4th MARIST LAITY INTERNATIONAL GATHERINGS - IRELAND 2019
From July 28th to August 2d, four Lay Marists of New Caledonia representing the Marist Province of Oceania took part in the 4th International Gathering of the European Marist Laity at Termonfeckin, co. Louth, which was open to the other units of the Society. It was followed by a meeting of the World Marist Laity Coordination at the Emmaus Center, Dublin, which they attended also. A 4-member World Coordination Board has been elected made up with Lay Marists from Spain, USA, Mexico and New Zealand.
Inputs and sharing of experiences in linguistic groups were very rich and allowed to deepen the Colinian vision and its relevance for today’s world. Main topics for discussion were as follows: leadership, structures, formation, commitment, communication and finances. Participants left Ireland with a firm determination to share with others their experience and renewed enthusiasm for “Mary’s work”, with a particular attention to the Youth who have their place in the Marist project.
On their way back they stopped over in France in order to visit some of the places of Marist origins such as Fourvière of course, but also Cerdon, Cuet and La Neylière where Fr Colin, the “father of the Oceanian people” is buried.
