2023-01-13 GENERAL HOUSE

Meeting of the Marist International Mission Commission

The International Mission Commission met at the General House from January 9 to 13. The team, coordinated by the Vicar General, Br Luis Carlos GutiĂ©rrez, is made up of members of the General Administration’s Mission Area, representatives of the 6 regions and the Institute’s networks. Its composition and current format was modified at the beginning of 2018. It has had annual face-to-face meetings in 2019 and 2020. During the Pandemic until now, it has been working monthly online meetings with different formats. This meeting in 2023 counted with the participation of 20 people.

The purpose of the Marist International Mission Commission is to achieve a passionate commitment with an innovative Marist Mission without borders with our reflection and initiatives, in a global perspective.

Its goals are:

  • Actively contribute to the development of the Global Charismatic Family in the field of mission.
  • Reflect on the needs, trends, and current realities of the Marist mission in the world to propose significant responses through lines of action, strategies, initiatives, and enlightening documents.
  • Facilitate the ongoing reflection, implementation and updating of the initiatives of the Strategic Planning of the General Administration (2017-2025) in dynamic response to the 22nd General Chapter Calls.
  • Reflect on the processes of the Marist Mission at the global level and its effective articulation (global networks, global topics, etc.) and make proposals to the General Council.
  • Promote the integration and coordination of the different leaders and leaders of the Marist mission (secretariats, departments, regions, networks, provinces).
  • Contribute with recommendations and suggestions for the development of initiatives, programs and projects related to the Mission Area.

All the reflection that the Commission has done in these last years on the Marist mission, with online meetings that also include the presence of invited persons, has resulted in 18 messages. All the messages are available on the Institute’s website and will soon be published in a single volume.

Learning, consolidation, and innovation for our Marist Mission

The meeting in the General House was a unique opportunity to reflect on several themes and define strategies for the near future. On the first day, which also included an intervention by Br. Ernesto SĂĄnchez, Superior General, the participants focused on listening to what life calls the Institute to do. They also reflected on the journey made by the regions, trying to identify the current situation and coordinate future steps in terms of “regionalization”.

This theme was taken up again the following day, which had as its core the discussion on emerging needs, identifying where the present reality challenges the Marist mission and how to respond to them.

On Wednesday, January 11, the team dealt with the theme of networks, focusing on learning, coordination, language, and the future related to this theme. The processes lived by the networks Champagnat Global (schools), CPVs (Volunteers), MYM (Youth) and Solidarity were highlighted. Time was also devoted to analyzing the relationship between the church and global processes, among others, in the areas of education, ecology and economy.

On the fourth day of the meeting, attention was placed on the next Mission Assembly (III MIMA), to be held in 2024. The commission indicated suggestions to the preparatory commission, which will soon begin the work of preparation for this event. Also discussed were proposals in the line of leadership development, sustainability, and vitality of the Mission. Time was also dedicated to an analysis end approbation of the document “Stand Up, Speak Up and Act”, presented by the Secretariat of Education and Evangelization.

Finally, on the last day of the meeting, January 13, the Commission defined the path for the next 3 years, highlighting its role in the projects in the area of mission present in the Strategic Plan of the General Administration and its connection with the Regions, Networks and Secretariats.

People who took part in the meeting

General Administration

  1. Br. Luis Carlos GutiĂ©rrez – Geral Vicar
  2. Br. Ben Consigli – General Councilor
  3. Br. Ken McDonald – General Councilor
  4. Br. Jorge Gaio – Econome General
  5. Br. Gregorio Linacero MelĂłn – Assistant to the Econome General and Project Manager of the General Administration’s Strategic Plan
  6. Br. JosĂ© SĂĄnchez Bravo – Director of the Secretariat of Education and Evangelization
  7. Br. Mark Omede – Assistant Director of the Secretariat of Education and Evangelization
  8. Br. Ángel Diego García Otaola – Director of the Secretariat of Solidarity
  9. Br. Francis Lukong – Assistant Director of the Secretariat of Solidarity
  10. Andrea Rossi – Director FMSI
  11. Br. Valdícer Fachi – Director CMI

Representing the Regions

  1. Christophe Schiestse (Europe)
  2. Leonardo Soares (América Sur)
  3. Br. Francis Jumbe (Africa)
  4. Br. Rodrigo Espinosa (Arco Norte)
  5. Br. Farancis King (Asia)
  6. Br. Kevin Wanden (Oceania)

Networks

  1. Br. Marcelo Bonhemberger (Universities)
  2. Br. Miguel Fernandes Ribeiro (Marist Youth Ministry)
  3. AnalĂ­a Ruggeri (Solidarity)

* Br. TeĂłfilo Minga did the simultaneous translation for the group.

Photos in FaceBook

PREV

Marist International Network of Higher Educat...

NEXT

Meeting of the Province of Compostela...