Perspectives on the administration and management of Marist brothers? educational works
The meeting that had been announced on February, and treated the topic, « Management at the Service of Mission Now and in the Future,? drew to a close recently (March 11th to 19th). Held in Guatemala at the Provincial House of the Central American Province, the meeting addressed the same theme that had been treated earlier (November 2006) in Campinas, Brazil. At the Guatemala meeting, all the Provinces of the Americas took part along with four Provinces of Europe. The subject matter was, ?Studies and Proposals regarding Management Models for all Educational Works of a Single Province.?
The participants numbered seventy-five and represented nineteen Administrative Units of Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania. The group comprised fifty-nine Brothers and sixteen lay people. Representing the General Council were Brothers Pedro Herreros and Emili Turú.
The goals of the meeting were the following:
? To analyze the management models presently used by our Administrative Units for the generality of educational works found in each of the Units. From the analysis, to consider which of the models each Province or District might use as the model that suits the Province/District best: ?suits best? in view of greater vitality, dynamism, and creative sustainability in carrying out an efficacious mission.
? If judged opportune, to offer to the upcoming General Chapter a proposal about changing our proper law, in order to adapt it to the contemporary realities in which we attempting best to carry out the mission of the Institute.
The first three days were dedicated to the first goal, while the last day was given over to discussing the second goal.
Those at the meeting could see clearly that a significant path has been traveled since the Campinas meeting, both in regard to (a) researching the models best adapted to the ways in which our present-day educational words are administered and (b) identifying the most efficacious means of implementing such successful forms of administration. Fully aware that no universally paradigm exists, the delegates from the Administrative Unites were able, nonetheless, to hear each other out, to get a good grasp on the real situation of each Unit, and to work at determining the administrative model that best suits each one.
The meeting wrapped up with a list of proposals re: changes in our Statutes. The proposals will be sent to the Preparatory Commission of the XXI General Chapter.
A very hearty ?Thank you? goes out to the committee that prepared the meeting: Brothers Juan Miguel Anaya (Rome), Wellington Medeiros (Brazil Centro-Norte), Michael Green (Sydney), Juan Ignacio Poyatos (Mediterranea) and Carlos A. Huidobro (Cruz del Sur). A similar ?Thank you? is extended to the Central America Province which offered such a wonderful welcome to the participants.