Date of the Celebration: September 21, 2019
Place: Auditorium in Primary School at the Central House
Participants: Members of the Congregation of the Mission, the Daughters of Charity, the International Association of Charity, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, the Vincentian Marian Youth, the Miraculous Medal Association, the Foundation Friends of Sister Cecilia Charrin, the Foundation Friends of Louise de Marillac, collaborators in the works of the Daughters of Charity … approximately 160 people participated in this celebration.

This celebration took place in a family atmosphere and began at eight o’clock in the morning with the celebration of the Eucharist that was presided by Visitor of the Central American Province of the Congregation of the Mission, Father Rafael Presidente. In his homily he reminded the assembly about their Vincentian mission and the role that they play at this time in history … the need to coordinate their works in a Vincentian spirit.

After the celebration there were some refreshments and then the President of the National Council of the Vincentian Family welcomed all the participants. This was followed by a presentation given by Brother Stuardo Albert Marroquín, CM on instilling the nation with a Vincentian spirit (Brother utilized the method of SEE, JUDGE and ACT).

Brother highlighted the importance of the gift of life and the need to care for the environment. In doing this, he summarized Evangelii Gaudium and Laudato Sí.

Laudato Sí invites us to care for our common home: when people want to appropriate the environment that surrounds them, they are unaware of the value and the life of their neighbor and are unable to honor the environment and the God given gifts that enable people to live in harmony with one another and with the environment. Mother earth cries out against the irresponsibility that is expressed in the contamination of water, climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and the deterioration of the quality of life.

Evangelii Gaudium (focused on Chapter 4: The Social Dimension of Evangelization). The presenter reminded us of the communal and societal repercussions of the kerygma, the inclusion of the poor in society, the common good and peace in society and social dialogue as a contribution to peace.

With regard to all of this, the Vincentian Family in Guatemala affirms its commitment to respond to these calls and to respond in a manner than flows from our desire to instill the Vincentian spirit into the life of our country.

Translated:
Charles T. Plock, CM
Eastern Province, USA