As we mark two years since the launch of Champagnat Global, it is worth asking ourselves what value this initiative is bringing to our personal, professional or mission performance. Some of us may be experiencing the benefit of being part of the network, others may not have felt the need to get involved, and some of us may not have had the time to contemplate this option in a world that keeps us so busy. So on this second anniversary we thought that the best way to appreciate what Champagnat Global brings to us is to listen to the testimony of Marists from around the world who share their experience with us.
Champagnat Global gives me the opportunity to experience the global family that we as Champagnat Marists envision and to share it with the students in my care. It provides me with a rich platform to share and engage in best practice and to share this resource with the teaching staff I lead. At times when I feel isolated or disengaged from my Marist journey, Champagnat Global gives me a place to go and connect, to remind myself of the beautiful network of which I am truly a part.More importantly, it is not only for me to receive, but also for me to give, so that the approach is both to receive and to give, to be part of the flow of the Spirit, of the streams of living water for the life of the mission.
Pam Paton-Mills Head of Ethos and Pastoral Care at Sacred Heart College. Province of South Africa
Champagnat Global is the concrete expression of the Marist Global Family, it puts faces on people, friends, professionals, with whom we share dreams, ideas, experiences and collaboration, overcoming our geographical distances to meet in the Mission that calls us together. Personally, I have learned a lot, not only about the Institute and its work around the world (learning from Bangladesh, Australia or Spain and Mexico), but also discovering people and caring, closeness to interrupt when needed, and appreciating that our experience in this southern corner of the world also helps others who are on similar paths.
Jorge Radic Henrici Executive Secretary Fundación CEIS Maristas. Chile, Province Santa María de los Andes
Champagnat Global brings significant value to my mission and performance. It gives me access to a wide range of experiences of transformation and pedagogical evolution by connecting with local networks around the world. In addition, the global network allows for more active participation and joint construction of the educational mission in a global context, thus enhancing the coherence, impact and quality of our work. This collaboration enriches and inspires the exchange of good practices, strategies and methodologies, promoting innovation and continuous improvement in the different provinces from a common vision.
Maria Casanova Moreno Coordinator of Innovation Fundació Champagnat in Catalonia. Province L’hermitage
The pandemic has hidden us behind a monitor. Thanks to the Global Network of Marist Schools, thanks to Champagnat Global, being behind a monitor is no longer a sign of the pandemic, but a sign of a global family, developing fraternity, feeling that we are all members of the great Marist family. By having access to the huge and wonderful Marist Global School Network, I can, through sport, help my students to feel like members of this big family. Thanks to sport, my students will undoubtedly feel immersed in the great Marist Family.
Guiyermo Rodríguez González Coordinator of cultural and sports activities. Cervantes Costa Rica school. Guadalajara. Province: Western Mexico
I joined Champagnat Global because, as a Marist leader, I strongly believe that it is the ideal platform to facilitate my connection with the wider Marist educational community. This platform offers me the opportunity to learn from diverse perspectives and collaborate with experts from around the world, allowing me to gain invaluable insight and knowledge, which I can then apply to improve the quality of education within my own educational environment. Champagnat Global provides a supportive space where common challenges faced by educators can be addressed collectively, allowing for mutual learning and growth. In addition, the platform offers a wealth of resources that allow me to make impactful changes that positively influence our educational environments. By being part of Champagnat Global, I am able to effectively seek support when I need it, while contributing to the continuous improvement and transformation of educational practices.
Br. Mark Roberth R. Laurea, FMS President – Marist School, Marikina, Philippines East Asia Province
The establishment of Champagnat Global is a tremendously exciting opportunity for us to become a global Marist family. The formation of a number of networks has enabled an exchange of ideas and resources that was almost impossible just a few years ago. One of the side effects of the pandemic has been the increased acceptance of electronic communication and the fact that people are willing to participate on a digital platform. Personally, I have found this to be immensely beneficial to several of the projects I am involved in.
Br. Kevin Wanden Marist Brothers of New Zealand Star of the Sea Province
