To preserve the Marist vocation
We former Brothers grew up together in Marist houses of formation, we share many common experiences and the friendship that unites us has filled our life with the Marist simplicity which we learned from Marcellin Champagnat.
The first meeting of the former Brothers was carried out in CUM (University Centre Mexico) in the city of Mexico, in 1997. Forty enthusiastic former Brothers met at that time as part of the Marist Family Movement. We have two annual meetings, one around June 6, the feast of Saint Marcellin Champagnat and other on December 8 which is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the day on which many of us took the Marist habit or made our first vows. The meetings take place in Colegio Mexico or in the Quinta Soledad of Tlalpan.
We always begin the meetings with the Eucharist, with Marist hymns including the Salve Regina or the Sub Tuum Praesidium which we never miss; this is followed by lunch and we finish with the general session of Marist information, spirituality and an exchange of experiences.
Although the meetings take place only twice a year, we keep in touch, through the internet, with Marist news, thoughts that help us to reinforce our spirituality, as well as the prayer petitions for the sick, needy or deceased in the group.
At the present time there are 110 former Brothers linked to the Marist Family Movement. As the group is so big and we live in different states of the Mexican Republic, we have divided ourselves by regions: Mexico DF, Guadalajara, Querétaro, Morelia and Pacific. Each group has its coordinators who are in frequent communication and our objective is to deepen our Marist spirituality, to achieve our personal sanctification and that of our families and to give Christian and Marist testimony in our different occupations.
As some of us have been involved in education and have founded or run non Marist schools, we have exchanged experiences so that in these schools the Christian spirit and the Marist discipline of forming good Christians and excellent citizens also reigns. As a matter of fact, among these 110 former Brothers, 54 are involved in teaching and there are 35 schools founded or administered by them.
Brother Joaquín Flores, director of the Editorial Progreso, as well as Brother Ángel Goñi, our counsellor and Brother Carlos Villalobos, attend our meetings and they are always providing us with books and circulars that enrich us and keep our Marist activity up to date.
On the occasion of our Founders canonization, 45 former Brothers organized a pilgrimage-trip to France and Rome to visit the Marist places and to attend the canonization of San Marcellin Champagnat.
We have had 3 general meetings involving former Brothers and their families: two in Querétaro, in the former Juniorate and Scholasticate, and another in the Federal District, attended by almost all our members.
Mr. Reynaldo Manero