2023-01-31 GUATEMALA

Meeting of the team Brothers Today of Arco Norte

The Team of Brothers Today of the Arco Norte Region met, from January 22 to 25, in the meeting house of Guatemala. Below, Brother Javier Peña spoke about the meeting.


We are a group of brothers, representatives of the different administrative units: Al Rivera, Juan Carlos, Jesús, José Miguel Caballero and I, who together with Brothers Rodrigo Espinosa, Ángel Medina and Lindley Sionosa, we seek to accompany the initial and ongoing formation, reflecting on and proposing criteria, itineraries, and experiences, to strengthen and update the identity and mission of the Brother Today in the Region.

It has been a very rich time to be together, after several years of virtual meetings, to be able to share our lives and encourage each other on our journey. We want to be a reference in the promotion and accompaniment of training itineraries in the region. And contrary to discouragement and discouragement due to the decrease in new vocations, the meeting filled us with new energy because many speakers spoke to us, and all of them were full of hope, considering that this work is Mary’s, and She continues to do everything among us.

Br. Hipólito Pérez, Provincial of Central America, shared with us with joy that they are celebrating one hundred years of the Marist presence in these lands. He is grateful for all the good that has been done and affirms that, with renewed strength, the province is launching itself to generate and care for Marist life, with a look at the Arco Norte region.

Br. Rodrigo Espinosa, executive secretary of the region, invited us: to see with hope our work of helping other regions, to outline efforts jointly strengthened by the Global pact launched by the Church, the Champagnat Global meeting that speaks to us of a convening power, and fills us with enthusiasm.

We took some time to share the surveys that we had sent to various brothers, and knowing them was a grace, seeing the passage of God in the lives of so many brothers in the region. We try to listen to the needs, and we will humbly try to respond to them.

Brothers Ángel and Lindley, directors of the Brothers Today Secretariat, enlightened us on the courses that the Institute is offering and on the progress of the revision of the Formation Guide. And we joyfully conclude that it is worth being a Marist Brother today. We must revive hope. overcome numerical pessimism. In the Institute there are vocations! We were born because there was a need for education that the state was not attending to. We will have to go to the peripheries, where no one takes care of migrants, refugees, and minority groups. Aware that these are the keys at the institute level: building networks, connecting, and interculturality. Religious life, in the future, will be intercultural or it will not be. An attitude of global availability is essential, fostering the spirituality of the heart.

Br. Omar Peña Jacobo enlightened us with an interesting talk about young people, culture, and vocation, where we were verified various ideas that our surveys showed. We had a virtual meeting with the responsible Brothers for accompaniment of scholastic brothers. We were very pleased to greet them and hear what they are experiencing in the different countries. The Brothers who participated were Giles, Javier Bometón, Giovani, Julián Olmo, Juan Antonio Sandoval, Alejandro Herrera, Antidio Bolivar, Jean Mance, Angelito, Albert, Ángel Medina, Juan Carlos, Javier Peña, Omar, Rodrigo Espinosa, Jesús Hernández, José Miguel, Lindley Sinosa, Hipólito and Luis Carlos.

Two members of the Marist Laity enlightened us: Ana Saborío, from the extended secretariat of the laity, and Claudia Rojas Carbajal, coordinator of the Marist Laity of Arco Norte, who clarified many doubts and concerns, especially in initial joint formation.

We finished with a trip to Antigua Guatemala and dinner together. Happy for having lived these days in fraternity and working for the brothers of the Region.

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Br. Javier Peña

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