As the IV Arco Norte Regional Assembly continues to gather Marist Brothers and lay leaders in Guatemala, the presence of Br. Peter Carroll, Superior General of the Marist Institute, has offered a meaningful connection between the work of the region and the broader global mission of the Institute.
Elected on 30 September 2025 during the XXIII General Chapter in Tagaytay, Philippines, Br. Peter now serves as the 15th Superior General of the Marist Brothers. With decades of experience in education, leadership, and provincial service across Australia and the wider Marist world, he brings both a global perspective and a deeply relational approach to his ministry.
His presence at the Assembly has been a quiet but powerful reminder that the discernment taking place in Arco Norte is part of a much larger journey. It is a journey that calls the entire Marist family to move forward together.
Central to both the Assembly and the vision of the XXIII General Chapter is the call to be “builders of a new Hermitage.”
Reflecting on this invitation, Br. Peter described it as a call that speaks directly to the realities of today’s world.
“We live in a time where there is a great deal of division,” he shared. “There are structures being built that separate people. But we are being called to something entirely different. We are called to build something lasting, something hopeful, something spiritual, grounded on solid foundations.”
In this sense, the new Hermitage is not about physical construction. It is about relationships, communion, and a shared way of being. This vision has echoed throughout the Assembly as participants engage in dialogue, reflection, and discernment across cultures and contexts.
A defining characteristic of the Arco Norte region, and of the wider Marist Institute, is its diversity. Participants at the Assembly represent a wide range of countries, cultures, and experiences, each bringing their own reality into the shared conversation.
For Br. Peter, this diversity is not a challenge to overcome, but a gift to be embraced.
“There is no doubt that what will strengthen our global Marist family is an openness to diversity,” he noted. “We are a very diverse Institute, and we are called to listen attentively and to speak respectfully.”
In a world often marked by polarization and division, this call to deep listening and respectful dialogue becomes a form of witness.
“As a Marist family, we are called to show that communion between peoples, countries, and cultures is possible.”
Throughout the Assembly, this spirit has been visible in both formal sessions and informal encounters. These are moments where participants not only share ideas, but truly encounter one another.
As conversations have turned toward the five calls of the XXIII General Chapter, a consistent theme has emerged. Renewal begins not with complexity, but with clarity.
“The calls of the Chapter bring us back to the heart,” Br. Peter explained.
He described this return to the heart as both a return to the Institute’s foundations and a renewal of its way of living in today’s world. It is a call to rediscover what has always been essential.
“These calls are not new,” he reflected, “because they bring us back to what matters most.”
This return is not simply institutional. It is deeply relational.
“At its core, it is about relationships. It is about family. That is what the Gospel invites us to, and that is what it means to be Marist.”
At the center of this relational approach is the practice of accompaniment.
“To accompany is to walk with, to be with. That is essential to everything we are called to do.”
While the Assembly has emphasized communion and shared identity, it has also remained grounded in the reality of mission.
“Our mission is to make Jesus Christ known and loved, especially among young people, and especially those who are most vulnerable,” Br. Peter affirmed.
This mission takes shape in different ways depending on context.
“In some places, the peripheries are about meaning and purpose,” he noted. “In others, they are about survival. This includes having enough food, being safe, or accessing education. In some places, young people are living in the midst of conflict.”
These realities challenge the Marist family to remain attentive and responsive, continuing to accompany young people wherever they are.
Whether through daily witness in community life or through active ministry, the mission remains the same. It is to be a presence of hope.
As the IV Arco Norte Regional Assembly continues, the presence and reflections of Br. Peter Carroll have helped situate the work of the region within the wider journey of the global Marist Institute.
What is emerging is not simply a set of priorities or plans. It is a shared conviction that the future of the Marist mission will be built together. Through dialogue, discernment, and accompaniment, the Assembly is shaping a vision that is both faithful to the legacy of Saint Marcellin Champagnat and responsive to the needs of today’s world. In the spirit of the new Hermitage, the Marist family is being invited to continue building. communion, hope and a future where young people can encounter meaning, dignity, and the love of God.
