Marists who cross borders
On the first week of July three second year novices from the Champagnat Regional Novitiate of Cochabamba, Bolivia, travelled to other countries in the Region to take part in community and apostolic experiences outside their novitiate community.
The novices who left for two and a half months are: Luciano Taminski (Brasil Sul-Amazônia), who will be in Paraguay, in the Community of Horqueta; Luiz Carlos Lima (Brasil Centro-Norte) will be in Peru, in the Community of Puerto Maldonado; and Rafael Reinaldo Rodriguez Fernandes (Brasil Centro-Sul) will be in Chile, in the Community of Las Compañías in La Serena.
After thanking the communities for welcoming the novices, Brother Isidro Azpeleta Sebastián, Master of Novices, said that in the Regional Novitiate of Champagnat in Cochabamba "young people are trained to be available. Not young Marists for a country or for a Province. But rather novices and brothers for the Institute, for the whole Congregation, for the Church, for the world. This is how in the heart of the novices there is a positive sense of availability".
After the first semester, the first year novices have 10 days of community experience during the winter holidays, and 15 days of pastoral experience at the end of the year.
Referring to life in the novitiate, Br. Isidro explained that there is a balance between the reality of the Novitiate and an open house situation, where "catechists and group leaders, as well as young people in vocational accompaniment, friends and young neighbours are present in the Novitiate house or in other places, together with the novices, to experienceprayer, days of spirituality, formation workshops, vocational experiences, retreats, sports, etc…".
At present the Community consists of 3 brothers formators and 12 novices. 3 novices in 2nd year and 9 novices in 1st year.
The team of formators is made up of Brothers Isidro Azpeleta Sebastián (Santa María de los Andes), Rubens José Falqueto (Brasil Centro-Norte) and Sebastião Antonio Ferrarini (Brasil Sul-Amazônia).
The first year novices are: Evanilson Ferreira Lopes, Jefferson Bonomo, Jose Elizaldo Araujo Da Silva (Brasil Centro-Norte), Nathan da Costa Cardoso dos Santos, Bruno Marcondes, Carlos Henrique de Oliveira (Brasil Centro-Sul), Danavan Farias Machado (Brasil Sul-Amazônia), Víctor Salvador Colmán Martínez (Paraguay, Cruz del Sur) and Gilber Galarza Pérez (Bolivia, Santa María de los Andes).