ROME - GENERALATE - SESSION FOR NEW VISITORS: The formation session for New Visitors took place from May 10 – 23.  The 33 participants represented 23 countries from all Regions of the Institute (15 English-speaking, 9 Spanish speaking and 9 French-speaking).  The ages covered a wide range.  

The General Council and the CIL Staff facilitated the gathering. The general themes dealt with accompaniment in the first part and moved on to divers aspects of the mission in the second part. These centered particularly on the General Chapter and the International Assembly 2006.  Each nucleus (Accompaniment of the Brothers, of the Lasallian Family, Together and by Association, Mission, etc.)  was developed through presentations, small group work and exchanges in general assembly). Brother Superior General, Brother Alvaro Rodríguez, shared his convictions with an opening talk and a final conference which concluded the session.  

The session was marked by important liturgical celebrations: Pentecost, the Feast of Saint John-Baptist de La Salle on May 15th and the Renewal of Vows on Trinity Sunday using the new vow formula. There was also an excursion to Caserta near Naples and a day of retreat in the Monastery of Saint Scholastica in Subiaco.  
The final evaluation showed a high level of satisfaction on the part of the participants who also made suggestions for future sessions.
^{(Brother Michael French)}

PARIS - FRANCE - FIRST RELEM COUNCIL MEETING: The first meeting of the RELEM Council took place from April 28th - 30th at the RELEM headquarters at St Denis (Paris), chaired by Brother Jacques d’Huiteau (France) General Councillor for the Lasallian Region of Europe and the Mediterranean (RELEM).
The meeting was attended by the three Visitors who are members of the Council, Brothers Georges Absi (Near East), Stephen Deignan (Ireland) and Donato Petti (Italy); by Brother Lorenso Tebar (Spain), Executive Secretary; and by the 5 heads of RELEM services, Br Janusz Robionek (Poland, Life of the Brother), Br Esteban de Vega (Spain, Pastoral Ministry), Mr Bruno Lagniez (France, Educational Mission), Br Jose M Perez (Spain Association and Lasallian Family), Br Mark Boyle (Great Britain, Finance).

The aim of the working sessions was as follows:
1. Draw up a programme of work in response to the requests of the General Chapter and based on the ideas contributed by the Brother Visitors at the last conference at Lliria.
2. Set up Service Teams (Lay persons and Brothers) who will form various commissions. Each commission will consist of 5 members of different nationalities. They will meet next September.
3. Begin preparations for the next Conference of RELEM Brother Visitors, which will take place in Jerusalem in January 2009.: contents, date, logistics...
4. Draw up a RELEM calendar of events.
5. Design a RELEM logo.

The Council will meet next after the meeting of the RELEM Visitors’ Conference.
^{(www.lasalle.es)}

ROME - GENERALATE - VEN. RAPHAËL RAFIRINGA AND BR. ANDRÉS-HIBERNÓN GARMENDIA: Friday 16th mMy 2008 the consulters of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints recognized that the « miraculous » recovery of Mr. Pierre Rafaralahy happened through the intercession of Venerable Brother Raphaël-Louis Rafiringa.

This means that the way towards the beatification of our first Brother of Madagascar is definitely open. The beatification’s ceremony will take place in Antananarivo at the end of this year or in the spring of 2009.

Tuesday 20th May 2008 the commission of Cardinals and Bishops of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints gave a positive vote on the sainthood of Brother Andrés-Hibernón Garmendia (District of Madrid). At the end of June we are waiting the Decree that will give him the title of Venerable.  
So the paths toward sainthood continue abundantly in our Institute: let us praise the Lord for this.
^{(Brother Rodolfo Meoli)}

LEBANON - JEUNESSES SANS FRONTIÈRES ASSOCIATION: “Jeunesses Sans Frontières Association” (JSF) is a young lasallian movement founded in the year 1995 and was recognized as an official association in Lebanon in 1999. JSF develops many programs for children, adolescents and youth. The programs are based on non-formal education; the Youth program focuses on participation, youth empowerment and life skills.

JSF has just launched a website for youth (www.jsf.org.lb). A forum discussion will took place on the website on May 12, 2008, starting 7:00 PM till 9:00 PM, it was a live discussion on “The role of Youth Organizations in Lebanon”. This was the first Forum Event that was held and to which you all Young Lasallian were invited to participate. Further forums discussions will take place on the JSF forum webpage. In order for you to actively participate, you'll have to be a registered member on the forum. So you are welcomed to register on the forum youth and society and to join us.
^{(Toni Moussa, International Council of the Young Lasallians)}

PIRAEUS - GREECE - 14th LASALLIAN CONGRESS: The 14th Lasallian Congress was held at Piraeus on April 21st - 23rd 2008. It was attended by 115 teachers, administrative and executive staff, and was organised by the Greek Lasallian Committee for continuing formation. All the Greek Lasallians of our three establishments - St Paul’s, Piraeus, St George’s, Syros, and De La Salle, Thessaloniki - gathered at Piraeus with a view to improving their educational and administrative practice. As the Lasallian mission has also other aims, including:

• personal development of the individual regarding his own responsibility for himself and for others also;
• and concerted action for the promotion of justice and new human relations

the Congress chose for its theme “The exercise of responsibility in the Lasallian school”.

The Congress was officially opened by the Brother Visitor of our District, Brother Nicolas Capelle, and Mr Michel Bertet, the Tutelle Delegate for the Lasallian establishments of the Paris-Lille Region, gave the opening address, entitled “Human Resources”, an address remarkable for both its content and its form.

At other plenary sessions, there was a talk by Michel Bertet on “Together and by Association”, and two “personal testimony” talks: one by Athanase Chatzigiannis, a music teacher at De La Salle College, Thessaloniki, on “The exercise of authority in class”; and another by Mrs Stella Livaniou, a literature teacher and Head of St Paul’s College, on “The exercise of authority at the school executive level”.

The rest of the day up till 17.30 was devoted to workshops: ten teams spent time reflecting, sharing, expressing their various points of view.

A summary of the work done in the workshops was presented by the Lasallian committee. Mr Bertet and Brother Visitor answered ten of the questions that had been raised. Then, Brother Visitor outlined the “Lasallian educational plan for the world”, accompanied by  concrete examples found very useful by Congress  members. Finally, Brother Visitor and Brother Francois announced the decision of the COMEL (Council for the Lasallian Educational Mission), regarding the new appointments to the position of school principal, and thanked the outgoing principals for their successful term in office which had just ended.
^{(www.lasalle-fec.org)}

ST. ETIENNE - FRANCE - LASALLIAN TEAM CELEBRATES JUBILEE OF TWO BROTHERS: On Saturday March 20th, Lasallian establishments in St Etienne had a celebration.

The Lasallian Team running the  “Plein Vent” Centre for deaf children and the Sainte Barbe technical and industrial school had decided to celebrate the 50 years of religious life of two Brothers who had greatly influenced the life of these establishments:

• Brother Jean Bollon had been at St Etienne for 28 years and for 20 of these he had taught physical sciences at Sainte Barbe;
• Brother Jean Favre had been in charge of the Centre for deaf children for 27 years.

Both made their perpetual profession as Brothers of the Christian Schools on the same day, August 19th 1958, at the Abbey of Pierre Qui Vire, in the Yonne.

Former colleagues and friends filled a nearby chapel for a celebratory Mass presided over by the Bishop of St Etienne, Mgr Lebrun, and concelebrated by the parish priest and two former students of Sainte Barbe.
The lack of central heating was more than compensated for by the great warmth of the proceedings, and the renewal of vows by all the Brothers present with the jubilarians made the occasion quite moving.

After Mass, everyone was invited for an aperitif and a chat with friends at the “Plein Vent” Centre, and the celebrations concluded with a meal at Sainte Barbe, attended by some hundred persons.

It was a very convivial occasion and an opportunity for Brothers and lay persons to get together. . The Lasallian team  plans to organise more such occasions in the near future.
^{(Philippe Mounier, Lasallian Team)}

PORTO ALEGRE - BRAZIL - NEW LASALLIAN NETWORK INSTITUTIONAL CAMPAIGN: On the date that Saint John Baptist de La Salle was named the universal patron of teachers (May 15th) the Lasallian Network launched its new institutional campaign.

Using the same slogan as it did in 2007: THE LASALLIAN NETWORK – MUCH MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL, the objective now is to galvanize the "brand name" in places where it exists and to present the Lasallian education as a high quality product that gives priority to human and Christian formation. The idea is to market the idea that those who study within the Lasallian Network have all the quality, tradition, and support of an internationally respected educational institution, with over one-hundred years of experience in Brazil. It also reinforces all that is already known and experienced by collaborators, students and families: in Lasallian schools no one is just a number.

The Institutional Campaign must reach the areas where the Lasallian Province of Porto Alegre has centers in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catalina, Amazonas, Distrito Federal, and Mato Grosso. Commercial announcements are planned for television and radio, in newspapers, on billboards, neon signs, and on buses. The campaign will run from May to June 2008. The materials were produced by the Total Integrated Communication Agency, under the coordination of the marketing department. The second semester will see second part of the campaign, when matriculation opens for the schools.

The Lasallian Network: The Lasallian District of Porto Alegre administers 15 private schools, 12 welfare agencies, and four institutions of higher learning. The Lasallian Network, present in Brazil for 100 years, is active in 11 states and in the Federal District; it has 43 educational institutions, 33,000 students, over 200 Brothers and 3,000 collaborators. Throughout the world, Lasallian education has existed since 1680 and is engaged in 80 countries.
                                   
For further information, visit the web site at: www.muitmaisqueumcolegio.com.br
^{(www.lasalle.edu.br)}

ADDIS ABABA - ETHIOPIA - ETHIOPIAN MILLENNIUM CELELBRATION: As you know that for the people who follow the Western Calanders we are in the year 2008 but in Ethiopian Calander, we are the Year 2000.

If you want to become 7 years younger you should count in Ethiopian calander especially for those who want to be younger. Anyhow, Ethiopian Catholic Church celebrated the Ethiopian Millennium on Sunday, May 10, 2008.

Cardinal Ivan Dias Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of peoples who is a special Envoy of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI was the Chief guest of the day. H. Grace Archbishop Berhanyesus Surafel, The Ethiopian Catholic Church Metro-Politant and other Bishops were present. Ministers and Ambassadors attended the Holy Mass which was held at Do Bosco  St. Mary Church Addis Ababa. They were also priests, religious and people of God came from various places to attend The Ethiopian Catholic Church Millennium (Jubilee) Year 2000 Eucharistic Celebration. The Holy Mass was in Ethiopian Rite or Geeze.

Arch Bishop Berhanyesus was the main celebrant and other Bishops were the co-celebrants. The Homily was given by Cardinal Ivan Dias.  The celebration was very colorful. More than 10,000 people attended the celebration.  Bros. Kassu McFantaye and Martin Kearns delegatged the Brothers to attend the celebration. 
^{(Brother Kassu McFantaye)}

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