List of happenings

The assembly in Colombia
In Cartagena at St Peter Claver a center for retreats, the communities from Monteria, Cartagena and Bogota gathered for their annual assembly. Sister Marie Kathleen shared her recent experience of the EGC in Rome regarding the preparations for the General Chapter in September 2008 and the Provincial Chapters. We received with joy the booklets that expressed the challenges for our congregation in Living Passionately God’s Reconciling Love. We felt very animated and committed knowing that all the province will be involved in the provincial chapter next February which impulses and gives direction to our mission for the next seven years. We were also blessed to have with us on the last day Bishop Jorge Jimenez, the Archbishop of Cartagena. He shared with us the history of the various bishops’ conferences in Latin America (Medellin, Puebla, Santa Domingo…) especially on the 5th Conference in May this year in Aparecida, in Brazil. There was a great spirit between us during the assembly, the joy of being toether with the desire to participate in the development of our province and congregation.

The assembly in Peru
In Peru we enjoyed the comfort of having the assembly in our own house.
Each morning we shared in prayer Leccio Divina a journey in faith listening to the spirit speaking in each sister. With Hugo Caceres a Christian Brother, a professor from CONFER, we reflected on the scripture passage John 4, The Women at the Well. We focused on the conflicts in the passage among the persons and the various situations depicted. Brother Hugo then helped us to see how Jesus entered into the situation in order to evangelize and bring life. He helped us to identify the areas of conflict in Peru and connect these situations to Jesus the Giver of Living Water. He also took our theme for the Chapter Living Passionately God’s Reconciling Love and related this to the Women at the Well. Keeping in mind the dynamics of the EGC, we formed various questions to help us plan for our forthcoming provincial chapter.
How do we live with urgency and audacity the spirit of Mary for the Kingdom today?
How can we be more sensitive to the movements and paradigm in our society, the universe? How do we read this? Where are we going?
How do we incorporate in our daily living God’s reconciling love?
These are just a few of many questions that are challenging us to help us prepare for the chapter.

New group of Marist Laity in Peru
With great joy and enthusiasm we present our new group of Marist laity. At the end of our assembly they received medals as a sign that they wanted to live as Marists, doing the Work of Mary in their daily commitments. The women, Maria, Dora Lisa, Maria, Dona and Sonia-belong to the parish in Las Flores from the chapel of St. Martin. Sisters Maria Wiegers, Kathleen, Carlota and Juanita have collaborated en their formation. Father Larry Duffy was present and participated in the little ceremony of consecration.