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News of the Institute and Lasallian Family
Rome, July 8th, 2008 |
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 BOBO DIOULASSO – BURKINA FASO - FIRST VOWS FOR BROTHER NOVICES: On June 10 ten African Brothers made their first profession at the inter-African novitiate of Our Lady of Grace in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
During a simple ceremony held in the novitiate itself, these ten young men made their first profession, using the new formula of vows. The vows were received by Brother José Manuel Sauras, Auxiliary Visitor of the Sub-District and head of the houses of formation for French-speaking Africa.
Of the ten novices, Pastor Rubén belongs to the Sector of Equatorial Guinea, Brice belongs to the Sub-District of th Gulf of Benin, and Narcise and Sebastien, who made their postulancy in Equatorial Guinea, are from the District of Douala.
Also present for the festivities were Brother Luís Timón, Auxiliary Visitor of ARLEP and Brother Janvier Dambele, Visitor of the District of West Africa.
(www.lasalle.es)
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 CÓRDOBA - ARGENTINA - PERPETUAL PROFESSION OF BROTHER MARIO CÉSAR HERRERA: On Saturday, April 12, Brother Mario César Herrera made his perpetual profession of vows at the conclusion of a Mission Assembly in the District of Argentina-Paraguay in the presence of many Brothers and others.
The celebration was held at the Colegio La Salle de Argüello, in Córdoba, where Brother is a teacher. This school is located a  short distance from the Postulancy community and he is also a member of the formation staff. Brother Mario holds a licentiate in Social Work and he collaborates in the social-communication area of the Malvinas Argentinas school.
The celebration was simple yet there was much participation. It was presided by the Bishop of the Diocese of Añatuya, Adolfo Uriona, a Diocese where Brothers and laity of the District conduct diocesan educational works in service of the poor. Brother Mario lived in that Diocese for some years and it was there that his friendship with the Bishop grew.
Everyone agreed that it was wonderful to be able to celebrate the personal growth of Mario.
(Brother Santiago Rodríguez Mancini)
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 ROME - ITALY - BROTHER ANDRÉS HIBERNÓN DECLARED VENERABLE:
Last Thursday, July 3rd, Benedict XVI promulgated the Decree on the Heroic Virtues of the Servant of God Brother Andrés Hibernón. Therefore the Institute has a new Venerable Brother.
He was born at Beizama (Guipúzcoa, Spain) September 3rd,1880. Teacher and young director, he showed great didactic qualities, strong human virtues and high apostolic zeal. He was Provincial of the District of Madrid from 1925 to 1943.
He suffered very much during the religious persecution in Spain and was imprisoned twice. After 1939 he reorganized the District after the revolutionary storm, reigniting the religious spirit and initiating a new season of great prosperity. He died in Griñón on March 11th,1969.
(Brother Rodolfo Meoli, Postulator General)
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 BANGKOK – THAILAND - BISHOPS ASK BROTHER VICTOR GIL TO WELCOME THE BURMESE: The Episcopal Conference of Thailand has entrusted the Spanish missionary, Victor Gil, a De La Salle Brother, with the pastoral care of Burmese immigrants, which, after the Nargis cyclone, has been on the increase.
Born in Cuenca, Spain, in 1943, Brother Victor has been a missionary for the De La Salle Brothers in Thailand since 1964. His work in education and in welcoming abandoned children took a new turn a short time ago when the Bishops' Conference of Thailand entrusted the pastoral care of Burmese immigrants to him. For the past three years he has cared for about fifty who were orphaned due to the tsunami, and now he has to turn his attention to the victims of cyclone Nargis, which has caused a new wave of immigration.
The Burmese immigrants have few legal rights and, furthermore, they do not know their rights. Therefore the National Catholic Commission on Migration tries to take care of their most basic needs and to advise them of their rights. It is calculated that in the past 10 years some two million Burmese have settled in Thailand. Some are in refugee camps hoping to go to another country some day, but they are the minority. The most important group lives in towns and cities close to the border with Myanmar.
The majority of these people do not have legal papers and for that reason they do not have legal protection. Those that find work receive only half the pay that the Thai receive for the same work, and they accept work that Thai will not. There are hundreds of thousands of children that need schooling. Mothers and children do not have recourse to medical help. Workers do not know their rights and the children do not have schools to go to.
The La Salle School in Bangkok, where Brother Victor Gil works, has decided to help four small schools for Burmese on the border. It has also opened three classrooms so that the Burmese who live nearby can continue their education on weekends. Given the adverse circumstances it is feared that there will be yet another wave of Burmese coming to Thailand.
(www.lasalle.es)
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 SAO PAOLO - BRAZIL - MEETING OF RELAL BURSARS: The meeting for Bursars took place over the course of four days at the Provincialate of the District of Sao Paolo, Brazil. The principal objective of the meeting was to examine and to share the different District strategies regarding administration, economy and finances, as well as to agree on joint policies and activities aimed at supporting the development of the 2008 - 2011 Action Plan.
During the meeting there were some very good training sessions, given by Brother Francisco López, Bursar General, and by Brother Alfonso Murad, a Marist Brother, who offered their reflections, perspectives, and experience on vital topics such as finances, management, and administration.
Afterwards there was a sharing of District experiences in an atmosphere of fraternity and cordiality, and this permitted all participants to be enriched and to learn about the journeys that other Districts have made in the areas of finances, separation of the assets of the Congregation from those of the mission, and issues of maintenance of educational works in service of the poor.
Then, as discussion continued on the Regional Action Plan and SECOLA, taking the contributions made by the Brother Bursar General, a series of commitments and actions were raised in order to consolidate the processes of management of personnel, investments and administration, in each of the Districts of the Region.
This meeting brought about many challenges and perspectives which no doubt not only facilitated a rich sharing of ideas but also strengthened the joint research and reflections concerning administrative and management practices which occur daily by the local bursars.
Congratulations to all for the work done and an invitation to continue working for an administration which is more modern, effective, and human.
(Brother Cristhian J. Díaz M., Regional Secretary for Management and Organization)
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 QUEBEC – CANADA – NEW TEAM OF VISITORS: On Saturday June 14th the Brothers gathered in Quebec and on Sunday June 15th the Lasallian friends of the Brothers came together in Laval.
Both gatherings were for the same purpose - to pay tribute to the outgoing team of Visitors and to extend best wishes to the incoming team. The meetings paid tribute to Br. Louis-Paul Lavalée who was ending seven years as Visitor and to the Brothers who had been his auxiliaries during his two terms in office : Bros. Gilles Martineau, Fernando Lambert, Ernest Bourgault and Jean Bernier. This was also the occasion for extending best wishes to those who were taking on their new functions: Br.Fernando Lambert, Visitor and Br. Henri Delisle, Auxiliary Visitor.
The program was the same in both places. After the Eucharistic celebration, there was a presentation on what had been lived in the District during the last seven years in which the darker side, as in a Rembrandt painting, helped to bring out the brighter side (text of Br.Jean-René Dubé). Then Br.Claude Reinhardt, who had come especially from Rome for the occasion, associated himself, in his own name and that of Br.Superior-General, with the tributes being paid to Br.Louis-Paul and his auxiliaries. He congratulated the new office-holders, Bros. Fernando Lambert and Henri Delisle and officially gave them their obediences.
In the course of the festive meal which followed, Br. Louis-Paul had the opportunity to express his thanks. As for Br.Fernando, he invited the Brothers and all the members of the Lasallian Family to support him with their collaboration and their prayers.
(Brother Gasaston Dubé, Secretary of the French-speaking District of Canada)
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 ROME – ITALY - FAREWELLS IN THE GENERALATE: A farewell supper was held on the Generalate terrace on June 21 for those who will be leaving the house and returning to their countries of origin.
These include: Brothers Peter Gilfedder (Australia), Executive Secretary for the General Council; Alain Houry (France), Director of the Archives; Jean-Louis Schneider (France), Lasallian Studies; Vincenzo Menichelli (Italy), Infirmarian; Guadalupanas Sisters Laura Rosa Hinestoza (Colombia), and Rosa María Rojas (Mexico), and Volunteer Carlos Luna (Mexico).
Brother Superior spoke some words of farewell to each of them in which he expressed gratitude for their respective service in the Generalate.
(Brother José Antonio Warletta, Communication Services)
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 TEMUCO – CHILE - SQUARE IN HONOR OF SAINT JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE: On June 24, for the occasion of the beginning of the year of the indigenous, We Tripantu, and also to mark the foundation of the Congregation, the new "Saint John Baptist de La Salle" Square was dedicated in Temuco, Chile, in the region of La Araucanía.
The initiative to name this square in honor of the founder came from the people in the area, in thanksgiving for the social work that has been done by Colegio de La Salle since 2004. The work that has been carried out includes various kinds of training, social, medical and legal aid for workers, house repairs, accompaniment of seniors and the ill and recreational activities for children, young people and adults.
This square is the second one to be named after the founder in the country. |
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