Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Marist International Solidarity Network
“We are born to cooperate with each other, just as each of our feet, hands, eyelids and teeth has a counterpart.” (Marcus Aurelius)
The Executive Committee of the Marist International Solidarity Network met in Mexico City from 14 to 18 November to continue its networking.
This meeting had three fundamental objectives:
- Advance in the work of updating the Network’s documents.
- Strengthen and organise the different Working Groups.
- Hold a face-to-face meeting of the members of the Committee, after the years of the pandemic.
The Executive Committee is made up of representatives from each of the Regions of the Institute, as well as the two Brothers who form the Solidarity Secretariat. A total of 8 members attended the meeting: Socorro Álvarez (Mexico Central), Analía Ruggeri (Cruz del Sur), Maryury Morales (Norandina), Joe Nacianceno (East Asia), Javier Salazar (SED-Spain), Andrea Rossi (FMSI-Rome), and Brothers Francis Lukong and Ángel Diego, directors of the Solidarity Secretariat.
During the first three days, the meeting was joined by Brother Ken McDonald, General Councillor, as the link with the area of solidarity; also present were Brother Luis Felipe, Provincial of Mexico Central, and Brother Rodrigo Espinosa, responsible for Mission in the Province of Mexico Central and Secretary General of the Arco Norte Region.
The first part of the work focused on a review of the five documents that are key to all the activity of the Network: the Strategic Plan, Functions Manual, Glossary, Operational Action Plan and MoU. During the work, each of the documents were studied individually, following a methodology that goes from personal reflection to large group sharing (time for personal re-reading, sharing by language groups and assembly).
The second part of the work has been focused on the Working Groups of the Network, looking at how to offer some guidelines to guide the progress of these Groups, taking into account their specific reality and in sync with the rest of the Network.
Throughout the week’s work there were various moments to encourage personal encounters and exchanges between all the participants. A highlight was our contact with the reality of the province of Central Mexico, through a meeting with the Mission Team and a visit to the Miravalles educational centre.
As a summary of the week’s experiences, we can signal the great progress in work proposed for the different areas, as well as the good atmosphere among all the participants of the meeting. With joy we have been able to bring to life the thought presented at the beginning of this article. We have enjoyed working together as a diverse group in order to succeed in our common goal of growing as a Global Family.
This short summary also serves to thank the brothers and lay people of the province of Mexico Central for their welcome and for their help in making this meeting such a success.
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Br. Ángel Diego García Otaola – Director of the Secretariaty of Solidarity