New Life

Brothers and laity had their first joint retreat together in Florianopolis from July 16 – 21 in the Marist province Brasil Centro-Sul (PMBCS) with the support of the lay and consecrated life sector (SVCL). 

Twenty brothers, 10 lay women and nine lay men, adults and youth alike from different religious communities and mission fronts of the Champagnat Movement of the Marist Family (MChFM), lay groups and lay youth. Paolo Quermes, of the sector of Consecrated and Lay Life of UMBRASIL and Gustavo Balbinot, of the sector of spirituality of the Marist province Sul-Amazônia accompanied the experience.

The days were highlighted by moments of personal and community prayer, dialogue in small groups and times of reflection and silence. “Brothers, who are used to these things, helped the laity in this path.”

The retreat included the participation of lay theologian Lucia Pedrosa Pádua, who led the reflection of the group on the retreat’s theme, “new life.”

At the end of the retreat, superior provincial Brother Joaquim Sperandio invited the participants to “descend from the mountain” and return to their own life, to the Marist mission and the commitment to Christian community. He invited them to walk in the company of Jesus, participating in his intimacy, conscience that the Lord is the one who is asking them to move towards deeper waters.  

This type of experience of a joint retreat between brothers and laity takes place in several places of the Marist world. It is about a new relationship, which is more structured and with more and more commitment.