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2 Report of the General Council to the XXI General Chapter January 2009 Editor-in-Chief: Brother AMEstaún Publications Commission: Brothers Emili Turú, AMEstaún, Onorino Rota y Luiz Da Rosa. Translators Coordination: Brother Josep Roura Bahí Translators: Spanish: Brother Carlos Martín Hinojar French: Brother Gilles Beauregard Brother Joannès Fontanay Brother Aimé Maillet Brother Josep Roura Bahí Brother Jean Rousson English: Brother John Allen Brother Edward Clisby Brother James McKnight Portuguese: Brother Aloisio Kuhn Brother Virgilio Balestro Father Eduardo Campagnagni-Ferreira Photography: AMEstaún, Archives of the General House Formatting and Photolithography: TIPOCROM, s.r.l. Via A. Meucci 28, Guidonia, Roma (Italia) index INTRODUCTION p Our Journey as the General Council Community p Our Vision of the Institute from the perspective of the Five Calls of the XX General Chapter p Centring in Jesus Christ: At the spring of living water p Renewal of our communities: How good it is to live in unity p Brothers and Lay people together: Widen the space of your tent p Mission and solidarity: Fire upon the earth p The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet p Conclusion. New Hearts for a New World p. 90 ANNEX OF PERSONNEL p. 103 Production and Administrative Center: Piazzale Marcellino Champagnat, 2 C.P ROMA Tel. (39) Fax (39) publica@fms. it Web: Publisher: Institute of the Marist Brother General House - Roma Printing: C.S.C. GRAFICA, s.r.l. Via A. Meucci 28, Guidonia, Roma (Italia) January 2009

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4 introduction Br. Séan Sammon Br. Luis Garcia Sobrado Br. Maurice Berquet Br. Pedro Herreros Dear Brothers 6 January 2009 Feast of the Epiphany With pleasure we present to the Institute this report about our life and work as a General Council over the last seven and a half years. We have been privileged to serve dur - ing a time of great challenge for rel - igious life as well as Marcellin s Little Brothers of Mary. As you will learn from reading the text, our life in community, with its spirit of fraternity and rhythm of prayer, formed the foundation upon which we built our government and developed our approach to animation. Without doubt, we were stretched by the mandate given to us by delegates to our XX General Chapter. Their vision of our future as an Institute was broad and included among its elements many aspects essential to our way of life and mission. To accomplish the task presented to us we found it necessary to call upon others for assistance. They were selfless in accepting our invitation, skilled and competent in addressing the task at hand, and generous in sharing their good spirit with us. Each of the members of our Council and the Institute as a whole were blessed by their many fine efforts. At the end of the report, you will find a complete listing of all those who contributed in different ways to the work of this General Administration. 2 Report of the General Council

5 Br. Théoneste Kalisa Br. Antonio Ramalho Br. Peter Rodney Br. Emili Turú The text itself came to life within a context that included the three moments of community prayer that are part of the daily life of the General Council: morning Eucharist, an early afternoon Marial prayer, and a final review of the day. As work progressed, the document s content became, often enough, the focus of our time with God as a community; let us assure you that we were not shy in asking for the grace of enlightenment. Simply put, we wanted as much as possible to ensure that the report we submitted, like those of many past Councils, contributed to rather than distracted from any process of discernment that was put into place by those who made up the Chapter body. January

6 We have worked to present a balanced picture of our efforts, including in the text both those areas where we believe the Institute has made progress as well as those that still call for attention. As a group we had to decide on those concerns on which to concentrate our efforts more fully. In choosing to do so, we were understandable less able to attend to others. We believe, however, that such an outcome is unavoidable in any government if certain goals are to be accomplished. The report is divided into three major areas: an initial section in which we describe our journey as a community, followed by a section dealing with our response to each of the five Calls of our XX General Chapter, and a final section in which we describe, within a broad context, our vis ion of the Institute and its future. We took a decision to report on our mandate within this framework because the Calls were, in fact, foundational to the directives and recommendations made to the new government by the last Chapter s delegates. A thorough reading of Section 2 of the text, therefore, will be particularly important for those who are looking for a detailed account of our stewardship. 4 Report of the General Council

7 An appendix to this report has also been developed by the Council. It contains accounts of the work of those in various services, and serving in departments and bureaus, as well as the efforts of some commission members. Copies of this appendix will be given to each capitulant prior to the Chapter itself. As you will read in the conclusion, gratitude is the reaction that we experience universally when considering the years we have served in General Government: gratitude for the opportunity to serve, gratitude for our Brothers and Lay Marists who were our faithful companions, gratitude for the charism that came into our Church through Marcellin Champagnat. What a grace for each of us; what a blessing for us all. January

8 1. OUR JOURNEY AS THE GENERAL COUNCIL COMMUNITY In this first part we will present a view of the life and work of the General Council, its life and journey as a community. This sharing is intended to be a contribution to the discernment of the General Chapter and an expression of our solidarity with all the Brothers - in their daily community life, in their religious witness at the heart of the Church and of society, and in their apostolic work. Accordingly, through you, Brother Capitulants, we also address ourselves to the whole Institute. 6 Report of the General Council

9 1.1 OUR GENERAL COUNCIL COMMUNITY Our General Council community has developed and grown gradually, through the experiences we have lived and the events in which we were involved. From the start, we quickly became aware that our time together as a group would be quite limited. All of us were going to be together in Rome only a hundred days or so a year; that is, the times of the two plenary sessions, some rest days together, and the period of the community retreat. It was clear to us that the nature of our mission and the structures adopted to carry it out would mould our community. This would involve some special challenges. In the following reflections, we refer especially to our experience as a community during the times of the plenary sessions. January

10 Our journey as the General Council Community Following the Calls of the General Chapter, we have oriented ourselves towards the life and witness of communion, as much at the heart of our community as in the Institute. 1 The particular character of our community requires the personal commitment of each of us to create communion. An internal development was necessary for us so as to arrive at an external witness of communion. During the times of the visits we invited others to build community. This dynamic was of encouragement to us in our own community building. Our valuing of community was also expressed through our efforts to overcome the limitations imposed on us by distance and the difficulties of communication. 1 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III 3.2.B.1 The frequent visits that the members of our community made brought us face to face with the diversity at the heart of the Institute. Our understanding of the General Council community is that it had, among other aims, the deepening of the communion between all the communities of the Institute. We were also convinced that this aim required concrete action. This work had to be done in union with the Provincials and District Superiors with whom we wished to be in frequent contact. We also set ourselves the aim of promoting communion and contact with the Brothers. The retreats which we animated in all the Provinces were a privileged way of meeting this challenge. This contact was for us, as a community, an opportunity to share life and faith with a large number of Brothers and to develop the spiritual unity of the Institute. At another level, it has been our desire and practice to treat the Extended General Councils as opportunities of sharing and witnessing community - as a reality and as an element of communion. Our meetings with regional groups of young people have also been a deliberate community activity. We have joined together the activities of youth ministry and vocations ministry - as is expected of all the communities of the Institute. 8 Report of the General Council

11 1.2 HOW DID WE BEGIN? Our community began in October It was formed of ten Brothers, two of whom, the Secretary General and the Econome General, were not members of the General Council. Four members of the new community had been part of the community of the previous Council. The members of our community were of nine nationalities. Following tradition, the community s physical base was in Rome in the General House. The closing of the General Chapter and the return of the capitulants to their Provinces made us quickly conscious of the extent of the task which had been confided to us. It was important to begin the work but it was necessary to decide in what way. The distribution by language of the Brothers of the Institute led us to adopt Spanish and English as the two working languages of the General Council. It was necessary to quickly find some schools able to guarantee a good knowledge of Spanish or English after several weeks of intensive study. Once the working language was acquired, we returned to Rome to organize the work of government and animation. Ariccia, in the hills south-east of Rome, was chosen as the ideal spot for the very first work of our team. From the beginning, we saw that the reality of our community would be an important aspect of our work of animation and government of the Institute. Since then, it has been the place where we have lived the Calls of the XX General Chapter. Our Project of Community Life was the first work accomplished together. We shaped it as a tool integrating people from different experiences, called to witness Marist values, and to work together. Given this reality, we wished to experience the reality of a team centred on Jesus, witnessing international brotherhood and the integration of different cultures. These elements gave us strength in the face of the mission given by the General Chapter. It is in this community context that the members of the General Council developed the vision and creativity to accomplish what will be presented to you in the second part of this report. January

12 Our journey as the General Council Community 1.3 OUR JOURNEY IN FAITH SPIRIT OF DISCERNMENT Listening to God a) Sharing of life and faith Responding to the Call of the General Chapter, we gave importance to our sharing of life and faith and made it a regular part of our community building. We adopted the habit of bringing into daily prayer the most significant events of the moment, notably those of our respective families, which for most of us were far away. The daily Scripture sharing opened our interior lives to one another and was thus a valuable exercise in community building. These two forms of sharing life and faith helped us integrate our life in our prayer, and little by little also our prayer in our life. The celebration of birthdays, meals and relaxation together were always the focus of care and attention. They also helped us to know and accept ourselves. We have experienced the very important role that these little things, performed with simplicity and brotherly love, can play in building up a vital community. Each time we returned to Rome, we took an opportunity to share the experience of God at work in our hearts in the course of the time we had spent in visiting the Provinces and in other works of animation. The sharing by each of us shed light to the others on the picture of the Institute in the part of the world he had visited. These were moments of great mutual enrichment and growth in listening to God through others. On these occasions we often encouraged one another to improve our communication during the time we were dispersed away from Rome. In fact, the volume of work and sometimes the limited means of communication made it difficult for us to stay in regular contact with one another. 10 Report of the General Council

13 b) A praying community By its nature the task of animation and government of the Institute is beyond simply human means. It is the work of God. A regular encounter with the Lord is therefore necessary in order to discern his will, and to carry out the task he confides to us according to his heart. We have sought this contact in the Word of God, in other different types of prayer and in listening to others. From the very beginning we laid the foundations of a community life which promotes a relationship with Jesus. We took the option of establishing a daily rhythm of two prayer times, morning and evening, with a time for Marial prayer at the beginning of the afternoon. We wanted these three community prayers to be well-balanced, with spaces of silence for interiorisation and allowing the life of the community and the Institute to be brought into our daily prayer. The prayers of morning and evening, in particular, focused on a sharing of the Word of God in the liturgical texts of the day. Our community prayer evolved over time responding to regular evaluation and consequent adjustments of our Project of Community Life and also in accord with the many varied intentions for which we prayed. During the period of the plenary sessions, the community prayer was a time of integration of our work of animation. The calls of the world and of the Church, events linked to the life of the Institute and of individual Brothers, were constantly present there. Every day the activities of animating the Institute had also a very important place in our prayer. We requested all the communities of the Institute to bring their daily activities to their prayer and as a community we did the same spontaneously. At the beginning of the plenary sessions, our prayer was dominated by thanksgiving for the joy of finding ourselves together again and for the work accomplished during the months of diaspora. Little by little it became the daily practice to bring into God s presence the projects and documents on which we were working at that time. At the end of the plenaries, we prayed especially for the people we were going to meet. January

14 Our journey as the General Council Community c) A community seeking to live in the spirit of the evangelical use of goods We regularly reflected on the best way to live the spirit of a simple life, of solidarity with the very poor, and in the spirit of the evangelical use of goods. We studied our expenses in community and established a new form of accounts for greater transparency. We realized that it is not easy to arrive at a community consensus on this theme. Our way of living these values fundamental for the Religious Life and for every Marist community was, above all, to everywhere encourage generous sharing with the very poor and to remind ourselves that the poor should be at the heart of every Marist project. As a community we encouraged one another to commit ourselves to a simpler lifestyle and to come close to the poor when opportunity offered. This was for us, for example, taking in an immigrant and taking responsibility for a sick child from Ecuador. d) Annual retreat Faithful to Marist tradition, we decided to make our annual retreat together as a community. Looking back today, we can say that honouring this commitment showed the importance that we attached to it and especially the benefits that we drew from it. 12 Report of the General Council

15 We searched together for the type of retreat which would best help us to perceive the presence of Jesus in our life and to integrate this encounter with him in our community life and in our mission. In the end, we implicitly took the option to review the format for each retreat, but, whatever the model, two spiritual dimensions had to be assured. In the first place, we wanted sufficient time each day for personal prayer, reflection, and reading. As well that there be time, of sufficient length, for sharing of our spiritual experiences of the year just past and also of what God was inspiring within us in the course of the retreat itself. It became clear in our sharing that the retreat was for all of us an opportunity for deepening our interior life. But often it was also the time for a look at the mission of the General Council - another year on. Finally, we can say that our annual retreats have been powerful moments for personal discernment, for spiritual development, and for community repose in the Lord Listening to others a) Hospitality The number of Marist visitors to Rome has grown in recent years. Most of these people want to visit the General House and greet the Brother Superior General. The community of the General House is noted for its excellent spirit of hospitality towards all kinds of visitors. We express our gratitude and brotherly encouragement to them. When we were present in Rome, our community also wished to pay special attention to hospitality and availability. The whole community was invited to create an ambience of simplicity and fraternity so that each visitor or group felt at home. We sought to offer to all those who came to visit us, a witness of charity and a sign of the presence of Jesus among us. b) Plenary sessions The process of our plenary sessions has developed greatly. There was considerable effort to make them more profitable, better directed towards objectives and less exhausting. As well as places for discernment and sharing ideas, they have also been occasions where our limitations became obvious. In the plenary sessions we experienced our tendency as a group to ignore conflicts among us rather than resolve them. January

16 Our journey as the General Council Community We also experienced difficulty in giving ourselves sufficient time to deepen the reflection on a subject. We always had several topics, perhaps too many, on the agenda. We think that that was evidence of the collective temperament of a group preoccupied with doing the most possible. We have spent frequent and lengthy periods of time, working in commissions or all together, to reflect, discuss, share, etc. A desire to know and follow the movement of the Spirit motivated us. Despite differences of view-point, sometimes strongly stated, mutual openness and seeking the will of God have prevailed. The volume of work and the personal limitations of each of us have never impaired the simplicity and brotherhood that we were all happy to share. c) Listening to other religious families Conscious that this complex and varied world is the place where God speaks to us, we have extended our horizons by listening to the experiences of several religious families and other experienced people outside the Institute. We paid much attention to the Marist Family. Broadly speaking, friendship and collaboration have developed in the wider Marist Family. For the General Councils of the four Marist branches, we decided to hold an annual meeting. At these we shared our plans for animation and government, and also the challenges we faced. Four commissions 14 Report of the General Council

17 were set up for more concrete projects. These commissions broadened our vision of the Marist charism. We gave each other mutual support and together searched for ways of making the specific Marist contribution in the Church more effective. Meetings with the General Councils of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and the Marianists have enriched us. We have shared information about different structures and methods of animation and government. We learned how these two congregations, quite similar to our own, identify and respond to the challenges of our time. We also listened to some experts when the need arose. Sister Christine Anderson FCJ, consultant of the Craighead Institute, Glasgow and Mr. Bruce Irvine of the Grubb Institute, London, both specialists in organizational process, helped us at different times to review our ways of working. We believe that their advice allowed us to better understand our organizational structures and to adapt them to our specific mission. d) Listening to the personnel of the house In the course of the half-yearly plenary sessions we enriched our discernment by listening to those in charge of the various services of the General Administration. These times of listening and sharing allowed us to have a view of the whole picture and to interconnect ourselves as a group of leaders. A gathering of all the personnel of the General Administration for sharing information and exchanging ideas was organised at the end of each plenary session. These meetings made evident the growing number of lay people in the service of the General Administration and the impact their contribution is making on the discernment of our common mission. This challenged us to look for ways in which the charism can be shared with those who work so directly with us. The majority of the personnel of the General Administration is composed by the commu- January

18 Our journey as the General Council Community nity of the Brothers. For the General Council the annual visit carried out by General Councillors has been an important means of listening to and animating the members of this community. e) Visits to the Provinces The visits to the Provinces have been an excellent school of both brotherhood and the Marist mission, and an important piece in our process of discernment. The insights collected in the course of the visits have often guided the concrete actions of our work of animation. The apostolic involvement of Brothers and Lay Marists in the Institute s vast field of mission gives rise to the most varied experiences : formal schoolwork, the integration of less intellectually endowed children, care for youth at risk, social works, etc. But everywhere one recognizes the stamp of traditional Marist values in the local customs of the Brothers and Lay Marists, and among the young people who have been entrusted to us. Hospitality, dialogue and sharing have constantly brought us back to the Marist values of our origins: such as love for and the evangelization of children, simplicity, Marial spirit and love of work. Today the daily life of Brothers and Lay Marists and their apostolates in the different milieu of the Institute are among the most important elements in our vision and discernment of mission. 16 Report of the General Council

19 Let us emphasize, all the same, that it is also in the course of our visits to the Provinces that we experienced most strongly our limitations, as individuals and as a group. In the course of the first visit several of us worked in languages that we had just started to learn. Those we visited showed great openness in giving their attention to the message being transmitted, rather than to the limitations of the visitors. We were profoundly grateful. Finally, the visits to the Pro - vinces cast light on our experience as the General Council community. They have at the same time taught, challenged, questioned, and confirmed for us the value of the Marist educator (Brother or Lay Marist) in his or her apostolate today. Among Marist educators, we have seen people in the midst of the young and committed to them. We witnessed people doing extraordinary things for children and young people and yet faced with greater challenges. The Marist today appears to us as a person of great vision but who is also heavily weighed down. What a zealous person, is the Marist! But faced with religious indifference, faced with the ever decreasing number of Brothers and faced with legalism in relations with young people, what an abundance of doubts! Here is a person who has numerous and serious reasons to be hesitant but here is one who also has great enthusiasm. These challenges and contradictions are sometimes signs of the Spirit in a process of authentic discernment. May these tensions always be lived in peace, serenity, and in the search for God. 1.4 SOME EVENTS WHICH HAVE MARKED OUR JOURNEY AS A COMMUNITY We have presented you with several experiences and events. They have all marked our journey as the General Council community. Yet we want to mention some specific events which impacted on our community in a special way. January

20 Our journey as the General Council Community The General Conference of 2005 The General Conference of 2005 was above all an experience of brotherhood - between the community of the General Council and the Provincials. The joy of getting to know one another was profound and widely valued. The choice of Asia as the location of the conference was the result of a discernment of the General Council. This continent is the new land chosen for the Mission ad Gentes of the Church. Holding the General Conference at Negombo, Sri Lanka, was well placed in the context of the appeal launched by Pope John Paul II for the evangelization of Asia. This great assembly was a key moment of evaluation and the point of departure for a new vision. The Provincials united with the Superior General and his Council shared on the work of animation and government by the General Administration which had been under way for four years. Everyone had a part in shaping the vision and projects for the second half of the mandate. Adjustments were suggested on certain points and encouragement given for new initiatives Beatifications The beatification of 47 Marist Brothers, martyrs of Spain, was one of the most significant events of our mandate. These Blessed Brothers are close to us in time. Many Brothers living today knew them personally. We have the feeling that the history they lived could have been or could be ours. But we recognize that martyrdom is a gift. And we thank God for the grace of identification with Christ that these Brothers received. On 28 October 2007, the gift of martyrdom generously given to these 47 Brothers, rebounded around the whole Church as a time of blessing. For the Marist Family, particularly the disciples of Champagnat, it was a joyous moment of living our identity. Despite our preparation, and the sense of the importance of what was taking place, the power of the Spirit manifested in this event surpassed all our expectations. The intensity of the experience surprised us. Families of the martyrs, Marist lay people and Brothers, we came together to recognise that God has visited us and we celebrated together his presence among us. The importance of the event from the significance given it by the Church has strengthened our faith in the values 18 Report of the General Council

21 of the Kingdom to which we testify by our consecration. The travel by pupils, former pupils, families, friends, Lay Marists and Brothers for the celebration in Rome, taught us something about the warmth of the daily witness of a committed Brother. In fact, what struck most of the witnesses is that martyrdom was a natural extension of the life of these Brothers. They died as they had lived, witnesses of charity and hospitality, even in the midst of the greatest violence. In the face of the numerous challenges to faith, we lived the beatifications as an experience of Our Lord encouraging the Institute Mission Assembly From 3 to 12 September 2007 the final phase of the International Assembly on Marist Mission took place at Mendes in Brazil. Representatives from five continents, lay people and Brothers, we met at the end of a process of almost two years to work together on the major themes of Marist Mission. It was an historic experience for our community to participate in this meeting where, for the first time, Brothers and Lay Marists from all the Administrative Units found themselves together at a world level on a basis of equality to discuss questions of common interest. Already in the course of our visits we experienced the vitality of the Marist Mission but the number of people and the enthusiasm observed during the Assembly, the new ideas and the willingness to dream for the future, the radical nature of their commitment and the powerful Statement, enthused us too and showed us that we were at a crossroads. January

22 Our journey as the General Council Community Water from the Rock The publication of the document on spirituality, Water from the Rock is certainly a landmark in the life of the Institute. Much was expected of this document. Everyone hoped to see put into words the spiritual experience which gives them life and sustains them in their apostolate. The mandate which the General Chapter entrusted to the General Council expressed this desire. As a community we had the joy of seeing this document evolve. We had the privilege of taking part in its development, expressing our views on different aspects; and we did this as a community. There was a sense of relief among many on seeing and reading this book. In it they recognised themselves. The book is not a treatise. More than the result of sound reflection, it is the fruit of keen observation. It speaks to Brothers and lay people of the best of themselves; what they aspire to; the path that Champagnat shows them to go to Jesus; a simple formulation of the Marist way to holiness. The work of research and discussion within the General Council which led us to the approbation of this document was a powerful time of sharing our deepest convictions about faith and spirituality. The appearance of Water from the Rock was an event for our community. It aroused much enthusiasm. Our community prayer has been inspired by it almost daily. 1.5 WHERE ARE WE? At the end of this eight-year mandate we are happy with the journey travelled together in community. We thank the Lord for all that he has accomplished in each one of us. On the whole, we feel like any other community, with its highs and lows. At the end of eight years we appreciate better the difficulty of sharing our vulnerabilities. 20 Report of the General Council

23 Sometimes we have had the feeling that the responsibilities pushed us to surpass our limits and attain the best of ourselves. In our work we have benefitted from the hospitality and the confidence of the Brothers and lay people in the Provinces, everywhere that our mission took us. To you all we express our gratitude for your welcome. We are impressed by the quality of so many people we encountered throughout these eight years. The meetings with the young people of different regions enriched and encouraged us. We have also been impressed by their enthusiasm and their Marist spirit. We ask pardon for our mistakes and omissions. It is possible that we have caused someone to suffer. Believe us that it was never done intentionally. In the second part of this report, the longer section, the General Council presents to you in detail our work in the course of our mandate. We wish you fruitful reading. January

24 2. the five calls OUR VISION OF THE INSTITUTE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE FIVE CALLS OF THE XX GENERAL CHAPTER 22 Report of the General Council

25 2.1 Centring in Jesus Christ: At the spring of living water 2.2 Renewal of our communities: How good it is to live in unity 2.3 Brothers and Lay people together: Widen the space of your tent 2.4 Mission and solidarity: Fire upon the earth 2.5 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet January

26 2.1 CENTRING IN JESUS CHRIST: AT THE SPRING OF LIVING WATER WE FEEL CALLED TO CENTRE OUR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES IN JESUS CHRIST, LIKE MARY, WITH PASSION AND ENTHUSIASM, AND TO IMPLEMENT PROCESSES OF HUMAN GROWTH AND CONVERSION WHICH PROMOTE THIS Our Understanding of the Call In this First Call, the Chapter declared clearly, simply, and unequivocally, that for a Marist Brother, his life must be focused on Jesus. It was an affirmation that our life is a religious life, based on a commitment to the person of Jesus. Our religious life is our chosen response to an invitation to us, experienced within a personal relationship with Jesus marked by his unconditional love. 2 Choose Life - the Message of the XX General Chapter, 20. From here on, each time that we quote this document we shall include in the text itself only the reference number. Our Council takes the view that this Call asked of us to affirm clearly the value of the vocation of the Marist Brother. That we do all that we can to strengthen the spirituality which sustains this vocation and gives it its meaning and direction. And that we, along with Provincials, provide each Brother with the necessary means to continue his own journey of conversion to the person and Gospel of Jesus. In describing our communities as schools of faith 2 the Chapter reminds us that our community life has an indispensible role in strengthening our vocation, our ministry and our spirituality. 24 Report of the General Council

27 Furthermore, least we focus only upon ourselves, the Chapter directed us to take our place within the Church in the manner that Mary did, as was intended by the Marist Founders. We believe that there is a unique role for a Brother within the Church. Placing ourselves outside of a hierarchical structure and within its charismatic structure, through the witness of our lives we can be the conscience of the Church, reminding it of those values so strongly evidenced by the first Christians such that others were willing to risk persecution to join them. Before outlining our implementation of the Call we wish to avoid mis - understanding. This Call focuses us clearly on the vocation of the Brother and his Religious Life. Such a focus in no way diminishes the vocation of the Lay Marist, nor our commitment to the flowering of that vocation. We affirm both the vocation of the Brother and of the Lay Marist. We see two vocations, each with its own distinctive characteristics and role in the Church and in the Institute. At the same time, elements of these vocations are shared in common (ministry and spirituality). In this way they are complementary and mutually supporting Our implementation of this Call As a Council, we believe that a fundamental change of heart on the part of each of us is necessary if genuine renewal is ever to be a reality. January

28 2.1 To make Jesus the centre and passion of our lives is not some far-off ideal to strive for, but rather a necessary starting point for the work of transformation. a) Strengthening the Vocation and Religious Life of the Marist Brother This has been a consistent priority for this General Council (47.2). The three circulars of Brother Seán, are focused directly on key elements of the life of Marcellin s Little Bothers of Mary: spirituality, community and ministry. The Superior General s letters directed to Brothers of specific ages, were written to encourage them in their Marist Religious Life, especially in facing the challenges characteristic a specific time of life. It is planned that in 2009 there will be a final circular articulating and affirming the identity of the Brother. 3 In the body of this report we mention only the names of those currently in the service of the General Administration. The names of all who worked with us over our eight-year mandate, as well as an expression of our gratitude to them, appear in the appendix. In organising ourselves to fulfil the mandates we received we established a Religious Life Commission. Following the reorganisation of our structures in 2006, this Commission became responsible for the areas of spirituality, Initial and Ongoing Formation, and community life. In the light of experience, these responsibilities proved to be too ambitious for a single commission. The Commission is very grateful for the dedicated work of its secretary Br. Teófilo Minga. 3 To the Commission he provided invaluable assistance maintaining contact with those in the Provinces responsible for various aspects of Religious Life. For many Provinces he conducted workshops and retreats which were highly effective in the spiritual formation of many Brothers and Lay Marists. We began our mandate with a Commission of Vocations, whose work was continued by the Bureau of Vocations. Brother Ernesto Sanchez has been an enthusiastic head of that Bureau. Through his energy, clarity, personal conviction, and charm he has assisted many Provinces to re - gain their confidence in the ministry of vocations. Though the title of the Commission and the Bureau may not have been clear or precise enough, their mandate was the promotion of the vocation of the Marist Brother. A significant event in this process of promotion was the Year of Vocations (September 2004 August 2005). The fruit of that Year continues up to today. The dynamic of the Year encouraged reflection, prayer, witness and action, in relation to all the vocations within the Church, most especially that of the Marist Brother. Taken 26 Report of the General Council

29 Centring in Jesus Christ: At the spring of living water seriously, such a process leads some of us to face confronting questions: does the vocation of the Marist Brother still have relevance, value and meaning in the Church and in the society in which I live? In my place and time is God still inviting young men to holiness by means of the vocation of the Marist Brother? About me are there Jean-Baptiste Montagne s today? Is God inviting men to serve these needs through the vocation of a Marist Brother? Gradually, individuals, communities and Provinces are facing these questions. This process is taking place within a broader reflection on related issues among which is included the nature of a vocation within the Church, the major orientations of Marist Mission in this new century, the vocation of the Lay Marist, etc. The Bureau of Vocations has been challenging us all to create a culture of vocations within which the term vocation is used and has meaning. In creating this culture every Marist has a role (42.5). Within the Church there are a variety of vocations and an essential part of our ministry with young people is to accompany them in taking up their vocation. Stemming from our own commitment as a Council community to the Year of Vocations, we have met with groups of young people in each region of the Institute. We have used these meetings as a concrete means of listening to the experience of young people; their experience of life and of the Church, their contact with Marist ministries, and their perception of Marist Religious Life. Some Provincial Councils have implemented a similar process as a team dialoguing with groups of young people. Many activities, visits, meetings etc. have assisted individual Provinces and regions. Of particular significance was the meeting in Les Avellanes in April It brought together those engaged in vocation ministry in countries which are secularised or rapidly becoming so. In these situations the ministry of promoting vocations, especially to Religious Life, is particularly challenging. The honest sharing of experience, insight and plans gave new energy to the vocation ministry of many Provinces. b) The Spirituality that nourishes Marist Religious Life Marist Religious Life has no meaning without the centrality of Jesus. Its value to the Church and to the world is its religious and Marist character which evangelise. Without a Marist Spirituality to sustain and nourish it, it becomes salt that has lost its taste. 4 From the very beginning of our mandate we were determined to emphasize the centrality of spirituality (48.1). With the assistance of other Brothers the Council conducted retreats in every Province of the Institute. We set in place the process which led to the publication of the text: Water from the Rock: Marist spirituality flowing in the tradition of 4 Cf. Matt.5:13 January

30 2.1 Marcellin Champagnat. The text put into words the spirituality which has evolved from St.Marcellin and the First Brothers and is being lived today. We committed the Institute to a Year of Spirituality (October October 2008) in order to call the Institute back once again to this First Call of the Chapter, and to provide a supportive environment in which the new spirituality text could be disseminated and studied. We believe that the response from Provinces and the fruits that have been born give testimony to both the thirst for spirituality, and the effectiveness of having a text as a point of reference for spiritual formation. The text, combined with experience drawn from across the Institute, has been the point of reference for the revision of Chapter 4 of the Constitutions which we are offering to the General Chapter (48.4). As a Council it took us some time to achieve clarity about how best to implement the mandate in relation to regional animation of spirituality (48.2). Our experience confirms the value of some form of regional structures of spirituality. We arrived at the conclusion that four, language-based networks were not the most appropriate response to the needs of the Institute. The experience of both ourselves and the previous General Council was that because of the great variety of circumstances across the Institute, the networks had different orientations and different ways of responding to the needs of their cultural context. If some language-based networks were struggling to find their way it was due to the huge diversity of culture, resources, needs, etc. that existed among them. Therefore we took the decision to re-shape the structure on the basis of regions rather than language. Our vision was communicated in the Bulletin to Provincials 6 (May 2004). Since that time we have been working with Pro - vincials to establish or strengthen structures in all the regions. In some places the well-established regional spirituality network will continue to evolve. In other regions it is our hope that regional spirituality commissions will be established, drawing membership from Provincial spirituality commissions, or similar groups. We were slow to regularly accompany the existing networks. With reorganisation of the structures of the General Council following the General Conference in 2005, we have tried to be more present at meetings. We acknowledge that the existing regional networks of spirituality did not receive from us the support and encouragement that they desired. This participation leads us to be convinced that if our spiritual inheritance is to be inculturated effectively in the diverse cultures of our international institute, then it is Marists living within these cultures who 28 Report of the General Council

31 Centring in Jesus Christ: At the spring of living water will enable this to happen. The regional structures are invaluable in enriching and developing our spirituality through the religious traditions in which it is expres - sed, and through living it daily in situations of challenge: institutionalised injustice, grinding poverty, families destroyed by AIDS, the corruption of consumerism, etc. The XX General Chapter encouraged Marists to participate in inter-faith dialogue (43.5). Since the urgency for such dialogue varies across the Institute, we believe that a regional spirituality structure is the most appropriate place for facilitating such dialogue. We have been working consistently with Provincials, communicating our vision for regional structures of spirituality and encouraging them to devote resources to these structures whose work then enhances the Province s programs of spiritual formation. While Water from the Rock was one prominent means of re-expressing our spiritual patrimony within today s realities, such a task is the ongoing mandate of both the Postulator-General and the International Patrimony Commission. Earlier in this report we spoke of how the Beatification of 47 of our Brothers the Spanish Martyrs - impacted upon us as a Council and as a community of Brothers. This event, along with its supportive liturgies and commemorations, was the culmination of much persistent, conscientious work of Br. Giovanni Bigotto, his vice-postulators, and Brother Gabriele Andreucci, who preceded him as Postulator-General. For these men it was a labour of love since the witness of our Brothers deserved to be told. Each of us was touched in different ways. Death did not overtake them by surprise. The times were most evidently ones of danger and trial. Their steadfast commitment to their choice of the vocation of the Marist Brother, and their fidelity to the service of young people, encourage us in re-committing ourselves to our own religious vocation. The mandate of the Postulator- January

32 2.1 General continues to be one of drawing out of our storehouse of spiritual riches in such a way as to speak to us of this generation about timeless Marist values and spirit. The work of the International Patrimony Commission has a similar orientation. Its work is indispensible so that we know who we are. As our spirituality continues its evolution, this Commission assists us in ensuring that this development is authentic and faithful to our heritage. The commission s role is both one of scholarly research and being a group of reflection for the Institute. Without new generations well-prepared for these roles, our spiritual development as an Institute will be stunted. Hence the importance of the ongoing work of CEPAM in Latin America and Spain, and the International Patrimony Program conducted in Rome (February June 2008). c) Key elements of the renewal of Marist Religious Life The International Patrimony Commission is one agent of the renewal of Marist Religious Life. There are many others. Self-evidently significant is Initial Formation. Every formator and formation team must constantly return to two key questions. What is the Marist world for which this young man is being prepared? How can this program best prepare him for what lies ahead? A Team from the General Council has visited every Novitiate and Scholasticate (and most Post ulancies) in the Institute, asking these questions and dialoguing with formators about their answers. The fruit of this first-hand contact with the reality of the Institute resulted in a 30 Report of the General Council

33 Centring in Jesus Christ: At the spring of living water Reflection Paper presented to Provincials and District Superiors at the 2005 General Conference. This paper identified seven significant challenges. We believe that a key challenge facing Initial Formation is that the programs give priority to spirituality, consecration, and evangelisation. In simple terms, the role of our communities of formation is to form Young Brothers, in love with Jesus, and on fire to proclaim the Good News. Such an outcome is not possible without a team whose principal responsibility is formation. In forming young apostles, we are forming their Marist and religious identity. By the conclusion of Initial Formation, both aspects of the identity need to be deeply developed. A key agent in this process is the formation community itself. We believe that to be effective the community needs to be composed of a number of young men (not an individual) who are being formed together and who also form each other. In many places of the Institute, Marist Religious Life is being lived in cultural and religious realities markedly different to those that existed 15 years ago when the Formation Guide was prepared. There is now greater cultural diversity within the Institute. We wish to ensure that we are preparing young men well for these realities and those that we can foresee. One significant development is that formation communities are predominantly international and intercultural, as are a growing number of communities in different Provinces. A vision of Marist life that is international, and much more than the experience of one Province or one country is an essential aspect of the identity of a Marist Brother in our times. Following the General Conference this Reflection Paper was sent to every formation team to encourage self-assessment and action. The location of formation communities was again raised for reflection (48.7). Where they have been available to us we have made use of regional meetings of formators to continue this reflection. (The meeting of the formators of Africa in July 2007, was one significant example of this). In February 2007 the Council invited to Rome representatives of every Scholasticate in order to reflect together on the character of the young people today in formation, and to unify our vision in relation to the content and processes which are essential for their formation at this stage in Initial Formation. In the view of the Council, this stage of formation has critical importance in solidifying the Marist and religious identity of the Young Brother and bringing about the personal integration that is necessary for the life of a Brother (47.1). January

34 2.1 We have grave concern for Provinces that have, in our opinion, made decisions that have weakened their Scholasticate programs. Our contact with Young Brothers in a variety of contexts has caused us to be concerned about the shallowness of some in relation to their identity and the superficiality with which commitment and the vows, especially celibacy, are understood. To be effective Initial Formation has need of sufficient formators who, using the processes and language of today, can accompany today s young men to find their Marist Vocation, understand its richness and depth, and live apostolic Marist Religious Life with commitment and passion. We continue to challenge Provincials to keep preparing more formators. The need remains urgent. We have provided an opportunity by means of a program (August 2005-June 2006 in Nairobi) for the preparation of new Marist formators. In the area of Initial Formation, as in others, we have learned from the experience gained during our mandate. Looking back, we realise that we were not sufficiently proactive in exercising leadership in this area. We now feel that for the future of the Institute we should have been more active in addressing the limitations we saw in some programs of Initial Formation. For many Brothers the programs of Ongoing Formation provided by the Institute (at El Escorial and Manziana) are key moments of renewal. The programs are regularly evaluated: by the Teams and by ourselves during visits to the centres of renewal. Based on this feedback we believe the programs are special times of grace that have enabled Brothers to rediscover afresh their religious vocation, to strengthen their Marist identity, and return home recommitted to personal prayer, community life and our mission (47.1). We wish to express our gratitude to the following Brothers, members of Renewal Teams, whose ministry has been a particular service to the Institute: Brothers Javier Espinosa, Afonso Levis, Inocencio Martínez, Diamantino M.Duque, Barry Burns, and Antoine Kazindu. During our mandate we have supported these programs by our presence during the programs themselves and through accompaniment of the Teams. During the first years of our mandate our accompaniment was insufficient. In recent years we have been trying to do more. A significant moment was the process that we undertook at the beginning of 2006 to evaluate the programs then in place. One part of the process was an appraisal of the inter-congregational programs that we are conducting with the Marianists. Our motivation for this re- 32 Report of the General Council

35 Centring in Jesus Christ: At the spring of living water view was to ensure that our programs were providing the most suitable content and processes for the needs both of the Brothers and of the Institute (47.1). An effective and lasting renewal of each Brother is an effective way of renewing the Religious Life of the Institute. The review identified two age groups of Brothers whose needs were not currently being met. Programs are being put in place for those Brothers who face significant questions, after Perpetual Profession (Horizons), and at that time when some Brothers are seeking to live out their vocational commitment through a form of ministry more appropriate to their time of life (Transitions) Future directions a) Fresh and compelling vision of Marist Religious Life The vitality of our life and mission in many places of the Institute requires of us a fresh and compelling vision of Marist Religious Life lived in the 21 st Century. This is the challenge underneath what is often expressed as the need to clarify the identity of the Marist Brother. Until this occurs we run the risk of living our commitment with hesitancy and our vocational ministry being undermined. We also see an a la carte approach to spirituality. It is selective and individualistic, without an appropriate place for participation in the Marist com - munity and the church. In other instances we see a weakening of faith, which has diminished the sense of consecration, and seriously weakened the understanding of Religious Life. In many places Lay Marists are taking their rightful place in the spirituality and mission January

36 2.1 of Marcellin s charism. As the identity of Lay Marists develops, Brothers are asking themselves: what then is identity of a Marist Brother? b) The authentic living of the core values of Religious Life That there be a focus on the authentic living of the core values of Religious Life (holiness, consecration, community, mission, vows) according to a creative fidelity to our charism. The processes would need to include a thorough re-education of ourselves about such terms as vocation, and call; the vocations that exist within the Church both their distinctiveness and their complementarity. We believe the process would be assisted by a study of both the religious and apostolic dimensions of the vocation. Such a process would strengthen the culture of vocation which we believe is necessary for the vitality of the Institute. c) Programs of spiritual formation While our efforts towards the spiritual renewal of the Institute have born fruit we see that more needs to be done. The text Water from the Rock has provided both Brothers and Lay Marists with a point of reference in understanding and living our spirituality. The Year of Spirituality has been a context for these formative activities. We believe that programs of spiritual formation need development. They need to exist, to touch the lives of participants, be developmental in process, and be regularly refreshed. We restate that we believe that regional spirituality structures have a significant role to play. For the Brothers, we notice that in many places much more remains to be done to have in place a spirituality and forms of prayer which are apostolic in fact. Our spiritual journey is one of continual deepening of our relationships with Jesus and Mary. We encourage each Marist in their commitment to this. d) Initial Formation The General Council is in a privileged place to know the reality of the Institute across the variety of Provinces, cultures and circumstances that exist among us. In addition, the Council has a singular responsibility for the vitality of the life and mission of the Institute. A key means of ensuring that vitality is an effective, co-ordinated program of Initial Formation in every Province and region. For the sake of our vitality, we recommend that the Superior General and Council take a proactive leadership role in ensuring the co-ordination and effect iveness of Initial Formation. 34 Report of the General Council

37 Centring in Jesus Christ: At the spring of living water As we said earlier, it is now 15 years since the publication of the Formation Guide. The text was the product of extensive processes of consultation, reflection, and synthesis of experience. We believe that it is timely for a repetition of this process a thorough appraisal of Initial Formation across the Institute. While human nature remains constant, cultural contexts have changed significantly. Are the content, structures and processes of our Initial Formation adequately addressing both the potential and challenge of these new realities? In addition, we wonder whether new approaches to formation have been developed since the Guide was developed. d) Ongoing Formation We encourage those responsible for programs of Ongoing Formation to continue their regular appraisal of their programs. These programs serve both the renewal of the individual Brother as well as of the Institute more generally. Inter-congregational programs (especially with congregations of Brothers) are well worth developing as a means of enhancing our understanding the vocation of the Brother. The forthcoming General Chapter will provide for these Teams guidance as to directions and priorities for the Institute. These will serve as a point for reference for programs of renewal. The next General Council will also have a significant role in providing these programs with key orientations as it animates the Institute according to the vision of the General Chapter. In order that our programs continue to be the best experience of renewal that can be provided we recommend that there occur a thorough appraisal of the programs of Ongoing Formation organised by the General Council. We have in mind that such an appraisal be conducted by an external ad hoc team. d) Co-ordination At the level of the General Administration processes of reflection which are more inclusive and better co-ordinate effort would greatly assist spiritual formation across the Institute. Specifically we have in mind that in the next General Administration those responsible for Religious Life, Spirituality, Formation, Patrimony and Postulation reflect and plan together, and harmonise their animation of the Institute. Given its significance for the vitality of the Institute, we recommend that the next General Council put in place appropriate structures which will assure the development of our spirituality and its continuing animation across the Institute. January

38 2.2 RENEWAL OF OUR COMMUNITIES: HOW GOOD IT IS TO LIVE IN UNITY WE FEEL CALLED TO REVITALISE OUR COMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE PLACES OF BROTHERHOOD, SIMPLICITY, AND GOSPEL LIFE IN SERVICE OF OUR MISSION Our Understanding of the call The experience of community life which the members of the 2001 General Chapter brought from their Provinces was seen to be confirmed and completed by the reflection and discussion of that assembly. The sentiment that our communities required profound renewal to be faithful to their identity and respond to their mission was strong and widely shared (22). Revitalisat - ion of our communities became an essential element of the vision Choose life. Living community, this essential value for us, is affirmed today in the world as a source of renewal for societies and as one of the best means for facing the uncertainties of the future. This affirmation is all the more true for our Institute inasmuch as it is a large international group and implanted in many cultures. All the same, our type of community is distinguished from many others; it is not the fruit of human will. It is not the result of social development. It is brought together by Jesus Christ, and built upon his person. In this way, wherever it is implanted the Marist religious 36 Report of the General Council

39 community is a sign of the presence of Jesus. Marcellin assigned it the specific mission of radiating the love of Jesus among youth, especially the most neglected. We believe, and this is our strength, that when Jesus is the centre of our community we are people and a group always new. Jesus turns us, as a community, towards a future to be transformed by the power of his Gospel. The General Chapter recommends to the Provincials and their councils to promote communities which allow the strengthening of the vocation of young Brothers, the welcome of youth and lay people, and the accompaniment of those looking for their vocation in life (44.5). The call to give more vitality to our communities, is therefore to renew them in such a way that they may set out again from their true foundations. Thus, not only are they strengthened from within to become places of growth and development for the Brothers, but they also become a sign, a presence and a prophetic witness at the heart of society. We are convinced that the concrete way to revitalise community is first of all to make it simple and viable by cultivating within it human values which manifest mutual trust among the Brothers. The new climate thus created reveals the presence of Jesus and fosters adherence to a vision of community as an essential value for the vitality of the Institute. January

40 The way in which we have put this understanding into practice At different levels of the Institute we have all been invited to contribute to this transformation at the service of the mission of evangelisation. The response is an image of the Institute - varied, complex, demanding and engaging. The diversity of cultures, to cite but one feature, certainly brings a variety of elements and accents which must be accepted and valued for the enrichment of the common mission. These differences were observed in the course of studying community life in general and during the work of animation in the different Provinces and regions of the Institute. Diversity, as it asserts itself, reinforces at the same time the necessity for fidelity to the Marist tradition of community life. The implementation of our understanding of the Call to revitalise communities was enriched during the course of our visits of the Provinces. We describe it in eight points, starting with the three aspects suggested by the Chapter s Call itself. a) Place of brotherhood During our visits we observed that throughout the whole Institute community is affirmed as a place of brotherhood (23). Numerous Brothers speak of their love of community. They confess that what helps them most in coming closer to Jesus and in being faithful is the sharing of life and faith in community. We constantly encouraged these experiences between marvellous companions ; suggesting that they be remembered and serve as reference points in times of difficulty. All the same, it is important to emphasize that the deep feeling of brotherhood expressed by the Brothers is not idyllic. The Brothers also shared their concern about the pervasive individualism which is invading communities and seriously threatening their values, notably brotherhood. As well, many Brothers who ask to leave the Institute raise doubts about the quality of community life. There is room for questioning ourselves. With the 2 nd Call, the Spirit has summoned us to revitalise, as a clear sign of the vitality of a Marist community, the great brotherly love which has been characteristic of the life experience of many Brothers. Today, eight years later, we observe that there has been an awakening but that, at the same time, the Call remains a very topical one. 38 Report of the General Council

41 Renewal of our communities: How good it is to live in unity b) Simplicity According to Marcellin, simplicity is always an essential characteristic of Marist comm - unity. Those who know us from long experience tell us that that is what most strikes them. Others say that it is what is characteristic of us. Simplicity evokes renunciation but, in that it exists among us, gives a sense of fullness and direction. In times of uncertainty, at a crossroads, we consider simplicity as an essential element of the direction we take and the life we choose. The General Chapter indicated it as a characteristic of revitalised communities. Our work of animation often led us to speak of the simplicity of the attitudes and style of life of the Brothers. In community it is above all seen in the mutual trust in the relationships among the Brothers. When each accepts his limitations and his vulnerability, fraternal communication becomes possible and agreeable in community. A climate is thus created which fosters individual maturity and community vitality. Our visits to the Provinces have frequently been for us a real school of simplicity, particularly in the use of material goods. We often witnessed the contrast between, on the one part, the sophistication and even opulence of the environment and of the work, and on the other, the determination among many Brothers to remain simple. The lack of simplicity in the style of life or in the relationships among the Brothers quickly arouses spontaneous and vigorous appeals to fidelity to Marist values. However, it must be admitted that in many places the struggle is continual and the result more and more uncertain. The pressure of consumerism is so great that the temptation of acquiring all that pleases the senses or refusing oneself nothing is a constant one. In this area, in order to remain as witnesses to the values of the Kingdom, we must be watchful and energetic. In face of the growing complexity of society, the Brothers and the young people entrusted to us need communities where Marist life is lived in simplicity. They need these havens of freedom and serenity where they find a hearing and can meet Jesus. The formation of communities - living, welcoming and impregnated with simplicity - is a crucial aspect of our mission today. January

42 2.2 c) Places of Gospel life at the service of mission Our mission requires the spiritual growth and maturity of both Brothers and of communities; a qualitative growth from within. A certain number of community experiences in the Institute indicate that such a journey finds expression on the one hand through simplicity of life and attention to others, and on the other in living and sharing Gospel values in community and with those who surround it. These attitudes and actions of Christian commitment are the foundation and source of the revitalisation of our mission in society. There is need then for a continuing movement between the two orientations community and mission so that motivation and renewal on the one hand, and the work of evangelization on the other, may be continual. To put into practice the Call of the Chapter in our mission is also to urge the Provinces to face up to the invasion of the media and of secularism which attack our life in community. For that, we have, in the course of our visits, discerned with the Provinces how to create and offer places where Gospel life is tangible. It has often been said that man today desires experience and witness. In our different meetings with young people in the course of our visits we noticed that they who are the focus of our mission desire evangelical life in a palpable form; faith integrated into daily life, so as to nourish their faith and sustain their commitment. The Marist community is called to be in the forefront of these privileged places where the young can encounter and live this experience. d) Perceptions of community We have seen that the Brothers have varied perceptions of community. According to their age, formation, type of apostolate, etc. the Brothers tend to develop a particular vision of community. For example, the new generations live personal responsibility as an essential trait of their religious and community life, while older Brothers place a greater value on structures and religious discipline. These two approaches complement each other by their evangelical content, provided that the differences encourage the creation of homes enlivened by mutual listening and dialogue between generations (24). The individualistic and independent mentality characteristic of current society causes havoc in communities. In addition, the tendency to view community as a simple social phenomenon is spreading. The prophetic dimension, essential to the very existence of community life, gets weaker and sometimes tends to disappear. In this case, it becomes fashionable to reduce good community life to a simple question of efficient organization and courtesy. 40 Report of the General Council

43 Renewal of our communities: How good it is to live in unity Faced with this pernicious misunderstanding, so deeply and widely rooted, energy appears to be lacking. Activities do not keep up with the needs. Frequently the good response aroused by such and such an initiative has only a limited extent. Contact with the Provinces has shown us the seriousness of the difficulties due to these different perceptions of community. But we have also noted the volume of work accomplished by the Provincials and their councils to meet this challenge. Among the results of this effort, today groups of Brothers speak of their admiration for the virtues characteristic of a generation different from their own, younger or older. Others admire the spirit of dialogue which is little by little becoming established in communities. We have constantly suggested that the response to this situation could be found in Initial Formation. But we also have need of community animators well prepared to manage the different approaches which become more numerous and more elaborate as society changes and becomes more complex. e) Formation of superiors In a world more and more sophisticated of rapid social change and increasing diversity of experience from one Brother to another the Marist community animator needs to complete his necessary natural January

44 2.2 gifts with a good preparation for his mission and then by continual updating (44.3). We have seen the efforts of Provinces to provide for formation of community animators. Several Provinces have created a permanent structure permitting local superiors to meet regularly to exchange experiences and to reflect together on common topics and questions. Some Provinces have developed formation plans extending over several years (44.2-3). Others have acted as a group of Provinces or as a region. For the amount of effort invested, there are Brothers who have sometimes expressed their disappointment with regard to the concrete results in the life of the commun ities. In fact, the formation of animators of community continues to be a great challenge for many Provinces. But there are also encouraging results. For example, community animators feel more supported in their role, and in a general way a more relaxed climate has developed which fosters freedom and dialogue. Moreover, from now on agreement exists that good formation for community animators is necessary. Our understanding of the Call for the revitalisation of Provinces has grown as our contact with the Provinces and the Brothers has progressed. We have learnt that concern about this subject is serious and widespread. We are convinced that what is at stake is crucial and that we have to remain attentive, open, and creative. But, very fortunately, we have also observed the determination of many Brothers - Provincial superiors and others - to pursue reading, reflection and action with a view to creating communities which may be truly at the service of evangelization. f) Visiting the Provinces During our visits to the Provinces we gave special attention to the needs of animating communities (44.2-5). In the course of the first visit, in a particular way attention was focused on the community as the base unit of the Institute. We spent time in all the communities. Community meetings were great times for sharing. The Brothers had the opportunity to share about the events of their life and their journey of faith (42.2). We also had a personal interview with each Brother. Our meetings with the Provincials and Provincial Councils were an opportunity for sharing on the vitality of communities and for offering our encouragement. Our discussions were, essentially, devoted to reflection and to looking for possible approaches to the different situations and questions which arose. 42 Report of the General Council

45 Renewal of our communities: How good it is to live in unity In many Provinces we encountered communities full of vitality. These communities, despite their notable differences, presented however some common traits. They had, for example, a remarkable fidelity to community practices such as prayer, meals, free time together, etc. (43.6). 5 According to what we were told, these regular times together developed in the communities listening to each other and availability (43.3). We also encountered some communities which, inspired by the Call of the General Chapter, had explicitly introduced the option: centred on Jesus Christ into their Community Life Project. Regular reference to such a project helped the Brothers to return often to the essentials. We also admired and supported the creativity of communities which as a matter of habit welcomed young people to a sharing of life and faith (43.1). In general the gatherings included a time of prayer, a meal, and time for relaxation. It was all done without formality, with the young people able to express themselves very freely. Insofar as these wonderful experiences were not so common or little known, we encouraged the Provincial and the Brothers of these communities to identify clearly the reasons for their vitality, to deepen them, and to share them with others as widely as possible. The vitality of the communities (22) always had a special place in the reports of the Province visits. In them the communities were presented as our basic unit and thus the place where the level of vitality of the Institute can be measured. The Brothers were invited, collectively and individually, to be creative in the animation and renewal of their communities (43.1 and 6). The Brothers were sensitised to the crucial role that community has for their personal stability and the vitality of the Province and the Institute. 5 Br. Seán Sammon, Marvelous Companions - Community life among Marcellin s Little Brothers of Mary, pp g) Courses organised by the General Administration for community animators In 2005, the General Council s Religious Life Commission organised and offered a two-month formation course for community animators (44.3). All the Provinces of the Institute were invited to send participants. Eventually, two sessions in the Spanish language were organized at El Escorial in Spain and one session in English was organized at Nemi near Rome. It was intended that the participants in the courses would contribute to community animation programmes in their Provinces and pass on the formation received to other community animators in their region. In 2007 the General Council s Religious Life Commission established contact with the Brothers who took part in the animators course to enquire about their contribution January

46 2.2 in their Provinces and regions. About 45% of the participants responded to the questionnaire sent them. The information received back showed remarkable differences. A certain number of these trained animators participated actively in developing and realising Provincial and regional programmes fostering community leadership. Others, on the contrary, were engaged in apostolates with few links to community animation and have not had the opportunity of sharing the fruits of their formation. h) Marvellous Companions The major undertaking relating to the Call to revitalise communities was without a doubt the circular Marvellous Companions. 6 In the course of our visits we were sometimes asked by Provincials to conduct a workshop on the animation of community life. Marvellous Companions was a valuable instrument for this. In these times of confusion about many aspects of community, this circular has given many Brothers clarity and serenity. In providing a common reference point, the circular has contributed to the dialogue on community. 6 Br. Seán Sammon, Marvelous Companions - Community life among Marcellin s Little Brothers of Mary. The creation of community is clearly seen as something to which each member contributes a significant part. The questions posed in the circular help the Brothers to question themselves about their reading of reality and their participation in community. The circular has provided a good basis for those who wish to reflect on the subject. One of the difficulties that we often see in communities is polarisation. On one hand, there are those who rely on familiar structures and reject change, and on the other, those who want unrestricted freedom and see spirituality as an individual affair. In both cases community tends to become unreal. Marvellous Companions has brought community out of its isolation by solidly establishing its deep links with identity, with mission, and with the diversity of cultures. The Brothers are urged to live a community life situated in the real and living world, submitting to the changes the community has to meet and to which it must adapt. Young people, the special object of our mission, represent this world. They are part of it. Finally, the circular challenges the Brothers in rel - ation to the regrettable tendency to reduce community 44 Report of the General Council

47 Renewal of our communities: How good it is to live in unity to a purely social phenomenon. It presents community as an act of faith which escapes deceptively reassuring definition. Thus the challenge of community is restored to its proper place, that is to say at the heart of the relationship with God Orientations for the future a) Reflection and animation We believe that the vitality of communities will be a major challenge for the Institute in the years to come. To respond to it in an effective and lasting fashion, initiatives will have to be well thought out. A possible way of doing this would be to make sure that reflection on, and animation of, community life is at the heart of the General Administration and at Provincial and regional levels, and assure that the three harmonise their activity. This reflection would be about such points as: A theological study and clarification of community life. Affirming the essential link between our community life, our Marist identity and our mission; and its expression in community structures. Appreciating and revitalising the role of community superior and clarifying the mission attached to this office. b) Courses of formation Courses of formation of the type conducted in 2005 at El Escorial and Nemi have had a positive impact on many Provinces, especially when there was some structure for follow-up. Similar initiatives could be useful. c) Restructuring of communities Will it be necessary to promote restructuring of communities? Communities which are isolated, too small, and carrying too great a workload tend to develop a vision not fully in line with the invitation of the second Call of the 2001 General Chapter. January

48 2.3 BROTHERS AND LAY PEOPLE TOGETHER: WIDEN THE SPACE OF YOUR TENT WE FEEL CALLED TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPECIFIC IDENTITIES OF BROTHERS AND LAY MARISTS, IN SHARING LIFE: SPIRITUALITY, MISSION, FORMATION Our understanding of the call As the new millennium was nearing Pope John Paul II exhorted the Universal Church to assure the active participation of the laity: A new state of affairs today, both in the Church and in social, economic, political and cultural life, calls with a particular urgency for the action of the lay faithful. And he invited them to accept the Lord s call to take an active, conscientious and responsible part in the mission of the Church in this great moment in history. 7 As the Pope suggested, the Institute, in recent years, has been committed to the work of stirring up and promoting a deeper awareness among all the faithful of the gift and responsibility they share, both as a group and as individuals, in the communion and mission of the Church. 8 7 Christifideles laici, 3 8 Christifideles laici, 2 Speaking specifically of the Call that came out of the General Chapter, it seems that in it we see the experience of the capitulants in their own local situations, more than a theoretical reflection. It speaks concretely of the rich experiences of the Brothers and laity sharing 46 Report of the General Council

49 (one of the words most used in this section of the document) and it affirms a deep conviction: We are convinced that the life-giving Spirit is leading us along a common path (29). In recent years the Institute has indeed followed a challenging path, Brothers and lay people walking it together. We believe that even the title that the document gives this Call expresses well the fundamental invitation, directed especially to the Brothers: With the laity: widen the space of your tent. A clear invitation, then, for every Brother, every Marist community, to open doors and hearts, to welcome without pre-judging, to be enriched by sharing. We are facing a new phenomenon in the Institute and, to the degree we move forward, new questions will arise to which we will have to answer together. We emphasize, in a special way, a great concern with identity: it is recommended, in fact, that the General Council facilitate what will help Brothers and lay people make their Marist identity more explicit what they have in common, what is specific and what is complementary in our vocations - and to clarify the different ways of being a lay Marist (47.2). During our visits we have frequently heard the question In what does being a Lay Marist consist?, seeking a clearer definition. But it appears to us that frequently, this question is followed by another, related one: In what does being a Marist Brother consist? The Chapter pointed out as a worry, the fact that now that their traditional roles have been taken over by others, a number of Brothers are questioning January

50 2.3 the meaning of their vocation, and even doubting the choice they made to be Brothers (11.3). It also seems to us that the XX General Chapter, by joining this call of the identity of the lay person as well as that of the Brother, wished to emphasize the charismatic complementarity of both vocations and the need for them to interact, secure in believing that a similar ecclesial dynamic will be helpful to the renewal and identity of consecrated life Putting the call into action a) Marist Laity, a priority: advances and reluctance 9 Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life: Starting Afresh from Christ, 31; cf. Vita Consecrata, 55 From the beginning of our mandate, in order to stress the importance of the topic, we first set up a Commission on Marist Laity, and then, following the General Conference of 2005, a Bureau. Due to a variety of circumstances, there was no continuity in the Brothers who were appointed secretary through 2005, with the result that the Commission was not very effective. The arrival in April 2006 of Br. Pau Fornells to fill the office of Director of the new Bureau for Laity was an important step forward, as much within the General Administration as with contacts made with the different regions of the Institute. We are grateful to Br. Pau for his obvious enthusiasm and for his great love of work, which are already bearing fruit. 48 Report of the General Council

51 Brothers and lay people together: widen the space of your tent Aware of the invitation to widen the tent directed above all to the Brothers, our impression is that, generally speaking, important steps forward have been taken in the Institute regarding openness to the laity; in joint responsibility in our educational centres; in a greater awareness of the lay Marist vocation. All in all, there are some who have embraced the idea of Marist partnership only with reluctance. Seeing it as another sign of diminishment, they judge it necessary due to a decline in the number of Brothers. 10 This point of view gives rise to an attitude of distrust in these Brothers and, in some cases, it shows itself in choices made by some superiors of Administrative Units [AUs] and their councils, especially when making decisions or in the application of which, they seem to act - ually contradict the guiding principles to which we say we adhere. 10 Br. Seán Sammon, Circular Making Jesus Known and Loved, p Br. Seán Sammon, Circular of Convocation of the XXI General Chapter, p Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life: Starting Afresh from Christ, 31. b) Clarifying our Marist identity As our mandate comes to a close we believe that the call to define Marist identity continues to be a challenge for the Institute: the vocation of a Marist brother and a Marist layman or woman are two different callings and both are necessary for the full life of the Church. We must clarify some current confusion about the identity of each by describing those elements held in common by Marist brothers and Marist laymen and women as well as those characteristics that make each of these respective vocations unique. 11 In this effort to define and clarify we need to look more deeply into our own experience - in dialogue with advances in the theology of the laity and of Religious Life. An open and fraternal dialogue on the experiences of other institutes would also be helpful. Another aspect which it would be good to delve into more deeply is that of mutual relations between these identities and in what ways do we help and need one another, since communion and mutuality in the Church are never one way streets. In this new climate of eccles ial communion, priests, religious and laity, far from ignoring each other or coming together only for a common activity, can once again find the just relationships of communion and a renewed experience of evangelical communion and mutual charismatic esteem resulting in a complementarity which respects the differences. 12 We hope that a helpful contribution along these lines will be the upcoming publication of the document The Vocation of the Lay Marist, the outcome of a long process of study and consultation. This document, entrusted to an inter national January

52 2.3 commission of lay people and Brothers that began its work in 2006, does not aim to be a treatise nor to have the last word on the topic, but responds to the objective of defining the lay Marist vocation based, above all, on the living testimony of lay Marists. c) Processes of shared formation and charismatic vitality The XX General Chapter invited the Provincials and their Councillors to begin or to continue developing programs of common formation for Brothers and lay people (29 and 44.6). In turn, the General Council was asked to assist those Provinces or Districts experiencing difficulties in providing those programs (47.4). We could place in this same section the call to promote in each Administrative Unit innovative experiences that require us to share our mission, spirituality and life with lay people (44.8), as well as facilitating the interchange of those experiences on the international level via the communication media of the Institute (47.6). In 2004 a questionnaire went out on various matters related to the Marist laity. Regarding existing programs of formation, we learned that the majority of Administrative Units had programs for lay people in place, but that very few were responding to the wish of the Chapter that there be programs for Brothers and lay people together. In an attempt to support this course of action, an international gathering, with representatives from 22 AUs of the Institute in attendance, was held at Les Avellanes (Spain) in May 2007 on the theme processes of common formation for Brothers and lay people. We believe the meeting at Les Avellanes was very significant in giving new direction to common formation programs, as evidenced in a series of fundamental elements that came out of that meeting, and are being followed up at two other meetings that give continuity to what occurred in Spain in Quito (Ecuador), in July 2008, for Spanish and Portuguese speakers and in Saint Paul Trois-Châteux (France), in April and May of 2009, for English and French speakers. The very name of these meetings ( Experiences of processes of common formation and charismatic vitality ) points out some facets of their content; for example: the importance of community experience, and the intrinsic unity between living the charism, spirituality and mission. 50 Report of the General Council

53 Brothers and lay people together: widen the space of your tent d) Association, co-responsibility, participation A most significant event in the shared pilgrimage of Brothers and lay people was the celebration of the Marist International Mission Assembly. The process they developed involved close cooperation and interaction at each stage of the Assembly and at all levels of the Institute, reflecting a rich diversity in ways of participating in the Marist mission and of living the charism. In its final document what stands out is the importance of the theme: Champagnat Marists in Shared Mission. The convictions and suggestions expressed in this document, on the level of vocation as well as of mission, are a reflection of what surfaced in the AUs during the process of the Assembly and of how much, therefore, we think of ourselves and feel ourselves to be Brothers and lay people in the Institute. Regarding the association of lay people and their participation in the life of the Institute, the Chapter invited the AUs to set up structures needed to make co-responsibility between Brothers and Lay Marists effective in the areas of planning, animation and management of Marist ministries (44.7). The General Council would have a similar responsibility so that lay people can participate in an appropriate way in bodies such as Commissions, Assemblies, Chapters within the Institute (47.5). In addition, they are invited to study various forms of belonging to our Institute, and to allow lay persons, in consultation with the Provincial and his Council, to live various types of Marist commitment ad experimentum. Based on these trial experiences, the General Council will make provision for the juridic structure which will enable a decision on this matter to be taken at the XXI General Chapter (47.3). January

54 2.3 We have witnessed, during these years of our mandate, the efforts, carried out in many Administrative Units and in the General Administration itself, to find and set in motion structures which facilitate co-responsibility, as the Chapter requested. Along these lines, we should recognize that there are AUs that have taken great steps forward, while others are just beginning. As a concrete way of facilitating the participation of lay people in the General Administration, especially in areas that affect them in a direct way, within the Bureau for Laity there has been created an Extended Bureau, of a consultative nature, composed of three lay people and two Brothers. The Champagnat Movement of the Marist Family presently has some 300 fraternities, with about 3,600 members. Almost 95% of these fraternities are in America and Europe, with the other 5% in Africa and Asia. Oceania has none. During our mandate we have tried to promote and/or support coordination and sharing on the regional level, especially in America and Europe. In fact, in Europe there has been a council of delegates of the Champagnat Movement in place since We believe, as the XIX General Chapter had already affirmed, that the Champagnat Movement Guidelines offer a sure path for lay people who are seeking to live a Marist spirituality, and we realize that for many people it has been very helpful to their personal growth and their Christian commitment. In our contacts with the fraternities of the Champagnat Movement we have seen a high level of attachment to the Institute, enthusiasm and a sincere desire to live the Marist charism in community. All that being said, in the majority of the AUs, there is concern for generational transition that, for various reasons, the Champagnat Movement has not succeeded in connecting with the new generation growing out of Marist Youth Ministry. Let us recall that the Chapter invited every community in the Institute to promote the establishment of Champagnat Movement groups that would be signs of vitality encouraged by the Institute, or to welcome other possible forms of association (43.10). The study of the different forms of belonging to the Institute requested by the XX General Chapter is included in the document entitled The Vocation of the Lay Marist, but we think little has been accomplished 52 Report of the General Council

55 Brothers and lay people together: widen the space of your tent in this area. In a few AUs there have been attempts at implementing new ways of association, but they are still in an embryonic stage. The few experiments undertaken in the Institute seem to us insufficient from which to draw conclusions at the present time or to make proposals for the future. More than half of the AUs of the Institute have an intentional community that includes lay people, as recommended by the Chapter (30 and 44.8). Their styles and manner of organization and experiences vary greatly from one place to another, depending upon the circumstances of each AU, including cultural and other factors. But we can divide them generally into three types: those created to promote volunteerism; those for vocational discernment; and those created for the purpose of sharing life and mission. An especially significant community, given its visibility throughout the Institute, is going to be the one planned as the welcoming community at the renovated Hermitage. International from its beginnings, it was set up by the General Council and the Province of the L Hermitage. Although it will not officially begin to function until February 2010, its members began to plan and prepare much earlier. They say they see themselves as a Marist community of Brothers and lay people committed to living passionately the charism and the spirituality that comes down to us from St. Marcellin. Inspired by the listening attitude of Mary, our Good Mother, we seek to make the Marist places a centre of spirituality open to the entire Institute and to the local Church. To accomplish this end, we wish to dedicate all our efforts to living in community in such a way that the Marist places will be a space where everyone will feel welcomed by the warmth of the Marist charism itself, will find a driving force and an opportunity to strengthen the processes of spiritual growth and to deepen their experience and understanding of the Marist charism Future directions a) The Vocation of the Lay Marist We think the publication of the document The Vocation of the Lay Marist will be a good opportunity for both lay people and Brothers to become more aware of this special vocation and its relation to the vocation of the January

56 2.3 Brother. Much will depend on how it is presented and reflected on in each of the AUs. A particular challenge will be to reach a balance between giving special attention to vocationed Lay Marists, so that other people, with other ways of following the charism, will feel that there is a place for them as well. b) Processes of common formation and charismatic vitality In addition to providing continuity to existing formation programs at various levels, we believe it would be good to deepen the programs already begun with experiences of processes of common formation and charismatic vitality. It seems to us, therefore, that they should be ongoing in each of the AUs. c) New forms of connection to the Marist charism On thinking about the different ways of belonging to the Institute, it seems that the Marist International Mission Assembly has signalled an important change of direction, when it speaks of stirring up new forms of connection to the Marist charism, more than connection to the Institute. It seems to us that this path, suggested by lay people and Brothers, should be explored in the future. d) A new shared Marist vocational ministry Keeping in mind the complementarity of the vocations of the Brother and of the Lay Marist, we recall the challenge presented by the Marist International Mission Assembly, to promote a new shared Marist vocational ministry, already cited by the XX General Chapter, that invited each of the Brothers to promote Marist vocations Brothers and Lay Marists (42.5). e) Formation processes and personal accompaniment For those lay people who wish to live their Christian life as Marists, we believe it necessary to organize formation processes tailored to their needs, as well as quality personal accompaniment, on both the human and spiritual levels. Often in the AUs group accompaniment is offered, but many lay people have expressed the need for personal ac- 54 Report of the General Council

57 Brothers and lay people together: widen the space of your tent companiment, that, in many instances, remains just a wish. f) A closer connection among Marist laity A closer connection among Marist laity is vital at the Provincial, regional and international levels. The lay people who identify most closely with the Marist charism and who have a talent for reflection and leadership should be able to meet together to delve more deeply into finding the response the Spirit is asking of them. g) The community We believe that community, a fundamental element of the charism we have inherited from Marcellin Champagnat, must continue to develop through its different expressions: fraternities of the Champagnat Movement and other groups, communities made up of Brothers and lay people, etc. In 2010 we celebrate the 25 th anniversary of the launching of the Champagnat Movement. Might this not be a good time to evaluate the movement and its future? January

58 2.4 MISSION AND SOLIDARITY: FIRE UPON THE EARTH GO FORWARD, BROTHERS AND LAY PERSONS TOGETHER, IN A CLEAR AND DECISIVE WAY, DRAWING CLOSER TO THE POOREST AND MOST MARGINALISED OF YOUNG PEOPLE, THROUGH NEW WAYS IN EDUCATION, EVANGELIZATION AND SOLIDARITY Our understanding of the call We clearly understand that the XX General Chapter stressed, in the first place, a Call to unite mission and solidarity under the same title, consisting of one Commission, which handled both themes, in contrast to what was done in the XIX General Chapter. We see in this Call an invitation to the entire Institute to be one in heart and action; thus, a strong call to leave behind battles that protect our own turf or interests. The Call in itself does not seem to us to offer much room for interpretation and it seems absolutely clear in its objective: to go forward drawing closer to the poorest and most marginalised of young people (31). The capitulants, acknowledging the work done in our educational instit utions, express a sense of urgency in this call, there is still a long way to go (32) to go forward in a clear and decisive way (31) we have a burning desire for our institutions to be clear signs of Gospel values and promoters of justice (33) searching for new projects to express our preferential option for the poor (34 and 48.7). 56 Report of the General Council

59 Moreover, the Chapter offers us two crucial points with which to evaluate our educational works: evangelization and the preferential option for the poor and neglected (45.2) Our implementation of the call a) Mission and solidarity: Fire upon the earth The call directed to our Institute is very clear, but our perception is that, in fact, among the Brothers there are deep differences of opinion about this theme. 13 How do we bring to fruition a mandate as clear as to encourage new forms of Marist presence, and the movement of Brothers, communities and works towards the poor (48.7) and at the same time be able to overcome the differences of opinion that have created invisible barriers among us? Over the course of many years, the intention of our work has been to be clear about what the Chapter was asking of the Institute (the Circular To Make Jesus Christ Known and Loved is a good example of this) and so we have been expressing this in our visits to the Administrative Units of the Institute, especially in the final reports. At the same time, however, we have gone about transmitting our profound conviction that this Call is to unite us 13 Br. Seán Sammon, Circular To Make Jesus Christ Known and Loved. January

60 2.4 and not divide us; in order to become one force rather than to waste our time in sterile or useless discussions: we are all called to go forward drawing closer to the poorest and most marginalised of young people (31), even if we are not all called to do this in the same way, as was acknowledged in the XIX General Chapter. 14 Through the work of the Commission on Mission (in which Br. Juan Miguel Anaya had an important role, and to whom we give our thanks for his excellent work as Executive Secretary), we have made a conscious decision to be attentive and supportive, in the best way possible, to the different fields of Marist Mission (a good example would be the various international meetings that we have promoted: management and governance of educational works; Marist youth ministry; Marist universities; Marist social works ). All of these have been practical ways of emphasizing, in the spirit of In the Footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat, that there is only one mission, which is expressed through different forms and faces. This is its true richness, more than a limitation. We have the impression that, even though profound differences of opinion, tied to emotional factors, are still present among us, we are living them out in more serene and peaceful ways than in the past. 14 Documents of the XIX General Chapter, Solidarity, 19. As to progress in drawing closer to the poorest and most marginalised of young people, we believe that there have been significant advances in the Institute. In the first place through an increasing identification of Brothers and lay people with this Call, independent of where their mission may take place. They have also progressed thanks to the creation of new ministries directed at the service of these children and young people, as well 58 Report of the General Council

61 Mission and solidarity: fire upon the earth as through the work brought about in the heart of our present institutions: education for solidarity, both theoretical and practical; greater access of admission to our present institutions, giving preference to the most needy; careful attention to students with special educational needs, etc. Nevertheless, drawing upon impressions formed during our visits, we believe that a great number of Administrative Units have not taken significant steps in the last few years in order to fulfil the mandate of the Chapter to create new forms of Marist presence among the poor which would encourage a new style of Marist religious life in our living with and in the simple style of the poor in sufficient number to show our preferential option for the poor. (48.7) For our part, as the General Council, we recognize that, in opting for a type of animation of a mission that encompasses multiple aspects, we have not achieved an explicit and sufficient form of animation for some of the mandates of the General Chapter in this line; such as when the Council is asked to push the movement of Brothers, communities and works towards the poor (48.7) or asking of those responsible for Administrative Units that there be an evaluation of our apostolic institutions, and, if need be, that they be refocused to bring them into line with the promotion of evangelisat - ion and the preferential option for the poor and neglected. (45.2) b) To evangelize, our reason for being Aware that making Jesus Christ known and loved is at the heart of our mission, we have been encouraged during our visits to the Administrative Units and appreciate the efforts carried out in this field of evangelization, and we encourage everyone to continue such progress. It seems to us that, in a substantial part of the Institute, significant efforts have been made to mark our educational works as centres of evangelization for children and youth: the dedication of personnel and the measures taken on the Province level; the establishment of pastoral teams in these centres; the creation of appropriate materials for religious formation, prayer services and retreats; the evaluation of these centres according to criteria for evangel - ization previously established; the promotion of youth ministry; etc. Regrett - ably, however, there are still some places where it is difficult to imagine that evangelization is the priority and the focus of our educational works. In more than half of the Administrative Units of the Institute, Marist Youth Ministry is present in a systematic and organized way and, frequently, with much experience and development. This tells us that our Marist Youth Ministry has a privileged place in the evangelization of our young people, and that efforts to promote its growth are very important, so that we can accompany our youth on their journey to being active disciples of Jesus. January

62 2.4 With the purpose of gathering together the experience of the Institute with Marist Youth Ministry, we created an International Commission that is putting together a Reference Document for the consolidation of efforts already in place, and put into action similar efforts in the Administrative Units that are not aware of them. c) The Marist Foundation for International Solidarity (FMSI) Since its foundation in 1995, BIS (Bureau of International Solidarity) has produced positive results in many different areas: stimulating interest in the theme of solidarity; the financing of micro-projects; support for the preparation of projects and the search for external financing; the establishment of a network with other similar organizations. Looking at the financial support of the mission of the Institute, we can say that in the area of micro-projects (financed by funds from the Institute with a maximum of US$5,000 per project) from approximately US$1,000,000 has been allotted. During this same time period BIS sought financing for 138 projects, with a sum total of US$5,000,000. It is worth pointing out the extraordinary response of the Institute when emergency economic assistance was requested, as in the cases of Goma and Bobandana, and after the tsunami in Southeast Asia (a total of US$1,700,217). In January 2004, the General Council, as it has done with other departments of the General Administration, entrusted the evaluation of BIS to an international team, which offered its recommendations in June of that year. Basing itself on that evaluation, the General Council approved a Strategic Plan for BIS ( ) in January One of the most salient fruits of this time of reflection was the commitment which has been placed, in the name of the Institute and as a paramount work of BIS, to the defence of the rights of children. With this end in view, following the recommendation of the XX General Chapter which encouraged the representation of the Institute before international organizations concerned with education and solidarity (48.6), in 2005 Br. César Henríquez was named Delegate for the Promotion and Defence of Children s Rights to the corresponding body of the United Nations, whose headquarters are in Geneva. In Septem- 60 Report of the General Council

63 Mission and solidarity: fire upon the earth ber 2006, Br. Cesar was transferred to Geneva, residing in a community of the Province of the L Hermitage. We are grateful for the facilities made available by their fraternal welcome. The three years of work carried out by Br. Cesar in this field of ministry, new for the Marist Institute, have been useful for creating a solid base upon which future developments can be built. Thank you very much, Brother! We are also grateful to Br. James Jolley, our new delegate in Geneva, for his availability and generosity, which allow us to continue this important work in the coming years. In order that the Institute can carry out its mission in defence of the rights of children before the United Nations, it was necessary to create, in October 2007, a Non-Government Organization (NGO) with an international character. It was given the name: Fondazione Marista per la Solidarietà Internazionale (FMSI). In April 2008 this NGO was officially listed in the Registry of Juridical Persons of the Government of Italy. Several months before that, it had received recognition as an ONLUS (a non-profit organization for social good). Once FMSI was granted status as a Juridical Person, the process was initiated of establishing it as an NGO recognised by ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council of the United Nations). This will probably be finalized in The creation of FMSI and its recognition as an ONLUS (a non-profit entity) also provide the Institute with the possibility of gathering funds which will help finance our mission among the poorest and most needy children and young people. The creation of FMSI makes it necessary to reorganize the Bureau of International Solidarity (BIS). FMSI will be managed by the members of the BIS team. It will be necessary to separate clearly the projects that can be helped by FMSI from those which will have to continue being helped by BIS. The whole BIS team (Rome and Geneva) has worked with vision and enthusiasm so that FMSI could be created and recognized, and they are presently supporting with great creativity the first steps of this new Marist NGO, which represents the whole Institute. Our most sincere appreciation is extended to Br. Dominick Pujia and to Sara Panciroli and Angela Petenzi, who with great tact, enthusiasm and a large dose of patience, are offering their highly valued support to the Marist Mission. At the same time, we are now in a position to offer a most cordial welcome to Br. Richard Carey, who will take the place of Br. Dominick Pujia on November 1, January

64 2.4 d) Our internationality at the service of the mission We have been an international Institute for more than a century, but we have not always acted as such. 15 Consequently, it has been an orientation of the General Council to develop the sense of belonging to an International Institute so that we can take advantage of the potential which that reality offers us. The Commission on Mission has come to realize that the richness of being an international Institute is something of which we should take advantage. As a consequence, the Commission has promoted networking efforts at the continental level in ways such as: (1) favouring the creation of continental Mission Teams where they do not presently exist; (2) providing leadership when circumstances require it; or (3) supporting them when Administrative Units have established these teams, as has been the case in Oceania. In the case of America, Europe, and Africa, new Teams were created, in dialog with the Provincials of the corresponding areas. In all these cases, within the agreed possibilities of each region, Teams have been very active and have facilitated sharing in the diverse expressions of Marist Mission. The delayed restructuring of Asia did not allow for the creation of a Team for Asia. 15 Br. Seán Sammon, Letter of Convocation of the General Conference of 2005, p. 12. In the area of Mission, there are other examples of networking which are overcoming the limits of geography in our Administrative Units. Among such examples are: (1) the consolidation of an international Network of Marist Institutions which work on the level of tertiary education; the production of a document on identity and mission of these institutions; and offering a common postgraduate course on Marist Mission and Spirituality; (2) the creation of an international team to guide and support the Marist Youth Ministry in the Americas; and (3) the constitution of an international team to produce for the whole Institute a document focused on Marist Youth Ministry. At one point during our term of office, we started talking about the possibility of offering an International Volunteer Service for the whole Institute. We finally decided that if requests of this type came to us we would refer them to already existing Marist organizations. Still, we thought that a service which the General Administration could offer to volunteers (Brothers and lay people) is to promote coordinated actions in emergency situations. One of the most successful act - ivities during our term of office, 62 Report of the General Council

65 Mission and solidarity: fire upon the earth in line with the Calls of the XX General Chapter, has been the celebration of the International Assembly of the Marist Mission. Over the span of two years, more than 20,000 people involved in the Marist Mission par - ticipated in a process of reflection, dialog and celebration. The various stages (local, provincial, regional and final) presumed a willingness to acquire a deeper understanding of the principal lines of action indicated by the XX General Chapter. The Statement elaborated during the final phase of the Assembly (at Mendes in 2007) surfaced in fact three urgent needs directly linked to the Marist Mission, at the same time offering suggestions for implementation: evangelization; new challenges to Marist education; the defence and promotion of the rights of children and youth. e) Mission ad gentes The capitulants recognized that the fire of Pentecost urges us to take part in the missionary outreach of the whole Church (36 and 46). A response to this Call came about after the General Conference of 2005, when the General Council pushed for a project called Mission ad Gentes centred January

66 2.4 above all in Asia. Behind the project is the conviction that this is one of the elements that are at the heart of our identity as Marcellin s Little Brothers, and that this call for a new mission ad gentes project in Asia is from the Spirit. 16 A personal letter from Brother Superior General to all the Brothers of the Institute (January 2, 2006) explained the project and invited them to offer themselves as volunteers if they felt called. The letter provoked an instinctive response from the Brothers, as expressed by the 186 Brothers who responded personally to Br. Seán s letter. A good number have told us that taking the step of offering themselves for this project has brought renewed enthusiasm for their religious vocation and a return to its sources. 16 Br. Seán Sammon, Circular Making Jesus Known and Loved, pp. 89 and 102. In a more general way, we believe that the project has helped create among us a new missionary culture, helping us to relativise the arbitrariness of the boundaries of our Administrative Units or of our countries, and to cultivate the spirit of availability present in a missionary heart, independent of the country where he finds himself. This project increased considerably the work of the General Administration, but thanks to the good work of Brothers Michael Flanigan and Iván Buenfil in Rome, as well as the patient labour of accompaniment and preparation on the part of the Formation Team in Davao (Brothers Tim Leen, Alfredo Herrera and Roy Deita), everything has developed in the best possible manner. We point out in particular the considerable work of Br. Michael Flanigan, who has prepared the way for opening new missionary presences, speaking with bishops and investigating missionary possibilities in eight countries. Our most sincere thanks to everyone. Many thanks also to Brothers Mike de Waas and Jude Pieterse (superior and econome of the Sector respectively) who, through an excellent manner of leadership, have assured a pastoral accompaniment of our Brothers. At the same time, we have to offer our most sincere gratitude to some Provinces for their generous financial aid to this project which added to funding coming from external sources. By July 2008 the Ad Gentes Sector had missioned Brothers to six countries. (Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Thailand, and two others), all told 64 Report of the General Council

67 Mission and solidarity: fire upon the earth forty-one Brothers of twenty-one nationalities. Presumably, by the time the XXI General Chapter starts, another ten Brothers will have been incorporated into the Sector. We must share with you the fact that another fifteen Brothers who volunteered for the Ad Gentes Project have been sent to communities in other continents (three to Haiti, three to Algeria, five to Canada, two to Cuba, one to Ghana and one to Angola). Moreover, for different reasons, some who started their formation in Davao decided to return to their own Provinces. Knowing that another twenty-six Brothers have volunteered to join this project after 2009, we think that, when the program comes to an end, about one hundred Brothers will have moved from their own places of origin to join the Ad Gentes Sector in Asia or to apostolates in other continents. Even though the initial thought was to incorporate lay people into the Ad Gentes Project as volunteers starting in 2008, the General Council thought that it would be better to wait until communities were consolidated Future Orientations a) The Call of the General Chapter We believe that the Call of the General Chapter is as significant as it ever was, and that the Call should remain the point of reference for the Marist Mission: Go forward, Brothers and lay persons together, in a clear and decisive way, drawing closer to the poorest and most marginalized of young people, through new ways in education, evangelization and solidarity. All Administrative Units should be marked by their effective commitment to the poorest and most neglected children and young people. The commitment will be shown through (1) the openness of presently existing institutions and the priorities established by these institutions, (2) by putting our resources at their service, and (3) by the number of people working with these children and young people. b) The defence and promotion of the rights of children and young people We understand that the defence and the promotion of the rights of children and young people is one way of putting ourselves at the service of those who are excluded - as was noted by the Marist International January

68 2.4 Mission Assembly. The consolidation of our office in Geneva as well as its influence throughout the whole Institute will be an excellent way for us to realize the potential of this new apostolate. c) Obtaining funding With the increasing difficulties involved in the economic support of many of our current apostolates, we think that, in the years to come, FMSI will need to direct its efforts to obtaining funds, both public and private. d) The internationality of the Institute In spite of the resistance of some Administrative Units to involve themselves in an active manner in work and collaboration at supra-province levels, it seems to us that this is the way to move into the future if we are to understand the deep significance of the internationality of the Institute. This speaks to the availability and disposition needed to participate in teams and in international meetings, but, above all, to an awareness among the Brothers that they professed themselves to the Institute and not only to one Administrative Unit or geographic area. 66 Report of the General Council

69 Mission and solidarity: fire upon the earth We suggest that Marist Youth Ministry be developed throughout the Institute, following up the guidelines to be contained in the future document, and that Marist Youth Ministry be provided with adequate means at the different levels: local, provincial, regional and General Administration. We think that the full process that was the Marist International Mission Assembly is one that is valid for the future and that, as a consequence, something similar should be promoted in the years ahead. In its final Statement, the Marist International Mission Assembly noted the importance of guaranteeing the right to education for children and young people, and it noted some present day challenges; an education that evangelizes; education that is committed to solidarity and social transformation, respectful of cultures and of environment, and a non-discriminatory education that creates a place for those who do not have it. Such words appear to us as offering a complete action plan for the Institute in the coming years. We believe that Mission ad gentes with its international communities, as is presently being implemented, is a response which corresponds perfectly with the identity of our Institute and we see it as an excellent source of vitality. By whatever means, we also believe that this project should continue into the future, with Asia remaining a priority. Likewise, we think it would be good to continue to have a Brother of the General Administration assigned full-time to this project. With a view to guaranteeing the work of education with children and young people at high risk in emer - gency situations (refugee camps, areas of massive immigration, etc.), we recommend the development at the Institute level of a Marist International Volunteer Service (for Brothers and lay people) which would allow for rapid and coordinated responses. January

70 2.5 THE SERVICE OF ANIMATION AND GOVERNMENT: WASH ONE ANOTHER S FEET A CALL TO CREATE STRUCTURES OF ANIMATION AND GOVERNMENT, AT ALL LEVELS, THAT WILL FOSTER THE VITALITY OF THE INSTITUTE Our understanding of the call The point of departure is the vision of the XX General Chapter expressed globally in Choose Life the message of the XX General Chapter, n , and more specifically in the Acts of the XX General Chapter. 17 The ultimate objective is clearly stated: fostering the vitality of the Institute. Towards this end, the General Council has two roles: government and animation Acts of the XX General Chapter, Part III, section 3, pages Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.A.2 19 Constitutions, Acts of the XX General Chapter, III Acts of the XX General Chapter, III The government role is laid out in our Constitutions 19 and concerns decisions such as the appointment of Provincials; approval of Province Norms; approval of the sale of land, construction, etc. Significantly, the Council offers advice to the Superior General in matters such as responding to requests to leave the Institute, for exclaustration, etc. The XX General Chapter requested that the Council be pastoral in exercising this role. 20 The responsibility for animation of the Institute is less predetermined by our Constitutions. Each General Council begins its term with mandates given it by the General Chapter which elects it. In addition, as time passes and the Council gains a clearer knowledge of the reality of the whole Institute the Council will see the need for additional initiatives, in order to ensure the vitality of the Institute, for which it has responsibility. The XX General Chapter requested that the Council be creative in exercising this role Report of the General Council

71 The vision presented to us by the General Chapter has at its core a number of guiding principles, which are interconnected: in all things, to aim for the vitality of our life and mission; making plans and decisions that will enhance life. As Councillors we are to be at the service of life (38). This meant looking for the signs of life that exist among us, even if today only as sparks, and fanning these into a fire of decision and action. fostering communion (38). We know that globalisation is a force that cannot be resisted. We ask ourselves: where is God here? In what ways can globalisation s positive features be directed to bringing God s Kingdom to its fulfilment? How can Gospel values be lived in order to ameliorate its negative features? For an international Institute, globalisation is both a blessing and a challenge. We were asked to respect the rich diversity that exists in an international congregation, yet foster unity so that our core Marist values would be proclaimed clearly. 22 We were asked to be dynamic in encouraging regional and international co-operation (39). Respecting co-responsibility and subsidiarity (38). Our understanding of these principles is that all levels of leadership in the Institute, in fact every Brother and Lay Marist is co-responsible for the vitality of our mission. And in animating and governing, those in leadership respect the roles of leadership appropriate to others. We 22 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.B.3 January

72 2.5 were asked to foster processes of collaboration with Provincials. 23 Clearly, to be carried forward effectively this requires regular consultation, dialogue and mutual planning. Accompaniment of Provincials was given us a key priority. 24 Adopting an attitude of flexibility (39). There is diversity in the Institute and therefore our approaches need to vary according to different needs in different places. Local contexts need to be kept in mind. Such an approach of flexibility becomes vital in pursuing the final, but not least, principle - that the vitality of each Administrative Unit be the concern of all of us (39). The challenges that Administrative Units face vary considerably due to factors of geography, resources, culture, history, etc. 23 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.G.1 24 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.F.1 25 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.C.4 and III. 3.2.E.3 26 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.C.5 27 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.F Our implementation of this Call The General Chapter as well as providing us with guiding principles offered more specific suggestions for structures of animation and government. 25 As well, as we gained experience of the Institute we took time to decide how best to respond to the needs that we saw emerging during our mandate. At the beginning of our term, and again at the time of the 2005 General Conference, we took decisions about the most effective structures for implementing our responsibilities. a) Fostering communion This principle guided our decision to introduce the structure of Link Councillors to regions and Provinces. 26 Our desire was to maintain continuous contact between each Provincial and Council and the General Council. This structure provided the Provincial with a regular point of contact with someone on the Council familiar with the reality of his Province. For our part, we used this connection as a way of accompanying and supporting Provincials in their role. 27 In addition, Link Councillors were appointed to communities such as MIC, MAPAC, the International College, and the General House. Each renewal Team had its Link Councillor. From our perspective, we believe that the role of Link Councillor is one that is worthwhile, yet needs both development and better implementation. To begin with, the role needs greater clarity. If at its core the role is one of accom- 70 Report of the General Council

73 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet paniment and support of Provincials and Provinces, how can this be best achieved given the great diversity of situations that exist among us? What is sufficient contact, sufficient presence in the Administrative Units? Some Provinces have a culture of collaboration with the General Council, and so are welcoming of accompaniment. Providing sufficient presence is challenging given some situations characterised by huge areas, poor means of communication, and the physical distance from Rome that makes travel to some regions both time-consuming and expensive. Our own schedule of visitations and the constant travel this entails, is another significant factor limiting our presence. We agree that having two Councillors linked to each region was a significant advantage in providing greater insight. We are not so sure about whether a Councillor is best linked to his own region or not. There is something to be said for knowing the language and culture of the region; possibly being more readily acceptable as one who knows the realities, and at the same time able to challenge a Province to respond to broader regional needs. On the other hand, there is the risk of subjectivity and a lack in fresh insight in the face of familiar challenges. The two formal visits to each Province were a means by which the General Council was able to keep in contact with the reality of life and mission in the Province, know key people in the Province, and be a source of ideas and encouragement for everyone. The first visit was more extensive since it was at the beginning of our mandate; every community was visited and every Brother given the opportunity for a personal interview. Most of the ministries of each Province were visited. The second visit was more focused. Shorter in length, its purpose was to review the journey made by the Province since the first visit, especially in those significant areas identified in the report that concluded that visit. This focus for the second visit was not well understood by everyone and gave rise to different expectations. This connection was renewed from time to time by additional means. There were regular orientation programs here in Rome for January

74 2.5 new Provincials. We implemented the Extended General Council (EGC) meetings at the conclusion of each of the two rounds of visits. The EGC was a means by which the entire General Council could know the reality of a region, personally know Brothers responsible for Provincial leadership, exercise co-responsibility for the vitality of the Institute, and at the same time witness to communion - not the least, within the General Council itself. As well, we saw such meetings as a means of forming future leaders. Whenever possible, General Councillors attended Provincial Chapters; once again for the purpose of maintaining our knowledge of the Province, fostering communion and offering support to Provincials and their Councils. Two significant moments which fostered communion were the General Conferences: in 2005 in Sri Lanka, and 2007 in Rome. The first of these, mid-way through our term, was very important for reflecting with Provincials and District Superiors on the implementation of the General Chapter s vision for the Institute. In addition we looked together at some proposed far-reaching plans for example: Mission ad gentes, ministry of advocacy for the Rights of Children, renovation of the Hermitage. As well, the location of this General Conference focused the attention of the Institute on Asia. The second General Conference, as a gathering of the leaders of the Institute, focused on seeking together new forms of life-giving animation and government, made necessary by the changes occurring in the Institute due to restructuring and greater regionalisation. The 2005 General Conference prompted within the General Council a review of our structures of animation. Whereas we began our term 72 Report of the General Council

75 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet with six Council Commissions (Mission, Religious Life, Laity, Governance, Evangelical Use of Goods and Vocation Promotion), these were reduced to three: Mission, Religious Life, and the Evangelical Use of Goods. These commissions would each have a permanent secretary. The General Chapter had encouraged us to make use of additional people to assist us. 28 To this end three Bureaus were established: Vocations, Evangelical Use of Goods, and Laity. Due to the generosity of Provinces we were able to find excellent men to be secretaries to Commissions (Brothers Juan Miguel Anaya, Teófilo Minga and Guy Palandre) and lead bureaus (Brothers Ernesto Sanchez, Pedro Ost, and Pau Fornells). For many years, General Councils have made use of international commissions to assist it in its responsibilities. This Council made considerable use of this structure. Some of these commissions are permanently in place: International Economic Affairs Commission, Patrimony Commission. Others were called into being for a specific objective, which when achieved meant the conclusion of the commission. For example: Commission on Marist Spirituality (Water from the Rock), Vocation of the Lay Marist, Marist Youth Ministry, Marist Places (renov - ation of the Hermitage and formation of a community and programs), Guide for Province Secretaries, Revision of Chapter 4 of the Constitutions, etc. By this means, the Council was able to draw upon experience from the great variety of cultures and contexts that exist among us, to reflect upon it, synthesize it, and to offer it to the whole Institute. From time to time the Council also made use of external ad hoc teams, mainly composed of Brothers, to conduct an appraisal of some area for which the General Council has responsibility (eg Administrative Services within the General Administration, Administration of the General Administration property, BIS, technical services, archives). At the same time, from time to time the Council itself has used external facilitation to assist it in the exercise of its responsibilities. 28 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.C.3 29 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.3.2.G.1 We are very grateful to all those who formed these commissions and teams. Through their expertise and hard work, the General Council was in a position to implement its mandates creatively and effectively, while at the same time maintaining the necessary schedule of its Province visitations. While nearly all the commissions and teams mentioned met in Rome, there were other groups whose existence also fostered communion. Specifically, we have in mind regional networks of mission and spirit - uality which the General Council has encouraged with the support of regional Provincials. 29 January

76 2.5 These meetings were just one more example of how communion is fostered when Marists in the same ministry are able to meet other Marists from other countries engaged with the same commitment and often facing similar challenges. Such meetings are a means of both encouragement and developing the capacity of the participants to better serve the mission of the Institute. Not everyone has the opportunity to attend international meetings in order to meet other Marists face to face. For the vast majority of Marists the Marist World is brought to them, or at least to their computer, by means of the Institute webpage: Due to the talent of Br. Antonio Martínez Estaún it has become invaluable to the Institute as both a source of resources and of news from across the world. If you need to know anything usually it is on the webpage. As each year passes, the use of the webpage increases significantly we have the statistics of usage to demonstrate this. The daily quality of the page, and its development are due to the skill and creativity of the webmaster Luiz da Rosa. The Communications Department, which also includes Br. Onorino Rota, is responsible for the printed publications that reach each community and ministry. The quality of the publications is consistently high. We have taken steps to ensure that there are not too many of them. Following consultations, the number of publications has been reduced and streamlined into the weekly Marist News. The most significant factor limiting these means of fostering communion is the disparity across the Institute of access to communication technology and the cost of receiving printed material from overseas. While the updating of the Vademecum might not have affected the lives of many Brothers, it is an indispensible means of promoting communion and unity in the Institute. Along a similar line, but of far greater significance was the initiative of the Secretary-General Br. Jean Ronzon to prepare a guide for the ministry of Province Secretaries, and then to conduct a series of regional meetings where the document was presented and best practice in exercising the role was shared. Profit was made of the meetings to offer to Provinces the Archivum software for use in organising Province Archives, and with the potential of electronically interconnecting the General Administration Archives with those of the Provinces. These developments signif - icantly increased the already considerable responsibilities carried by a Secretary-General. We are very grateful to Br. Jean for the service which he has rendered us and the Institute, with humble dedication, hard work, and good humour. We are grateful also to the L Hermitage Province for their financial and technical support of the Archivum software. It being one expression of the decision we made to enhance the Archives of the Institute. This development has been carried forward due to the considerable work of Br. Juan Moral, Emanuela Lisciarelli, Lucia Distefano and Dorotea Cinnani, done 74 Report of the General Council

77 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet in a most professional manner. We are grateful as well for the professional support rendered to the Secretary-General by his two assistants Br. George Fontana and Gabriela Scanavino. The General Chapter entrusted us with responsibility for continuing the accompaniment of the process of restructuring as well as promoting inter-provincial and regional co-operation across the institute 30. Regular reflection during our mandate has confirmed for us that these are two separate structures, each with its particular potential and limitation. As we began our mandate, there were two newly restructured Provinces (West Central Europe and Southern Africa) in existence. Dates had been set for the inauguration of another 13 (Central East Africa, L Hermitage, Mediterránea, Compostela, Ibérica, Canada, Norandina, Santa María de los Andes, Cruz del Sur, Brasil Centro-Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil Centro-Sul, and United States). One district was to be created (Amazônia) and two Districts were to be re-structured (West Africa and Melanesia). It had been decided that three Provinces would remain as they were (Nigeria, Madagascar, América Central). In a further eleven Provinces and Districts the reflection on restructuring was to continue (México Central, México Occidental, China, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Korea, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Melbourne and Sydney). Without understatement this was the most significant structural reorganisation in our Institute s history. The diversity of situations just described required of us different means of accompaniment. Again and again we kept returning to the Chapter s challenge: We have created new Provinces. Now we need to set about creating renewed Provinces. (37) 30 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.4; III.3.2.G With the two restructured Provinces already in place we saw our role as accompanying the processes of consolidating unity within the January

78 2.5 Province. At the same time we felt it important to share with the rest of the Institute lessons that were being learnt in these Provinces pioneering restructuring. We aimed to be an external set of eyes, seeing if the intended vitality was being achieved and whether the structures of animation and government were pastoral and effective. In the case of the Provinces of Southern Africa and Central East Africa, the Brothers within the Province and ourselves came to the realisation that the geographic spread of these Provinces, and the poor means of communication, made them too large for effective pastoral accompaniment. At the same time, the Brothers in Madagascar came to the realisation that remaining isolated from Africa was not in the best interests of the vitality of Marist life and mission in Madagascar. Consequently, there commenced among all the Brothers of Africa and Madagascar, reflection on how best to respond to these realities. This process of reflection continues and is not scheduled to be concluded until after the forthcoming General Chapter. During our mandate we reflected many times on restructuring. It became essential that there be a clear understanding of what exactly was meant by the term process of restructuring. For us it is an invitation to a Province to undertake a thorough and honest process of evaluating the vitality and future viability of Marist life and mission. The horizon is towards solidarity between every Province, and not simply a limiting focus on one s own needs. In the light of such a reflection, geographic reconfiguration of Provinces may emerge as necessary to ensure the desired vitality and viability. Our role was to facilitate this process of restructuring. In 2007 the process of restructuring among the Pro vinces and District of Asia concluded with the creation of two new Provinces. Within the Province of South Asia would be included the Sector of India, formerly the canonical responsibility of the Province of Melbourne. As elsewhere, the challenge of creating the unity and identity 76 Report of the General Council

79 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet of these Provinces advances in the face of international, ethnic, and religious tensions and violence within the region. In addition to the loss of life and of the sense of community, trust and common good for the nations involved, these international tensions spill over into practical issues such as travel, visas and work permits making movement of the Brothers especially challenging. The process of restructuring within the Pacific has led to a firm commitment to creating whatever structures are necessary for vitality and viability of Marist life and mission. Leadership in the region sees the development of regional structures as the next step in this process. From these developments may well emerge geographic reconfiguration as an evident and natural evolution. In the case of the two Provinces of Mexico, the process of restructuring conducted by the previous General Council had led to a decision for closer inter-province co-operation. We began our mandate asking that the two Provinces reflect on whether this had in fact been achieved as foreseen in 2001 and asking that the process of reflecting on restructuring continue. At this time the process is occurring. The General Council, having consulted the Brothers of both Provinces, believes that the majority of Brothers would welcome geographic reconfiguration within the Arco Norte Region. At the same time the Province of México Occidental has become international through the incorporation into the Province of the communities and ministries in Haiti. The Province of América Central has become even more international with the incorporation of the communities of Cuba into the Province. In our accompaniment of the process of restructuring we have endeavoured to respect the direction from the General Chapter, to be flexible in our approach and to respect the diversity within the Institute and the variety of local contexts. We are in a position to offer some general reflections: The process of restructuring and the geographic configurations that have occurred have been positive. Where new Provinces have emerged the vast majority of Brothers do not wish to return to how things were, while at the same time members of the Province (both Brothers and Lay Marists) are offering a critique of what more remains to be achieved in their new Province! The General Council is very appreciative of the significant hard work and evident good will being demonstrated by Provincials and their Councils to give direction, values and an identity to the new Provinces. At the same time we remain concerned about the well-being of our Brothers Provincial. We believe that many are carrying a role which January

80 2.5 has had placed upon it, unfair and unrealistic expectations, especially in relation to his presence. In our opinion, expectations are placed upon him which more appropriately belong to the community superior or could and should be delegated to others. We support the efforts of Provinces to create new structures of animation and government - which free the Provincial for roles which are inherent in his office, which model consultative and collaborative leadership, and which give Lay Marists an appropriate role and responsibility. A better understanding of the role of Vicar Provincial is required. In those Provinces (L Hermitage, Santa María de los Andes) which have adopted this role, as provided by the last General Chapter 31 it has been welcomed, both in its effectiveness and in its support of the Provincial 32. But why has this role not been taken up more widely in the Institute? What can be learned from experience? We believe that a number of Provinces have not been sufficiently creative in setting in places appropriate structures for the changed realities bought on by geographic reconfiguration. Reflection on structures of animation and government needs to continue. 31 Constitutions, In 2008 the Province of Santa Maria de los Andes took the decision to discontinue the use of Vicars Provincial. Regionalisation has long-existed in the Institute. Regional structures allow for an in-depth reflection on a region and its challenges and the planning of effective means of achieving common priorities through co-ordination and the sharing of resources (personnel, programs, etc.). In addition, regional conferences of Provincials can be invaluable for the formation of Provincials. Elsewhere in this report is information on various initiatives taken by us in the areas of mission, solidarity and spirituality. Yet we believe that regionalisation has yet to reach its full potential. Our experience is generally that the Institute operates as a federation of Provinces rather than as a single international body. Frequently we have seen the need for regional structures of engagement and interaction between Provinces and we have established mechanisms for this to happen. We wonder whether these will continue without the active involvement of the General Council. While being certain of the value of regionalisation we need to remain mindful of the diversity of situations across the Institute, and 78 Report of the General Council

81 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet from one region to the next. Needs and resources vary. The area in which we as a Council have struggled to establish effective co-ordination has been in our own house. This is by no means a negative reflection on the Brothers and Lay Marists who minister here. The Brothers of the General House Community have worked hard to establish communion no easy achievement in an international community. Visitors who stay with us frequently remark on the real sense of welcome and fraternity that they experience and the spirit of prayer in the house. For this, we as a Council are especially indebted to the Brothers of the Community and to Br. Onorino Rota who has led the community with good humour, pastoral attention, and spiritual animation and creativity. The present General Administration has seen an increase in the number of bureaus, commissions and those providing secretarial services. The ability to plan well in advance through a four-year calendar has helped the heads of the different departments and offices to develop their own plans and calendars. This calendar was finetuned regularly at every plenary session with the participation of every member of the General Council who consulted the different heads of bureaus, offices and departments for whom they act as links within the General Administration. In order to provide an adequate answer to the increasing demands placed upon the secretarial services, we conducted an evaluation of their organization. As a consequence, the Secretary General was placed in charge of the co-ordination of these services and a Handbook for the personnel of the General Administration was produced. At the same time, the Vicar General was asked to support and accompany the Office of the Secretary General. This model of co-ordinating the secretarial services has been working quite efficiently. During our mandate we have been fortunate to have had the assistance of many people as Language Secretaries/Translators. All of them have been generous with their time and skill. We take this opportunity to say thanks to each of them for a service which we know to be invaluable. Without them an international institute such as ours, which operates in several languages, requiring both oral and written translation, cannot function. January

82 2.5 Due to the increase in the number of computers and technical equipment, an evaluation of the technical services department was also conducted. As a consequence, the job description of the technician has now been streamlined and the extra help that was seen to be needed is now being provided. Our technician, Stefano Angelucci, has provided the increasing number of us in the General Administration with excellent professional support. At the level of the entire General Administration (here understood to include the General Council) there has been insufficient communication and co-ordination so as to prioritise activities, avoid duplication of effort, as well as to share skill and experience. Our failure to co-ordinate among ourselves has had a negative impact on those in Provincial leadership who have received a continuous stream of communications; information about activities already planned, often with little consultation; requests for information of one sort or another; and invitations to many international meetings. We acknowledge that we have added to their burden, and made their planning, decision-making and budgeting more difficult. 33 Constitutions 132. The collaboration and communication between the Superior General and the Vicar General have been a very positive feature of this Administration. We can say that the Vicar General has truly been the closest collaborator of the Superior General. 33 The excellent service of the Assistant of the Superior General, Br. Don Neary, has contributed greatly to the effective functioning of the Office of the Superior General and the close functioning of the Superior General and his Vicar. We thank Br. Don Neary for his fraternal and efficient secretarial work. 80 Report of the General Council

83 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet However, the Constitutional demands on the Superior General are such that he might still need further support in terms of secretarial services. This could imply an increase in the number of personnel in his Office. For a period of two years the Vicar General had the part-time help of Br. Iván Buenfil. If the Vicar s collaboration with the Superior General in tasks of animation and administration is to become more effective, there will be need also for some development of the Office of the Vicar General particularly in terms of personnel. b) Vitality and economic sustainability of each administrative unit This concern is based in our spirit of family and the mutual solidarity that this spirit requires if it is to be real. Solidarity takes many forms in the Institute, not the least important of which is financial solidarity - between Provinces and the Institute, and among Provinces themselves. Closely connected to this is the evangelical use of goods and responsible stewardship of the goods that we have. The Econome General has a critical role in the evangelical use of our resources, part of which is actual financial solidarity within the Institute. Without the financial contributions of the Provinces, and the careful administration of investments, the General Administration and some Provinces dependent upon us could not function. Br. Antonio Martínez Fernández, assisted by Br. Guy Palandre has provided the General Council with expert and frank advice on how to ensure the economic sustainability of the General Administration and of the Institute. They have been competently assisted by the International Economic Affairs Commission. Br. Antonio has conducted regional meetings of Province Economes in order to further communion within the Institute and to better co-ordinate financial planning. We welcome as Econome General Br. Víctor Preciado who will continue the great work done by Br. Antonio Martínez Fernández. A year before the beginning of the General Chapter, Br. Benito Arbués expressed his concern for the evangelical use of our goods. The use and administration of our goods does have a significant effect on our Marist life. The vow of poverty is not just the concern of Brothers individually it has a very definite collective and institutional dimension to it. Yet it is not easy for us to separate the notion of poverty in the economy from our own. In our mission of bringing the Gospel to young people by preference, the poor the administration of material goods is closely linked to a life of evangelical poverty. And it is both individuals and institutions that live and witness to poverty, because both draw from the same sources Br. Benito Arbués, Circular Concerning our Material Goods page 129. January

84 2.5 The XX General Chapter made this their concern and asked that the General Council elaborate a Plan on the Evangelical Use of Goods and accompany its application in the Administrative Units (48.5). In 2002 the General Council created a Commission to carry out that mandate and passed to it the challenge of how to advance in the whole Institute the evangelical use of goods, so as to arrive at common vision and convictions on the topic. The General Council approved in 2004 the Plan on the Evangelical Use of Goods that had been prepared by the Commission, following a very participative process. Today we can say that most Administrative Units have carried out some process or activity in relation to this Plan, although few have implemented the process in its entirety. At the end of 2005 the Superior General created the Bureau of the Evangelical Use of the Goods, which, in seeing that in many Administrative Units only a merely economic vision on the topic had occurred, was given as its priority to enlarge the vision, with the objective: to develop a culture of the evangelical use of the goods, particularly the values of solidarity and simplicity of life. All of us know well the enthusiasm of Br. Pedro Ost who, with his dynamism and conviction, has taken this concern of the General Council to the most remote regions of the Marist World. To him, we are deeply grateful. In working to ensure the vitality of each Administrative Unit FMS International (together with the Bureau of International Solidarity) has a key role in the just and effective distribution of solidarity funds: both those contributed by Marist Provinces, and those given us by external funding agencies. 35 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III At the Institute level, we face considerable challenges. The financial resources of the Institute are concentrated in those parts of the Institute which are not growing numerically. Yet those Provinces and Districts where there is growth are not well resourced economically nor are they secure financially/economically sustainable at the present time. The mandate of the General Chapter which became known as the XX General Chapter Fund was one approach to redress this imbalance. 35 To date, one third of the target established by the General Chapter has been achieved. Another challenge which remains is the need to unify and better co-ordinate financial structures within some Provinces. Without this, the ability of the Provincial and Council to make sound and responsible decisions for the good of the whole Province is significantly limited. The Institute Formation Fund, established through the particular generosity of the Province of Canada, is now in place and working effectively. It removes from many Provinces the financial burden, willingly borne, of the formation of large numbers of Brothers. 82 Report of the General Council

85 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet As a Council, and in consultation with the respective Provincials and Councils (principally in parts of Africa), we are working to ensure that those Provinces which need a sustainable economic base will be given the means to establish one. Despite financial assistance for many years the desired situation has not yet been achieved. One means which has been part of our tradition is the establishment of schools, whose operation produces a surplus, for the sustainability of other ministries and of the Province itself. The Bureau of Evangelical Use of Goods is taking a key role in implementing plans for the financial sustainability of all Provinces. A related challenge is the economic sustainability of the General Administration itself. From the General Chapter we were given the mandate of continuing efforts to reduce the cost of the General Administration. 36 While the will has not been lacking the means are complicated. If we were to put aside for a moment, features of the General Administration such as bureaus, meetings of international commissions, special projects such as Mission ad gentes and the Renovation of the Hermitage, the recurrent expenses of the General Administration have at least been held constant during our mandate. We are very grateful for the careful attention and responsible stewardship provided by the Administrators of the General House and the Community Economes currently Brothers Antoni Salat and Javier Ocaranza, respectively. 36 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III.5 and III It is the commissions, bureaus and projects that we have put in place to implement our vision for the animation of the Institute which have caused our annual costs to increase. We have learnt during our mandate to be more conscious of budgeting our initiatives and to seek external sources of funds wherever they are available. We have put in place long-term structures of donor support for various programs that we have established. Yet we admit that more needs to be done in ensuring that in planning initiatives of animation, there be careful budgeting and responsible funding of them. Responsible budgeting begins with prioritisation. There is no end of good works but we can not afford them all. One challenge that we are wrestling with is to have in place a mechan - ism of funding the operations of the General Administration which is sustainable over the long-term, does not change every few years, is responsible, and just to those who provide the General Administration with its operating funds (that is - the Provinces). The traditional means of the Per Capita, is increasingly unsustainable due to the demographic and economic shift within the Institute that was noted above. We have established a pre-chapter Commission to study this is- January

86 2.5 sue of the long-term financing of both the Institute and the General Administration and offer recommendations to the Chapter. Each year, in seeking financial contributions from the Provinces for the recurrent expenses of the General Administration as well as funds for solidarity, the obligation rests on us to be accountable and transparent in our financial operation. In seeking funding from third parties, such transparency is essential. Also, we know that many national governments are requiring greater accountability by religious bodies. To that end we have been enacting the General Chapter mandate requiring our use of external auditors. 37 Progress has been made. Along the way we have had to address some not insignificant challenges: finding auditors who have experience with the financial complexity of an international religious organisation, who can adapt internationally recognised standards of auditing to our situation, and establishing inhouse methods of account keeping as required by the auditors. Following considerable work, most especially by Br. Guy, we have in place a Manual of Procedures for structuring our accounts according to the requirements of our auditors. We are now preparing our annual reports according to these criteria. The implementation of our vision for the Institute and our determination to see that every Administrative Unit is vital and viable, at least financially, would not have been possible without the generous financial support of the Provinces. We have called upon them often to fund us and we have received a generous response, though not an uncritical one. We have appreciated the critiques that we have received, requesting more information on our vision and plans. We also acknowledge with gratitude the financial generosity of those Provinces with Districts dependent upon them, who have in place well supported plans for the economic future of those Districts. 37 Acts of the XX General Chapter, III Future directions Before detailing specific lines of action, it might be of value to summarise some key contextual elements. The General Council has responsibility for the animation and government of the Institute This responsibility is exercised in a co-responsible way with Provincials, whose accompaniment is a key priority for the General Council. The responsibility of each level of leadership is respected according to the principle of subsidiarity. The fundamental objective is the vitality of our life and mission. 84 Report of the General Council

87 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet The means used by the General Council must be based upon a thorough knowledge of each Administrative Unit and region reflect clear priorities, whose number and content are feasible and realistically achievable develop communion, foster mutual co-operation at Institute and regional levels, be characterised by dialogue, mutual planning and co-ordination, include financial planning which is evangelical, responsible, sustainable, and takes into account the financial impact on Provinces and Districts. respect the diversity of local realities. That the structures put in place achieve four Constitutional responsibilities: That the General Council form a community with the Superior- General. 38 That the Vicar General is the closest collaborator of the Superior-General. 39 That the Superior-General, or his delegate, visit each Administrative Unit, at least twice during his mandate. 40 That there be a quorum of the Council available for a monthly Ordinary Council meeting in order to exercise its government obligations. With these in mind, we are proposing some lines of action. 38 Constitutions, Constitutions, Constitutions, In the first place we wish to initiate reflection by offering some models of General Government which have arisen from within the Institute. With continued reflection, other models will emerge. To that end, we plan to establish a Pre-Chapter Commission to study the area of Animation and Government of the Institute. In particular, we shall be asking this commission to study the relationship between General Government and Provincial Leadership, especially in the area of animation. In addition, we shall be requesting this commission to offer models for the development of regionalisation. January

88 2.5 A. Current Model I - There is a General Council (Superior General, Vicar General and six General Councillors), all based in Rome. II - The General Councillors have roles as Link Councillors to a region and to specific Provinces (two Councillors linked to each region). III - Each Councillor has responsibility for an area of animation (eg Mission, Religious Life, etc.) IV - The General Councillors are delegated by the Superior General to visit each Administrative Unit twice during his term of office. We believe that with further reflection this model can be improved and better implemented. B. Regional Model I - The Superior General, Vicar General and 3 General Councillors are based in Rome. II - Five General Councillors are based in regions of the Institute. III - There would be Plenary sessions during the year at which all the General Council would be present. IV - The Councillors based in Rome would provide a community for the Superior General and the quorum for the Ordinary Council meetings. They could be available to Regional Councillors as members of teams visiting Provinces, etc. V - Five Councillors are based in regions of the Institute. Their role would need definition and could include elements such as: 86 Report of the General Council

89 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet co-ordination of the mandated canonical visitations, be a continuous link to Provincials and Councils, take up a role as regional co-ordinator in areas as determined by the General Council and the Provincials of the region. C. Current model with a Regional Executive Secretary I - There is a General Council, all based in Rome II - The General Councillors have roles as Link Councillors to a region and to specific Provinces III - The General Councillors have roles of coordination for different areas of animation IV - An Executive Secretary is appointed to each one of the Regions by the Superior General in consultation with the Regional Conference of Provincials to coordinate interprovincial projects and activities and to secure effective continued communication and co-ordination with the General Administration These models, and others, can be worked out in greater detail. We recommend that consideration be given to the following: a) We urge the new General Council, as a matter of priority, to continue the reflection with restructured Provinces seeking effective structures of animation and government. Such structures must free the Provincial to give priority to the accompaniment of the Brothers and communities, with a special focus on the Young Brothers. b) The traditional practice is that the newly elected Superior General and Council take up their posts of responsibility immediately after the General Chapter. Experience is telling us that often the Superior General and most of the General Councillors need a minimum of three to four months to attend to the closure of their previous roles and responsibilities and facilitating their replacement by new persons elected or appointed in their respective Provinces and Regions. In addition, most new General Councillors normally need two to three months to learn another of the four official languages of the Institute in an immersion situation. As a consequence, the General Administration is not functioning in an effective way for about six months after the election of the new Superior General and his Council. We propose that the Superior General and General Council finishing their constitutional mandate study together with the new Su- January

90 2.5 perior General and Council the most effective way of facilitating an orderly transition, and agree on a plan and calendar to achieve this. c) In order to exercise its animation responsibilities in a co- responsible and effective manner, the General Council develop a plan (of three or four years in duration). The plan would be put in place following sufficient reflection by the Council on the mandates given it by the General Chapter, and formed after consultation with Provincials and District Superiors. (Structures of regional conferences of Provincials would greatly assist in this process of consultation. It would be mutually advantageous if the General Council could meet with all Provincials and District Superiors more frequently than the General Conference.) Such a plan would have the benefits of enabling both the General Council and Provincial Councils to plan together in a timely fashion and to harmonise their respective priorities and projects. It would provide everyone with a calendar. At the same time, such planning would be implemented in a way which is financially responsible. d) Within the General Administration (i.e. including the General Council) there would need to be clear structures, regularly utilised, which would enable all those involved in roles of animation on behalf of the General Administration to co-ordinate 88 Report of the General Council

91 The service of animation and government: Wash one another s feet their ministries. A significant part of this harmonisation would also be the most effective use of the administrative resources (eg translation) within the General Administration. e) Clearly, in such processes of coordination and effective operation of the whole General Administration and General House, the General Council has a responsibility. We would suggest that if the General Council were to assign such a role to a member of the Council it needs to be remembered that such an executive role requires the Councillor to be almost continually present in Rome. f) It seems to us that the Administrative Units must continue giving importance to the evangelical use of goods so that, using the abundant means put at their disposal for an appropriate discernment and involvement of everyone, there be a real effect in each of the different levels: personal, local, Provincial. We restate that since it is a plan of discernment, a spirituality for such a process needs development. As for the General Administration, we suggest that the continuation of this animation be linked directly to the Department of the Econome General. g) In addition, we see as key priorities for the Eco nome General, the accompaniment of Provincial Economes, and broadening the membership of the International Economic Affairs Commission. h) That the relationship already established between the Secretary General and regional networks of Province Secretaries be maintained and further developed. We see as an important objective of this relationship the co-ordination of procedures and the development of common resources (eg Archivum). i) We propose that the communications of the Institute should continue being promoted and adapted to our needs, taking increasing advantage of the possibilities that are offered by new technologies. We believe that there is need of a special study of the area of printed publications, given the high cost of the shipping them from Italy to many Administrative Units. We believe that in reflecting upon the animation and government of the Institute the forthcoming General Chapter should not be too specific in its decisions. Rather, once the Chapter has determined its vision of the Institute for the next eight years and determined the priorities to achieve this vision, it leave it to the Council which it elects to determine the most effective structures to bring about what the Chapter desires for the Institute. However, the Chapter may wish to reflect upon the advisability of having in place some permanent structures which will give continuity to the animation of the life and mission of our Institute. January

92 3. conclusion NEW HEARTS FOR A NEW WORLD To this point we have shared, in sufficient detail, our vision of the Institute with relation to the five great Calls which the XX General Chapter addressed to us. In this final part we seek to take up the same vision again, but in a more global manner, trying to situate it in a wider context. We do this to share with you our hopes and to encourage us all to dream together a future inspired by Saint Marcellin s dream: to continue making Jesus known and loved by poor children and young people. 90 Report of the General Council

93 We take as our inspiration the theme of the XXI General Chapter: New hearts for a new world. We feel the urgency of letting our hearts be made new in order to live the evangelical life in the midst of a new world which is coming to birth and to which we seek to bring the best of ourselves so that this new world may also be different : more human, more fraternal, more harmonious. This new world, in which we find ourselves included and with which we exercise a mutual interaction, is the context in which we live and from which we perceive some future directions for the Institute. 3.1 A new world is being born A new civilisation For some years, observers and students of social reality have been saying that we are assisting at the birth of a new civilisation. 41 It is a question of a metamorphosis of society which affects all aspects of individual and collective life, the relations of human be- 41 Yves Brunsvick and André Danzin, Birth of a Civilisation: the shock of globalization, UNESCO, París January

94 New Hearts for a New World ings with space and time, fertility and demography, social relationships at work and relaxation, the situation of women, customs, values, and power relationships. One of the novelties of this present time is that this change in world vision, this modifying of cultures and customs, is affecting the whole of humanity which is in search of new equilibriums Metamorphosis of religions 42 Henri de Lubac, Meditación sobre la Iglesia, Ediciones Encuentro, Madrid 1988, página 133. The Church, insofar as it is a human institution, is not an ethereal entity 42 and, as such, sees itself profoundly influenced by what is happening in the societies in which it is incarnated. Today too, as in other times in the history of humanity which have seen similar phenomena of profound change, religions undergo important internal crises caused by adaptation (and resistance) to the new realities. In contemplating the history of religions we become aware that the living of the spiritual dimension of the human being in its encounter with the sacred has undergone a constant evolution, but only some of the many stages of transformation that have been recorded could be designated as true metamorphoses of religion in the history of humanity. Among students of religion and among theologians there is emerging more and more strongly the hypothesis that we are entering one of these times of profound metamorphosis, from which religion is going to emerge so transformed that the result may perhaps be hardly recognizable. But on the other hand, in the middle of the crisis of religion to which we have referred, there is growing a whole religious effervescence which may be the manifestation, the beginning, or the deepening of a new stage On the way towards a new Consecrated Life The Religious Orders or Institutes, as part of the Universal Church, reflect on a smaller scale, what is happening in the totality of the body, which is the Church. They are facing a profound crisis, and there is a question of finding new ways of evangelisation more adapted to the men and women of today. 92 Report of the General Council

95 It is also for Consecrated Life a time of crisis, and it moves forward groping, trying to find what form of Consecrated Life best responds to the needs of men and women of today. These are times of searching, of disorientation, and religious families are experiencing the effects: In some regions of the world, social changes and the diminution of the number of vocations have harmed the Consecrated Life. The apostolic works of many Institutes and their very presence in certain local Churches is in danger. As has already occurred at other times in history, there are Institutes which even run the risk of disappearing. 43 The history of the Consecrated Life teaches us that these situations are temporary and that, in fact, they have led to the birth of new religious families or to the profound renewal of existing ones, as well as to the disappearance of others. As could happen in no other way, our Institute has found itself immersed in all these phenomena. Some more, some less, we have all been witnesses of the enormous changes that have occurred at the heart of the Institute. Some of these changes have made us feel more identified with the call of the Gospel; others, on the other hand, cause us sadness because we feel that something valuable is being lost on the way. 43 Vita Consecrata, Congregation for Institutes of Religious Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Starting Afresh from Christ, We need new hearts In this context of a new world which we feel coming to birth, we have questioned ourselves as a Council about what would be those points which we consider of vital importance not only for the present, but also for the future of our beloved Institute. In our discernment we have experienced the same perplexity which the Vatican Instruction Starting afresh from Christ picks up: But how do we recognize in the reflection of history and at the present time the signs of the Spirit and the seeds of the Word, present now as always in human life and culture? How do we interpret the signs of the times in a reality such as ours in which areas of darkness and mystery abound? However, using the same imagery of this beautiful document, we have felt the close presence of the Lord: As with the disciples on the walk towards Emmaus, the Lord himself must be our travelling companion and grant us his Spirit. Only the Lord, present among us, can help us to fully understand and carry out his word, he can enlighten minds and warm hearts. 44 January

96 New Hearts for a New World With simplicity, in a brotherly manner, we dare to share with you what, along our way of discernment, has made our hearts burn. God grant that we will be able to transmit not only our words, but also our enthusiasm, our passion, our hope. Because we have to say that we have felt a strong invitation to a change of heart. Yes, we need new hearts. We feel that cosmetic changes are not enough to confront the formidable challenges of the historic time in which we have the privilege of living. It fills us with hope to know that the Lord goes before us on the way towards the Galilee of our daily life where, according to his promise, we will be able to see him (Mk 16.7) Globalisation: challenge and opportunity We understand by globalisation, following UNESCO 45, as the increase, on a world scale, of interactions which unite among themselves all human activities. A phenomenon originating from the pressure of the liberal economy, but more from the progress of science and technology, and from the amazing advances of the media of communication. A manifestation, among many others, of a transformation of society, whose rapidity and depth can only be understood as a break. 45 Cf. Yves Brunsvick and André Danzin, op. cit page 8. A globalisation which begins to be seen as a new era for the earth and for humanity. The last centuries of the history of humanity have been characterized by an accent, at times aggravated, on the Nation- States. A new consciousness is emerging today of finding ourselves all in a world for which we are globally responsible: the Earth as our Common Home. Already in 1933 Teilhard de Chardin was writing prophetically: The age of nations has passed. If we do not want to 94 Report of the General Council

97 die, it is time to shake off the old prejudices and build the Earth. The Earth will not become conscious of itself unless there is a crisis of conversion and transformation. 46 Immersed in this unavoidable reality, which appears to us as ambivalent, with its spectacular achievements and its brutal inequalities, we ask ourselves about the meaning of what we are living and to what the Spirit of God is calling us. With the data at hand, we take note of how the face of the Institute is changing: now it is much more international and multicultural than in the past. Some realities indicate to us that this multiculturality is also being produced at the provincial and local levels: the new restructured provinces are in the majority international and, in some cases, also the communities (like the future community of the Hermitage; and, in the case of the Ad gentes project, all the communities). 46 Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Las direcciones del porvenir. Taurus, Madrid 1974, pág. 13 We perceive this path of the Institute as a prophetic sign, through promoting a globalisation in which each human person, independently of race, religion, culture, etc. is our new brother or sister, and in which the weakest have priority. There still exist among us somewhat tribal mentalities, which manifest themselves, at Province level, in the resistance to share resources within the Institute, as if they were the exclusive property of the Province; or in difficulty releasing Brothers for missions farther than the boundaries of one s own Administrative Unit. Also at the personal level it seems to us that a local vision is more common than an international one; in fact, we do not make our Religious Profession for a particular Province, but within an international Institute extending over five continents. We believe, therefore, that we need a new mentality, a new vision of what it means to be members of an international Institute, and of its consequences for the development of our mission in the present time. In our personal relations, in the relations between the AU and with the General Administration, it appears to us that we must tend to strengthen interaction and interdependence as basic attitudes. January

98 New Hearts for a New World The victims of globalisation We said before that the phenomenon of globalisation is ambivalent. After having shown its friendly face, we must also say that for some people globalisation is, above all, the world process of homogenising the means of capitalist production, of globalisation of the markets and financial transactions, of the intertwining of the systems of communication and of world control of images and information. Sooner or later, the distortions produced by unjust systems have to be paid for by everyone. It is utterly foolish to build a luxury home in the midst of desert or decay. Globalisation on its own is incapable of building peace, and in many cases, it actually creates divisions and conflicts. If anything it points to a need: to be oriented towards a goal of profound solidarity that seeks the good of each and all. In this sense, globalization should be seen as a good opportunity to achieve something important in the fight against poverty, and to place at the disposal of justice and peace resources which were scarcely conceivable previously. 47 The logic that controls this structurally unjust system, in which societies with strong economic structures exploit weaker ones, is that of universal competition. Among the victims of this logic are to be found almost half of humanity, condemned to merciless exclusion, and deprived of any sustainability. And, among these victims, the first and most fragile are the children, as the statistics of international organizations repeatedly remind us. While we were preparing this Report, the Pope made mention of these innocent victims in his homily during the Christmas Eve Mass: 47 Benedict XVI, Message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace, 1 January Report of the General Council

99 We draw near this night to the Child of Bethlehem, to the God who for our sake chose to become a child. In every child we see something of the Child of Bethlehem. Every child asks for our love. This night, then, let us think especially of those children who are denied the love of their parents. Of those street children who do not have the blessing of a family home. Of those children who are brutally exploited as soldiers and made instruments of violence, instead of messengers of reconciliation and peace. Of those children who are victims of the industry of pornography and every other appalling form of abuse, and thus traumatized in the depths of their soul. The Child of Bethlehem summons us once again to do everything in our power to put an end to the suffering of these children, to do everything possible to make the light of Bethlehem touch the heart of every man and woman. 48 When we consider the Institute globally from the point of view of the mission which has been entrusted to us, we believe that we have vitality: not only are we reaching many more children and young people than in the past, and with many more people involved in our mission, but we believe that what is increasing also is our commitment to offer an education of quality in keeping with our charism. 48 Benedict XVI. Homily during the Mass of Christmas Eve 2008 in St. Peter s Basilica, Rome. We recognise the advances made in the evangelisation of youth and in education for solidarity. Yet we consider that both aspects - essential in our mission - are permanent challenges which have to be lived as priorities in all our works. The Marist Mission Assembly has been a beautiful expression of the commitment of the Marists of Champagnat, laity and Brothers, in favour of children and young people, especially the most needy. This path of shared mission - an integral part already of any Marist project - will need to be strengthened into the future, with creativity and freedom of spirit. January

100 New Hearts for a New World In the living out of our mission there are a series of tensions which appear to us not always to have been resolved among us in a satisfactory manner. Among them, we single out: How to increase the number of our educational works without turning them into a weight which future generations cannot bear; How to establish educational works which generate economic funds for our mission without turning them into institutions for the elite; How to be good professionals without being consumed by an unrestrained activism; How to be loyal and grateful to those who welcome us into a particular place without losing the freedom to direct ourselves to other places where our presence is more necessary; How to promote vitality in our institutions and have the flexibility to go where young people are, responding to new needs which emerge, such as the needs of migrants and refugees; How to deepen our identity and promote ecumenical and interreligious dialogue; How to be a critical and prophetic voice at the heart of the ecclesial community and remain open to dialogue and collaboration; How to be respectful of liberty and diversity, and carry out a clear proclamation of the Gospel. 49 Br. Seán Sammon, Circular of Convocation of the XXI General Chapter, p. 33. In some parts of the Institute, owing perhaps to the ageing of their members and the growing weight of the administration of our works, the Brothers are becoming alienated from the young. We believe that all are invited to reverse this trend and become instead the Church s experts on the evangelization of poor children and young people, wherever they might be found Report of the General Council

101 3.2.3 Thirst for spirituality Our present age is characterized by a thirst for spirituality. 50 Recent studies, centred on traditionally Christian countries, show that two out of every three adults have a personal spirituality, while fewer than one in ten go to Church regularly. 51 This period of history in which we are privileged to live demonstrates a powerful credulity and thirst for Mystery. The Christian faith finds here a reminder of something fundamental and a stimulus to respond. Today the demand is for experience, not merely words about God. At present, the need is to approach God, to offer an experience of God. The task turns on the evangelist and requires that he speaks of what he has experienced. Spiritual masters are required who accompany the pilgrim on the way and give direction. We speak of the cultivation of prayer, meditation, of silence, of spreading among the majority of believers not only devotional practices, but something deeper and more mature, called wisdom, contemplation, mysticism or change of heart. From what we know of the Institute, we can affirm that we have encountered Brothers truly committed to their spiritual growth; others who fulfill their obligations, but do not go much beyond this; others, finally, who live consumed by a frenetic activism. Globally, we have the impression that we have not taken seriously the task of converting ourselves into spiritual masters who can give witness from their own experience of God. We could say something similar of our current communities. It is true, in general, that attempts have been made to improve the conditions of community prayer, but it seems to us that we are still far from shaping community prayer which is strongly connected with life and with our mission. It does not appear to us that the majority of our communities can be recognized as schools of spirituality for so many people thirsting for God and in search of meaning in their lives. 50 Water from the Rock, D. Hay and K. Hunt, Understanding the spirituality of people who don t go to church: a report on the findings of the adults spirituality project. Nottingham: University of Nottingham; We are aware that some of the problems that affect us depend on factors outside ourselves, but the commitment to our spiritual growth, as much on the January

102 New Hearts for a New World personal as the community level, depends basically on each one of us. Why is it difficult for us to advance in this area? 52 Vita Consecrata, Br. Seán Sammon, Circular of Convocation of XXI General Chapter, p. 34 We believe that the future of the Institute is intricately linked with our capacity to commit ourselves in a serious and profound way to live our spirituality. Not only do we need to offer responses to future vocations with regard to their thirst for God, but we also assist one another to become established in our vocation. The call of Vita Consecrata seems to us enormously relevant: You know whom you have trusted (cf. 2 Tim 1, 12): give it all to him! The young do not allow themselves to be deceived: drawing near to you they desire to see what they do not see elsewhere. 52 In this same perspective, it seems to us that we must maintain a position of continuing evaluation of our formation, so that it really responds to the new needs of today, for individuals as much as for the Institute. In the first place, Initial Formation: However, we must also raise this question: are the young men emerging from our novitiates in love with Jesus Christ, and living portraits of Marcellin Champagnat? 53 But also Ongoing Formation. We think that we must continue being creative, such that the processes we set in motion really favour the commitment to personal growth and provide the means necessary that it may be so. 3.3 On the journey like Mary, with Champagnat As it is easy to imagine, the preparation of this Report has entailed for us a good number of hours of collective work. We have devoted them with 100 Report of the General Council

103 pleasure, because it seemed to us that it was our duty to offer the Institute a sincere account of how we have carried out the directions and mandates of the XX General Chapter, as well as our vision of the Institute at the end of our mandate. With more or less success, this is what we have endeavoured to offer in the pages which have led to this point. At the close, two images have come to mind which we would like to share with you. In the first place, the Icon of Mary of the Visit - ation. It is an image which describes very well what we have been doing the greater part of our time in the General Council: visiting. It has meant for us sacrifice and the ability to adapt, but we feel very privileged and grateful because it has allowed us a sufficiently deep and detailed knowledge of the Institute, that very few persons can have. In the words of Br. Basilio Rueda, our service has brought us into the heart of the Institute. With joy, we can say that we have encountered a heart made of brotherhood. We have felt the beating of a heart lively and enthusiastic, judging by the extraordinary service which the Institute offers children and young people of five continents, in very disparate situations and contexts. We have been witnesses of the quality and even holiness of so many Brothers and lay people, women and men, whom we have met. We feel that all this has made us grow as persons and that it has made us love the Institute even more. Mary gives us the words of her Magníficat to give thanks to the Lord. Because he has made use of us, despite our limitations and mistakes, and we have experienced his mercy. Because we have been able to confirm that the most needy and vulnerable are filled with good things each time that the Institute is an instrument of God s tenderness. Magnificat! And the other icon with which we have identified is that of Saint Marcellin Champagnat building the Hermitage. We are deeply impressed by the image of this man of God who throws himself into building a house to provide for the project which burns within him, although many branded him a madman and an adventurer. We understand the new Project for the Hermitage and the remodelling of its physical spaces as a powerful symbol of the internal work of reno- January

104 New Hearts for a New World vation which is being carried out in the Institute. At a time of general crisis that has profoundly affected us, the Institute is finding energy to carry out its mission, not without suffering, and at times paying a high price, especially in persons. The Hermitage brings to mind the memory of Marcellin concerned to form his Brothers in the best way possible, and inviting us also today to approach the water from the rock - the source of our spirituality. But also reminding us that the founder was a man of passion who set no limits to his apostolic zeal ( all the dioceses of the world enter into our plans ) and that the Institute of the XXI Century is launching new ministries in Asia. Finally, we feel that such a construction as the new Project of the Hermitage signifies an act of faith in the future. Champagnat believed in his project, because he had the inner security that it was the work of Mary. Also we wish to affirm our profound conviction that our mission is more relevant than ever and that the Institute has a future. Many signs of vitality confirm our hope and cause us to believe that, as an Institute, the Lord is bringing us through a time of purification and interior growth. Also, the cries of the children and youth of today, especially the most vulnerable, cause us to sense the urgency and the relevance of our vocation. There is a future for the Marist Institute, although at times certain signs dishearten us. The future which the Lord has prepared for us will probably not coincide with our expectations, often founded more on the situations of the past than on the freshness of the future. Opening our hearts to the creativity of the Spirit will allow us to live with joy his presence always active among us. Mary, our good and tender Mother, into your hands we place each and every member of the Marist Institute. This is your work. Bless us and accompany us. Stimulate our faith, our hope, our commitment. 102 Report of the General Council

105 ANNEX OF PERSONNEL We offer our profound gratitude to the people, mentioned below, for their valuable contribution to our work of animation and government of the Institute during the time of our mandate. January

106 A. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION: Secretary General: Br. Richard Dunleavy (to 2003), Br. Jean Ronzon ( ). Econome General: Br. Yvon Bédard (to 2002), Br. Antonio Martínez F. ( ), Br. Víctor M. Preciado (2009 ). Superior of the Community: Br. José Contreras (to 2002), Br. Roque Ari Salet (2002), Br. Mariano Medina ( ), Br. Onorino Rota ( ). Administrator of the General House: Br. José María Rius (to 2002), Br. Juan Arconada ( ), Br. Antoni Salat (2008 ). Econome of the General House: Br. Réal Fournier (to 2002), Br. Gaudencio González ( ), Br. Javier Ocaranza (2008 ). Assistant to the Secretary General: Br. Henri Réocreux (to 2004), Br. George Fontana (2007 ). Assistant to the Econome General: Br. Mariano Medina (to 2003), Br. Guy Palandre ( ). 104 Report of the General Council

107 Personal Secretary to the Superior General: Br. Roberto Clark ( ), Br. Don Neary ( ). Procurator General: Br. Pietro Sto (to 2002), Br. Juan Miguel Anaya (2002 ). Postulator General: Br. Giovanni Maria Bigotto ( ). Statistics: Br. Jesús Sainz de Vicuña (to 2002), Ms. Erika Gamberale ( ), Ms. Gabriela Scanavino ( ), Ms. Emanuela Lisciarelli (2009 ). General Services: Br. Joseph Frassy (to 2003), Br. Joseph de Meyer ( ). Reception: Ms. Iolanda Gallo, Mr. Antonio García, Mr. Claudio de Francesco. Publications/Communications: Director: Br. Lluís Serra (to 2004), Br. Onorino Rota ( ), Br. Antonio Martínez Estaún (2005 ). Assistants: Mr. Luiz da Rosa (Webmaster, 2003 ), Br. Onorino Rota ( ). January

108 Technical Services: Director: Br. Henri Réocreux (to 2003), Mr. Stefano Angelucci (2004 ). Assistant: Mr. Stefano Angelucci (to 2003). Translators: English: Br. Gerry Brereton (to 2004), Br. Ross Murrin ( ), Br. Edward Clisby (2009 ). French: Br. Aimé Maillet (to 2002), Br. Lucien Labelle ( ), Br. Gilles Beauregard ( ), Br. Fabricio Galiana ( ), Br. Josep Roura (2008 ). Portuguese: Br. João Fagherazzi (to 2004), Br. Manoel Soares ( ), Br. Aloísio Kuhn ( ). Spanish: Br. Francisco Castellanos (to 2002), Br. Miguel Angel Sancha ( ), Br. Carlos Martín Br. ( ), Ms. Marcela Quesada (2008), Ms. Gabriela Scanavino (2009 ). Archives: Archivist: Br. Jean-Pierre Cotnoir (to 2005), Mr. Massimiliano Grandi (2005), Br. Juan Moral (2006 ). Assistants: Br. Jean-Paul Salvas (to 2002), Ms. Luigia Romani ( ), Ms. Emanuela Lisciarelli ( ), Ms. Annamaria Ruggiero (2004), Mr. Emanuel Quintas (2004), Ms. Gabriela Scanavino ( ), Ms. Lucia Distefano (2006 ), Ms. Dorotea Cinanni ( ). 106 Report of the General Council

109 BIS: Director: Br. Allen Sherry (to 2003), Br. Dominick Pujia ( ), Br. Rick Carey (2009 ). Assistants: Mr. Stefano Oltolini (to 2004), Ms. Letizia Quintas (to 2004), Ms. Marcela Ossandon ( ), Mr. Riccardo Ducci (2005), Ms. Sara Panciroli (2005 ), Ms. Angela Petenzi (2006 ). Delegate in Geneva: Br. César Henríquez ( ), Br. Jim Jolley (2009 ). Secretaries of Commissions and Heads of Bureaus : Commission of Religious Life and Commission of Vocations: Br. Ernesto Sánchez B. ( ). Commission of Religious Life: Br. Teófilo Minga (2006 ). Bureau of Vocations: Br. Ernesto Sánchez B. ( ). Commission of Mission and Commission of Laity: Br. Paulo Celso Ferrarezi ( ). Commission of Mission: Br. Juan Miguel Anaya (2004 ). Commission of Laity: Br. Michael Flanigan ( ). Bureau of Laity: Br. Pau Fornells (Director, 2006 ). Commission of Governance: Br. Juan Miguel Anaya ( ). Commission of Evangelical Use of Goods: Br. Guy Palandre ( ). Bureau of Evangelical Use of Goods: Br. Pedro Ost (2006 ). January

110 Project Mission ad gentes: Delegate of the Superior General: Br. Michael Flanigan (2005 ). Assistants: Br. René Reyes (2006), Br. Iván Buenfil ( ). Advisory Council: Br. Luis García Sobrado ( ), Sr. Helen Mendonça fmm ( ), Fr. Joseph Nguyen Cong Doan sj ( ), Br. Peter Rodney ( ), Br. Michael Flanigan ( ), Br. Tom Chin ( ), Br. Barry Burns (2007), Br. Michael de Waas ( ), Br. Sunanda Alwis ( ), Br. Manny de Leon ( ). Coordinator in Chicago: Br. José Contreras. Superior of the Asia Sector: Br. Barry Burns (2007), Br. Michael de Waas ( ). Sector Econome: Br. Jude Pieterse ( ). Team of the program in Davao: Br. Timothy Leen, Br. Alfredo Herrera, ( ) Br. Roy Deita. 108 Report of the General Council

111 Chaplains: to the General Administration community: Fr. Juan G. Díaz (to 2002), Fr. Libardo Garcés (to 2002), Fr. Néstor Iván Mejía ( ), Fr. Jorge Correa ( ), Fr. John Jairo Franco (2008 ). to the International College: Fr. Tarcisio Vieira (to 2002), + Fr. Carlos Rogério Groh ( ). to the General Council: Fr. Vicente Hernández (to 2003), Fr. Roberto Madrigal ( ), Fr. Ignacio Vargas ( ), Fr. Jesús Castillo (2007), Fr. José de León Chávez (2008 ). International College: Director: Br. Wency Calimpon ( ), Br. Iván Buenfil ( ). Subdirector: Br. Giovanni Maria Bigotto ( ), Br. Roberto Clark ( ), Br. Giovanni Maria Bigotto ( ). Renewal courses at El Escorial SP/PT: Director: Br. Santiago Cisneros (to 2003), Br. Javier Espinosa ( ). Subdirector: Br. Félix Rodríguez (to 2002), Br. Teófilo Minga ( ), Br. Afonso Levis ( ). Econome: Br. Jesús Luengo (to 2004), Br. Elías Peña (2004), Br. Alfredo Villanueva (2004). January

112 Renewal courses at Manziana EN: Director: Br. Desmond Howard ( ), Br. Barry Burns (2008 ). Subdirector: Br. Sunanda Alwis ( ), Br. Antoine Kazindu (2008 ). Econome: Br. George Fontana ( ), Br. Réal Fournier (2007), Br. José Martín Descarga (2007 ). Renewal course at Manziana FR (2005): Director: Br. Gaston Robert (2005). Subdirector: Br. Antoine Kazindu (2005). Econome: Br. George Fontana (2005). Renewal course at Manziana FR (2007): Director: Subdirector: Econome: Br. Antoine Kazindu. Br. Antonio Rieu. Br. George Fontana. Third Age courses at Manziana SP/PT: Director: Br. José María Ferre (to 2002), Br. David Aranda ( ), Br. Inocencio Martínez (2006 ). Subdirector: Br. Amabile Gentile Biazus (to 2003), Br. Diamantino Duque ( ; ), Br. Carlos Wielganszuk (2006). Econome: Br. George Fontana (to 2006), Br. Réal Fournier (2007), Br. José Martín Descarga (2008 ). 110 Report of the General Council

113 Third Age course FR Manziana (2005), Roma(2007): Director: Subdirector: Br. Gaston Robert. Br. Maurice Goutagny. Formators course at Nairobi ( ): Director: Subdirectors: Br. Enrique Escobar. Br. Barry Burns, Br. Antoine Kazindu. Animators course at Nemi EN (2005): Director: Subdirector: Br. Desmond Howard. Br. Barry Burns. Animators course at El Escorial SP/PT (2005): Director: Subdirector: Br. Javier Espinosa. Br. José F. Calleja. Patrimony course at Rome EN (2008): Superior: Director: Chaplain: Br. Michael Green. Br. Aureliano Brambila. Fr. Willie Weemaes sm. January

114 B. TEAMS AND COMMISSIONS NOMINATED BY THE GENERAL COUNCIL 1. International Council for Economic Affairs: Br. Darío Bortolini (Brasil Centro-Sul, ), Br. Joël Capon (L Hermitage, ), Br. Alberto Oribe (Ibérica, ), Br. Carlos Huidobro (Cruz del Sur, ), Br. Víctor M. Preciado (México Occidental, ). 2. Evaluation Team of the General Administration: (2002) Br. Clemente Ivo Juliatto (São Paulo), Br. John Klein (Esopus), Br. Antonio Martínez Fernández (Norte). 3. Consultative Meeting on Vocations: (December 2002) Br. Bernard Beaudin (Canada), Br. Joaquim Sperandio (Brasil Centro-Sul), Br. Peter Ernst (Sydney), Br. Rémy Mbolipasiko (Congo), Br. Valerià Simon (L Hermitage). 4. Evaluation Team of the Administration of the General House: (June 2003) Br. Clemente Ivo Juliatto (Brasil Centro-Sul), Br. Alberto Oribe (Norte), Br. Ronald McEwan (West-Central Europe). 112 Report of the General Council

115 5. Consultative Meeting on Patrimony: (December 2003) Br. Manuel Mesonero (Ibérica), Br. Dionisio Rodrigues (Rio Grande do Sul), Br. Aureliano Brambila (México Occidental), Br. André Lanfrey (L Hermitage), Br. Alain Delorme (L Hermitage), Br. Edward Clisby (New Zealand), Br. Genuino Benini (Rio Grande do Sul), Br. Ivo Strobino (Brasil Centro-Sul), Br. Jaume Parés (L Hermitage), Br. Juan Moral (L Hermitage), Br. Jean-Pierre Cotnoir (Archives - Rome), Br. Michael Flanigan (United States of America), Br. Michael Green (Sydney), Br. Paul Sester (L Hermitage). 6. International Commission of Patrimony: ( ) Br. André Lanfrey (L Hermitage, coordinador), Br. Aureliano Brambila (México Occidental), Br. Ivo Strobino (Brasil Centro-Sul), Br. Jaume Parés (L Hermitage), Br. Michael Green (Sydney), Br. Paul Sester (L Hermitage, to 2007), Br. Robert Teoh (East Asia, from 2008), Br. Henri Réocreux (L Hermitage, secretary from 2005). 7. Consultive Meeting on Marist Spirituality: (June 2003) Br. André Lanfrey (Beauchamps Saint Genis), Br. Antonio Peralta (Santa María de los Andes), Br. Carlos Martínez Lavín (Cuba), Br. John McDonnell (Esopus), Br. John Thompson (Sydney), Br. Juan Carlos Fuertes (Levante), Br. Lawrence Ndawala (Southern Africa), Br. Michael de Waas (Sri Lanka), Br. Raúl Figuera (León), Br. Vanderlei Soela (Rio de Janeiro). January

116 8. Spirituality Document Water from the Rock : ( ) Br. Peter Rodney, (General Councillor, coordinator), Br. Benito Arbués (L Hermitage), Br. Bernard Beaudin (Canada), Br. Nicholas Fernando (Sri Lanka), Sr. Vivienne Goldstein sm, Br. Maurice Goutagny (L Hermitage), Br. Lawrence Ndawala (Southern Africa), Br. Spiridion Ndanga (Africa Centro Este), Br. Graham Neist (Sydney), Ms. Bernice Reintjens (West-Central Europe), Ms. Agnes Reyes (Philippines), Br. Vanderlei Soela (Brasil Centro-Norte), Br. Miguel Angel Santos (México Occidental), Br. Luis García Sobrado (Vicar General). 9. Communication Committee for Water from the Rock ( ) Br. Antonio Martínez Estaún (General Administration), Br. Federico Andrés Carpintero (Compostela), Br. Jean-Pierre Destombes (L Hermitage), Br. Joadir Foresti (Rio Grande do Sul). 114 Report of the General Council

117 10. Evaluation Team of BIS: (2004) Br. Chris Wills (Sydney), Sr. Caroline Price rgs, Mr. Pablo Villalba (SED España). 11. Consultative Group on the Role of Province Secretaries: (2004) Br. Jean Ronzon (coordinator), Ms. Nellie Beleen (West Central-Europe), Br. Roque Brugnara (Brazil Centro-Sul), Br. Gregory McCrystal (Melbourne), Br. José M. Ferre (District of West Africa), Br. Josep M. Soteras (L Hermitage), Br. Peter Rodney (General Councillor). 12. Team for Animation and Formation of Province Secretaries: (2006) Br. Jean Ronzon (coordinador), Br. Fernand Dostie (Southern Africa), Br. José M. Rius (Mediterránea), Br. Isaac Revilla (Norandina), Br. Anthony Robinson (Sydney), Br. Ivo Strobino (Brasil Centro-Sul), Br. Luis G. Sobrado (Vicar General), Br. Juan Miguel Anaya (Procurator General). 13. Commission of Marist Places: ( ) Nominated by the General Council: Br. Onorino Rota (coordinador), Br. Javier Espinosa, Br. Albert André, Br. George Fontana, Br. José Pérez. Nominated by the Provincial of the L Hermitage Province: Br. Josep M. Soteras (coordinador), Br. Michel Morel, Br. Maurice Goutagny, Br. Jean-Pierre Destombes, Br. Alain Delorme. January

118 14. Central Commission of the Hermitage Project: ( ) General Administration: Br. Luis García Sobrado (Vicar General, coordinator), Br. Antonio Martínez Fernández, Br. Onorino Rota, Br. Michael Flanigan. Province of the l Hermitage: Br. Josep M. Soteras (coordinator), Br. André Deculty, Br. Jean-Pierre Destombes, Br. Heribert Pujolàs, Br. Michel Morel. 15. Preparatory Commission for the International Marist Mission Assembly: ( ) Br. Emili Turú (General Councillor, coordinator), Ms. Dilma Alves Rodrigues (Brasil Centro-Norte), Ms. Erica Pegorer (Melbourne), Br. Alphonse Balombe (África Centro Este), Br. John Y Tan (Philippines), Mr. José María Pérez Soba (Ibérica), Br. Juan Miguel Anaya (Commission of Mission), Br. Michael Flanigan (Commission of Laity, ), Br. Pau Fornells ( ) (Bureau of Laity), Br. Pedro Herreros (General Councillor), Mr. Colin Quine (Facilitator). 16. Consultative Laity Group: (May 2005) Mr. Achi Godwin Chibueze (Nigeria), Ms. Adrienne Egbers (Southern Africa), Mr. Andrés Magallanes (Philippines), Ms. Anne Dooley (Melbourne), Ms. Claudia Rojas C. (Norandina), Mr. Edison Oliveira (Rio Grande do Sul), Ms. Encarna García (Mediterránea), Mr. Frank Aumeier (West-Central Europe), Mr. Joe Reganato (United States of America), Ms. Marta Portas (L Hermitage). 116 Report of the General Council

119 17. Extended Bureau of Laity: ( ) Ms. Ana Sarrate (Ibérica), Ms. Linda Corbeil (Canada), Mr. Tony Clarke (Sydney), Br. Afonso Murad (Brasil Centro-Norte). 18. Evaluation Team of the International College: (2004) Br. Antonio Ramalho (General Councillor), Br. Javier Espinosa (El Escorial), Br. Wency Calimpon (Director - International College ), Br. Christian Gisamonyo (África Centro Este). 19. Document The Vocation of Marist Laity : ( ) Br. Pau Fornells (Bureau of Laity, coordinator), Ms. Anne Dooley (Melbourne), Ms. Annie Girka (L Hermitage), Ms. Bernadette Ropa (Melanesia), Mr. Carlos Navajas (América Central), Mr. José María Pérez Soba (Ibérica), + Mr. Noel Dabrera (Sri Lanka), Mr. Sérgio Schons (Rio Grande do Sul), Br. Rémy Mbolipasiko (África Centro Este), Br. Afonso Murad (Brasil Centro-Norte). 20. Document on Marist Youth Ministry: ( ) Br. Emili Turú (General Councillor, coordinator), Br. Raúl Goitea (Cruz del Sur), Mr. Fabiano Incerti (Brasil Centro Sul), Mr. Paul Salmon (Melbourne), Br. Ramon Rúbies (L Hermitage), Br. Ifeanyi Mbaegbu (Nigeria), Br. Rommell Ocasiones (East Asia), Br. Michael Schmalzl (West-Central Europe), Br. Juan Miguel Anaya (General Administration). January

120 21. Preparatory Commission of the XXI General Chapter: ( ) Br. Maurice Berquet (General Councillor, coordinator), Br. Albert Nzabonaliba (África Centro Este), Br. Carlos Vélez (América Central), Br. Graham Neist (Sydney), Br. João Carlos do Prado (Brasil Centro Sul), Br. Josep Maria Soteras (L Hermitage), Br. Lindley Sionosa (East Asia), Br. Luis García Sobrado (Vicar General), Br. Seán Sammon (Superior General), Br. Teodoro Grageda (secretary). 22. Evaluation Team of the Procurator General: (2008) Br. Michael Flanigan (coordinator) Br. Onorino Rota, Br. Afonso Levis. 23. Committee for Revision of Chapter 4 of the Constitutions: (2008) Br. Antonio Ramalho (General Councillor, coordinator), Br. Antoine Kazindu (África Centro Este), Br. Tony Clark (Melbourne), Br. Pere Ferré (L Hermitage), Br. Maurice Goutagny (L Hermitage), Br. Pedro Herreros (General Councillor). 24. Commission on Marist Formation in Universities: ( ) Br. Emili Turú (General Councillor, coordinator), Br. Evilázio Teixeira (PUCRG, Rio Grande do Sul), Mr. Jaime Nieto (Red Universidades de México), Br. Juan Ramón Alegre (Escuela de Alcalá de Henares, España), Mr. Ricardo Tescarolo (PUCPR, Brasil Centro-Sul), Br. Juan Miguel Anaya (Commission of Mission). 118 Report of the General Council

121 25. Preparatory Commission for the 2 nd Meeting on the Governance of Educational Works: ( ) Br. Juan Miguel Anaya (Commission of Mission, coordinator), Br. Carlos Huidobro (Cruz del Sur), Br. Juan Ignacio Poyatos (Mediterránea), Br. Luis Carlos Gutiérrez (América Central), Br. Michael Green (Sydney), Br. Wellington Medeiros (Brasil Centro-Norte). 26. Community of Welcome at N.D. de l Hermitage: ( ) Nominated by the General Council: Br. Neville Solomon (Sydney), Br. Diogène Musine (África Centro Este), Br. Miro Reckziegel (Rio Grande do Sul), Br. Allan de Castro (East Asia), Mr. Ernesto & Mrs. Norma Spagnoli (Cruz del Sur), Ms. Elida Quiñones (México Occidental). Nominated by the Province of the L Hermitage: Br. Jean-Pierre Destombes (superior), Br. Benito Arbués, Br. George Palandre, Ms. Annie Girka. January

122 MARIST IN Provinces SOUTH AMERICA Provinces AFRICA SOUTHERN AFRICA Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe EAST CENTRAL AFRICA Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania MADAGASCAR Madagascar NIGERIA Nigeria WEST AFRICA (DISTRICT) Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Liberia BRASIL CENTRO NORTE Brazil BRASIL CENTRO SUL Brazil CRUZ DEL SUR Argentina, Uruguay NORANDINA Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela RIO GRANDE DO SUL Brazil SANTA MARÍA DE LOS ANDES Bolivia, Chile, Peru PARAGUAY (DISTRITO) Paraguay AMAZONIA (DISTRITO) Brazil Provinces NORTH and CENTRAL AMERICA AMÉRICA CENTRAL Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Cuba CANADA Canada UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Japan, United States of America MÉXICO CENTRAL Mexico MÉXICO OCCIDENTAL Mexico, Haiti 120 Report of the General Council

123 THE WORLD Provinces ASIA EAST ASIA Philippines, Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore SOUTH ASIA Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India AD GENTES MISSION (SECTOR) Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Thailand, Vietnam Provinces EUROPE COMPOSTELA Spain, Honduras, Portugal WEST CENTRAL EUROPE Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, United Kingdom IBÉRICA Spain L HERMITAGE Algeria, Spain, France, Greece, Hungary, Switzerland MEDITERRÁNEA Spain, Italy, Lebanon, Syria 2009 Provinces OCEANIA MELBOURNE Australia, East Timor NEW ZEALAND Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Samoa SYDNEY Australia, Cambodia MELANESIA (DISTRICT) New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

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