Mediterranea Province

Each year, the Mediterranea Province’s Secretariat of the Laity promotes the proposal of a retreat for Brothers and lay people in the area of Spain and Italy.

It defines the structure of the retreat and the line of work, objectives and content, which is usually in harmony with other provincial retreats. This year’s theme was on mercy.

In Spain, the retreat took place in La Zubia, Granada, from Aug. 3 – 7. Thirty-seven people took part: 12 Brothers, 21 laity and four youth. Most participants belong to a fraternity or to a Marist group within the province.

This year’s participants also included young people from youth groups (GVX) that, having finished their catechesis sessions, joined their local Marist groups.

Marists in Italy met in Foce (Amelia) in the region of Umbria, 70 kilometres from where the earthquake shook the country’s centre on Aug. 24. Around 30 people including couples, young people, children and Brothers, participated in this formation course, which ended on Aug. 28.

 “We allowed ourselves to be embraced by an atmosphere of a real family and also of closeness with people who experienced anxiety,” affirmed Brother Giorgio Banaudi, summarising the experience that they had close to the area of the earthquake.