Themes of vocation ministry in FMS Brazil up to 2014
A meeting was held in Campinas, SĂŁo Paulo, from January 14 to 19 in order to demonstrate a real commitment to vocation ministry in the Marist Administrative Units. The meeting was for vocation promoters, and was organized and run by the interprovincial Commission for Vocation Ministry and Initial Formation (CIFAV). The Commission is concerned with vocations for Brothers as well as the Laity of UMBRASIL.
Seventy-four participants, Brothers and lay people, took part, coming from the three Marist Provinces and one Marist District. Joining the group were Brothers Ernesto Sánchez (Rome), Alberto Guillermo Aparicio (Argentina), Carlos Vélez (Puerto Rico), and Sisters Silvia Sanz Diego (Marist Sister) and Cirlene Sasso (Scalabrinian). One should highlight the presence of the UMBRASIL team which was represented by F. Wagner Cruz (executive secretary), Mércia Procópio (councilor for Mission) et Mauri Alves (councilor for Management).
Using the symbol of « garden » as starting point, the participants engaged in several activities. There were intense moments of prayer and celebration, sharing of experiences, small group activities, relaxation, time to deepen the themes being treated. On one of the days, Mr. Rezende Avelar offered an analysis of the situation and the phenomenology of young people. On another day, Father Francisco Salm touched on the theological question: vocation and life goals.
On the next to last day, during the morning session, Brother Ernesto Sánchez gave a beautiful talk about the real situation of vocation promotion in the Institute. He did so by relating his personal experience of how his vocation arose during the time he was a Marist student.
Comme fruit du vécu de ces journées, quelques lignes d?action ont été élaborées qui orienteront le travail d?animation des vocations du Brésil mariste jusqu?en 2014 :
– Revitalisation du sens de la consĂ©cration baptismale et religieuse mariste des laĂŻcs et des frères ;
– Intensification de la prĂ©sence significative des frères auprès des enfants et des jeunes ;
– Renforcement de la coopĂ©ration entre frères et laĂŻcs ;
– Investissement dans la formation, la qualification et l?accompagnement des promoteurs des vocations;
– DĂ©veloppement de plans, programmes et projets d?animation des vocations, basĂ©s sur les rĂ©alitĂ©s juvĂ©niles
– Structuration de la culture des vocations chrĂ©tienne et mariste.
As fruit of what was experienced at the meeting, several action plans were worked up so as to give a sense of direction to vocation promotion in Marist Brasil from the present up to 2014.
– To revitalize the sense (according to lay or religious status) of Baptismal consecration and of religious consecration;
– To intensify the important presence of Brothers among children and young people:
– To reinforce cooperation between Brothers and lay people;
– To invest in the formation, preparation and support of vocation promoters;
– To develop for the promotion of vocations: plans, programs and projects which are based upon the realities which young people face;
– To create a structure on which a culture of vocations can be built, a culture of Christian vocation and a culture of Marist vocation.