Visit to “Fazenda (Farms) of Hope”

July 20. The members of the Assembly enjoyed a day of excursion and visiting with the residents of Fazenda da Esperanza. This place is a rehabilitation and therapeutic center for youth that are battling addictions. When we arrived at the center we celebrated the Eucharist in their beautiful chapel in the shape of a tent which was inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI on his visit to Brazil. After the liturgy we shared a brunch which was prepared by the resident youths of the center, and we visited the farms, first the one for boys and later the ones for girls, some kilometers away.

After dinner, back at the retreat house, we gathered to read many of the received messages: Martha Lucia (LC, Colombia); Choni (Superior of RMI from South Spain); Manolo Tamargo (CMF Provincial of Santiago); Milagros Vicente (former Formation Secretary of the General Council); Maria del Mar Alvarez (General Director of Cordimarian Family), and Tono Parames (LC from the Emmaus Community, Betica and delegate to the Sevilla Zone).

The LC group from Mexico has made its presence in the Assembly through a video that was shown during the group’s presentation and the report of their activities.

Finally, the Caribe Region shared with us their experience of shared mission through the Fundacion Promicla, between the LC and CMF, and they shared a video of the Claretian Volunteers of Antillas.