On Saturday 27th June, concluding two years of preparation at the novitiate in Abadjin-Doumé, Ivory Coast, two brothers pronounced their first vows in the Society of Mary. The newest Marianist religious are Ghislain ATANDELE SIMANABATO, from the Congo Sector and Eric KOUAME Kouassi, from the District of Ivory Coast. In the context created by the pandemic, the ceremony took place in the novitiate itself, in the presence of the brothers of the neighboring communities and members of the Marianist Family.The ceremony was presided over by Fr. François Nanan, SM. The District Superior, Fr. Georges Gbeze, SM, received the vows by delegation from the Provincial of France. We wish the two new brothers a wonderful beginning to their Marianist life. May it be an opportunity for them to be rooted ever more in their vocation and their commitment to the service of the mission that has been entrusted to us in the service of the People of God.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to weigh on our world, we remain in union of prayer and hope with all those who suffer from this evil, the sick and those who care for them, their families and all collateral victims, especially among the poorest and most deprived populations. We are praying with the areas most affected at the moment, especially on the American continent or in India. Let us also ask the Lord for the knowledge how to act as he calls us to, according to our vocation and our means.
When "The globalization of indifference ... continue to threaten and tempt us in our journey... May we find within us the necessary antibodies of justice, charity and solidarity. We must not be afraid to live the alternative – the civilization of love. This is «a civilization of hope: against anguish and fear, sadness and discouragement, passivity and tiredness. The civilization of love is built daily, uninterruptedly. It requires a committed effort by all. For this reason it requires a committed community of brothers and sisters»". (Interview of Pope Francis in Vida Nueva, April 17, 2020; the quotation made by the Pope is from the Argentinean Cardinal Eduardo Pironio).
