News of the Institute and Lasallian Family

Rome, April 10, 2007

MANILA – PHILIPPINES - BROTHER WILLIAM MANN RECEIVES HONORARY DEGREE: De La Salle University in Manila has conferred on Brother William Mann, Vicar General, the degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, in recognition of his outstanding contribution as a Lasallian administrator, educator, and motivator. The awarding was part of the University’s Commencement Exercises held on 10 February 2007 [Newsletter of De La Salle University - Manila].

In accepting this honorary degree, Brother William said: “I assure you that it is with a deep sense of admiration for De La Salle University and its faculty that I participate in these Commencement Exercises. That this educational institution, so very highly esteemed in the international network of Lasallian schools and universities, honors me – and through me, the Brothers – is a truly humbling experience.”

Brother William concluded his remarks at the Commencement Exercises in addressing the almost 800 graduates in these words: “And you, graduates, can also contribute to the greater good, especially in these auspicious and tumultuous days of the start of the 21st century. May you go forth from this Convention Center today with eyes truly opened to the hopes and needs of others and with hearts on fire to be the artisans of a just world, a world that includes and benefits the whole of the human family …Go out there to embrace with both hands and a full heart the destiny that awaits you. Go out into the world and really make a difference. The world, your Church, and your nation need you.”
^{(Adapted from the Website of the District of LI-NE www.cbline.org )}

THE CALL AND INVITATION TO BE A BROTHER IN 2007: Today we want to draw your attention to the work in a number of Districts of the Institute to promote the vocation of the De La Salle Brother with renewed effort and creativity.

Two Districts have recently posted very well done Vocation Promotion videos on their Websites. The District of the Philippines www.lasallian.ph now has four short Vocations Promotion videos or “television advertisements” posted on its Website, and the District of LI-NE www.cbline.org has posted its own short Brothers Vocation Promotion video.

The District of France www.lasalle-fec.org, the District of North Mexico www.lasalle.edu.mx, the District of Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea www.lasalle.org.au, and the Region of USA/Toronto www.cbconf.org have good information of their Websites concerning the Promotion of the Vocation of the De La Salle Brother.

The “Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program” of the District of the Midwest www.cbmidwest.org and the “Share the Mission Program” of the District of Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea www.vocym.org are interesting initiatives.

In addition, the District of France has recently published a very informative and attractive twenty-page vocation promotion booklet entitled “That the Young May Have Life!” An article published in February on the Institute Website www.lasalle.org, concerning some “signs of a call” to the life of a Brother, were an excerpt from this booklet.

An article published on 25 December on the Institute Website www.lasalle.org highlighted the important ministry of the Promotion of the Vocation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. It was the story of Brother Jegan, the Vocation Promoter for the Delegation of India, who has in the past four months visited 8 dioceses and 148 schools to invite young men to consider being a De La Salle Brother.

Perhaps the good work and the relative success in recent years of Vocation Promotion Ministry efforts in some Districts of the Institute is not well enough known.

To paraphrase something that Brother Superior said on the day of his election at the 43rd General Chapter in June 2000, being Brother is a great mystery at the heart of the Lasallian educational mission. It is a strength and a treasure that cannot and should not be lost. The God who guides and conducts all history with wisdom and love is with us today. His presence is close. We’ve been called, and we believe that God and our vocation continue to call us to participate in God’s holy work in the field of education for the good of the world.

SAN ANTONIO – USA - LASALLIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL CONFERENCE IN USA: The third annual Lasallian Secondary Schools Chief Administrator’s Conference of the USA/Toronto Region was held from 27 February to 2 March 2007 in San Antonio, Texas. About 120 Presidents and Principals and Chairs of Boards of Trustees representing nearly 50 schools attended the gathering to examine the theme of “Lasallian Leaders: Sharing Our Strengths and Facing Our Challenges Together.”

The two keynote address speakers were SSND Sister Clare Fitzgerald on the topic of “Spirituality of Leadership” and FSC Brother Vicar General William Mann on the topic of “Lasallian Leadership in the Twenty-First Century.”

The meeting was a valuable opportunity to meet with other Lasallian educational leaders from across the Region and to consider the critical issues facing our schools at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

ROME – ITALY - MEETING OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY: The Board of Regents of Bethlehem University held its regular semi-annual meetings in Rome on 26 and 27 January 2007. As usual, some meetings were held at the Vatican and some were held at the FSC Casa Generalizia.

Among other things, a number of interesting developments at the university were discussed. Firstly, a formal program of Christian-Muslim dialogue has been begun at the university. A small pilot program was conducted over the Christmas vacation, and something more formal will begin in September. Secondly, the Cardinal Martini Leadership Institute has been established at the university as a means of making a contribution to leadership development for Palestinian people. A “think tank” is currently designing its framework. Thirdly, Lasallian Formation of Faculty, Staff, and Students is progressing nicely. Three or four members of the faculty will attend the International Lasallian University Leadership Program, a new initiative sponsored by the International Association of Lasallian Universities, from 10 to 23 June 2007 in Rome.

The Board was happy to be informed that the university has had a good year academically and that enrollment is the highest ever with 2,599 full-time students. There was some concern voiced about the very real need at the present time for a few additional Brothers to join the faculty and administration at the university.

In addition, Dr. Rudolf Solzbacher, the Director of the Department of World Church and World Mission in the Diocese of Cologne, has been proposed by the Regents to replace Msgr. Robert Stern, AFSC, as Chair of the Board. Msgr. Stern, the Executive Director of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association in the Archdiocese of New York, has been Board Chair since 1996

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