The two-week program deepened and developed socio-emotional, institutional and technical skills
Photo: Giordano Toldo
From the 3rd to the 14th of October, about 60 brothers and lay Marists from 19 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa, gathered at PUCRS to participate in the second stage of the Training Program called Marist Leaders – A Servant, Prophetic and Qualified Leadership . The aim of the program – guided by the 22 chapters of the book Marist Voices – is to prepare leaders for the mission, developing social and intercultural skills and competences.
The training, offered by the General Administration of the Marist Institute, with the support of PUCRS, is inspired by the Message from the XXII General Chapter (Colombia – 2017) which calls for “a prophetic and servant leadership, which closely accompanies Marist life and mission”. It also suggests that “at all levels of government, structures should be created and/or strengthened for all Marists to share leadership and responsibility in life and mission”.
According to the Senior Vice President of PUCRS, Brother Manuir Mentges, the Program deepened and developed socio-emotional, institutional and technical skills, with the aim of developing a servant and prophetic leadership for the different fronts and spaces of mission.
“With the General Government of the Marist Institute, PUCRS contributed to the development of the program, ensuring a training committed to interculturality, Marist educational principles and values, in the light of the challenges of our time. It was an experience that gathered leaders from 19 countries, who throughout the activities and online classes and even in the weeks in Porto Alegre, favored a journey of community, development, sharing of life and experiences”, he remarked.
The course was attended by people who develop strategic leadership in the Administrative Units or are preparing to work in strategic areas of mission development. The first edition of the program was held in Portuguese and Spanish and for the next year an edition is planned for the English and French-speaking audiences.
According to Ana Clarissa Santos, the professor coordinating the course, the program was an opportunity for interculturality and sharing of experiences.
“We were together for two weeks, side by side with 60 Marist leaders, thinking and discussing servant leadership. We reinforce our mission and the importance of management to reach more and more young people and children, getting them to know Jesus and the Good Mother”, she said.
Photo: Laísa Mendes
José Antonio Lemus, Marist leader from the Marist Province of Mediterránea, in Spain, says that he had a rewarding experience of commitment to the faith and his fellow Champagnat Marists.
“It was a moment to go deeper into something that is essential for us: leading the Marist Mission. It is urgent for us to answer the question ‘what hurts us?’. What hurts us is knowing that there are boys and girls who need to be accompanied and that there are young people in need of support – both academically and emotionally, mentally and spiritually”.
Marist leader of the Marist Province of Brasil Sul-Amazônia Maria Angela Baldi, reflects on the challenges in education and how the time spent with the Marist brothers is enriching.
“Education is an act of transformation – we are never ready. We are always transforming ourselves, studying, gaining capacities, taking advantage of the training moments, and this one is even more special, since we have the possibility of making exchanges about our positive and fragile points to set goals and continuously evolve in this educational process”, she observes.
Photo: Laísa Mendes
Loreto Rubio Oderiz, Marist leader of the Marist Province of L’Hermitage, Spain, highlights how enriching it was to participate in the program.
“It was a very important moment, as people are overloaded with challenges and only when we feel part of a community can we overcome them. Therefore, in the face of great challenges, it is paramount for us to build a community and feel part of a group that wants to help us”.
The first Marist Leadership Training Program had as its main objective to prepare servant leaders for the mission, be it in education, evangelization, children’s rights, governance and management with training, for change and the development of social and intercultural skills and competences.
The training ends in the week when we celebrate Teacher’s Day, a date of great importance for the Marist mission. Check out a tribute with the participants of the event:
