
Renewed Marist Servant-Leaders for a New Evangelization
The 12th Marist Mission Congress 2018 was held at JC Complex, Kidapawan City (the Philippines) on May 23-25, 2018. The congress theme was “Renewed Marist Servant-Leaders for a New Evangelization.”
Father Hipolito P. Paracha, DCK, the Vicar General of Kidapawan Diocese presided the opening liturgy. Brother Manuel de Leon, the school president, welcomed the 135 delegates from Marist Schools and non-school ministries.
The highlights of the opening program were the messages of Brother Robert Teoh, provincial of East Asia and the video message of Brother Ernesto Sánchez Barba, superior general. The delegates were challenged to respond to the calls of the 22nd General Chapter.
The three-day congress became a venue to reflect on the expressions and calls for evangelization as renewed Marist servant-leaders in mission. The workshops gave the delegates opportunities to share how their schools and ministries responded to the calls of the 22nd General Chapter. The insights on the development of peace process in Mindanao and the reality of the influence of modern technology to our young people post a greater challenge and to rethink and revisit the existing curricular programs in the different Marist schools.
The congress ended with the statement of commitment towards the goal: Marists of Champagnat as renewed servant-leaders in mission, responding to the calls of new evangelization. The closing liturgy prayer echoed the hope for the implementation of the commitment for the next two years in anticipation of the 13th Marist Mission Congress in 2020 to be hosted by Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in General Santos City.
Brother Dominador Santiago, Chair of the Mission Commission-East Asia Province expressed his gratitude to all the delegates and to the host school. He further said, “The principle of the servant-leader is this: To lead the people, you need to serve the people and by doing so, show them the way forward.”
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Alma S. Hordista