Remembering our own vocation story
On the 1st February, the Marist Spirituality Centre of San Lorenzo at El Escorial received a new group of brothers.
The following brothers are participating in this 77th session: Guillermo V. MartĂnez, MĂ©xico Central; JosĂ© LuĂs H. MartĂn, Santa MarĂa de los Andes; Gregorio Delgado Soler, Mediterránea; Daniel de la Fuente Prieto and Rafael Izquierdo Jaramillo, Cruz del Sur; Isabelino Roux Santacruz, Cruz del Sur -Paraguay; Ataide JosĂ© de Lima, Brasil Centro-Norte; Antoni M. Fililla and Ton M. Frigola, L?Hermitage; JesĂşs M. A. Montes, Norandina.
The co-ordination and orientation of the course is in the hands of Brothers Xavier Espinosa Marticorena, AmĂ©rica Central; Afonso Levis, Brasil Centro-Sul; ElĂas Peña RodrĂguez, Rufino González des Heras, and Alfredo Villanueva Sáinz, from the Province of IbĂ©rica.
We are also counting on the services of Father Guilhermo Rubio Maroto, member of the community of Augustinians from the Monastery of El Escorial who is helping us with spiritual services. Mr Pedro Llamas PĂ©rez and his wife Dori GarcĂa Fernández are looking after the kitchen and the laundry.
Until the present we have made a good journey. Bit by bit the group has formed and we have discovered each other and got to know each other well. After the first meetings that focussed on introductions and the organisation of life in common, the course started with the Biblical Memory of the story of our vocation. The brothers on the co-ordination team invited us to review our personal journey in the light of the merciful love of God, who sees us, loves us and calls us to be with Him in the consecrated life. Our story is a sacred story because God loves us as we are. We continued to deepen the anthropological core through the knowledge of our personality profile through the enneagram, a subject explained by Brother Lluis Serra Llansana. We reflected with Brother Pedro Ost on the Evangelical Use of Goods and the calls that the Institute makes to us in this domain. We have analysed Community Life with the help of the circular of Brother Seán Sammon, Marvellous Companions. We have delved more into the terrain of self-knowledge accompanied by Maite Melendo, covering the aspect of Communication and interpersonal relationships, an indispensable condition for building healthy community relationships. The subject of Celibacy and the consecrated life, treated by Father Cosme Porto, gave us a more global and integrated vision of concepts concerning sexuality.
The excellent spirit that is evident in the group makes us foresee in the future a time of personal benefit and a good community development.
We appreciate the presence of the brothers who have visited us, rejoicing in their fraternal presence. Among them, Brother Antonio Carlos Ramalho, who spent a few days with us at the end of February and brought us news of the Institute. This interest that the General Council shows in the course and its members gives us a lot of encouragement. We thank Brother Antonio, the Council and all the brothers of our Provinces who help us and accompany us by their prayers.