Marist faculty member Erin Kelly spent a week in Spain attending in the 3rd Marist International Mission Assembly, where 120 Marists from 80 different countries gathered together to share experiences, understand current social realities, discern priorities, and propose future directions and strategies for Marist life and Mission around the world. The assembly gathered in El Escorial, Spain from April 7th-14th. Below is a short reflection from Erin Kelly:
We were asked specifically to consider the immediate need of youth in our world and determine specific strategies to respond to these needs. It was so inspiring to hear of how the Marist Mission is being carried out all over the world and that despite linguistic and cultural barriers, we were able to come to a consensus about what the priorities are as well as the next steps in the process of building a strong foundation for the future of the Marist Mission. The Spirit was definitely present in our work at the Assembly. I am most grateful for relationships that have been forged in this process. I am proud to be a member of our global Marist Family.
Known as MIMA, this was the third edition: the first took place in 2007 in Mendes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the motto “One heart, one mission”; the second in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2014, with the motto “New Marists on mission”. This year, the motto was “We are a global family.”
Thank you, Erin, for representing Marist Chicago at the global level!
