Greetings to all the Marist Brothers and all the Marists of Champagnat from Colegio Hidalgo de Cocula (Mexico).
I am happy to tell you about the experience we have had regarding the invitation to participate in the Champagnat Global Run. It was my turn to participate in the launching of this activity during Champagnat Global Week and from that day on I saw it as a great opportunity to get in contact with other Marist students and teachers around the world, especially with English speaking schools (this was a dream I had for several years). So, in addition to the objectives of the Champagnat Global Run, I added that our students should interact with them in English. The idea was that they would experience firsthand the importance of mastering other languages.
Our first destination was Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Florida (3,733 km away). Our first challenge was to contact them to let them know of our ‘virtual visit’. In mid-November 2023 I was able to contact Brother Albert, who put me in touch with teacher Kenia Gonzalez.
On Monday 11 December we had our virtual meeting with students from Christopher Columbus. 12 of our classrooms connected with small groups of students from Miami, through 12 different Zoom links. Our students ranged from 4th grade (9-10 years old) to 3rd grade (14-15 years old). They showed us around their school, told us a bit about their activities. At the end our students asked them some questions in English (although several of them spoke Spanish). At the end, some of them shared with us a video presentation of their school. It was a very valuable and enriching first experience. We had an hour time difference between the two schools.
Our second destination was a little further afield: Moyle Park College in Ireland (8,682 km). On this occasion communication with them was easier, as Cristina Plaza, communications manager of Champagnat Global Run did me the favour of getting me the email address of Leigh Ellis, student co-ordinator leader. Our first communication was in December 2023. Subsequently we had more conversations preferably by WhatsApp. We were able to have our virtual meeting until Thursday 7 March 2024. For us in Cocula, it was 8:15 a.m. For the students at Moyle Park in Ireland, it was 2:15 p.m. This is because of the 6 hour time difference. We had the links with small groups from Moyle Park and with our pupils from Primary 4 to Secondary 3 (the same classrooms as on the first visit). The meetings were also conducted in English, although, to our surprise, some Irish pupils wanted to try out their Spanish a little. It was another equally enriching experience. Our students were motivated to continue.



Our third and even more ambitious destination was to get to Marikina Marist College in the Philippines (13,700 km). Once we were able to contact each other, we arranged to meet on Saturday, May 4th at 8:00 a.m. Philippine time, Friday, May 3rd at 6:00 p.m. Mexican time (due to the 14 hour time difference). On this occasion, some students, parents and teachers were present in our Hidalgo School, all gathered in the same room. From the Marikina school there were also students, parents and teachers, although they were physically in different places. The experience was wonderful! Your committee prepared a beautiful session. I share with you the programme we followed:
- Opening prayer (Mexico)
- National Anthems (Mexico and Philippines).
- Welcome message (Mexico).
From here onwards everything was directed from the Philippines.
- Video presentation.
- Icebreaker game.
- Team activity.
- Activity for all.
- Closing remarks.
- Marist songs.
It lasted almost 2 hours, but it was very fluid and participative. All in English, although to our surprise, there are certain things that in the Philippines they know and that are named very similar to what we call them here in Mexico (this is due to the Spanish colonization that lasted more than 3 centuries).
High school students hosted the event and ran it like professionals. The most beautiful part of the experience was to realise that on the other side of the world (literally) we can find people as passionate about Marist as we are. In a way, it is a way of seeing Champagnat’s dream come true: ‘All the dioceses of the world are in our sights’.


For all 3 experiences, the whole educational community participated by adding kilometres with sporting activities. Therefore, the achievement was everyone’s.
For the school cycle 24-25 we have already been contacted by the teacher Orlando Antoni Contreras from Colegio Soledad Acosta de Samper, in Bogotá, Colombia, who hopes to reach his goal and be able to meet us virtually in September. And another school that told us of their desire to visit us is a school in Madagascar. Brother Roland Léonard Herinirina contacted us. The intention is to discuss it at the beginning of the school year.
In conclusion: let us live Champagnat’s dream which, as he said in his testament, can hopefully be said of the Marists: ‘See how they love one another’. Let us continue to build up Marist networks, bringing to life the way we continue to build ourselves as a Global Charismatic Family.
Santiago González – Director of Colegio Hidalgo, Cocula, Jalisco, Mexico
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