2023-01-10 GENERAL HOUSE

School catechism, education in the faith – XVIII message of the Marist International Mission Commission

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The XVIII message of the Marist International Mission Commission, entitled “School catechism, education in the faith and sacramental care“, highlights “the evangelizing practice” of the Marists in their educational works, with the aim of transmitting God’s love and making Jesus Christ known and loved by all.

The message, prepared by Leonardo Humberto Soares, on behalf of the International Marist Mission Commission, emphasizes the need to “constitute educational communities that harmonise faith, culture and life in the midst of a turbulent world with different emerging realities”. And likewise, it recalls “how the Marist mission is based, from its origin, on actions that promote and are articulated with catechesis, education in the faith and sacramental care.”

In the document, Leonardo, executive secretary of the America Sur Region, encourages the Marists in the face of “the pains of society and the challenges of catechesis.” And he raises some questions:

  • How can we involve families in the faith journey of their children?
  • How can we use technology to open new spaces for reflection on religiosity and faith?
  • How can we create an experience of welcome in a journey of religious formation that responds to our changing times?

In the subject of catechesis, the message proposes to the Marists the challenge of taking up this diversity, to seek a specific response to the local and, at the same time, to understand and welcome the global dimension. Given that “From this perspective, a catechesis is born as a mosaic of various specific faces, but which find unity in a semblance of Jesus Christ.”

The International Commission invites the Marists to read and adapt the principles and reflections presented here to their own context and make the most of them. And through this message, he asks all the Marist Brothers and lay people “to continue to build a house of light and to be passionately involved in the creation of a family life open to all, as Marists of Champagnat.

Brother Balbino Juárez, who died last June, was one of the guests to discuss this topic. The Commission remembers his life and is grateful for his gift of a fruitful and full life, always doing good with full hands, giving himself to children and young people and offering a great service of catechetical formation to the Latin American Church.


The International Commission, made up of brothers and lay people, has taken on the task of reflecting on the centrality of the Marist mission in today’s world.

If you would like to share your ideas, reflections or experiences with the Commission following this message, you can write to the email [email protected]

At this link you will find all the messages that the Commission has published since January 2021.

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