A new way of being Brothers! This expression sums up what we Brothers of Arco Norte seek to achieve as we united to form our Juan Diego Community and began our mission in East Harlem, New York City. What we Marists are attempting to do is respond to needs expressed by many Latino immigrants and the Church in this New York City neighborhood. We welcome this challenge of taking on the task of getting to know, to listen and to assist the people we have come to serve.
We’ve been getting involved by listening to their concerns, an absolutely necessary first step. We introduced ourselves and met with adults in the neighborhood. They’ve begun to share their needs. With their input we’ve started English as a second language classes. One of the greatest challenges the pastor of the parish sees is working with teenagers and young people. As a result, we’ve gotten involved in the Friday night meetings that have been in place before our arrival.
Creating something new means introducing something not seen before, something with a history yet to be made. We are grateful for the trust placed in us to be a part of this mission. We are happily committed to this new and international way of being Brothers.
