Yesterday the leadership teams of the 4 religious branches of the Marist Family gathered in Manziana, in the outskirts of Rome. The meeting was originally planned to take place last year at the Marist Brothers house, L’Hermitage, near Lyons, but because of the pandemic the meeting was postponed.
The 19 participants are working together for three days with the theme of “the Tree – Grounded, Branching, and Reaching out†(Rev 22:2). The meeting coincides with the Feast of the Ascension and preparing for the Feast of Pentecost – days of hope, expectation, and reception of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Three key issues on the agenda are:
1. The Pandemic: They will study the impact of the pandemic on the leaders and members of the congregations. They will also share their experience of leading, what they have learnt and what are the hopes for the post-pandemic times.
2. The Marist Places of Origin: The grounding of our Marist Tree was in France. As our members in France and Europe grow older, the group will discuss how we can best utilize our Marist Heritage places, such as la Neylière, L’Hermitage, Belley, and Lyon, for the mission of our congregations. They will also consider possible ways of collaboration in the future.
3. Laudato Si’: They will consider how to carry forward the efforts of the Marist Family Laudato Si’ working group, which has already been established, and how to foster the further implementation, along with Marist Laity, of the care for our common home.
(Audio Available)
