On February 27th and 28th, the first meeting of Arco Norte’s Communications Committee took place at the Provincial House Quinta Soledad, in Mexico City. Each representative explained the communications work and development happening in their Province.

The group also reviewed the current regional strategic plan, in which communication is featured as an important key to tying the different initiatives together in order to answer the calls from the XXII General Chapter meeting.

Thank you to Maryse Piédalue (Canada), Carola Muñoz (Central America), Alethia Becerril (Occidental Mexico), Jessica Urquiza (Central Mexico), H. Gregorio Linacero (Regional Liason), and Erin Gilbert (USA). Arco Norte is counting on your creative communications works we will continue to produce as a region.

From October 21st to 25th, 2019, the Provincial Councils of Canada, USA, Central and Occidental Mexico, Central America, and Norandina joined together in Long Branch, New Jersey in the USA. They met as a part of the plan for the Arco Norte Region to reorganize the personal and institutional strengths in order to grow and foster the Marist mission throughout the region.

This meeting was also attended by: Brs. Luis Carlos Gutiérrez, General Vicar; João Carlos do Prado and Ken McDonald, General Council liasons with the Arco Norte Region; and Br. Alberto Aparecio, Executive Secretary of the America Sur Region as a guest.

Last October 8th-11th, the region’s Finance Directors met in Canada as part of Arco Norte’s Strategic Planning team, and as follow-up to the January 2019 meeting where plans and priorities for the region’s economic progress were set.

During this time, Provincial Finance Directors and Laypeople were tasked with the objective to make the defined initiatives more operational and in context with the current financial reality of the Institute. They also shared administrative best practices and financial models for budgets and financial indicators and controls.   The key message and theme of the meeting was to “stop thinking locally or Provincially in order to start to understand ourselves as a Global Institute.” For more information, we share this text written by Central Mexico’s Finance Director, Br. Javier Salcedo, click here (in Spanish only).

The Arco Norte Regional Committee Meeting took place in Guatemala from September 28th-30th, 2019. The attendees included were: Br. José Sánchez Bravo, American Commission of Provincials (CAP) Coordinator; Br. Gregorio Linacero, Coordinator of the Committee; Br. Alejandro González, leader of the communications project; Br. Justino Gómez and Irma Zamarripa, representing the Innovation for Education and Evangelization initiative; Br. Al Rivera, leader of the Formation of Brothers and Laypeople initiative; Br. Félix Roldán, leader of the Vocational Culture initiative; Socorro Álvarez Noriega, representative of America’s Solidarity Marist Heart Network.

The meeting allowed to:

• • Learn about the current projects from the General Administration and the changes in the administrative structure.
• • Evaluate the regionalization processes from other parts of the world to identify the common areas of progress.
• • Learn about the planning of the Interamerican networks: Solidarity Marist Heart and Spirituality.
• • Follow-up on, evaluate, and adjust the implementation plan of the region.

• Share fraternal moments as group.

Br. Al Rivera – Co-Director of Vocations, USA Province

Brother Formation

The Arco Norte committee for Marist Brother Formation met in Medellin, Colombia back in September of 2019 to begin to look at how the region can begin to develop a formation program that addresses not only the needs of those men entering initial formation but also prepares them to be Marist Brothers for the World.

A document has been prepared that identifies the regions strengths, weakness, and challenges, by the different stages. In the area of initial formation, we are looking to address weaknesses in order to provide a formation process that speaks to the needs of our younger members.

Presently, the committee has asked each Arco Norte Province to review its current formation plan in light of the document prepared by the formation committee, and see where and how some of the suggestions can be implemented. In addition, each Province is sharing what they consider to be some of the “best practices” in formation. All these documents will be shared with the Brothers responsible for formation within the region.

Also, the committee has proposed a first step to begin to address some of the calls of the XXII General Chapter Meeting. In order to strengthen our identity, as a region and as a Global Family, the region is looking to utilize videoconferencing to connect those men in formation with their respective peers.

The objective of the initiative is not only for the men in formation to get to know one another, but more importantly, to use the time as a formative experience. With the assistance of local formators, these experiences of fraternity will allow those in formation to understand and experience Marist Life from a different perspective. It will give them an opportunity to discuss issues in formation as well as share thoughts and insights about living life as a Marist Brother in light of a changing world.

Lay Formation

The committee for Marist Lay formation has been working over the past several months planning for the first gathering of Marist Lay formators. Unfortunately, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the gathering has been postponed until a later date. However, the committee may be reorganizing to attempt to do at least part of the event via videoconferencing. The committee will be meeting in the weeks ahead to discuss this possibility and develop a plan of action.