Our trip to Spain 2013

Three of us set off from England. Bridget, Ann and I set off for the meeting in Madrid very early on Friday 1st November 2013, full of excitement and anticipation. Our weekend was to be a truly special one that we won’t be forgetting.

We were met by German, who drove us to our Hotel and gave us directions back to the School where we would all be meeting later at 4.00 pm. This gave us time for a lovely lunch and our first glass of wine!!

Our experience was such a positive one of everyone’s kindness and support and of fabulous translating at every talk or group discussion. It became all too clear to me that the essence of the Lay Claretians is about how we live out our lives, rather than what we do. Many of the groups we met from the North and South regions had gone to Claretian Schools, and had the flavour of what it was to be a Claretian from quite an early age. We felt similar in that we had grown up around our wonderful Claretian Parish Community and felt we had been immersed in it because of that. One of the group asked me why I had joined, and I said it was because we had been invited to think about creating a group and because we felt a part of something even before we conceptualised what it really was. 

We were quite ashamed to hear that most said they had no English and actually very quickly proved themselves well able to translate from Spanish to English and back again.leaving us very envious and in awe of their skills. 

We had the initial meeting, Mass and Supper and were then off to meet with Fr Paul who was able to join us, which was lovely, and we found ourselves walking towards an Irish pub in the vicinity that he had heard about before. 

The weekend was a packed one full of talks, group work and on the Saturday an afternoon tour of the famous landmarks in Sol where Anthony Mary Claret had worked, lived, said Mass and been Confessor to the Queen. We were rather glad to get back after it though as we were four hours walking and listening on that occasion – but wouldn’t have missed it for the world. One of our group from England didn’t join us – I won’t say who, but she had to get a rather large glass of wine ready for our return!! 

That evening we had Dinner and a fabulous Concert. They really did think of everything and because it was such a lovely group that spanned all ages, this ticked all the boxes for keeping everyone happy from our youngest little ones, to the eldest octogenarians. 

There were testimonials that were very inspiring from a Politician, a Nurse, and a devoted couple, about their journeys in life and what inspires them to keep doing what they are doing, be it in the family or in their work and home environments. Without speaking about being a Lay Claretian they spoke about living a life that centred itself in Christ and in doing what was right for themselves and those around them. 

The main speaker was an Economist who spoke about being real and not being frightened of being ourselves and standing up for our beliefs when that was warranted. We each had a translator sitting beside us during the talks, which made it great for us, but of course it meant that they had a job to really take on board what was being said for themselves. It was hard sometimes to take it all in, but we are so grateful for the time taken by the group to do this for us and allow us to feel such a big part of the whole experience. 

Even on our “walk about town” in Sol, we had three wonderful translators who spent their time translating for us, which after four hours was really something!! We always found at meal times too, various group members would come up to us and include us in their conversation making sure they had a translator nearby if they didn’t feel able to translate what had been said themselves. Often shy to come forward feeling they didn’t speak English that well, yet totally under-estimating their own skills in that area. 

On the last day of the meeting we were invited up to the front of the Hall to talk, and with translators nearby, we thanked everyone individually for making it such a wonderful and memorable few days and shared our delight at being able to be there with them. We have each in our own way determined to join them next time and to perhaps have a little Spanish under our belts the next time we meet everyone. 

Thank you Tino so much for inviting us and making it such a fabulous few days. It’s been a real journey in our understanding of what it is to be a part of the International Movement and to get the flavour of what it is to be a part of something so special. Thank You 

Jo Farrell 

Claretian missionary meeting of Europe

Between October 28th and November 3rd 2013, thirty-four Claretian missionaries and a layman, with apostolic responsibilities in the Province of Portugal , met to celebrate a continental missionary encounter. They were from nine of the ten agencies that the Congregation has today in Europe , preaching in eight countries (Belarus, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, the UK and Russia). Germany could not attend. 

The aim of the meeting was to promote reflection on the evangelizing Claretian priorities for Europe and the characteristics for the lifestyle and mission in a time period of approximately 15-20 years. Being aware that Europe Claretians agencies are engaged in a serious process of discernment looking for the best way to continue to proclaim the Gospel in this part of the world. 

The Claretians in Europe has defined the today's challenges, those they feel called to respond with a unique contribution as : 

1. A Mission that is born from the Spirit's action in us and drives us to live in an attitude of listening and discernment. 

2. A mission that makes us brothers , that requires us to live in deep communion and care our fraternity as the first missionary word . 

3 . A shared mission with the other disciples of the Lord and many other men and women. 

4 . A solidary Mission that is expressed uniquely in the commitment with the poor and excluded. 

5. A Mission that proclaims the Word in dialogue , ready and willing to go to the existential boundaries , geographic , social and cultural of the evangelization. 

In the conclusions of the meeting priority areas for action have been identified: 

1. Evangelization of children , youth and families with special attention to the vocational dimension 

2 . Commitment to the poor, excluded and migrants. 

3 . Dialogue and evangelizing presence in areas of unbelievers, indifferent and non-Christians. 

4. Creating and animating Christian communities boosted by the Word of God. 

5. Foster and qualification of agents of evangelization. 

6 . Evangelizing presence on the Internet. 

And as strategic positions related to the area of apostolate: 

1. Schools with a clear educational project , missionary and evangelist . 

2 . Missionary parishes, samaritans and committed to their environments. 

3 . Claretian communities and apostolic positions in contexts of poverty and exclusion. 

4. Equipment and specialized provincial and interprovincial presences in shared mission in three areas : management and charismatic animation of own apostolic work: service to other works and projects of Church and border and first announcement . 

5. Training centers for evangelizing agents . 

6. Mission Offices, NGO and foundations that support the missionary work of the congregation .

Meeting of the Claretian Family

The Eighth Meeting of the Claretian Family has taken place in the city of Bata (Equatorial Guinea) from July 28th to August 4th, 2013.

The branches of the Claretian Family who participated were: Claretian Missionaries, Religious of Mary Immaculate Claretian Missionary Sisters, Missionaries of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Missionaries of Mary Immaculate Claretian Missionary Institution, Institute Affiliation Cordimarian and Movement Lay Claretians. From the very first moment, we havw lived a true family experience.

As a central theme of this meeting, the promotion of "Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation." And based on the Apostolic Exhortation documentary "Africae Munus". This document has been complemented by the different experiences that in this area the different branches of the CF develop, work and live , as well as the experience of the Claretian Family Missions in Africa, specifically in the reality of Equatorial Guinea.

Enriched with interesting presentations on the African reality and visits to areas of Mission, sharing Eucharist and prayer has deepened worked together on the challenges that evangelization actually represents.

As fruits of these working days the Secretary General of the LCM Tino Rodriguez was elected as New Claretian Family Coordinator for the next four years. It was determined that the next World Claretian Family Meeting will be in Brazil in 2017 with the theme "Dialogue with the culture for a New Evangelization." And he wrote the manifesto addressed to all members of the Claretian Family which we reproduce:

MESSAGE TO THE FAMILY CLARETIAN

Dear brothers and sisters of the Claretian Family , We send a warm greeting from Bata, in Equatorial Guinea, where we’ve just concluded the Eighth Meeting of the Claretian Family.

As in the past, the conference has provided an opportunity to thank God for the gift of our missionary charisma and the multiplicity of expressions through which we offer the service to the Church and the world. The meeting and sharing enriches and encourages us to live faithfully creative this gift that has come across our Founders and those who, with their lives, have been writing the history of our Institutes

This time we have met in Africa, concretely in Equatorial Guinea. The contact with the reality of Africa has become a stimulus to our thinking that, this time, it was centered on the commitment for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC). The exuberance of its vegetation and threats of aggressive exploitation of its natural resources; the cultural expressions of their people which express a deep love for life and the desire to live in solidarity; the struggle of its people for social and political organization that respects the rights of individuals and of the various groups that make up the African society; all of those have helped us to become aware of the importance of upholding our responsibility in building a world that responds to God's plan for his children. We believe that the commitment to JPIC is an integral part of our work of evangelization.

We’ve shared various activities and initiatives that each group is carrying out in the field of social ministry. Everyone, from the peculiarity of their vocation, is working to make the dignity of every person and people respected. As Claret, we have been called to deal with a distinctly materialistic culture that "is drying up the heart and guts of society" (cf. Aut 357) and excludes many millions of people. 

We have let ourselves to be challenged by the Gospel of the Lord under the guidance that the Magisterium of the Church and our own institutions have been giving to integrate into our personal lives, in our communities and in our missionary outreach commitment for JPIC. In this regard, we read and discussed, in a special way, the apostolic exhortation "Africae Munus", which includes the contributions of the second special session for Africa of the Synod of Bishops. 

And we have dreamed of projects and initiatives that, in this area, could be performed as Claretian Family. We are aware of our limitations and the difficulty of fleshing out these dreams, but we will not give them up. Therefore we have agreed: 

a.) To conduct a further effort to emphasize the dimension of JPIC in all our ministries, highlighting the urgency of responding to situations of denying or lack of attention to human rights. So we are committed to work in concienciation of all our brothers and sisters and to integrate systematically this topic at all stages of the training, initial and continuous. 

b.) To appoint a person responsible for this task in each of the Claretian Family groups and seek specific habits for collaboration. To do this, we will share information between us and we will arrange a meeting of leaders of JPIC of each group to improve this collaboration. 

c.) To collaborate on the project that, in the frame of non-governmental organizations accredited to the United Nations, the Claretian Missionaries currently have. For this we will share the information about the projects and activities that each of the groups have in the area of attention to human rights and peoples, and we will make echo of these realities to the relevant organs of UNO. This activity presents extremely important spaces to us to reach these instances the voice of many people and people living in situations of exploitation and marginalization and introduces us into the dialogue dynamic with other people and groups working for the transformation of the world. 

During the meeting we elected the Secretary General of the Movement of Lay Claretians, Constantino Rodríguez as new Coordinator of the Claretian Family. We have also had occasion to thank Maria Soledad Galerón, Superior General of the Missionaries Claretian, her service as Coordinator for the past four years. We also decided to create a web portal about the Claretian Family that facilitates communication between us and allow us to make known to others our reality as Missionary Family. During the meeting we had the opportunity to know the reality of the Claretian Family in Equatorial Guinea. We have been deeply impressed by the missionary witness of so many brothers and sisters who have given the best of their lives in the service of the evangelization of the Guinean people. Among the members of our family, the Claretian Missionaries and Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate have been, above all, the main protagonists of this missionary history.The visit to the tomb of the Mother Imelda Makole, founder of the Missionaries of Mary Immaculate (with Claretian Bishop Mons. Armengol Coll), has been for all an experience of grace. The missionary history of the Claretian Family in Equatorial Guinea continues being written by three hands today, as the Lay Claretians have joined the other two groups. e conclude the meeting feeling closer to each other and deeply grateful to the Missionaries of Mary Immaculate and to the Claretian Missionaries for the many courtesies we have received during these days. We entrust our lives and our projects to the Heart of Mary. We would want her deep "warmth" could be the imprint that characterizes them. 

Bata, August 4th , 2013. 

Signed: Josep Maria Abella (Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Claretian Missionaries); 

M ª Soledad Galerón (Sisters of Maria Immaculate, Claretian Missionaries); Carolina Sanchez (Daughters Secular Institute of the Blessed and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Affiliation Cordimarian); Constantino Rodriguez (Lay Claretian Movement); Josefa Tuku (Missionaries of Mary Immaculate); Pilar Rovira (Claretian Missionaries of the Institution); Maria de Fatima Ships (Missionaries of St. Anthony Mary Claret)

Conversations about Identity in Buckden

Last June 22nd a meeting between Lay Claretians of England and the General Secretary, Constantino Rodrigez, was held in Buckden . 

This group are ten people from different places of England. They have been meeting regularly for almost three years, training in the Claretian charisma and deepen into the figure of Claret. They are currently in the last stage of discernment for final incorporation to the movement. 

The meeting was a fruitful dialogue about Lay Claretian identity. At this point, the General Secretaryinvited them to attend the meeting to be held in November in Madrid of all lay claretian people of Spain, dedicated to "deepen the secular identity and how to answer the call to evangelization inserted in the world."

Lay claretians at the First International Meeting of Lay of the Love of God

The First International Meeting of Love of God Laymen was held in Madrid in mid-September during the bicentenary of P. Jeronimo Usera who founded the Order of Sisters of the Love of God and was contemporary of St. Anthony Mary Claret.

Last 12nd September, a discussion has been held with different lay groups, to share history, organizational aspects, links with the churches of origin, charisma and spirituality. Groups that have participated in the act were: Marianist, assumptions, Marist, Conception and Lay Claretian

Representing Lay Claretian participated Arturo Peñas and Angel Roldán from CLIP Group of Madrid. The most interesting part was to share how to live the charism of "Being Christian in a certain way" and how this way we feel increased our link with the Church. The audience responded enthusiastically to the shared experiences.

The Love of God Laymen are committed to the secular mission of the sisters who gather in groups. In Spain, for example, they are young leaders of groups, alumni and parents of different associations. They have followed a training schedule to reflect and deepen about their charism, which has culminated in this meeting.

The general sister (Sister Margaret) sincerely thanked the participation of all. It has been proposed to continue the work of support to advance the road started further. The witness beard stimulates them.

Meeting with Major Superiors of CMF

Colmenar Viejo, Madrid, Spain. March 11st 2010

Our General Secretary, Constantino Rodríguez, has participated today in the meeting held between the General Government and the Mayor Superiors from September 8th .

The General Secretary has spoken to the Senior Superiors to share the communication difficulties to contact with several countries, mainly from Africa and Asia, in the other hand to inform them about the calling for the 7th General Assembly in July 2011 in Brazil.

Furthermore, Constantino interviewed the Superiors from Poland, Germany, England, Brazil, East India, St. Tomas, Chennai, Bangalore, Japan, Philippines, Portugal, Nigeria, Central Africa, USA and the Vicar from Chile. He’s shared the particular situation of the Claretian laymen from every country.

(Photo: Misioneros Claretianos Chile)