“Towards the essential of the following of Jesus and the centrality of the human relationality”. This was the theme of the Seminar of Brothers, organized by CLAR that took place in Quito from 11 to 14 July. About thirty participants from various congregations of Brothers and mixed congregations from different countries of the continent were present. Brothers Fernando Cob, Fabian Ramón, both from Ecuador and the novice Nicolás participated from the Brothers of the Holy Family. It was a very positive experience because we were able to reflect on the role of the consecrated Brother in this synodal Church in which we are all involved and to reinforce the value of our identity. Daniela Cannavina, General Secretary of CLAR, who gave a speech with the title “Watching over the dawn of a synodal Church: assisting the dawn of this new hour of salvation” and Bro. Jorge Luis de Paula, from the Religious Brothers Commission.
There was time to get to know through the presentations and workshops the depth and richness of the vocation of the Brother in the Church, the work of the religious Brothers in the history of the Church of Quito, in the colonial era and to visit the Shrine of Saint Brother Miguel, an Ecuadorian De La Salle Brother, patron of the catechists of Ecuador and the work of the Brothers present in the different areas where they work. We invite you to read the final message of the Brothers’ Seminar which is published in CLAR. (www.clar.org) From it we highlight the following paragraph: “For us, there is no word of greater value than “to be Brothers”. We are convinced that “the foundation that sustains the religious community is above all the gift of brotherhood that we have received” (IMRHI 21). Therefore, we renew together our desire to be careful gardeners in the garden of creation, artisans of the small, Samaritans in every environment, spenders of time and listening, ready to help those who have fallen. We want to awaken in ourselves, in our communities and in the world, the daring hope of justice, solidarity and fraternity”.
Brother Fernando Cob
