MARIST SECRETARIAT FOR

Cmi Collaboration for Mission, International

Table of ContentsThe Challenge of an International Mind-Set2Secretariat for Collaboration for Mission, International3A first plan of action4Fraternal Dialogue Praxis5Processes and Stakeholders for Collaboration6Marist Volunteer Network7The Process of becoming a Marist Volunteer9The Process of becoming a Marist Welcoming or Host Community13Inscription of Volunteers and Host Communities18Inscribing the information on the Database21Profiles and Memorandum of Understanding23Development Cycles for Volunteers, Host Communities and Home Communities25Glossary26

The Challenge of an International Mind-Set

1. To be more international in our outlook was a strong call of the XXIst General Chapter (and previous chapters, conferences and mission assemblies).

2. We challenged ourselves then, but the challenge did not arise out of a history of doing nothing. From the very beginning Marcellin Champagnat wished that the Little Brothers of Mary to be available to all the dioceses of the world. We have always heeded the call to be international how else could it be that Marists are now in eighty countries on five continents?

3. The original Champagnat challenge was born out of the great gift, our charism to GO to the hill country - like Mary did; to be available for the most marginalised to go in haste to new lands with Mary.

4. Sometimes our response to the challenge has been initiated by circumstances of history in 1903 Marist were displaced from France and so began a mighty Marist diaspora. Sometimes the challenge has been given momentum by a different great gift. We had many brothers just after WWII. We were open to new places of ministry. In recent times we have accepted the challenge as the signs of the times. Even though many provinces have fewer brothers. In these new times lay and brother Marists are challenged to look outwards. The Marist District of Asia (MDA) is our most recent response.

5. Now we have challenged ourselves yet further, to all the dioceses of the world. There we will receive another gift we will be evangelised by those with whom we serve.

With Mary, we go in haste to a new land!

We feel driven by the Spirit of God to go into a new land, to facilitate the birth of a new epoch of Marist charism. This presumes a willingness to move on, to let go of the familiar, to embark on a journey of both institutional and personal conversion over the next eight years.

We travel this road with Mary, guide and companion. Her faith and openness to Gods will inspire us to undertake this pilgrimage. This new land is an authentic renewal of the Institute; it asks of us a genuine change of heart.

Documents XXIst General Chapter

Secretariat for Collaboration for Mission, International

6. This is a secretariat born out of processes such as BIS review (2004); Mendes (Laity); The Sri Lanka Conference (2007); previous General Chapters, the call of the XXIst General Chapter, the General Conference of 2013 and the International Mission Assembly (2014). The secretariat joins four other secretariats: Mission; Laity; Brothers (known as Brothers Today); Solidarity (operating as FMSI) Let the working name (brand identification!) be Cmi: Collaboration for mission, international. A secretariat assists and manages the work of the General Council it is not a separate entity.

Promote a better understanding and appreciation of internationalism and intercultural living, living globalisation in an alternative way, and encouraging greater missionary availability (availability for mission) to respond to new needs

The goals of General Council to be implemented through Cmi:

International and Interprovincial CommunitiesSupport for Missio Ad Gentes in the Marist District of Asia - not confined to MDAMarist Volunteers lay and brother.Form and Communicate an International mind-set among all Marists and AUs

From the Animation and Government Plan 2009-2017: Objective 7

A first plan of action

7. Focus on the establishment of Cmi initially through the lens of Marist Volunteers (lay and brother volunteers) whilst remaining aware of, and be ready to, respond to opportunities for facilitating international and inter-province communities and supporting Missio Ad Gentes (now referred to as Cmi ) including the Marist District of Asia.

8. The establishment of Marist Volunteers will require:

The ongoing formation of an international mind-set among all Marists;Creation of an international platform (a database) for the identification and inscription of Volunteers;Creation of an international platform (a database) for the identification and inscription of Host Communities.

9. Development of Marist networks. Elements in the networks: General Council (GC); Five secretariats of the GC; Provinces and Districts (AUs); Local Province structures including Coordinators of Province Volunteers (CPV) and mentors.

10. Identification of Marist places of mission and their ministries via local Provincial structures (plus Dioceses, Local NGOs and Congregations) and matching of volunteers and hosts.

11. For the purposes of this document, Volunteer is the generic term covering all forms of connection between Marists, ranging from a school immersion journey, through the classic understanding of a volunteer, to a lay or brother Marist who chooses to be a professional missioner.

The word Host could be applied as an adjective to the Province, Community, Ministry and Country of the place where the volunteer becomes engaged in mission. For consistency the phrase Host Community is generally used. Similarly the term Home Community is used.

Marist Strategic Volunteering is a concept seeking to answer the Marist call to internationalise not just from the point of view of the Host Communities or the desire of the Volunteer but also from a strategic Marist decision to be more globally connected in our outlook. In international development language there is an equivalent idea usually termed country strategy

Fraternal Dialogue Praxis

With reference to the diagram (larger version available on the next page)

PROCESS

STAKEHOLDERS

Commence reading from the centre and move outwards

Cf. Page 6

Cmi WORKS WITH THE PROVINCES....

Provinces are at the centre of the process.

.IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OTHER GC SECRETARIATS

Laity, Brothers, Mission and Solidarity and Cmi.

.TO IDENTIFY LAY AND BROTHER MARIST VOLUNTEERS AND FACILITATE THE PROCESSES OF MOBILISATION .

represented by the circle of buttons in the diagram.

.FOR MISSION - IDENTIFIED BY THE PROVINCES (INCLUDES DISTRICTS AND SECTORS) OR OTHER HOSTS

Marist Communities, Dioceses, Religious Congregations or Local NGOs.

12. Networking with Provinces / Administrative Units / Sectors. Collaboration for mission processes must show respect for the vision, plans and pastoral needs of the administrative units (AU)

13. This is achieved through transparency and local AU ownership of the wider international endeavour. The database/platform information assembled internationally by Cmi should also be available to Provincials/Superiors (and their delegates)

14. Formation and mobilisation of volunteers from a region will be managed by the Home Community. Volunteer placement opportunities will be identified via the structures of the Host Communities.

15. Coordinators of Province Volunteers (CPV) are appointed by the Provincial or District Superior as his delegate for matters concerning Cmi. They communicate directly with the Secretariat in Rome.

16. CPVs should appoint, animate and train local Home and Host Communities mentors to manage and assist volunteers at all stages of the process.

17. Provincials could be encouraged to make invitations to volunteers inscribed on the data base to meet local needs for Marist personnel to work in a Home Community or to offer a placement as part of the Marist strategy for international collaboration for mission.

18. Cmi will act in the role of facilitator/coordinator. It has limited capacity be the local micro-manager. Cmi should be kept informed at all times, even if only to list an international volunteer or host community.

Processes and Stakeholders for Collaboration

The Provinces invite lay and brother Marists

in partnership with international structures (GC Secretariats) and coordinated by Cmi

to enter into a process of international collaboration .

. In solidarity with Marist and other ministries & missions

Marist Volunteer Network

19. The 'doorway' into international collaboration might be through volunteering (Think of it as the 'lens'). The other goals could well be achieved as a result of this focus.

20. We are advised of the need to show respect for the provinces and their plans for local ministry needs.

21. The General Administration through Cmi does not have the capacity to manage all the necessary details of a volunteer and host community network. There is a reliance on local province structures to form and offer placements in Host Communities and recruit, vet and form Marist Volunteers from Home Administrative Units. The Cmi office and CPVs must communicate collaboratively to ensure that international networking opportunities are shared.

22. The international volunteer and host Cmi APP should be established for the use of all Marist entities. The AUs will need to provide background checks, references, formation and support so that lay and brother Marists are able to volunteer and Home Communities (provinces and ministries) can request personnel:

^ either th