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News of the Institute and Lasallian Family
Rome, November 27, 2007 |
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 BOBO-DIOULASSO - BURKINA FASO – VISITORS CONFERENCE RELAF: The Visitors Conference of the RELAF Region took place in Bobo-Dioulasso from Monday Nov.5th to Friday Nov.9th. The only one missing from this Conference was Br.Bruno KAPALATA, President of the Delegation of Rwanda, who was, however, represented by the delegate, Br.Gabariel SOME. Present also were Br.Superior and Br. Alberto GOMEZ, Resident General Councilor, as well as Br. José Manuel AGIRREZABALAGA, Secretary for Formation in charge of the sub-region of French-speaking Africa.
This Conference was the first to be held after the 44th General Chapter and this gave it a special character. In fact, in the points of the agenda usually debated during these meetings, what had to be mainly taken into account were the decisions of the General Chapter. Based on Article 5 of the Statutes of RELAF which gave it this power, the Conference decided on the modification of the texts of their regulations in order to include the role of the General Councilor for RELAF, who becomes President of the Conference. The Conference also decided to establish the residence of the General Councilor for RELAF at Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. The texts thus modified will be sent to the Superior General and his Council for approval.
The Conference is over and each one has set off to rejoin his community. It remains to take up the challenge of putting into practice the decisions taken. Among others there will be that of successfully organizing the visit of the Brother Superior to RELAF in 2008, ensuring the ongoing formation of good teams of formators in the houses of formation, ensuring the regular payment of board and lodging in the houses of formation and of the school fees of the young persons in formation. On this point, everybody is convinced that good will and good intentions are not enough. There is need for good organization on the basis of clearly defined objectives which allow for an objective evaluation of what has been achieved. This is the challenge of self-management in running our Region.
(Br. Gabriel SOME, General Councilor for RELAF)
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 ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX - FRANCE - FIRST LASALLIAN AUTUMN UNIVERSITY: For our pupils it was holiday time. For more than 200 persons – heads of establishments, teachers, animators of school pastoral ministry…..- who had come from the six corners of the hexagon, it was still school time…..or rather ‘University time’ for three studious days.
The first Lasallian Autumn University was, in fact, ‘sold out’ and was held in the school complex of Saint-Nicolas d’Issy-les-Moulineaux. It centred around some major themes for debate involving high educational stakes. The aim was to understand better and give better life to the Lasallian education project aimed at the children and young people entrusted to our care.
Br.Nicolas Capelle, Visitor, opened these days of work by defining the place of this ‘Lasallian Autumn University’ in the Lasallian movement at national and international level and within the general evolution of questions of pedagogy, society, science, faith…
Then Mr.Bruno Lagniez, Direction of Formation, introduced the three big themes and the speakers.
* Bioethics and Education
* The Church, Society and Education
* An Education at the Service of the Person
Etienne Roulleaux Dugage, Secretary-General of the La Salle Association reminded us that what links the three themes is “that it is a question of areas of thought where today consciences are in tension between sometimes blurred or hazy marks of reference and complex realities where suffering is often to be found”.
The participants then freely chose to join one of three workshops with a view to allowing for the working out of some reflection, both personal and collective.
In the course of the three days, each workshop, guided by university specialists, was organized into periods of information, analysis and shared experiences. This gave rise to some profound and fruitful exchanges….exchanges also carried forward by the moments of prayer which started each day and by the Eucharist which brought together both speakers and participants late on Sunday afternoon.
The gathering was brought to a close on Monday afternoon by Etienne Roulleaux Dugage.
The Secretary-General of the La Salle Association gave an invitation to the whole Lasallian network for the second Autumn University, which at the same period of the beginning of the All Saints Day holidays in 2008 would propose reflection and debate on the promotion of justice.
The minutes of the Lasallian Autumn University will be published around February 2008.
(District of France FSC – www.lasalle-fec.org)
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 MELBOURNE – AUSTRALIA - BR. CHRISTIAN MOE WAS AWARDED THE HOLY CROSS PRO ECCLESIA ET PONTIFICE MEDAL: Br. Christian Moe of the District of Australia/New Zealand/Papua New Guinea was awarded the Papal Honour Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice at a gathering at the Melbourne Seminary, Oct 31 2007.
The request was made to the Vatican by the Archbishop of Melbourne to signify Br Christian's "retirement" from the Seminary at the age of 85, and his significant contribution to education in the faith in various roles over many years.
The occasion chosen to present the award was the Meeting of the Bishops responsible for the Seminary and was done during Solemn Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Hart, Archbishop Doyle and the Bishops of the Province as well as Priests on the Seminary staff. All the seminarians were present. The Rector, Fr Tony Ireland, ex-student De La Salle College Malvern, invited Br Vincent Keating, representing the Visitor, and Br Brendan Crowe to attend.
Following the Mass there was a formal lunch. The Archbishop proposed a toast to Brother Christian in which he outlined in detail Br Christian's contribution, his personal qualities and the debt he was owed by the Church. The strong applause of the seminarians reflected their appreciation of Br Christian's role in their formation.
Br Christian's response was well received.
Ad Multos Annos!
(Br. Peter Gilfedder) |
 WASHINGTON, DC – USA - LASALLIAN VOLUNTEERS SURPASS O’SHAUGHNESSY FOUNDATION CHALLENGE: The Lasallian Volunteer outreach program celebrated the completion of a $300,000 challenge grant from the I.A. O’Shaughnessy Foundation of St. Paul, MN.
The money was awarded to expand Lasallian Volunteer outreach to the poor, especially at the middle school level. The grant and matching funds financed a remarkable first stage of growth for the Lasallian ministry.
Today more Lasallian Volunteers serve more of America’s most impoverished children and families. From 1995-2004, the program comprised an average of 31 volunteers in 18 ministries; today, 48 Lasallian Volunteers serve in 27 ministries, more than half of them in new “Miguel Schools” at the middle school level. Enhanced recruitment, funded directly by the grant, this year brought the largest group of new recruits ever. The volunteer retention rate has also grown. Twelve Lasallian Volunteers are in their second year, with 72 LV Alums continuing in Lasallian ministries all across America.
Included in the O’Shaughnessy Foundation’s grant was a challenge to develop a funding base for continued growth into the future. Their endorsement generated a steep rise in the number of investors and their level of support. Three years after the original grant, the Program has raised more than $360,000 in matching funds from more than 850 sources. Investors range from the hundreds of small donors for the recent “LV Marathon” runners to Leadership Donors ($1,000+).
(Alisa Macksey, Director Lasallian Volunteers)
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 VALENCIA – SPAIN - NEW SPANISH CARDINAL IS A FORMER LASALLIAN STUDENT: On November 24, Pope Benedict XVI created 23 new Cardinals at a Consistory held in Rome. One of them, Augustín García-Gasco, the current Archbishop of Valencia, is a former Lasallian student.
He was born in Corral de Almaguer (Toledo) seventy-six years ago. In this village, located in Castilla-La Mancha, there is a Lasallian school that is deeply rooted in the history of the town.
(www.lasalle.es)
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 MILAN – ITALY – ITALIAN FEDERATION OF PAST PUPILS OF LASALLIAN SCHOOLS: “We are pleased to inform you that on Sat. September 29th in the presence of Br.Auxiliary Visitor Stefano Agostini, Br. Bruno Bordone and Dr.Claudio Andreoli, The Italian Federation of Past-Pupils of Lasallian Schools was re-constituted under the name FED.EX.AL. At the Assembly specially convened at the Gonzaga Institute of Milan, the Presidents of most of the local Past-Pupils Associations came together.
There was unanimous approval for an Internal Statute ‘ad experimentum’ for two years, which indicates the roles and the modalities for a coordination between the Associations, a coordination considered all the more necessary since some Associations often find themselves operating without any organic link with a Lasallian institution.
The federal form is likewise desired from the opportunity it gives for a link with the CONFEDEREX (Confederation of Past-Pupils of Italian Catholic Schools) and with UMAEL (World Union of Past-Pupils of Lasallian Schools).”
(Br. Stefano Agostini, Auxiliary Visitor - Sormani Maurizio, President)
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 ROME – ITALY - DOCTORAL THESIS: Brother Josean Villalabeitia, from the District of Bilbao in Spain, successfully defended his doctoral thesis on November 26 at the Institute of Theology for Consecrated Life, known as the "Claretianum" in Rome. Brother is now a member of Spain's Central District.
The topic of his thesis was "Do not differentiate..." the relationship between the religious consecration of the Brother of the Christian Schools and his apostolic work, according to the 39th General Chapter of the Institute (1966).
Brother Josean has also published a book recently in the collection of "Lasallian Essays" with the same topic and title, but with reference to the beginning of the Institute. Congratulations, Brother Josean!
(Br. José Antonio Warletta, Department of Communication)
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