On Saturday, August 15th, on the Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption, Patron Saint of our Marist Institute, the Marist Novitiate of Medellin, Colombia located in the region of Arco Norte had a virtual gathering with our brothers living in the Novitiate of Cochabamba, Bolivia located in the Marist Region of South America.

We are grateful for the technological advances, that allow us to be in contact with our Marist brothers as we continue our vocational journey.

The meeting was organized by the Inter-Province Novitiate of “La Valla” in Medellin. The theme of our time together was “The Marist Region of Arco Norte“. It was a time for us to introduce ourselves and share with our brothers some significant facts about the Marist mission within the countries of the Arco Norte region.

We feel that this experience, has not only gradually moved us to have opportunities for joint formation between the two novitiates but at the same time, it has allowed us to come together and develop a warmer and closer relationship as brothers.

Soon, we would like to gather again, as first or second year novices, to share life and speak about our formative experiences. We look forward to continuing to be companions on this journey and in formation.

+ J.M.J.CH. September 7, 2020

On 22 August the Arco Norte Regional Council met in video conference, in the presence of Provincials Gérard Bachand (Canada), Patrick McNamara (United States), José Sánchez (México Central), César Augusto Rojas and Orlando Escobar (Norandina), Miguel Ángel Santos (México Occidental) and Hipólito Pérez (América Central). Brothers João Carlos do Prado, General Councilor and liaison for the Region and Gregorio Linacero and Rodrigo Espinosa, as Coordinators of the Regional Committee, also took part.

Brother Óscar Martín, General Councilor, and responsible for the animation of the La Valla 200 Project, intervened during the session to share the progress of this project of the Institute and in particular the vision of the Montagne community of Holguín (Cuba), which belongs to the region.

Brother Tomás Briongos, Provincial of Compostela, who always accompanies us because of our links with the Marist life and mission in Honduras, could not participate on this occasion for personal reasons.

This intuition of the author Francesc Torralba, motivated our reflection, sharing and research: “Uncertainty is a fundamental feature of our time. We do not know what is the meaning of what we call the new normality. There is fear, dread and trembling. It is easy to fall into despair and nihilism. What is difficult is to imagine new scenarios.

The crisis has accelerated the digital transition and this has pros and cons, but it has also accelerated the ecological transition. This could inaugurate a new way of producing, consuming and relating to each other.” (Francesc Torralba, Living the Essential)

Throughout the session we developed the following objectives:

•  To share significant aspects experienced in our provinces of Arco Norte as a result of the experience of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 disease.
•  To follow up the initiatives in the Region and the Continent, particularly the Communications process.
•  To accompany the journey of Marist life and mission in the Montagne community (Holguín, Cuba) and the Province of Canada.
•  To define the itinerary of the Regional Forum: “A new present, a better future”, 26 and 27 October 2020.
•  To approve the document: Organisations and functions of the Arco Norte Region, the members of the Arco Norte Regional Committee (CRAN) 2021-2023 and the “Rules of Procedure of the Permanent Council CAP”.

Warm regards,

Hipólito Pérez, FMS

Arco Norte Coordinator

On June 29th the Provincials of the Arco Norte Region met by videoconference: Brothers Gérard Bachand, Patrick McNamara, José Sánchez, César Augusto Rojas, Miguel Ángel Santos, and Hipólito Pérez, along with João Carlos do Prado and Ken McDonald as liaisons for the Region from the General Council, and Br. Tomás Briongos, Provincial of Compostela, for the Marist mission in Honduras.

Gregorio Linacero, Regional Committee Coordinator and Rodrigo Espinosa, Regional Committee Coordinator, followed up with each of the teams and regional initiatives.

Brothers Nice Garrán and Jorge Sánchez, coordinators of the regional Education and Evangelization Teams, shared the progress of both teams and their concerns.

The group felt inspired and challenged by the following reflection: “I think the best contribution we can make to the birth of this new era is to be consistent like the first Christians. To be what we are called to be. I believe that Religious Life still carries great relevance today, especially in this time of crisis. Although it may appear that we have nothing to contribute, the essence of what we are called to be is exactly what the women and men of today need.” (Br. Emili Turú, fms. What does the COVID-19 pandemic say about Consecrated Life?)

Throughout the conference session the following objectives were developed:

• Share the most significant areas of progress from our Provinces during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Follow up on regional and continental processes and initiatives, especially the Education and Evangelization teams.
• Accompany the processes that are taking place in Marist life and mission in Canada and Honduras, also in the Montagne community of Holguín.
• Revisit the evaluation of the Brothers’ approach to Perpetual Profession.
• Confirm and formalize the appointments of the Regional Coordinator and the Team of Formators in the La Valla Interprovincial Novitiate (Medellín) for 2021.

Fraternally,

Hipólito Pérez, FMS

Following the calls of the XXII General Chapter of the Marist Institute of building and strengthen our identity as a global family within the different regions of the Institute, we the postulants and pre-postulants from the region of Arco Norte, had a virtual gathering. This was our first opportunity to get to know one another; for sharing our life experiences as a way of strengthening and supporting one another in our vocational discernment. Our time together was truly was a time of grace. The group met on June 12, via a Zoom videoconference. Those present on the call included Jorge, Julio, Gerson, Robert, Joseph, and Moises representing the provinces of Central America, the United States and Central Mexico. Brother Albert Rivera assisted us as interpreter.

We spoke in a very fraternal way, we laughed and we share a lot about our family history and our personal journey on following the in the footsteps of Christ and Marcellin. This type of virtual conferencing will continue to happen through the year, in order to support one another in our vocational journey and to feel connected as brothers of the same family, the family of Mary.

We ask God and Mary, our Good Mother to continue to accompany us in our vocational discernment and feel the love of your Divine Son so that we can make him known.

Moisés Santiago

Province of Central Mexico

On May 23rd, the brothers in temporary vows in the Region of Arco Norte, held a virtual meeting where we were able to share our current formation and ministry experiences. The meeting’s primary focus was to allow the younger brothers within the region, an opportunity to know one another and to grow and connect our region in line with the calls of the XXII General Chapter, to walk together “as a global family”. We also had the presence of Brother. Albert Rivera (Province of the United States), regional link of the implementation team, who briefly greeted us and encouraged us to continue to create fraternal bonds amongst the group.

Currently, in the region of Arco Norte we are more than 30 brothers in temporary vows, some living in houses of formation, some in scholasticates, and others in apostolic communities:

• Luis Ramos y Sam Amos (in Chicago, Province of the United States)
• José Eduardo Maciel, Mario García, Nicolás Ríos y Yarib Daza (In Mexico City, Province of Central Mexico)
• Jorge Edgar Almanza y Oscar Soubervielle (in Potoichán, Guerrero, Province of Central Mexico)
• David Castillo (in Guadalajara, Province of Mexico Occidental)
• Chancelet Tangère, Dimmy Frederic, Dukens Medor, Guylner Similien, Mayliko Livette, Louis Oscar Paul, Saint-Louis Roger y Wilson Dorcy (in Puerto Príncipe, Haiti, Province of México Occidental)
• Roberto Constanza (in Guatemala, Province of Central America)
• Alexnnys Flores, Andrés Robles, Duvan Correa, Duberney Giraldo, Francisco Ruíz, Henry Araujo, Michael Anamá y Junior Jaramillo (in Bogotá, Colombia, Province of Norandina)
• Juan Pablo Burgos y Oscar Bolívar (in Manizales, Colombia, Province Norandina)
•   Juan Sebastián Herrera, Juan Bolaños (in apostolic communities de Colombia, Province of Norandina)    

In this first virtual meeting, we reflected on our role as young brothers in light of vocation ministry; we believe that it is a very important dimension that challenges us and invites us to be a witnesses of the Marist life and to spread the joy of our consecrated life to others as Marist brothers.

We wish to maintain this “Marist network”, through encounters and formative opportunities that allow us to reflect on themes and sharing experiences that will allow us to continue to solidify our vocation as the Little Brothers of Mary.

We want to thank the Brother Formators of the region for this proposal and for their work in accompanying along our process.

Fraternalmente;

Hno. Alexnnys Flores Espinoza, fms