St. Marcellin

Paspii0 · 2024-10-03T05:12:06+00:00

Dear Marists of Champagnat, On June 6th we joyfully celebrate the feast of Saint Marcellin Champagnat. It is an important occasion to give thanks for the life and mission of our Founder and for being beneficiaries of the gift of the Marist charism. It is a gift of the Spirit, given to the Church and the world, which provides us with life and we are invited to keep alive and share. We are part of an amazing institutional history. History began with a young priest, 27 years old, who was able to read the signs of the times, perceive the intuitions of the Spirit, and go forward responding with creativity. In a post-revolution context, realizing the needs of the youth of La Valla and its surroundings, Marcelino confirmed the intuition he had already felt since the seminar to start an Institute dedicated to the education and evangelization of youth, particularly those of the most vulnerable and needy. Marcelino was a leader who cared for life and generated a new Marist life. History reminds us that, at the beginning of the Institute in La Valla, Marcellin was absorbed for a long time by the animation of the brothers' house with whom he spent the breaks and the time that the tasks of his parish ministry allowed him. At a certain point, he recognizes that time is not enough to accompany this conversation. rising of religious educators. Hence, moved by the great affection that he felt for his brothers and by the need to be more present among them to accompany them, he decides to go live with them. When he told the parish priest, he spared no effort to dissuade him… Marcelino knew that by becoming one more among them, practicing first What he told them was the best way to make them fond of his vocation. So, having obtained his authorization, he left the parsonage to settle with his brothers. (Cf Life, pp. 76-77). This action of our Founder has marked us from the beginning. We have inherited a style of leadership whereby, before thinking of himself, he thought first of the project that God dictated to him in his heart as well as in people and his care. Marcelino lived a leadership service dedicated to caring for life and generating new life, as indicated by the motto that we have deepened throughout this Year of Marist Vocations, which we began on May 20, 2022. We have the experience of a Fun- giver who was able to encourage, accompany and train with enthusiasm and perseverance those who felt the call of God to live the Marist vocation. In moments of crisis, which were not lacking, he was able to go forward showing his total trust in God and in Mary, our Good Mother. Let us remember that, a little over 200 years ago, between the years 1819 and 1822, there was a time of crisis and vocational resurgence. Marcellin continued to be attentive to the intuitions that the Spirit dictated to him in his heart and, even when there were situations of difficulty, contradiction, and even blockages, he was able to move forward with great faith and trust, thanks to his attentive ears and his bold heart He always remembered and recognized that this Institute was not his work, but the work of God and Mary. This historical experience is a gift to us and inspires us in our days. We live in difficult times, both in the Institute and in the Church, as in the world. We are invited to pay our utmost attention to perceive the intuitions of the Spirit and go forward, as Marcellin did. For this, it is necessary to continue deepening our interiority and spirituality, personally and as a group. The Constitutions remind us that, “in meditation, we cultivate interior silence that allows us to listen to God in the depths of ourselves” (Const.48) Marcelino, as leader, took care of the lives of both the brothers and the children and young people he cared for in the mission. He promoted the care of the communities and the schools that were founded. He paid special attention to the sick, as well as to the vulnerable children and youth he encountered. His tireless dedication generated enthusiasm and commitment in the people who met him. Through his testimony and action he was able to generate new life. Living the mission with passion and creativity. We believe that the gift of the Marist charism is still alive and current in our times, and we are invited to adapt it to current times. Let us continue to be open to the intuitions that the Spirit is dictating to us, in the current context and through the signs of the times in which we live. Let us not be afraid to welcome the novelty, as well as to change and transform what is necessary, both in the way of living our vocation and in the way of carrying out our mission. Young people await us as living witnesses of Jesus, transparent and close. We are invited to continue our mission among young people with passion and creativity, seeking to make each of our educational and social centers a home of light that cares for life and generates new life. We are called to continue with enthusiasm and dedication this dream and this Champagnat fraternity, at the service of those most in need, as we find today in so many children who suffer the emerging needs of the war, the post-pandemic, the loss of meaning in life, the lack of schools, disconnection, etc. In the hands of Mary We entrust the life and mission of our Institute to Mary, Our Good Mother. She continues to inspire us: “True to the name you bear, let Mary inspire and model your spirituality” (Rule of Life, 28). She was able to discover the presence of God within herself and to reflect it in daily life, feeling strengthened especially in moments of uncertainty and pain. As Marists of Champagnat, Mary encourages us, inspires us, and makes us feel her close presence. Let us remember that “this is her work”, as Saint Marcellin repeated to us so many times. Let us feel the closeness of Saint Marcellin, who is still alive in each one of us today, inspiring us with his attentive ears and his bold heart.

Thread starter Paspii0
Start date Oct 3, 2024

Paspii0

JF-Expert Member

Oct 3, 2024

Numbisa

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St. Marcellin

Paspii0

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Numbisa

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