Monica Linares (41 years old) lives in the north of Jujuy, in Argentine. Monica, with a diploma in Social Work, is married to Feno and they have three children. Monica began her Marist journey in the « Remar » Champagnat Youth Movement. At a very young age she was involved in solidarity experiences. She is currently a member of the Provincial leadership of Marist Solidarity « Cruz del Sur » and co-ordinates numerous formation programmes for teachers and animators. She was a participant in the International Marist Mission Assembly at Mendès (2007), representing her Province.
As lay people and brothers, complementary and autonomous, starting from our respective identities, we are invited to prepare spaces which are cordial and fraternal, inviting participation, so that there is room for all ; invited to mould and shape our new skins for the new wine, to multiply and reinforce the gifts and talents, to always be setting another place at the great table of La Valla for anyone who comes and wants to stay.
Every day, every year, we realise that from different places voices are reaching us resonant with the sound of the fresh water gushing from the Rock, to reinterpret the signs of the times in our Mission :the voices of Mendes ; the voices of provincial, regional, continental, and international teams and meetings of animation, management, and formation ;the voices of Provincial chapters, assemblies, and conferences… from the spaces where we participate passionately in this search to find together new paths of education, evangelization and of solidarity.
One experiences great effort and love in these places envisaged, felt, and concretised as little communities of shared mission… in a slow and fruitful process… with resistance, criticisms, prejudices, and sometimes too lengthy periods of waiting, certainly, but also with periods of waiting full of dynamism and brimming with hope.
In this letter, I feel also the fervent desire to thank the brothers who have integrated the laity with a serene confidence, who have known how to appreciate our mission in the Church and have accepted the wager to dream and work together.
Among the signatories of the letter there are some brothers – and many others! – who are a living testimony because for many years in their Provinces they have known how to create opportunities for sharing the mission ; they have fought for and payed personally in betting so heavily on this way so appropriate for revitalizing the charism and guaranteeing the future of the Congregation.
Many brothers and sisters have preceded us in this work of building, and many brothers and sisters are following today its progress, with audacity… May all be thanked !
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**Province « Cruz del Sur » (Southern Cone), Argentine and Uruguay
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