DENEKAMP – Netherlands - The District of the Netherlands celebrates 60 years of existence and joins the District of Central Europe: The Brothers of the Netherlands sent out invitations to join them in celebrating the 60 years of their District. Thus it was that around 50 people met at DENEKAMP, in the North-East of the country, for some very fraternal days, from August 22nd to 25th 2006.

With joy and emotion, the Dutch Brothers, along with Brothers from Austria, Romania, Belgium and Rome as well as religious and lay guests, thanked God for the beautiful pages of Lasallian history written in the Netherlands, in Cameroon and in Aruba by the Brothers from the Netherlands. Following a program perfectly prepared by the District Council, the day of the 23rd especially marked the anniversary: there was a festive liturgy and in the afternoon the official presentation of the book which has just been published on the history of these 60 years. Written by Madame José Eijt, a historian by profession, the book entitled Avec Foi et Zèle – Met geloof en ijver (With Faith and Zeal), paints for us this rich educational adventure: the school and extra-curricular work of the Brothers in the Netherlands, their missionary commitment in Aruba and, with Brothers from other Districts, in Cameroon. The evening ended with a concert of religious music: Gregorian chant and English polyphonic works from the 16th Century.

These two days also marked the end of the District as a canonical unit and its entry, as a Sector, into the District of Central Europe. The 25 Brothers from the Netherlands will, in fact, enrich by their presence and their rich history, the District of Central Europe which also includes Romania, Slovakia, Germany and Austria (where the Provincialate is situated). In order to get to know better the Brothers from the other Sectors and to show the beauties of their country, the Dutch Brothers organized, on the 24th , an excursion to a charming part of the country. The meals and the walks together helped conversation and everybody tried hard to understand or speak the language of his or her neighbour.

Prayers on the final morning gave an opportunity to Br.Visitor Paul Kaiser to name Br.Aad van Bentem as Coordinator of the Netherlands Sector and to Br. Alvaro, Superior General, an opportunity to thank and congratulate those who had worked with openness and mutual respect, for the coming together of the two Districts and for the welcoming of a new Sector, all within the framework of the restructuring of certain geographical areas of the Institute. ^{(Br. Claude Reinhard)}

MORAGA – USA : The District Assembly on Mission: “Creativity, Courage, and Risk-Taking.”: “We are gathered here over the next few days to listen, to reflect, to discuss, and finally to decide… Guided by the Holy Spirit, I’m confident that we can discern the major roads that we, to whom the Lasallian educational mission is entrusted in this District of San Francisco, need to travel for the next for years.”

With that exhortation, the Visitor of the District of San Francisco, Brother Stanislaus Campbell, FSC, opened the District’s 2006 Assembly on Mission, an assembly made up of delegates from throughout the District, some forty Christian Brothers and about a hundred Partners. Hosted by Saint Mary’s College of California on its beautiful Moraga campus, the delegates spent July 30 through August 4 reflecting on the past and planning for the future.

This quadrennial assembly was inaugurated in 2002, as the District’s response to the 43rd General Chapter’s directive that in every District “the Brothers and their Associates create a structure, where it does not exist, or improve a structure responsible for the Lasallian educational mission, in which all participate with a deliberative vote.”

Out of that first District Assembly on Mission emerged priorities which were approved by the District Chapter and became part of the District’s Action Plan for 2003 – 2007. Priorities for 2003 – 2007 included creating new schools for the poor and making existing schools more accessible to the poor; prioritizing formation activities; developing an evaluation of the Catholic, Lasallian character of schools and works; and creating more intentional connections among schools of the District and between the District and other Lasallians both regionally and internationally. As an aid in their deliberations, delegates to the 2006 District Assembly were provided with a document titled “Response to the 2003-2007 Action Plan” giving detailed reports on what the District has done.
^{( News - San Francisco District)}

León Guanajuato, Mexico - RECOGNITION FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: The State Planning Commission for Higher Education (COPES) is made up of 41 members. The majority of the members are Rectors of the principal public and private universities in the State of Guanajuato. The principal task of the commission is to develop strategies that will benefit the country by raising the level of higher education in the State.

This organization, within the framework of its second ordinary session of the current academic year, awarded recognition to De La Salle Bajío University, located in the city of León, Guanajuato, for its quality education. The award was given to recognize the high academic expertise of its teaching personnel as well as the way the University has efficiently organized its administration and academic areas. This efficiency has resulted in offering the student body outstanding academic attention.

A statuette, created by well-known Mexican sculptor Miguel Humberto Peraza y Ojeda, was awarded as a symbol of this academic excellence. The statuette was created using the bronze wax technique. The object is a fusion of Auguste Rodin's The Thinker, and the face of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's Don Quijote de La Mancha.

This recognition raffirms the excellent work of De La Salle Bajío University and especially the very positive impact that is has in society, thanks to the way it carries out the Lasallian mission. The University has also been recognized as an Institution of Academic Excellence by the Secretariat of Public Education, one of thirteen Universities to achieve this recognition.
^{( Itzel Villanueva M.)}

Ocean City – USA - Baltimore District Jubilarians: With just short of 400 years of commitment to the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the Jubilarians pose for a picture at Ocean Rest in Ocean City, NJ.  Pictured with years in service noted in brackets are: standing left to right - Brothers Kevin Stanton [50], Edward Adams [60], Andrew Bartley [60], Carl Clayton [50], seated left to right - David Rogers [50], Patrick Power [75] and Benedict Oliver [50].)

Congratulations to all the Baltimore District Jubilarians!
^{(News: Baltimore District)}

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