MEDELLIN – COLOMBIA - PERPETUAL AND ANNUAL VOWS: Three of our Brothers consecrated themselves to God for life, as they professed their perpetual vows at the end of Holy Week after the Brothers‛ District Retreat. They are Brothers Juan Carlos Bolaños, Luis Bernardo Bolivar, and Wilson Javier Vargas.

At the same time, 10 young Brothers renewed their annual vows, faithful to the call the Lord constantly makes to them. They are Brothers Hugo Edgar Campaña, Leandro Emanuel Vellejo, Jairo José Jaraba, Iván Mauricio Castañeda. Yilmer Alfredo Posso, Juan Carlos Muñoz, Iván José Oviedo, Wilmer Alexis Oliveros, Alexander Zapata, and Federmán Salgado. They are hopeful signs of the future vitality of our District.

We also would like to share the news of the silver anniversary of the perpetual profession of Brother Ramón Eduardo Botero. We give thanks to the Lord for his many blessings and for keeping hope alive as we continue his work following the example of our founder, Saint John Baptist de La Salle.
^{(Brother Alexander Zapata)}

AUSTRALIA - INTERNATIONAL LASALLIAN YOUTH GATHERING AND WORLD YOUTH DAY: Br. Adrian Watson has done a magnificent job in arranging ILYG08 for Melbourne. Currently 551 participants are anticipated and flight arrangements (30 countries) for all but three groups have been finalized.

By Continent the anticipated numbers are:

Africa (44)
Asia (75)
Europe (5)
Latin America (63)
Middle East (21)
North America (115)
Oceania (228)

The participants will arrive in Melbourne by 35 different flights between 7-9 July. An Additional 30 from France and 30 from Rotorua (N.Z.) will join the group for the WYD08 in Sydney the following week. Home stay arrangements have not worked out so that all but about seventy will be accommodated in backpacker hostels, with 252 of them at the Urban Central Backpackers.

Key note speakers are:

Mr. Michael Carr-Gregg,
Brother Thomas Johnson, Vicar General
Brother Michael Broughton, Singapore
Archibishop Elias Chacour, Melkite Archbishop of Galilee
Jesse Manibusen, yoputh evangelist, song-writer from the USA

Bankstown Sports Club is the venue for a Welcoming Mass and Concert, Tuesday 14 July.
^{(www.ilyg08.org.au)}

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