Meeting of Provincials – Tuesday
The second day of the meeting of the General Council with the Leaders of the Administrative Units, Tuesday, 5 March, was aimed at deepening the theme of spirituality and care for Marist life. The phrase that inspired the participants today was “The strength of the rock” and a special moment was the Eucharist to start the bicentenary of the construction of Notre-Dame de l’Hermitage.
The morning was planned as a retreat. In the morning prayer, Br Luis Carlos GutiĂ©rrez, Vicar General, led the participants to discover the sacred behind the stone, to go beyond the visible, highlighting the phrase from the Rule of Life taken from Isaiah 51:1: “Never forget the rock from which you were hewn, the quarry from which you were cut”.
Br Ernesto Sanchez, Superior General, then took the floor to introduce a contemplative meditation that was to follow. His aim was to recall the audacity of Champagnat, 200 years ago, in building such a large house, even with few resources and at a time of crisis. Br Ernesto deduced that the founder’s courage could only have come from listening to the Spirit, the same process that the synodal Church is inviting all Christians to embrace at this time.
“When we look at the history of the Institute, we notice the presence of the Spirit at work through people and events,” the Superior General underlined. He also said that what the first brothers experienced in the building of the Hermitage helps the Marist family to accept our reality today, in both its positive and negative aspects.
Finally, Br. Ernesto emphasised the theme of spirituality, underlining that it was thanks to trust in God that Champagnat had the capacity to dare and look beyond. He recalled the Rule of Life, 25:
“We use the image of water from the rock to describe our spirituality.
Marcellin was a rich blend: rugged and gentle, idealistic and practical.
He built his Hermitage on the banks of the Gier,
realizing that its rushing waters were essential for life.
Rock that he hewed from the quarry gave strength
to the buildingâs towering walls and to the family he built.
Never forget the rock from which you were hewn, the quarry from which you were cut.”
With all these ideas, people had almost three hours of silence and meditation, and were able to find a quiet spot and connection with the beginning of Marist life, with Champagnat and the first Brothers.
Caring for Marist Life
Caring for Marist life in general, and especially for the young brothers, was the topic addressed in the afternoon, after the Marial prayer led by Br JosĂ© SĂĄnchez, Director of the Bureau of Education and Evangelisation. General Councillors Ăscar MartĂn and Sylvain Ramandimbiarisoa helped the group to discuss the topic.
Concern for caring for Marist life, for people, and especially for the youngest Brothers was the common thread of the shared reflection, trying to explore together what best sustains Marist life. “The Brothers and vocations are a concern to us, perseverance is a problem, and we feel challenged by the call to take more and better care of Marist Life,” Br Ăscar pointed out. Many thinkers, experts, leaders of religious life, and especially Pope Francis insist on our creating a “culture of care”. Our Superior General, Br. Ernesto, emphasised this, too, in his circular “Homes of Light” and in many other talks.
Together, the participants discussed four elements: the quality of Marist life, guaranteeing spiritual practices, fostering life-giving communities, and ensuring ministries that are discerned and accompanied.
Celebration of the placing of the First Stone at N.D. LâHermitage
At 5.45 p.m., the participants in the meeting, together with some Brothers from the communities of La Valla, Lyon and Le Rosey and other guests, took part in the Eucharistic celebration to commemorate the laying of the foundation stone of the house which today is the Hermitage House of Welcome.
200 years ago, in the month of May 1824, after the purchase of a piece of land by the river Gier near Saint-Chamond, Fr Champagnat and the first Brothers began the construction of the present house of N.D. de l’Hermitage. The blessing of the foundation stone was done by Mgr Cholleton, Vicar General of the Diocese of Lyon.
The celebration of the bicentenary of the mother house of the Institute is a unique opportunity for us to appreciate with gratitude the gift of the Marist charism which has been given to us. We are its beneficiaries and responsible for the continuity of our mission to children and young people, particularly the most vulnerable.
The celebration was presided by Fr Jean-Marie Bloqueau, Marist Father of La NeyliĂšre, and concelebrated by the chaplain of the community, Fr Gabriel Perret. It was a very moving moment, with much made of the symbol of the rock. The celebration began in the garden, before the Virgin and the rock. Then, entering the main building, the second part of the celebration took place in the ‘St Joseph Courtyard’, where Br Ernesto lit a candle to officially open the celebration of the bicentenary of the construction of the house. Finally, everyone proceeded to the large chapel, where Mass took place.
My experience of visiting Notre Dame de LâHermitage for the first time and the activities of todayâs Retreat
Br Cyprian B. Gandeebo, Provincial of the Province of West Africa
It would interest you to know that this is my first time to be at LâHermitage. Certainly, my feeling is that of excitement and gratitude because, for the many years as a Marist Brother, I had this singular opportunity to touch and feel the walls of the foundational buildings of the Marist Brothers Institute. I saw and touched the marks of the axe on the rock. Yes, indeed, my experience is likened to that of Peter at the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor: âPeter said to Jesus, âLord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three stents â one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijahâ (Mt 17:4). This is what I felt in this spiritual haven of the Marist Brothers â a sacred and serene place that embodies the spirit of St Marcellin Champagnat, founder of the Marist Brothers Institute.
The theme chosen for these dayâs reflection is, âThe Strength of the Rock: From the New La Valla to the New LâHermitageâ. The objective of this meeting is to âreflect on the journey from La Valla 200 (time of the 22nd General Chapter in 2017) to LâHermitage 200 (time of the 23rd General Chapter in 2025). In other words, we have embarked on the journey to celebrate the bicentenary of the foundational stone of Notre Dame de LâHermitage. The second motivation is to deepen the theme of Spirituality and Care for Marist Life. All the activities and sharing within the week would be geared towards generating a vision for the future of the Marist Brothers Institute.
Consequently, today was dedicated for a retreat preceded by a special prayer animated by Luis Carlos Gutierrez (VG) and Ernesto Sanchez (SG). The reflections were anchored on the strength of the Rock and focused on the foundation for âbuilding the new Hermitageâ.
The Superior General exhorted us by saying, âif we think about the living foundation that a New Hermitage would have, it would be necessary to look at some key points of the Marist charism and see how to live them in a way that responds to the present times. I would begin by pointing out the theme of spiritualityâ.
On this theme of spirituality, the Superior General reiterated the need to build or rather to rebuild and/or strengthen our Marist spirituality. Our spirituality, according to our Superior General, is fading, which is noticeable in many Brothers leaving the Institute. He also noted that when our Marist spirituality is weak, it manifests its ugly face in our attempts to build authentic communion and even in our mission. How do we then recreate our Marist life and mission? We are invited to build our spirituality on rock and not on sand (Mt 7:24)?
I am encouraged by the reflection passages recommended to us for building our spirituality. These are passages from the Marist Brothers Rule of Life, Water from the Rock, and from the document of the 22nd General Chapter. He pointed out that âliving in the presence of God was one of the strong points of Champagnatâs spiritualityâ (RoL, #23). Finally, he said that Mary was one of the main sources of inspiration for Champagnat spirituality. Hence, this motivates and encourages me to turn to Mary as a son to his mother. Maryâs exemplary life will shape and inspire my own spirituality, âfor without Mary we are nothing and with Mary we have everything since she always has Jesus in her arms or in her heartâ (Rol #28).
In conclusion, my maiden visit to N. D. de LâHermitage is a memorable one as I reconnect spirituality with the foundational stones of the Marist Brothers Institute. Today also marks an important journey to building a âNewâ LâHermitage in the Institute and in our Provinces and Communities. In this rebuilding I am encouraged to strengthen my Marist spirituality and foster authentic fraternity in my Province and communities. The N. D. de LâHermitage is a place where the spirit of Marcellin Champagnat continues to inspire and guide all those who seek solace and spiritual growth. This place offers a space where we can listen to the Lord, experience Him and witness Godâs immediate action in our lives.
