San José, Costa Rica. From January 20 to 25, 2020, the XV Provincial Meeting of Claretian Biblical Animation of Centroamérica took place at the Casa de Ejercicios Espirituales in Costa Rica with 80 participants coming from the six countries that make up Centroamérica Province. The centrality of the gathering is on the Word of God in relation to ecology, engage in the care of it and the defense of Mother Earth from the different elements that destroy it. The participants learned, shared, reflected and lived the experience of being faithful disciples taking care of the creation that God has created and has given to us.

At the end of the week-long encounter, Provincial Prefect of Apostolate of Centroamérica, Fr. Javier Hernandez, CMF wrapped up the contents of the sessions with some key points for the participants to remember as they go back to their respective countries.

He said that “the greatest patrimony of the Claretian family is its spirituality, built by men and women who with their life and mission have made it universal and meaningful. The origin of all Christian spirituality is Jesus and the origin of all Claretian spirituality is St. Anthony Mary Claret. For this reason, all of us who form part of the Claretian family are permanent builders of his spirituality. The key to the spirituality of Jesus is the Kingdom. The key to Claret’s spirituality, in line with that of the Kingdom, is the Spirit, blowing in his life from the Word and Mission. The life of St. Anthony Mary Claret was compared in many moments to strong experiences of the Spirit, to a ‘wind’ that always led him to discover in the Word of God the keys of his life and mission.”

He also reminded everyone that “for those who share the Claretian spirituality today, the Word of God is like a bell that awakens our memory so that the stories of life, including those of injustice, violence, and death, do not remain in oblivion.” He further said that from the victim’s ashes, they shall build new projects of life. “The memory that the spirit of the Word of God arouses always takes sides with the victims, with the defeated, with the excluded.”

They ended with the missionary sending-off ceremony with hope to be live all that they have heard about the example of Jesus of Nazareth, inspired by the Rúah, and in the intercession of Saint Anthony Mary Claret.

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