Mission Secretariat
From April 1-4, the meeting of the Mission Team for the Americas took place in Recanto Champagnat, in Florianopolis, Brazil. Those who participated in the meeting were Mrs. Mercia Procopio and Brother Valdicer C. Fachi (Brazil), Mrs. Angelica Alegria (Mexico), Brother Luis Carlos Gutierrez (Guatemala), Mr. Ernesto Reyes (Chile), and Brother Juan Ignacio Fuentes (Argentina). The coordinators of the meeting were Brothers Jaoa Carlos do Prado and Juan Miguel Anaya from the Mission Secretariat. Other invited participants were Brothers Josep Soteras and Eugene Kabanguka, Counselor Generals responsible for America and Brothers James Jolley and Manuel Mendoza Prario from the FMSI office in Geneva.
The main objectives of the meeting were to address the work which the Team has been developing during the last few years and to come up a plan for the Mission Team good until 2017 based on the call of the 21st General Chapter and the Plan for Animation and Government of the Institute. Among the various topics discussed, the following were emphasized: the evaluation of the 1st Meeting of the Formation of Directors in the Americas; an interchange over the Meetings of Marist Youth Directors which took place in Guatemala; the announcement of the process for putting together the construction of the Solidarity Document for the Americas and the preparation for the 4th Meeting of the One Heart United for the Americas which will take place in Mexico; the presentation of the Mission Secretariat; an interchange of ideas on the International Marist Youth Assembly that will be held in Madrid; the evaluation of the results of the sondage on mission held in Madrid; the putting together of a Strategic Plan for the Mission Team of America. Professor Nelio Castro of the Pontifical Catholic University of Parana-PUCPR, Brazil, guided us through these sessions and discussions.
April 4th was the day dedicated to getting to know about some Marist Social Work in Florianopolis, and the Network of Participation led by P. Wilson Groh, an affiliated member of the Marist Brothers. The Team was also able to enjoy some rest and entertainment in the tourist city of Balneario Camboriu. The meeting ended with a dinner at the residence of P. Wilson which included the participation of some Marist social educators, and Amadeo, an Italian youth, who is experiencing the life and work in some social projects.
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Br. João Carlos do Prado