MIMA.

3 – Guidelines for the end of the Province/District phase

To write the report to the II MIMA about this phase, we would ask you to define the following elements in one final sentence: a shoot of Marist life (something new which is already growing), and a challenge (something new to come) regarding Marist life and mission, to be explored as Province or District.
This report should be sent to the Preparatory Commission before June 10, 2014. The way this final sentence will be defined, summing up all the previous work, is at the discretion of the Province or District.
This assembly or special event can be a beautiful opportunity to recall and strengthen those elements which are vital to Marist life and mission in each Province or District.