Responding to Marcellin?s call

We are three brothers (André Deculty, Gabriel Villa Réal, Joël Capon-Thiébaut) and two lay people (Annie Girka, Barnabé Knondo) under the provincial responsibility of Br Ramon Rubies.

To do what? 
Our mission is to be attentive to the situation of young people today in order to take care of Marist life, revitalize and multiply it. It is also to propose and accompany the Marist vocation of both brother and lay person, and finally it is a matter of urgency to respond better toMarcellin’s call.

Concretely, what do you propose? 
At present, on the basis of the provincial document « to make Jesus Christ known and loved » coming from the document of the Institute « Evangelizers in the midst of youth », we are proposing a programme for each one to know and assimilate this document so as to live it, be and stay active, be missionary.

Yes, but what about vocation..?
Ah, I see that vocation makes you afraid! It conjures up the image of the « parish priest » or the « good sister» NO! As I said in the N°277 of Présence Mariste, we must revisit the meaning of the word « vocation ». For us Christians, vocation is first of all to live one’s baptism, it’s a vocation of greatness! Baptised, I receive from God the vocation to the proclamation of the Gospel (isn’t that what Marcellin wished ?) in my everyday life and thus I allow the young and not so young to find MEANING in their lives, whether in the service of the Church, or Education or  Society.

So we laity have our place? 
YES, full and entire, and my dream is to propose a process of discernment of the vocation of the lay Marist like that which exists for the Brother’s one. But you can already find a mine of information on our site www.lapprovoc.com and all your suggestions and proposals will be welcome for setting up this process … it concerns you , so put your thinking cap on and take up your pen !

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Br Joël Capon-Thiébaut
For the Vocation Team of France