Meeting of the International Marist Spiritual Patrimony Commission

The virtual meeting of the International Marist Spiritual Patrimony Commission took place on April 6, connecting participants from Central America to Australia. All ten members of the Commission were present. Br. Allan de Castro from the Philippines, appointed Provincial of East Asia, is no longer part of the Commission. Also present, as usual, were the two Brothers Directors of the Brothers Today Secretariat, Angel Medina and Lindley Sionosa. On behalf of the General Council, Brother Óscar Vicario, visiting MIC, sent a message from Nairobi with some suggestions from the Council. Brother Arsacio collaborated as translator.

Among the topics dealt with during the meeting, the following stand out:

• The issue 40 of Marist Notebooks is already in the final stage of printing. Dyogenes explained the new features of this edition, with the inclusion of a QR code through which the reader can access a video in which each author introduces himself and the reading of the written article. The previous editions are already fully digitalized and present on the Institute’s website.
• Br. André Lanfrey reported on progress regarding his work to be published in the next issue of the FMS Studia collection. It includes research by Gabriel Michel and Pierre Zind, offering a fresh look at the Institute’s legal authorization process. The text should be completed by the end of the year.
• The project of a Patrimony Course was addressed once again, based on feedback from the General Council and a brief survey of Provincials. The consultation reflects a great support for the project, adjusting some aspects. There is a concern about its duration and the attendance period, taking into account the desire for the participation of lay people. There is consensus within the Commission about academic rigor, keeping in mind the primary objective of forming a new generation of Marist researchers. Brother Michael Green will prepare a new proposal for the next meeting in June, taking into account the suggestions and presenting alternatives.

At the end of its meeting, the Commission confirmed the face-to-face meeting in Rome from June 20 to 24, thus resuming a tradition of many years, interrupted for two years due to the pandemic.