Brother Armin Luistro, Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, has appointed the members of the Standing Committee of Young Brothers, who, as from 1 March 2024 and for a period of three years, assume the functions mandated by the 46th General Chapter, as well as the proposals arising from the II International Young Brothers Assembly (II IYBA). The Committee consists of five members, one from each Region of the Institute. They are:
Br. Arockia Samy Jr, FSC (Pacific Asia Regional Conference – PARC)
Br. Arockia Samy Jr. was born in India on 2 February 1985. He belongs to the Lasallian District of South Asia. He began his formation process in the Institute at the age of 17. He professed his first vows as a religious at the completion of his Novitiate in 2009 and his final vows in 2018. He has studies in History, Theology and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. In his journey as a Brother, he has been a teacher at St. Joseph’s Boys Village, Genguvarpatti, where he also led the vocation ministry. He has also taught in Nagai and Suranam, and has helped with vocation promotion and formation in Mangalagiri.
Br. Eduardo Rivera, FSC (Latin American Lasallian Region – RELAL)
On 12 January 1993, in the city of Arequipa (Peru), Brother Eduardo Rivera was born and is a member of the District of Bolivia-Peru. He entered the Postulancy in 2010 and took his first vows in 2014. He made his perpetual profession in 2022. He holds a Degree in Education, major in Linguistics and Literature, and has worked as a teacher of Literature and Religious Education in secondary schools. He has also been in charge of sacramental catechesis, Coordinator of Pastoral Ministry and Assistant Director at La Salle Santa Cruz School (Bolivia), and has collaborated in the initial formation of the Brothers. He is currently the President of the Commission on Youth and Vocation Ministry, and is a member of the Council for Lasallian Association and Mission in his District.
Br. Matthew Kotek, FSC (Lasallian Region of North America – RELAN)
Br. Matthew Kotek, from the Midwest District of the United States, studied at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and Christian Brothers University in Memphis, from where he is a graduate. He has served in Lasallian ministry at Christian Brothers High School, also in Memphis, and has been involved with the Fratelli Project in Rmeileh (Lebanon) and has worked at Collège De La Salle in Cairo (Egypt), where he has developed the missionary dimension of his vocation. He is currently a member of the De La Salle High School community in Minneapolis, and is a member of his District’s Vocation Ministry Team.
Br. Urbain Andrinirina, FSC (Lasallian Region of Africa Madagascar – RELAF)
Br. Urbain François Andrinirina belongs to the District of Madagascar. His vocational journey as a Brother of the Christian School started in the Juniorate (2013-2014) and continued in the Postulancy (2014-2016) and the Novitiate (2016-2018). He took his first vows on 13 June 2018. He then continued his formation at the Scholasticate (2018-2022) and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with a major in English and Literature from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. He currently serves as the Secretary of RELAF and lives in the Regional community of Abidjan (Ivory Coast), while he also teaches English at Sacré-Cœur d’Adjamé, where he shares the spirit of faith and zeal. He also enjoys sports and has a passion for music.
Br. Miguel Marcos, FSC (Lasallian European Mediterranean Region – RELEM)
Brother Miguel Serafín Marcos Hernández was born in Madrid on 8 November 1992 and is a member of the Arlep District. He entered the Postulancy in 2014 and completed his Novitiate between 2016 and 2017. His training in Law and Business Administration, as well as in Religious Sciences, has enabled him to contribute from his educational ministry at secondary, pre-university and vocational training levels, as a teacher of Economics and Entrepreneurship, Administrative Management, English and rRligion in various Lasallian centres: Institución La Salle (Madrid), Montemolín (Zaragoza); Arucas and Antúnez (Canary Islands).
For 14 years he has been involved in evangelisation and catechetical work in catechumenal ministry and vocation pastoral, collaborating as an animator of Christian groups and taking on responsibilities in the coordination of the Christian groups Salle Joven. He is currently carrying out his mission on the island of Gran Canaria, where he also participates in an inter-congregational project dedicated to the care of migrants from Africa.
After a first virtual meeting with the five members of the Standing Committee of Young Brothers, Brother Armin Luistro expressed his joy and hope for the mission they will carry out for the Institute: “I was delighted to meet them and I know that they will participate very actively in the implementation of the proposals of the 46th General Chapter, the II IYBA and the III International Assembly of the Lasallian Educational Mission (III AIMEL)“.
Likewise, Brother Superior General stresses that “more than just taking on the responsibility of implementing these valuable resolutions, I am excited to collaborate with them as we discover new pathways of engaging young people today, taking a fresh look at our vocations promotions programs, rekindling our fraternal life in community, and drinking from the wellsprings of idealism and youthful zeal to give of themselves fully to the mission entrusted to us by Jesus”.
The members of this Committee will have the task of animating, associating and acting as “passionate witnesses of fraternity”, in the spirit of The Leavening Project in the face of the involvement of the Young Brothers of the Institute in the calls of the 46th General Chapter and the proposals of the II IYBA; while encouraging the creation of links and synergies to give rise to ‘cross-pollination’ referred to in the document of The Leavening Project with special attention to places where vocation ministry is fragile, provoking actions to deepen the sense of mission and fraternity, especially with those who are on the peripheries.
Also, in view of the new leadership and governance organisation of the Institute, the Standing Committee of Young Brothers will be able to offer ongoing support to the Commissions on Youth and Consecrated Life, and will be able to work closely with the Office of Vocations and Volunteer Ministry.
Initially, the Committee will be accompanied by two Brothers from the General Council: Brother Anatole Diretenadji and Brother Chris Patiño, who will encourage their leadership and be ready to support them in any way they deem necessary.