Province of México Occidental

For years now meetings have been held with the boards of directors in the Marist Province of México Occidental. This time the board members were accompanied by those in charge of campus ministry, the specific item under consideration being campus ministry in our schools. The meeting took place January 20, 21 and 22 at Marist University, Loma Bonita in Guadalajara, Jalisco.The main purpose of the meeting was to have the boards and those responsible for campus ministry study and deepen their understanding of the recommendations and priorities in the report from the Diagnostic Evaluation of ministry in the Province. Likewise, to converse about Provincial animation in the pastoral processes that are attended to and the activities carried out in our Marist educational communities.To accomplish these goals, the following objectives were proposed: 1. Receiving and reflecting together on the recommendations for campus ministry in the Province, based on the report from the Diagnostic Evaluation of Campus Ministry.2. Becoming familiar with the work of the Campus Ministry Team at the Center for Marist Animation (Spanish acronym, CAM), work that is in tune with the report of the Diagnostic Evaluation of Campus Ministry and its principal implications for our educational communities.3. Having opportunities to reflect and work in accordance with the duties and responsibilities of those attending the meeting. During the gathering the evaluating team explained the process it used for putting together the Diagnostic Evaluation of Campus Ministry, referring to the contents of the different sections of their report that resulted from the responses of those who filled out the survey in the schools themselves: parents, students, teachers and, naturally, local boards and campus ministers. You can take a look at this report at the following address: maristas.org.mxLater in the meeting attention was focused on the report?s recommendations and efforts to look at an array of priorities for pastoral programs. Attendees took full advantage of the time for comments and questions. ?Where do we go from here?? was a question on the minds of quite a few participants, prompting calls for action and underling the importance of their taking responsibility to go back to their school communities and distribute these results with a view to improving activities already underway.The Provincial team for ministry reported on the work being done in different areas: coordination of pastoral care, youth ministry, vocation work and solidarity. Throughout the gathering time was provided for both personal work and reflection and dialogue among boards and those responsible for campus ministry in our schools.A significant moment at this meeting came with a presentation on the work of the Joint Commission of Brothers and Laity, reporting on its plans for the Province concerning the topic of joint formation for brothers and lay people. Brother Eduardo Navarro, Provincial, attended the entire event. He emphasized the importance of ?Making our schools centers of learning, life and evangelization? and expressed his gratitude for the commitment and dedication of everyone in attendance. ______________Angélica Alegría Formoso