Mission and management of educational works

Conferences, thematic groupings, work groups and discussions marked the 2nd National Meeting of Marist Directors, from the 20th to the 23rd August. In the tranquil city of Mendes in Rio de Janeiro, 270 directors were able to become more aware of management trends in educational works, to discuss their possibilities and to study experiences in order to respond to their challenges.

Among the principal conferences, we would like to mention that of Mr Roberto Prado, Director of the Association of Catholic Education of São Paulo and Executive Director of the Syndicate of Special Schools of São Paulo; he spoke about the current situation and of Catholic education. Brother Clemente Juliatto, former rector of the PUCSP, spoke of Marist direction. Father Edênio Valle treated the way of uniting spirituality to management. Brother Emili Turú, General Councillor of the Marist Brothers, Rome, discussed the importance of the direction in guiding the Marist mission.

In a time marked by complexity, technological advances, choices, forces that strongly influence the school, the directors had the opportunity to participate in thematic groupings on management (knowledge and communication, human relationships, business, mission and on-going formation). Working as a team, the accent placed on results, the harmony between the needs of a family in constant change, the consistency with mission and the values of the institution, the teaching of the organisation, etc. were some of the numerous challenges on the agenda of the directors and administrators.

This meeting started on the Sunday evening in the presence of the Provincials, Brothers Lauro Hochscheidt (Rio Grande Do Sul), Claudino Falcheto (Brasil Centro-Norte) and Tercílio Sevegnani (Brasil Centro-Sul) and of the President of the Marist Union of Brazil, Brother Manoel Alves. The meeting brought together delegations of directors coming from the various states. Brother Emili Turù, General Councillor, read a message sent by Brother Seán Sammon, Superior General of the Marist Brothers.

The meeting was organised by the Inter-Provincial Marist Commission under the responsibility of Brother Wellington Mousinho and co-ordinated by Brother Acádio Heck.