Social Forum of the Marists of Ibérica: Home and family

In times of metaverse, artificial intelligence and other technological progress, the virtuality of new technologies cannot make us fall into the temptation of giving up the fraternal encounter, face to face. It is not about rejecting new technologies, their usefulness is undeniable, but it is about not overlooking that the most important thing is still being close: looking one another straight in the eye to chat, listening to each other to share experiences, touching to hug us,  to hug each other, feeling very close and sharing life.

This is what the Forum “A vueltas con lo Social” consists of, which is organized by the Social Ministry team of the Iberica Marist Province. Nine are the editions that have been held so far. This event becomes a meeting place to channel all the social sensitivity that exists in our province. A space that has three objectives: to create a community around the Marist social identity, to raise awareness about the new realities of poverty and need, and to find an opportunity to encourage personal commitment in individual and collective social action.

The Social Forum is a reunion with our family. It is in community where we find the inspiration to value some of the most important things of our mission as a Marist family: helping those most in need and going out in search of the Montagnes of today. We meet again with the firm belief that together we are stronger and that among us we weave networks that make us move forward, be more creative and daring to be attentive and act in the face of new social realities and the people who make them up. Seeing each other and sharing makes us loyal to the intention to go further, to go to the social peripheries and to revitalize our commitment to those most in need.

The Forum is a moment of reunion, something that always evokes home, that place more mental than physical where we live in fraternity with our family. In fact, in fraternal families no one is left behind. For this reason, those who need it most are at the centre of everything, because they are the light that guides us in the mission.

Here I take up a few words from our Superior General, Br. Ernesto Sánchez, which are collected in his writing “Homes of light”:

“We are being called to care for life and to generate new life in moments of great fragility and vulnerability in the world. We will manage if we work together, in a spirit of self-giving and solidarity with those most in need, and place more importance than ever on relational, social and community factors.” These words of the Superior General fully coincide with the spirit of the Social Forum.

In conclusion, we need to create homes and for this we need plots and lots on which to build. The Social Forum is one of those lots to create a fraternal and supportive Christian community. The Forum as a building is based on the Marist charism and its social identity, these are the pillars of this house. This home has several rooms that materialize in the enormous diversity of local communities and social realities;  a charismatic family, welcoming and with social sensitivity.

The Social Forum has been and continues to be an opportunity to create community and family.

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Ángel de Pedro, Provincial Social Ministry Team