Province of Compostela and the International Forum on the Lay Marist Vocation

The Province of Compostela has carried out the provincial stage of the International Forum on the Lay Marist Vocation at the end of February, in Valladolid. There were 22 participants. During the event, they spoke about their Marist experiences and reflected together on the following aspects:

• To deepen the understanding of the Marist vocation with particular emphasis on the lay Marist vocation.
• To review and offer processes and itineraries of formation, and accompaniment of the lay vocation.
• To reflect and propose possible forms of connection to the Marist charism.
• To know, reflect, explore, and propose possibilities of juridical structures (civil and canonical) for the Marist laity.

Br. Lisardo García, coordinator of the Marist Life Team, made a historical tour of the province, the different processes and itineraries of formation, and accompaniment of the lay vocation: IDEMs, CEM, HEE, Pastoral Juvenil… and about the approach with which the Marist Life Itinerary is being developed now. From there, we reflected on the elements of these processes and those elements that must be present in the itinerary.

On the other hand, guided by Patricia Cuesta, a member of the Marist Life Team, the participants spoke about their experiences, environments and people that enable and support the development of personal vocation.

In the same way, coordinated by Eladio Díez – head of the Lay Team and member of the Marist Life Team -, the participants had the opportunity to learn about current lay legal structures present in different congregations close to the Marist reality. Among these were present: José Miguel Rodríguez, belonging to the Emmaus Lasallian Community of Valladolid; Mayte Ballaz César and José Ignacio Hualde (married couple), members of the San Fermín fraternity in Pamplona. Both are linked to the Marist charism; Laura Terradillos Bilbao, Salesian Cooperator, member of the Provincial Council of San Francisco Javier.

For her part, Rita Silva – member of the Laity Team -, guided the participants on the importance of existing bonds in our lives, and how they are nurtured. And from that perception, they reflected on how the link would be in the reality of the province of Compostela.

During his participation, Brother Máximo Blanco, Provincial Superior of Compostela, reflected on the lay Marist vocation at the level of the Institute. Subsequently, the participants prioritized the following proposals to care for and enhance the lay Marist vocation in the Province and in the Marist Institute.

Guidelines proposed for the Province

1) To strengthen Marist life through open local communities with common structures of animation.
2)  To promote the training and accompaniment of facilitators of processes, groups and individuals.
3) To create a provincial structure for orientation and support for local groups.
4) To promote the formation of formators and Companions.

Guidelines proposed for the Institute

1) To exchange of experiences of formation and accompaniment of the laity at the level of the Institute.
2) To design the formation of formators at the Institute level to ensure common lines in lay processes.
3) To reflect on a flexible structure that includes brothers and laity.
4) To reflect on an international associative model with different paths to generate life and care for the Marist charism.