« Strong in our hope, we embrace the dawn »
The National Meeting of the Fraternities of the Champagnat Movement of the Marist Family was held in Luján, Argentine, with representatives from eleven Fraternities, to launch the process of renewal encouraged by the Secretariat of the Laity. Our reflections were aimed at responding to this call to be reborn, be renewed… to find a new meaning for our identity as members of Fraternities.
After contemplating the icons for a Marial Church on the evening of Friday, Roberto Fleba helped the group the following day to reflect on the way we look at youth and children today, in the light of the actions of Jesus and Saint Marcellin. At this stage, the members of the Fraternities engaged in a rich exchange based on their lived experience.
In the afternoon, Br Juan Ignacio Fuentes animated profound reflection on the meaning of the vocation of the laity ; his talk helped greatly in our becoming aware of this essential dimension of the identity of the members of the Fraternities. Saturday concluded with the Eucharist, placing on the altar the experiences of the day. After supper, there was the traditional « fraternal night ».
Sunday morning, we tried to study the journey and life of the Fraternities of the Movement in the face of current challenges, in the sense of the call of the XXIGeneral Chapter : « With Mary, we set out in haste to a new land… » Once we got started, the participants were invited to express their credo of the Fraternity.
The members of the Fraternities received the PROJECT OF LIFE published in the Circular of Br Charles Howard : « The CHAMPAGNAT MOVEMENT OF THE MARIST FAMILY », as a means of finding inspiration and meaning. For the Fraternities of the Province of « Cruz del Sur » it is urgent, in fact, to rediscover the inspiration, the original drive which gave birth to the Movement.
Fraternities present: « Aguas de Rosey » (Tigre) ; « Acordaos » (Collège Macnab Bernal) ; « Río de agua viva » (Jujuy) ; « Huellas de Marcelino » (Darregueira) ; « Champagnat » (Zelaya-Pilar) ; « Violetas de San Marcelino » (La Plata) ; « Crecer en la fe » and « Marcelino Champagnat » (Rosario) ; « Nehuen Lil » (Neuquén) ; « Resurrección »(La Inmaculada).
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Brothers Felipe Fuente; Demetrio Espinosa and Joaquín Zamponi accompanied the members of the Fraternities.
Luján, 7 – 9 September