Marist News 566

Year XI - Number 566 | 27 February 2019

Marist News 566

Marist Brothers - General House - Rome

Collaborative week General Council meets with directors of secretariats and departments of the General Administration During the traditional Plenary Session of the General Council, the collaborative week of the Government of the Institute with the directors of the secretariats and departments of the General House also took place. The main objective of the week was to conclude the General Administration’s Strategic Plan for animation, leadership, and government.

The coordination team of the three areas of the Organigram was also defined: Tony Leon (Marist Life), Br. Valdícer Fachi (Marist Mission) and Br. Carlos Huidobro (Marist Institutional Services).

The Brothers and lay people present explored together how to build and co-create each of the three areas, highlighting the meaning and value it brings and highlighting ways of working together.

Morning prayer and Eucharistic celebration in the afternoon were the frames of the picture. A picture in which the strategic initiatives of each area were painted.

Brothers Luis Carlos, Vicar General, Ben Consigli, and Óscar Martín, general councilors, coordinated the work, giving orientations for the development of the projects of the

areas and of the strategic themes. Sufficient space was left for conversations between the areas, especially between Marist Life and Marist Mission and also the areas with the respective liaison councilors.

The next strategic week will take place during the plenary session of June, from 10 to 14.

Genereal Administration • On Tuesday, February 26, the General Council ends its plenary session. In recent days the Council took the opportunity to define the details for the meeting with the Provincials and to take some decisions concerning the animation, leadership and government of the Institute.

• From February 24 to March 2, Brothers Jeff Crowe and Ángel Medina, in charge of accompanying Project Lavalla200>, visit the community of East Harlem, in the United States.

• Br. Álvaro Sepúlveda, from FMSI, is in Bolivia, preparing the Universal Periodic Review on the rights of children in the country, which will be presented to the UN. • From 26 to 28 February, the meeting of the animation

www.champagnat.org

group for community life of the Asian Region is held in Sri Lanka, with the participation of Brother Tony Leon, director of the Brothers Today Secretariat.

• On 2 March, Brother Ben Consigli, General Councillor, will participate in the meeting of the organising committee of the meeting of the General Councils of the Marist Family.

• In the next few days the provincials will arrive in the General House for the Meeting with the General Council, which will begin next Monday. The provincials of the Americas and Africa will take the opportunity to meet: America Sur (February 28), Arco Norte (February 28), Inter-American Conference of Provincials (March 1 - 2) and Africa (March 1 - 3).

Marist News 566

Sign on for Change SED and CME launch their campaign for Lent 2019 "Únete para cambiarlo" (Sign on for change) is the title of the new Lenten book published by SED (Solidaridad, Educación y Desarrollo) in collaboration with the Spanish Marist Conference (CME).

The text, published annually, asks its readers to reflect on the Gospel through 7 proposals for each week of Lent.

The book aims to be a tool to motivate and help people to undertake their own inner change in the light of the word of the Gospel, through Bible readings, prayers and meditations.

Pérez, Provincial of Ibérica, in the introduction of the book.

This year, a weekly video has been added to the topics treated. The book and the audio-visual material will be available in www.sed-ongd. org (PDF here).

SED, a Spanish Marist NGO, works mainly to promote the Right to Education in Africa and Latin America, as well as in some countries in Asia and Europe. In Spain it works in the field of Development Education and Social Impact.

"Lent is presented to us, once again, as a time of conversion to God, a time of CHANGE, an opportunity to get out of our routines, to connect with the Gospel message”, says Br. Moisés Alonso

International advocacy in Sicily FMSI goes to Siracusa to promote

the rights of migrants

FMSI went to the city of Syracusa, Italy, on February 7 and 8, in order to discuss the situation there regarding the rights of migrants and meet up with Carla Tromino, the Public Children’s Guardian of the city, as well as with students of Jurisprudence at the University of Catania.

Based on their first-hand knowledge of the local context, they are participating in the preparation of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Italy to defend the rights of migrants through this international forum.

The students at the Legal Clinic of the Department of Jurisprudence within the University of Catania are actively involved in the process. They are preparing a report and recommendations to be sent to the Italian Government at the end of March.

Networking and contact with authorities and experts in this field ensures an effective use of the mechanisms of the United Nations to which the Marist Institute has access.

In October 2016 the Marist community started in Syracu-

sa (Sicily, Italy) as part of the Lavalla200> initiative. Two years later, in January 2019, the Intercultural Centre for Assistance and Orientation (CIAO) was inaugurated to provide an outreach to the young migrants and refugees who have arrived in Sicily.

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Marist News 566

News in Brief ■

Bangladesh

Italy: “Marcellino Punto e a Capo” Marist Formation for Italian Teachers

On February 21st, the students and teachers of St. Marcellin School celebrated Mother Language Day with a barefoot walk to the martyrs’ memorial. The total number of mother tongues of the students and teachers of the school is 18.

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Belgium

Last Saturday, the community of Genval organized a meeting to prepare for Lent, which brought together almost 40 people: brothers, lay people and members of nearby parishes.

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Spain

About 50 animators of the Marist Youth Ministry of the Province of Ibérica met last weekend to organize this year’s Easter activities. The initiative seeks to invite participants to live the motto “Change with us!

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Mexico

The National Meeting of Animators of Fraternities of the Marist Family was held in Spacio La Valla from February 21 to 23. The participants shared writings and documents of the Church, which will serve for the formation of each one of the Fraternities.

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Timor-Leste

On 25 February, the Marist East Timor Foundation received a donation of land on which the first Marist school in the country will be built.

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Eleven teachers form three Marist schools in Italy (Mediterranean Province) have taken part in a session of formation around the personality and the charism of St Marcellin. They were coming from the schools of Rome (San Leone Magno), Giugliano (Marist Institut) and Genoa (Champagnat Institut). The chosen place for this encounter was the General House at EUR, keeper of many memories of the Founder, that allowed us to be in contact with the internationality of our Institute Three brothers of San Leone Magno community, Rome, were charged of animating that session, inspired in the Spanish programme known as

“Marcelino punto y seguido”. Adopting an active and participative methodology, the teachers were deepening some key elements of St Marcellin’s life, of the first brothers, and of the Marist charism and mission.

This formation lasted barely one and a half day, but it allowed us to create some intense moments where, not only the dynamics of the session were developed, but there was room for times of silence, prayer, reflection, sharing, and to experience the joy of friendship.

At the final evaluation, the participants showed their satisfaction for the welcoming and the good spirit of calmness and brotherhood prevailing during the encounter. At the same time, they manifested their desire to carry on deepening these Marist topics, that help us the develop the sense of belonging and the commitment to our Marist educational mission.

Marist News 566

Marist World

Italy General Council - Retreat in nemi

Italy: International Marist Ongoing Formation team/community in Manziana

Mexico Toluca

Vatican Meeting on Child Protection in the Church

General House: Meeting between the General Council and the Secretariats

Brazil Ilha Grande dos Marinheiros, Porto Alegre

A new beginning in Château-Richer, Canada Elderly Brothers now live in a Lay Residence The Marist Brothers of the community Mont Champagnat, in Quebec, Canada, since September 2018, live in a lay residence. The Marist property where they lived – belonging to the Province since 1953 – became a lay dominion after being sold in August 2016 to the Group La Vie est Belle.

Today, the other Marist House of Chateau-Richer has become a Residence for retired Marist Brothers and Laity.

Brother Gaston Robert, who during seven years was Superior at the service of the community, followed all the work until the Project of Mont Champagant was completely carried out, which now accommodates the Brothers in Châtaeu-Richer.

“The community of the Marist Brothers knew how to choose, with discernment, the correct person to carry out this transfer of the House Chataeu-Richer to the lay world”. Were the words of Mr. Réjean Bouchard,

one of the new owners, when finishing the enlargement and the work in 2018.

The group LVB has been named Finalist of the 36th annual Show or Event of FIDEIDES, for the realization of the Residence Mont-Champagnat.

In the decade of the 50’s, the house

of Mont-Champagnat was constructed with the intention of establishing there a Center for rest and care of the elderly and sick Brothers.

In the following link, it is possible to load down, and read in French, the history of the process:https://goo.gl/ hTe5So. 27 February 2019

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Marist News 566

Angry Letter from Aleppo No 35 Since few months, there has been no more fighting in Syria. All the commentators believe that the war is over and that the Syrian government won it. Daech (the Islamic state) has been defeated and only a small pocket of territory is still under its control in the far east of Syria. The Syrian government now control 70% of the territory, including almost all the major cities.

And yet, there is no rendez-vous with peace.

On one hand, the rebel armed groups are now all regrouped in the province of Idlib. Al Nosra, a branch of Al Qaida, recognized by the UN and the international community as a terrorist group, is eliminating by arms or by phagocyting all the other islamic groups alike. For months, the Syrian army has been wanting to launch an offensive to free this last province from the hand of the terrorists, including 30,000 foreigners, but the western powers, through the intermediaries Russia and Turkey, prevent it; reason given: risk of serious humanitarian crisis; the real reason for the confession of some western leaders: what to do with all those foreign terrorists who would flee to Europe if the offensive is unleashed and who could terrorize the Europeans after sowing the terror in Syria?

We are ANGRY at such cynicism.

Another war On the other hand, another war is taking place on our territory, the one between Turkey and the Kurdish militia. The first invaded the northwest of Syria, under the pretext of fighting Kurdish terrorists causing the exodus of 140,000 people from the region of Afrin. The second, supported by the US military, took advantage of the war in Syria to take control of the northeastern area to establish an autonomous region. Turkey, of course, does not look at it that way

and does not want at all an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria that would encourage Turkish Kurds to do the same.

Finally, the Americans, who illegally established two bases in a sovereign country, want to withdraw according to the decision of the president Trump. But his administration and the congress do not agree and try to sabotage this decision.

To appear good, the US foreign affairs minister declared that the Americans will only withdraw if Turkey gives guaranteed not to attack the Kurds. This has enraged Erdogan who wants to launch a war on the Kurds the way he sees fit.

Example of this imbroglio: the Syrian city of Menbij is occupied by the Kurd militia, patrolled by the American units watched by the Turkish troops based at 5 km to the North and by the Syrian army 15 km to the South.

Of course, we are ANGRY: against the illegal presence of the United States and Turkey in a sovereign country, against this Turkish-Kurdish war that prevent the establishment of a peace much desired by the Syrians and against the cynicism of the governments which prevent the liberation of Idlib so as not to have to solve the problem of their own citizens cum terrorists.

Changes in Marist News Starting in March, our newsletter will be sent with MailChimp, one of the most popular systems for managing mailing lists and sending material by email. MailChimp will also manage the mailing list.

Due to that change, it is necessary to renew your own subscription in order to continue receiving Marist News.

Subscribe now to our new mailing list by clicking on this address: https://goo.gl/zjvAAp See here (http://www.champagnat.org/400.php?a=6&n=5026) more details about this change.

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Marist News 566 cradle of Christianity, is being depopulated from its Christians. During the previous years, the Syrianswere fleeing because of the war, its risks and suffering, and also to ensure for their children a stable and better future.

Since the end of the hostilities, they continue to leave, either to avoid being recruited into the army as reservists when they already have families and kids of their own, or because of the economic crisis and its consequences: unemployment and poverty.

Excuse me, dear friends, for this long introduction even although I wanted it to be brief. But I had to explain to you why, now that the initial war is almost over, we still do not have peace. You now know that the great world and regional powers make politics (and war) along their interests without worrying about the countries they invade and the interest of their peoples. We are ANGRY, and at the same time, we are impatient to see the invaders return home.

State of “neither war nor peace” This state of “neither war nor peace” prevents the reconstruction of the country, the potential investors are reluctant wanting to invest until the peace is established. As a result, the economy is down, poverty and unemployment are impressive, the cost of living is exponentially inflated and the people continue to suffer. The rich people have exhausted their savings, the middle class has dwindled and the poor have become even poorer. We are ANGRY against the imposed sanctions by the European Union and the United States against Syria which only worsen the humanitarian situation without having any impact on the end of hostilities and the establishment of the peace.

The exodus of the Syrians, especially the Christians, continues, even more than during the dark hours of the war.

The Apostolic Nuncio in Syria, Bishop Zenari, announced during a meeting in Hungary that, now, Christians only represent 2% of the population, which means half a million for a population of 23 million citizens. We knew it, but this is the first time that this number has been announced in public. My city, Aleppo, which had between 150,000 and 200,000 Christians in 2011 before the war, has currently only between 25,000 and 30,000. Syria, the

The Mission of the Blues Marists During the hard years of the war, our relief programs aimed to feed, dress, care for and provide housing for the displaced and families in need. We, along with other local a ss o c i a t i o n s , contributed to the survival of the population, supported by the international organizations and associations. Now, we believe that the priority is to provide people with work to help them live with dignity and to become independent from the help they have received for seven years. And then, someone who has a good job thinks less about leaving the country. That is why, we, the Blues Marists, have created, more than two years ago, the micro-projects program. We already have organized 12 learning sessions during which we teach, in 48 hours spread over 3 weeks, 20 young (and not so young) adults “How to Create Your Own Business” and we finance the best projects, the ones that we consider feasible, profitable and sustainable. We have, in 2 years, financed a hundred micro-projects and help about 200 families to live with dignity.

Our resources have decreased Unfortunately, our resources have decreased significantly. With the end of the fighting, private donations have dropped considerably. And the international charitable organizations refuse, for most of them, to fund developmental programs, and some still offer funding for relief programs. As if they wanted the people to remain in need, begging and dependent rather than regaining dignity and hope.

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Marist News 566 opted the same attitude: yes, to food aid, medical aid, restoration of houses and churches, and pastoral aid. No, to developmental projects, to projects that give people jobs. Although, pope Francis has more than once urged the Christian in Syria not to leave theland of their ancestors, the land of their Christian roots. But the exodus continues; soon, we will be only a handful to fill beautiful restored but empty churches. And you want us not to be ANGRY. We fight every day against these absurd and unjust policies, but maybe one day, we will give up and we will join the crowds inexile!!!

Marist projects We continue our other projects with a lot of enthusiasm, love and solidarity with the poorest and the displaced. As you know, we are responsible for the 125 displaced Kurds families, chased out of Afrin by the Turks and settled in a camp tents in the middle of nowhere, camp Shahba. This camp is located 3 km from the front lines in an area that is surrounded by the armed rebels’ groups. In addition to the regular distribution of food and sanitary goods, gas stoves, thermos, blankets etc…, our teams take care of small children, older kids, teenagers and women to do, as much as possible, some teaching, education and human development.

Our new project “Bamboo” takes care of Aleppo’s teenagers who have suffered from the war. Through educational activities and individualized follow up provided by members of our psychological support program “Seeds”, we try to heal the wounds of war and help them find a balance and fulfillment.

Our educational projects, “Learn To Grow” and “I Want To Learn” continue the education of the children three to six years of age from displaced or poor families. The “Drop of Milk” distributes milk to 3000 children every month, but it is very difficult to find on the market infant formula. We continue to help housing 300 displaced families by paying their rent and to help needy patients get treatment and/or surgery.

Our women development sessions are appreciated by the participants.

Our project “Heartmade” for the recycling of clothes is developing more and more.

of brother Juan Carlos, the provincial of the Mediterranean province of the Marists brothers on which the community of Aleppo depends, accompanied by Koki, a committed lay Marist leader. They spent with us four very intense days, shared all our activities, appreciated our mission and our spirit and offered us their support as well as the support of all the Marists of the province.

We have just opened an Instagram account: maristesbleus.

You can follow us through the photos and sympathize with our various programs.

Our book “Les Lettres d’Alep”, while people are not lining up to purchase it, is selling well enough. It tells our experience and testimony during the war years and tells our response, through our association the Blue Marists, to the distress, misery and suffering of our compatriots. We are inviting our friends to get it and distribute it around them.

You can get it directly from the publisher l’Harmattan or order it from your book store or online.

Soon, it will be March 15th, 2019. Already, it has been 8 years since the start of this unfair, absurd and atrocious war that destroyed our country, killed 400,000 people, pushed into exile a million citizens, made 4 million refugees in neighboring countries and 8 million Internal displaced who no longer live in their homes.

ANGRY, yes we are but we still hope to see the war come to an end and hope to see Peace finally established.

Nabi Antaki – For the Blues Marists

Visit of the Provincial We have recently received the visit

Institute of the Marist Brothers - General House

Piazzale Marcellino Champagnat, 2 - Rome, Italy - comunica@fms.it Our website: http://www.champagnat.org YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/champagnatorg

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