Towards a model-structure of the CEM
During the 24th meeting of the European Marist Conference (CEM) that took place in Freising, Germany, from April 24 – 26, participants addressed some points of special importance.
The conference was attended by the European provincials, the directors of various European teams and, for the first time, Angela Sestrini, who was appointed technical secretary of the CEM in 2017.
The theme of dialogue and reflection was ‘Towards a model-structure of CEM’.
Brother Marciano Gusmán Moriana (Xano) presented a model and three areas were discussed that could be developed within the CEM: mission, Marists of Champagnat and economy.
Within the scope of the mission, there would be the European Mission Council within which three teams would function: youth and vocational ministry; protection of minors and a solidarity team.
In the field of Marists of Champagnat, we find the Secretariats Communion Brothers / Laity and Brothers Today.
In the field of economics, the newly founded economic team will meet for the first time in May.
Two more points appear in this new model and are of great importance: 1) collaboration with the Marist region of Africa, which falls very well within the global family that the Institute hopes to create; 2) create a European communication network that would account for all CEM activities.
One of the great moments of the CEM meeting was the possibility of listening to the European teams that animate the life of the European region.
The European Mission Council proposes four major themes or axes of work within Marist Europe: solidarity, institutional image; Marist Youth Ministry; identity and leadership.
The team of youth and vocational ministry emphasises the need to create and know the communities that welcome young people and to develop the experience of young people living in the communities of the province.
The communion brothers/laity team, after having presented the map of lay presence in Europe, is now asking itself how it could optimise the efforts that all provinces are making in relation to the communion between brothers and lay people. Its wish is that everyone strives to think as a regional charismatic family.
The Brothers Today team is more of a reflection team, not an executive team. The fact that it offers retreats in provinces, keeping them open to other European provinces is positive. Much of its time was devoted to building a network of Marist communities in Europe. It hopes to be an animation network, beyond the province’s borders.
At the CEM meeting, information was shared about the two new international communities present in the Marist European region: the Moinesti community in Romania and the community of Syracuse in Sicily.