Meeting of the International Commission for the Revision of the Formation Guide

Concerning the initial and on-going formation, the 22^nd General Chapter gave to the Institute a mandate:

“For a new beginning, we believe that we need new structures and processes that recognize and support our distinctive vocational paths as Marists. Therefore we suggest that (we) reform our processes of initial and on-going formation and offer new paths at the level of the Institute and Administrative Units to care for our vocation as brothers, accompaniment, attention to each brother´s situation and stage in life.”

In turn, the General Administration, in its Strategic Plan, indicated, in Project 3 (Lighthouses of Hope: Structures for Initial Formation) to “revise both the current plans and structures of the initial formation for Brothers and the Formation Guide.”

To realize this objective, the General Council recently appointed the International Commission for the Revision of the Formation Guide. It is composed of Brothers:

• Ángel Medina, Director of the Secretariat of Brothers Today
• César A. Rojas, Province of Norandina
• Fabien Bulaimu, Province of Africa Central East
• Francisco García Ruíz, Marist District of Asia
• Graham Neist, Province of Australia
• João Carlos do Prado, General Councillor
• Lindley Sionosa, Co-Director of the Secretariat of Brothers Today
• Óscar Martín Vicario, General Councillor
• Pere Ferre, Province of L’Hermitage
• Rubens Falqueto, Province of Brasil Centro Norte

Last October 6, the Commission met for the first time, online, as during this time of the pandemic it is impossible to have a face-to-face encounter. The first moment was spent in greeting and welcoming and for the members to get to know each other. A time was also given to Br. Ernesto to deliver a brief message.

The Secretariat of Brothers Today explained the rationale of the commission, referring to the Message of the 22^nd General Chapter and the Strategic Plan. Afterwards, the members went into a time of refection and sharing of thoughts, experiences, and the like, in relation to the task of the commission.

The meeting concluded with defining the way forward. A second online meeting was set to take place in two months’ time.