On Saturday 22 June, the CES Community did our annual gathering to close up the year. We did it, as always, at the Claretian House of Dima, which is perfect for the children to enjoy a nice play area; and luckily, the weather was sunny and hot. This year, the topic was our own community, about how we want to organize ourselves next year, in addition to having a good time together.
Previously, we had answered a survey on community availability that we had discussed in small groups. The organizers had called for a broad participation and due to that, many people attended, including one person who, coming from the family groups of the Askartza Claret School, wanted to know about our communities.
After the initial prayer and some time for personal thinking to set ourselves into community tuning, with the help of the text on the community that has been developed as background material for the general assembly of Medellin, we moved on to the common work. The Permanent Council (Junta Permanente) presented our proposal of new distribution, that was discussed among all of us in a fraternal spirit, despite the existence of different visions.
As the discussion took longer than originally planned, we decided to discuss other themes after lunch, and went on to celebrate mass. After lunch and over the coffee, we were informed of the preparations for the general assembly and the proposals of the commission in charge of reviewing some of the CES economic issues. Finally, in the afternoon, specially the families with children, we enjoyed playing music, water games or simply, sharing some time together.
Ignacio Crespo (CES de Leioa, North Region of Spain España)
On 9 June, Pentecost day, together with the coming of the Holy Spirit, the CES-SC community of Leoia and the community of the Claret School of Askartza celebrated the coming to the Lay Claretian movement of Ana Salazar, Enara Arrieta, Nerea Hernández Aretxabaleta, Eneko Gorriño and Jon Ander Agirretxu.
As former students at the Claret School, Enara, Nerea, Eneko and Jon Ander took part in the youth and university pastoral activities. Then, four years ago, they started participating at the SC community, where they have done their discernment path. Ana is the mother of a school student and, as a result of accompanying her daughter to the Sunday mass, she gradually learned about and participated in the community activity.
In this path, they have discovered the response to God´s call in the Lay Claretian movement, to live, share and communicate their faith in Claret´s style, as a caring and preaching community.
We thank God for the lives, vocation, compromise and testimony of these sisters and brothers, and we welcome them with joy, so we all continue building God´s big dream.
Ana, Enara, Nerea, Eneko y Jon Ander
On Saturday 27th April, thirteen members of our communities of Kaleo and San José (Puerto Rico, Caribbean) have had their Retreat for closing up the Process of Personalising their Faith, “La Fragua”.
They are: Haydeé, Ralph and Wanda, from the community of San José, togethe with Jennifer, José, Ángel, Sheila, Junior, Zaida, Gaby, Héctor, Desibelle and Luis, from the community of Kaleo.
We thank our God of Life for having granted them the privilege to live this experience and we also thank Fr. Héctor Cuadrado for having directed the process and the other companions at this Fragua, Fr. Héctor, Fr. José Camilo, Fr. Norberto, Fr. Nieto, Nancy, Tomás and Syd.
We wish the Resurrected Christ to always hold the Love´s flame lit in our hearts, so that we continue announcing him, serving him and loving him…
Congratulations!
