With Champagnat we go to the encounter of the Montagne Youth

From the 18th to the 21st of June, 34 adolescents and young people from the Marist province of North Central Brazil met in Ribeirão das Neves, Minas Gerais, during the Provincial encounter of Marist Youth Pastoral (PJM). 

The team of coordination of evangelization, six Brothers from the Juniorate and three Brothers who work in pastoral ministry participated in the encounter.  The theme of the encounter this year was “The PJM (Marist Youth Pastoral Ministry) toward a new beginning” and as motto “With Champagnat we go to the encounter of the Montagne Youth”, both of these referring to the celebrations of the Marist Bicentenary. 

The encounter, based on the directives of the Marist Union of Brazil (UMBRASIL) had the purpose to revitalize the PJM in the Provinces of the country, and its principal objective was to be a place of feast, of exchange, of reflection and of proposals directed to the revitalization of the PJM.  The methodology allowed the participation of adolescents and young people and fostered a rich experience. 

The next step in the search for the revitalization will consist in systematizing all the contributions or suggestions of the meetings, the critical readings and other dialogues gathered or received throughout the way. 

It has been foreseen to celebrate the II National Congress of the PJM in 2017, in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. The process of revitalization of the PJM of Brazil will be celebrated there.