
New hearts for a new beginning
Fourteen young brothers and three other brothers took part on Feb. 5 in the fourth formative itinerary for brothers who are preparing themselves for perpetual profession.
The animation team affirms it hopes to transform their hearts in “new hearts” for the Institute’s new beginning.
This year’s itinerary includes four brothers of Brasil Centro-Norte, three of Brasil Centro-Sul, two of Brasil Sul-Amazonia, two of México Central, one of América Central, one of Norandina and one of Compostela (Spain).
There are three brothers in the team: Otalivio (Brasil Centro-Sul), Esteban (México Occidental) and Rodrigo Cuesta (América Central).
In these four months, they hope to “provide the young brothers with significant formation time in this second stage of the post-novitiate, as an opportunity to refine their response according to the “new way of being brothers” (21st General Chapter) and to reflect more on the option of the Perpetual Profession.
This goal is achieved through four major aspects: integration, anthropology, consecration and unification. These subjects are accompanied by various workshops, experience of apostolate and mission, living in community, inculturation and the Ignatian exercises.
Itinerary History
The formative itinerary is an initiative that began in Mar de la Plata in September 2008 during an extended general council meeting with the provincial councils of Brazil and Cono Sur. In 2011, the provincial superiors of Brazil and Cono Sur, in an encounter in Cochabamba, began organizing the itinerary giving enough time so that certain processes could begin and carried out.
The first itinerary began on March 7, 2011 in the Casa de la Juventud (Cochabamba, Bolivia). The itinerary has been repeated every two years (2013, 2015 and 2017), always in the same place.
Although the initiative was born for the brothers of Brazil and Arco Sur, it was soon after opened to all of the brothers of America and other countries.
We can already see many of the fruits of this initiative in the lives of many of our young brothers. Up to now, 58 young brothers have already gone through this process together with around 10 brothers who have formed the animating team.
May we continue to support and pray for these groups of young brothers so that their passion for the Kingdom and for the love of the charism fills their hearts and that, together with them, we fill our needy world with joy.
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Br Rodrigo Cuesta – Team coordinator 2017