Opening Prayer and Introduction.

IA 06, Mission

(Br. Fred Muller).

IA 06, Association and Formation

(Mrs. Eveline Geoffroy). 

IA 06, Structures (Mr. Gery Short).

1) Election of members of the "Central Commission”:

( Rule 109a – M 3.3).
Coordinator and three Moderators.

Election of:
– Four Scrutineers.
– Chapter Historian.

2) Review and approval of the Manual of Procedures (M 3.5).

3) By language groups, election of the Language Group Delegates (M 2.10 and 3.3.2).

Departure for Villa Flaminia.

ECONOMIC REPORT FOR THE CHAPTER

Brother Francisco Lopez, Panama, Econome General, presented a detailed report to the Chapter on the financial situation of the last 7 years. This report contains external certification of 7 audits (one for each year).

He reported extensive information with the support of projected accompanying graphs on the administration of the budgets. Income and expenses are reported monthly to Brother Superior and the Council.

Brother Francisco explained how the support received from the Districts is distributed in five categories, highlighting possible financial difficulties for the future as new services are added which imply new expenses.

He finished his presentation insisting on the necessity of professionalism regarding information and the application of ethical principles in the use of funds.


The extensive information supplied by Brother Econome will be of interest for the Capitulants in the work of the next several weeks.

FIRST VOTES

Novelty in the Chapter Hall. The electronic mechanism for voting was put into use. The Capitulants raised their desk tops and selected their option. The electronic panel reflected the totals of those who voted and the final total of YES and of NO.

After approving the functioning norms of the Chapter Capitulants proceeded to the first elections. All were voted in after the first ballot. Here are the results:

• Coordinator:

H. Carlos Gómez (Colombia) 68 votos

•Moderators:

H. Jon Lezami (Spain) 75 votos	Br. Francis Carr (USA) 77 votos	Fr. George Absi (Middle East) 72 votos

•Chapter Historian:

H. Nestor Ferrera (Espagne) 80 votos

•Scrutineers:

Fr. Jean Claude Abou-Atme (Middle East)	Br. Michael Sanderl (USA)	H. Vicente Ruis (Spain)	Fr. Mamy Olivier Rabarone (Antananarivo)

With these elections all the officers of the Chapter will begin functioning.

AIMEL

The 43rd Chapter, held in 2000, decided to move forward with new structures for Mission with the significant presence of lay persons and which, seven years later, are up for evaluation in this 44th Chapter.

The entire Institute has worked with the following process: local assemblies, regional assemblies and finally, the celebration of the 1st International Assembly for the Lasallian Educational Mission (1st IALEM). To report on this event Mr.Gery Short (from San Francisco, USA), Mme. Eveline Geoffroy (from France) and Brother Fred Muller (from LINE) spoke to the assembly of the Capitulants.

The 1st International Assembly for the Lasallian Educational Mission was held in Rome from the 23rd of October to the 4th of November, 2006 with a broad representation of lay partners and Brothers from some fifty countries. The forty-two mother tongues put a special emphasis on the international dimension of the Lasallian world.

The work has been carried out for five years in the local assemblies in which more than 1000 Lasallian educators the world over took part. This has all been crystallized in the Report present at the 1st IALEM.

Gery (structures), Eveline (formation) and Fred (mission) have explained the development of the 1st IALEM, placing particular stress on the discrepancies that arose, the result of the quality and the commitment of the participants and, on the challenges for the future which will be material for debate in this 44th Chapter over the coming weeks.

The projection of a magnificent DVD… short on text but with a beautiful selection of images bringing out the clearest messages… provided a few moments of rest for the translators in the cabins.

OPINIONS

The atmosphere the capitulants feel.

How did the beginning of the Chapter go for you?

Br. John JOHNSTON

It has been an extraordinary grace to be able to be present for at least the first week of the Chapter.

It is, of course, a disappointment that for health reason, I am not able to be present for the entire Chapter.

I have been impressed by the excellent spirit manifested by the delegates and by their commitment to hard work.

The schedule was intense. I assure all the delegates that I will be following their activity everyday, and remembering them in my prayers