2024-08-17 GENERAL HOUSE

Publication of papers from the I Marist Symposium, Sources & Streams

At the end of July, the International Commission of Marist Spiritual Patrimony published a volume with 11 papers given during the Marist Symposium, held from December 4 to 8, 2023, at the General House.

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Foreword by Br. Ernesto Sánchez, Superior General

The Marist Symposium was an important gathering for the Institute on the topic of our Marist Spiritual Patrimony.  I am grateful for the presence of participants who came from different continents, all belonging to our global Marist family. Above all, my thanks to the Brothers and other Marists engaged in personal studies and research related to the Marist charism, as well as those working in centres and programmes communicating the fruits of these studies.

My gratitude to the Marist Spiritual Patrimony Commission, led by Br Antonio Ramalho, for the overall organisation. My thanks especially to the Symposium Planning Committee: Br Michael Green, coordinator of the Committee, along with Brs Omar Peña, Vincent de Paul Kouassi and Antonio Ramalho. Brs Angel Medina and Lindley Sionosa of the Brothers Today Secretariat gave extensive support to the Committee for this event. We thank all those who have made presentations in which they shared their research, reflections and experience. Most of the texts are included in this book and will prove most useful. 

At the start of the Symposium, I said that our charism is a gift of the Spirit, which we have received through St. Marcellin Champagnat, the first Brothers, and through so many Brothers and other Marists over the past 206 years.

It was important during the Symposium to try to listen to the voice of the Spirit calling on us today to live our Marist life and mission with ever-greater passion, and to continue to care for and generate Marist life. I believe it is important that research into the Marist charism touches our hearts, leading us to embrace Gospel values more readily. Saint Marcellin Champagnat invited us to follow Jesus as Mary did.  She continues to be our inspiration and accompanies us on our journey.

Besides being more heart-centred in our studies of the Marist charism, it is important to share it with present and future generations through the use of expressions and language that help them better understand Marist values and live by them in their own lives.

This year 2024, we celebrate the bicentenary of the foundation of N.D. de l’Hermitage.  Marcellin had a great capacity to “look beyond” in the early days of the Institute, thanks to his attentive ears and daring heart. We also celebrate the 25th anniversary of his canonisation. These celebrations encourage us to become more connected to our origins and to seek the best ways to live, share and spread Marist values wherever we are around the world.

Let us continue to delve more deeply into the gift of the charism we have received and share it so as to continue Marcellin’s dream in our own day.

________________

Br Ernesto Sánchez Barba, Superior General

Preface by Br. Michael Green

The inaugural Marist Symposium was held in Rome between 4 and 8 December 2023.  Its purposes were threefold:

  1. to bring together Marist scholars, researchers, writers, formators, animators, and directors of Marist mission and life, so that they could get to know one another and build some international networks;
  2. to provide a platform for new scholarship and writing on Marist themes, and to provide a forum for this to be disseminated and discussed among Marists from a range of backgrounds and expertise;
  3. to identify and bring on new and potential Marist researchers and writers, and to build inter-generational links.

These aims were well achieved. During a most engaging and successful week, 111 people from all over the Marist world heard from twelve presenters who gave major papers on a range of topics. Additionally, the participants had the opportunity to choose from among another six concurrent sessions. The topics for the presentations and concurrent sessions ranged across Marist spirituality, history, education, leadership, and formation. It was a rich offering and a stimulating conference.

We are now delighted to publish the twelve major papers that were presented. After the Symposium, each of the writers was given an opportunity to review his paper, considering the discussion and feedback that took place. What we now have, in four languages, are twelve significant additions to the unfolding critical discourse on who and why we are as Marists, from where we have come, and to where we can go.

Every spiritual family, if it is to maintain its vitality and relevance, needs to continue to develop its critical discourse. Ongoing scholarship is one sign of a living spirituality.  An important element of the Symposium dynamic has been the cross-fertilisation of research and insight that has come from bringing together scholars and leaders from a range of disciplines. Each of them brings a perspective that helps to inform the work of the others. Our collective Marist identity and purpose are enriched as a result.

On behalf of the Planning Committee for the Symposium, and the whole International Commission for Marist Spiritual Patrimony, I express gratitude to the Brother Superior General and his Council, to all the Provincials and District Leaders, and to all other Marist associations and institutions, and individuals, who gave their support and encouragement to this first Symposium. The concept has proved itself to be a most welcome argumentation to how we can animate our Marist life and mission. I also take this opportunity also to recognise and thank all who helped in the practical organisation of the event – especially from the various Secretariats of the General Administration and from the Brothers’ Community at the General House. And on behalf of Marists everywhere, we offer a word of deep gratitude and commendation to each of those who contributed to the Symposium as a presenter or a leader of one of the concurrent sessions.

We commend these articles to the Marist world. They can be read and studied in this special publication and accessed on the champagnat.org website. May they help to foster further reflection and conversation, research, and writing.

________________

Brother Michael Green – Chair of the Planning Committee, for Brothers Antonio Ramalho (Chair of the Patrimony Commission), Ángel Medina (Director of the Secretariat of Brothers Today), Omar Peña, and Vincent de Paul Kouassi (Committee’s members).

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