Marist Laity and Initial Formation Team of the Arco Norte Region

The areas of Marist Laity and Initial Formation of the Brothers of the Provinces of the Arco Norte Region (Canada, United States, México Central, México Occidental, América Central and Norandina) met during the first week of June to analyse the current situation in the area and to reflect on how to continue the projects in the face of the crisis of COVID-19.

Those responsible for the area have taken the following initiatives:

• To hold video conferences with the brothers in formation to exchange opinions and make decisions together.
• Collect the best practices of initial formation, by stage, and put them in a common folder for all to have access to.
• Connect, in a virtual way, all of those involved in initial formation. Within each stage of formation, young people were chosen to be responsible for the group, to organize and facilitate the meeting. To date, a virtual meeting has been held for each stage of formation: postulants, novices and scholastics/temporary vows.

The Region seeks to promote networking (at Institute, Regional and inter-congregational levels) to continue formation, facilitate communication and share resources. And it has planned to hold, every two years, a meeting of formators of Arco Norte of a formative nature, for exchange and evaluation.

During the meeting of Formators, which took place in 2019, in Colombia, the brothers responsible for initial formation discussed Marist formation, and after sharing ideas, the team began to get to know the reality and the formation plan of each province.

Faced to the call to live charism and shared mission between brothers and laity, two initiatives stand out in this meeting:

• Create gathering spaces, dialogue, and joint reflection between Brothers, young men in formation and lay people to value and discern our vocation as Marists of Champagnat.
• Promote experiences of spirituality and shared mission among Brothers, young men in formation and lay people

At the end of the meeting, the group prepared a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), where the common lines existing at the regional level were highlighted. See here the final report 2019 (PDF).

Following the calls of the XXII General Chapter, the region is working to create paths and processes that will unite the region more as a global family and as Marists, recognizing the diversity and richness that exists in the Marist Institute.