Structures for the mission
"Juridical structures at the service of the mission" was the topic of the Assembly of Representatives of the Spanish Marist Conference (CME) which took place from 14 to 16 November, attended by members of the 5 European Provinces accompanied by Brother Luis Carlos Gutiérrez, the Vicar General.
The Assembly of Representatives of CME has an advisory capacity, and its mission is to reflect and to shed light on the decisions that later may be taken by the different organs of government of the Marist provinces.
The topic proposed on this occasion by the Meeting of Delegates was aided by a preparatory commission which together with the advice of FERE and of LEX has allowed it to contact a good group of professionals who, over the three days, helped the participants of the five provinces of the European Marists in their reflections.
The objective of this Assembly was to share and to reflect, starting with the challenges facing the Marist Institute in different environments: the characteristics of the Institute and its charism, the social reality and more especially the reality of each province, its mission and its viability, from governance to patrimony.
In discussing a structure to develop the Marist mission, Brother Luis Carlos Gutiérrez underlined the fact that it is important to afford viability to two strong elements: "that the charism continues being nurtured and continue being part of all our lives, in our present generations and in those of the future, and that the mission may continue developing with a heart like the one Champagnat wished, whether brothers or lay people who have to take the responsibility for guiding and reflecting as well as taking decisions on the mission situations".
The group opted for a route that would continue as " a global family" with the intention of being "co-creators" looking forward, as was pointed out in his closing words by Brother Luis Carlos "with a magnifying glass and with faith because we have a charismatic heart which is beautiful and we have people willing to walk that extra mile or kilometre". On that same subject Brother insisted that "the juridical structures are at the service of the mission… what is fundamental is to maintain the life, that the structures, whether simple or complex, must be good for our life and be good for the purpose for which we have been created as Marists."
And finally, an invitation or challenge issued by the Vicar General, to the five participating provinces… "think extraterritorially, leaving our own provinces knowing that there is something out there and that we can contribute some initiatives."