_{3rd Marist International Mission Assembly}

1. Adaptable Phases:

Local Phase

The journey towards the attainment of the main goal of the International Assembly begins with one’s own life as a Marist and it proceeds along the process of sharing this life with others in the community or work group to which one belongs. This embodies the sense of family and extends the round-table dynamics used in the General Chapters that promote space for dialogue and listening.

The first phase includes the time to study and analyze the MIMA III documents (such as the letter of the Superior General and the assigned adaptable worksheets in this phase) at the personal and community levels. It could be done in small groups of brothers, laity, young people and persons who collaborate in the different Marist ministries and who belong to communities and movements (such as the Champagnat Movement, Marist Youth, Solidarity groups, etc.) or participate in other Marist ministries and initiatives

The examples of these encounters of small groups who could discern together about Marist Mission are as follows:

A. Encounters in respective units/areas in the Province/District:

• Among brothers in each community.
• Laity and brothers who belong to communities and movements (such as the Marist Associates and Champagnat movement).
• LLaity and brothers who participate/collaborate in other Marist ministries and initiatives (such as Marist Volunteers, Solidarity, Youth Ministry, etc).
• Among young people (Marist youth ministry).

B. Departmental or Institutional encounters in school academic community:

• Brothers and laity connected/affiliated in the Marist school ministry;
• Brothers, laity and student representatives.
• Students (young people) from higher level departments.

With the three (3) adaptable worksheets available for this phase, we are suggesting that there will be at least two meetings to be conducted by the small groups. This is to ensure that along the journey towards the Assembly, we would be:

• Guided by the spirit of the General Chapters and International Assemblies (worksheet 1: ‘L HERMITAGE).
• Having a wider knowledge about the fronts of Marist Mission at the global level and better space for reflection (worksheet 2: WINDOWS AND DOORS).
• Discerning what are the invitations now based on the realizations about our involvement in the Church and understanding of the current social realities (worksheet 3: WORLD).

The materials can be adjusted and simplified if the animation team considers that  they are seemingly not fitted at the group’s level such as the group with the young people. Our suggestions on what the group can do are as follows:

• Simplify the worksheets recommended for use in the local phase or select from among the worksheets only those that you consider fit to the level of the group such as with young people;
• Select the reading materials from the selected worksheets those that you feel suitable to their level;  and,
• Adjust or simplify, when needed, the questions found in the selected worksheets to ensure their feasibility and significance among group such as with the young people.

Moreover, in this phase, the groups may wish to use either face-to-face or on-line gatherings. However, both may also be possible to use  since the recommendation is to have at least two group encounters . 

The experiences about Marist mission identified as sources of inspiration, vitality, hope (new experiences which evolved and need nurturance), and also the challenges and ideas about the future of the Marist mission will be shared and recorded. It is recommendable that in every group sharing, someone will be assigned as the group’s facilitator and another to collect and synthesize what had been shared. During the last meeting of each group, we are suggesting that the group will arrive at conclusions, and prepare a report to be submitted to the assigned general coordinator/s of the Administrative Unit. The coordinator/s then, will collect and summarize the submitted reports from the different groups and make them available for the Province/District phase.

Province/District Phase

The second phase is the stage where the reports from the local phase will not only be consolidated but also be prioritized. In this way, the idea of dreaming and projecting the future of the Marist mission as a global family can be further realized.

Each Province/District organizes this stage according to its local situation. In order to help the Unit, we are proposing some ideas that the Province/District can consider at this level. They are as follows:

Option 1:
To organize a small group (which may include the general coordinators and local coordinators) in the Province/District level to come together to synthesize and prioritize all the ideas or points that were submitted as reports by the different groups in the local phase.

Option 2:
To organize a Sector’s event in the Unit with the participation of representatives from the local phase.

Option 3:
To organize a Province/District Assembly with the participation of representatives from the local phase.

For option 1, we request that after the process of synthesizing and prioritizing the ideas pertaining to the future of Marist Mission, the group comes up with a report to be given to the Provincial/District Superior. For options 2 and 3, we recommend that the general coordinators together with the rest of the team members will meet first before the scheduled gathering (Sector or Province) in order to consolidated all the ideas or points on Marist Mission that were submitted as reports by the different groups in the local phase level. During the online gathering, the team presents the results before the different representatives from the Province/District and then, proceed to the animation of the process of dreaming and projecting the future together as a global family in Mission. A report is also expected after the gathering.

To facilitate communication with the different groups globally as well as to be flexible and cost savings, an on-line encounter for this phase is recommended. In addition, the worksheet number four (4) can help to facilitate the whole process of synthesizing and prioritizing. Like the other worksheets, it can also be simplified and adjusted.

Lastly, we would like to reiterate our request for a report that may contain 2 or 3 dreams and possible courses of action that can mobilize and challenge us in the coming years as a global charismatic family in mission. This report will be sent on behalf of the Province/District to MIMA III in El Escorial

3^rd Marist International Mission Assembly Phase

The main calls and challenges from each Administrative Unit that had gone through a communal discernment and were prioritized during the Provincial/District phase will be brought to the International Assembly in El Escorial, Madrid, in Spain. The participants of the Assembly will have them as valuable inputs that will play a big part in the Assembly’s discernment process. The output of the Assembly will serve as a message for the entire Marist Institute.

Post MIMA III Phase (Regional Phase)

The final phase will be the giving of feedback from the 3^rd Marist International Mission Assembly through a local assembly organized in each Region of the Institute. Every Marist of Champagnat and every Marist group in the world who took part in the preparation process, will get the message from the International Assembly.  To facilitate easy dissemination of information, we endorse an online gathering as well as any efficient way that each AU sees possible in their respective situations.

The message from the International Assembly will be forwarded to the next Marist General Chapter to serve as an input for reflection. With this, the preparatory commission is inviting each Marist of Champagnat in the Institute to take part in the preparation process. The active participation of each person is to ensure having a message that is not only comprehensive and significant but also a message that is truly grounded from the Marists of Champagnat’s experiences of mission.

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2. Some proposals in the organization process:

• That in the preparatory process, the general coordinator/s (delegates for the Assembly) may create a team composed of different chosen individuals from different local areas to help in the process of animation especially in the local phase.
• That for each meeting there will be a person assigned to lead the reflection and activities indicated in the worksheet  and another person to act as a secretary. The secretary will send the minutes of each meeting to the general coordinator of the AU through the local coordinator.
• That you agree on the days and times of the meetings of this journey. It could be two or more meetings scheduled in different days.
• That each of the session should have the following (the duration of the session may last for about two hours):

Prayer:
It can be done at the beginning or end of the session.  It  would be great to have it in a space set for it and with a quiet time and according to the theme.

Secretariat and organization:
It would be a good idea to select one person to provide secretarial and one person to provide coordination services.

Date:
Do not forget to remember the date and place of the next session, as well as the person who will motivate the reflection.

Materials:
Audiovisual for the introduction, projector and speakers, pens, copy of the sheet for each participant, place set for the prayer or according to the sheet.

Introduction:
It is good to situate each meeting and explain the meaning of each one.

Organiztion of the group:
It is important to bring calendars and agendas to the meeting. It is good to motivate  the group.