HO CHI MINH CITY- VIETNAM - FIFTH ANNUAL ASSOCIATION OF BROTHERS AND LASALLIAN PARTNERS: On New Year’s Day in Vietnam, Brothers and Lasallian Partners gathered for the fifth annual Association of Brothers and Lasallian Partners. Organized by Brother Luke Nguyen Huu Quang and a planning committee of partners, the gathering chose as its theme “How to be Brothers Today.” This theme will also be addressed by the District Chapter.

Brother Gregoire Nguyen van Tan, Visitor, welcomed the participants to the event, held held at the Mai Thon community in Ho Chi Minh City on a warm day that ushered in 2007. The day was punctuated by song and stories and laughter, often generated by the fun-spirited animation of Brother Pierre Thai Son Minh.

The day opened with prayer and talks from Brother Simeon Pham Quang Tung, Auxiliary Visitor, on the history of Brothers in Vietnam; Brother Francois Tran van Anh, former Visitor, on hope for our shared future; globalization and its influence on Vietnamese society and the Lasallian response was the subject of Brother Peter Nguyen van Phat’s presentation. The assembled university students, Lasallian Sisters, alumni and Partners were then challenged to suggest ways in which the Brothers can best be Brothers today. Small groups were formed to share experiences and ideas, which were then shared with the assembly. One key encouragement was that Brothers become one with the people with whom they live and minister.

Brother Timothy Coldwell, Secretary for Formation, encouraged those gathered to think of themselves as the shepherds and kings who, though coming from different backgrounds and traveling different roads, are drawn by the same star, the same sign of faith. In the afternoon, partners in the various apostolic communities presented the ways in which partners and Brothers cooperate together in promoting the mission. Dialogue followed in which valuable suggestions were offered on how to improve and deepen the level of association for the mission.
^{(Brother Timothy Coldwell, Secretary for Formation - Photographs by Alphonse Minh)}

BOGOTA - COLOMBIA - LASALLIAN DISTRICT OF BOGOTA. THE IDENTITY OF THE LASALLIAN CATECHIST – ESCAT 2001: "Deeply moved by the abandonment of the children of artisans and the poor, John Baptist de La Salle devoted himself to the training of teachers who were entirely dedicated to Christian instruction and education."

The first thing that occurs to me that should be highlighted as an essential element in the identity of a Lasallian Catechist is the ability to be "deeply moved" by something which may seem at first glance to be superficial.

Everything that John Baptist de La Salle embraced and did over the course of his intensive existence, all the commitments and suffering he took on, were motivated by his ability to let himself be deeply moved by everything that was happening around him. But this idea of letting oneself be deeply moved is not a primary event that is subject to the senses. It is about letting oneself be deeply moved from two perspectives: first, there is a deep sensing, that is to say, from the heart; second, there is the sense of God, that is to say, the theological.

From the first perspective we can say that John Baptist de La Salle let his heart be touched. His impression of "the abandonment of the children of artisans and the poor" was a deep impression that reached his heart and which, from his heart, propelled him to take on radical commitments. It was not a barren impression that makes one shudder for a while when faced with an extraordinarily moving event, but which soon dissolves into everyday and personal events. That impression that reached the heart with the assiduity of water dripping on rock, made the abandonment of children something palpable, which for the majority of persons was a common reality, for John Baptist de La Salle it meant a deep and radical conversion in his being. In the broadest sense of the word, John Baptist de La Salle allowed himself to be affected by reality. To affect is to commit to what it is that affects you.

In our daily living, contrary to what De La Salle experienced, we are more accustomed to avoid reality that might affect us and we prefer to create mechanisms to distract our senses, our mind and our heart from that which may mean a commitment.

From the theological perspective, with a profound ability for CONTEMPLATION, John Baptist de La Salle found out how to transcend impressions that affected him in the context in which they unfolded, and to find God's will in all events. In this way John Baptist de La Salle found out how to be a fully human and deeply spiritual man. He let his heart be molded by the Lord, who "converted it into a heart of flesh," and he found out how to respond faithfully to God's calls and to the calls of humankind.
^{(Brother Carlos Andrés Forero Forero, FSC)}

CHENNAI - INDIA - ST. JOSEPH’S DEVELOPMENT TRUST OF INDIA HONORED FOR ITS WORK WITH CHILDREN: On 3 December 2006, St. Joseph’s Development Trust, a Lasallian ministry of the Delegation of India, was awarded the Best Program Award by the government of the State of Tamilnadu in India for its work helping physically and mentally challenged children.

Brother I. Sebastian, Executive Director of St. Joseph’s Development Trust, and Brother Arockiadoss, President of the Delegation, were among those present in Chennai (formerly Madras) to receive the Award.

The magnitude of this Award is made clear when one notes that over sixty million of the one billion persons who live in India reside in the State of Tamilnadu.
^{(Adapted from Circular of the De La Salle Brothers of India)}

APURIMAC – PERU - DEDICATION OF THE "BROTHER SAINT JAUME HILARIO BARBAL" SPECIAL BASIC EDUCATION CENTER: On Wednesday, July 26, 2006, the La Salle Abancay, Brothers community, along with the local townspeople, students and teachers from the La Salle Public Institute of Higher Pedagogy in this city, dedicated this educational center which will care for children with special needs in the area such as those who are mentally challenged, with Down Syndrome, or who are autistic, deaf, paralyzed, or who suffer from other physical and mental challenges.

The property was donated by the De La Salle Brothers from this community and overall construction was overseen by a Catalan volunteer: AMADEO CLAUSÓ MAS, who managed to make this dream come true with his contributions from companies and friends in Europe. These children are considered to be the poorest of the poor.

The meritorious effort of Professor Eva Salomé Molero Báez should also be noted who, along with the students from the Tenth Special Education Cycle, took care of these special children day by day for many years.

The name of this Brother Saint was chosen for three reasons:

1. Because he was a De La Salle Brother.
2. Because he was a Catalan, as is Amadeo, the benefactor.
3. Because at the end of his life, he had a hearing problem.

The welcome poster as well as the plaque of commemoration, is written in Quechua (the ancestral language of Peru), Spanish, and Catalan.

Our thanks goes all those persons who have contributed to the establishment of this ministry, especially Amadeo Clausó Mas.
^{(District News of Peru)}

COLOMBO – SRI LANKA - SIGNUM FIDEI MOVEMENT: Bro.Eustace Bastians, FSC introduced the Signum Fidei Movement to Colombo District. The inaugural meeting was held on 16th March 1999 initially with 5 members. As of today we have 12 consecrated Members, 5 Aspirants and 2 FSC Brothers as President and Moderator.

The members renew their consecration annually during the month of July or August, and on the same occasion new aspirants commit themselves after completing their formation period of one or two years. Monthly meetings of the Association are held on last Friday of each month.

Some activities that we engaged in as members of the Signum Fidei Association.

1st September 2001. Pubudugama Project was launched. Pubudugama, which is the name of the village in Sinhala, means the blooming or blossoming village. Hundreds of families live in this soggy village in miserable conditions. Growing up young children of different age groups do not have proper food, clothing, educational facilities, and basic amenities. Some are school dropouts. With the support and cooperation of the Parish Priest Signum Fidei commenced a school wherein about 80 poor children were tutored in English, mathematics, and other subjects required by their school syllabus in addition to music and arts. The classes that consisted of about 80 children initially have increased to 120 children to date. The classes are held weekly on Thursday evening. The devoted Signum Fidei Members inspired by the charism of St.De La Salle who take these classes on a voluntary basis are themselves regular teachers in Schools run by Christian Brothers. The children male and female are of different religions Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and Hindus – there is no discrimination whatsoever. Scholarships financial and material were offered to needy and promising children to continue their studies in selected schools.

March 2002. Another similar education center was commenced in Mahawatta, in Colombo city – for children of families living in shanties, school dropouts, and siblings of drug addicts, gangsters and broken families. There are about 60 children attending these classes held on weekends – and the Signum Fidei Members taking these classes do it cheerfully enlivened by the charisma of De La Salle who also took on the task of educating the poor at great risk and sacrifice to himself. Indeed these S.F.members too will shine as stars in the firmament.

These are only a few of many others projects Signum Fidei’s members are involved.

We would like to thank Bro. Visitor Henry Dissanayake who was of immense help in our activities and who stood by us, guiding and encouraging us in all our activities. He was not only a brother but in times of frustration and sorrow a father and a guide, not forgetting to thank Bros.Alexander and George Moderator and animator who have guided us in true Lasallian Spirit.

‘Your work enjoys little consideration in the eyes of men, but in the eyes of God it does, for it contribute to extend his kingdom’ St.John Baptist De La Salle.
^{(Compiled by : J.Leslie Fernando – Signum Fidei Member)}

If you have news notes that you would like us to consider publishing, please email us:lasallew@lasalle.org