Lay Marist Movement

Apologies. I completed Thursday's Daily Bread, but due to some technical glitch, I lost the whole thing and it was too late to redo it before 9 am. I'll try to reconstruct it here; it should appear on Friday.

When we hear Venzuela mentioned in the media, don't we all think immediately of Chavez and his oppressive regime? Would we ever think that there is a vibrant movement of Lay Marists afoot in that beleaguered country? Well, there is. The Marists, lay and consecrated, are very much alive there and recently a group of the laity met to set goals for the future of the Lay Marist Movement. They define themselves as "Lay Marists of Champagnat--men and women--we involve ourselves with the brothers in this challenge: to help the dawning of a new Marist life being born and to strengthen the current Marist life, making it more creative, faithful, dynamic and prophetic." They go on to say, "We invite to lives as lay Marists all those who feel called by God to walk in the footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat. this is a unique opportunity, a sign of the times which urges us to live and share the Marist charism with audacity. Strong with the participation of the lay people of the various works, we will be able to give life to the Lay Marist Movement of Venezuela."
No such powerful Lay Movement thrust has occurred as yet in the United States, but it is strong in Europe and other South American countries, and surely is he wave of the future.
Our slices of Daily Bread are gradually introducing our "consumers" to Marist Spirituality and spirituality in general, so that in the future there might be a base for further action in this direction. It is not to compensate for the decline in vocations that this movement is taking place, but it comes as a further step in St. Marcellin's dream that there should be Marists in every diocese of the world. It is an opening of the coffers of our charism and offering of this rich legacy, a treasure, really, to the entire Church. May the Holy Spirit help us to discern the time to begin and be the driving force for its implementation.
Bro. Rene