Secretariat of Mission
The International Mission Commission was established in 2011 by the General Council to support the Secretariat of Mission in planning, reflection on and accompaniment of the Marist mission at the level of the Institute. Its members are: Mrs Angélica Alegría – Mexico Occidental and Br José de Assis Elias de Brito – Brasil Centro-Norte (America); Br Ifeanyi Mbaegbu – Nigeria (Africa); Br Aureliano Garcia Manzanal – Mediterránea (Europe); Br Mervyn Perera – South Asia (Asia); Mr Peter McNamara – Sydney (Oceania); Br John Klein – Councillor General, Council liaison with the Secretariat of Mission and Br João Carlos do Prado – Director of the Secretariat of Mission.
The first meeting was held in Rome, from 7 to 10 March. Its objective was the best way of promoting, at the various levels of the Institute, reflection and discernment on our work, in the light of the 21st General Chapter, with special regard to the needs of our world. Br Emili Turú, Superior General, was present and invited the Commission to place its passion and experience at the service of the Institute and the Kingdom of God.
We desire to continue to develop the mission as part of our identity, and to nourish our spirituality, especially from the threes aspects emphasized by the General Chapter: a more visible presence among poor children and young people, evangelisation, and the defence of the rights of children and youth. In the light of what has just been said, the suggestion was made to revise the document « Marist Educational Mission », calling on the participation and collaboration of all. Finally, we wish to promote the Marist Youth Ministry (MYM), especially by implementing the document « Evangelizers in the midst of youth ».
As a result, you are invited, brothers and lay Marists, to set out in haste, like Mary, and with the audacity of Marcellin Champagnat, to the numerous new lands of our times.
It is time to undertake together the journey,
new Marists to a «new land ».
Fraternally,
The « International Mission Commission »
March 2012, Rome, Italy