Thirty-three years ago, we founded the Claret Homes in Colombia. Today we work in Shared Mission in Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico. Claret Homes operates in shared mission and is envisioned to be a pedagogical, educational and “Therapeutic Community”.
In Claret homes, we see the human person as an autonomous being, deep and complex, aware of their limitations, dependencies and socio-environmental implications, and here they grow in solidarity, feeling part of their environment, of the society on which they live and with those whom they live with.
The impetus of our pedagogy: Selfless service , for addicts, their family and society.
Love as the foundation of the community. Overcoming a force that encourages the addict and his family to be the protagonists through self-help recovery. Responsibility in all its social implications. Option for Life, an invitation to change the darkness of violence and drugs by the decision to start again, to opt for family, life, and Love.
Charism is a gift, a grace given to a person or a small group that offers it to the ecclesial community. This is how Institutes of Consecrated Life arise. Being able to share the same educational mission in the plurality of people, vocations and states of life is without a doubt a wonderful experience.
“Shared Mission” is the foundation of Claret Homes. Shared Mission is our way of Mission.”
The Claretians of Mexico, under the direction of Father Román Ángel Moreno, who actively participated in the Claret Homes of Medellin, focused its work on street children that led to the emerging of a small “Shared Mission” group composed of the Cordimarian Missionaries, the Claretian Sisters, the Claretian Missionaries and 9 lay people. He called them, according to his words, “A child and youth afflicted by the phenomenon of poverty, internal and external emigration, crime, family violence and neglect.”
In the difficult and critical situation of Venezuela emerged the Claret Homes of Caracas and Isla Margarita. They are from 18 years of hard work and persistence. With the determined leadership of the worker, Petra Pánfield, and the reeducated Sergio Grillo, they have managed to maintain until today the program of Margarita.
In Colombia, we now have more than 800 employees and 50 volunteers who share the Mission with 3 Claretian Missionaries.
Shared Mission is a work and a way of life that is learned, born of the conviction of living a common project, and of sharing. It requires understanding and shared faith in life.
Shared Mission in Claret Homes pushes us not only to render quality service, but a warm heart that makes our Therapeutic Communities listening and living centers. Shared Mission needs the environment, participation, involvement and fatigue. It is a common way of life. Living is a path to Freedom.
Gabriel Antonio Mejía Montoya
