The Superior General, Brother Robert Schieler, has recently appointed two new Auxiliary Visitors for the District of Italy: Brother Andrea Biondi and Brother Enrico Muller. Their mandate will last for two years: from August 2021 to June 2023.
Apart from their commitment in the District, both will continue with their previously assigned roles: Brother Andrea as Director of the Pio IX Institute, and Brother Enrico as Head of the social cooperative Occhi Aperti in Scampia.
In particular, Brother Andrea will be in charge of the educational centres and link with the MEL Council, while Brother Enrico will be in charge of the broader reality of the Lasallian Family, vocations, the development of the different Lasallian vocations, Signum Fidei, the journey of the Associates and the emerging mixed communities. Both will also be responsible for pastoral accompaniment.
“Our vocation to fraternity is more relevant than ever: to build bridges, to build links and connections so that they may be a source of life, solidarity, peace and beauty” – observes Br. Enrico – “… consecrated life is to be witnesses, guardians and servants of wonder: the Lord is present, loves, transforms and saves the world always and in a new way and asks for our ‘Yes’ free, fragile but full of hope … is to take to get back to the sea and cast new nets on the Word of the Lord, who asks us to give our lives for the least and most vulnerable.
To the thoughts of Brother Enrico is added the one of Brother Andrea, who is happy to have accepted the appointment although he does not hide his fears “Following the theme of Lasallian Reflection ‘To dream is our way forward,’ I have always thought of myself as a dreamer with my feet on the ground. This means that I like not only to dream but to make my dreams come true. It is the time of choices. It’s time to decide if we want to start again with momentum and enthusiasm towards a future full of new initiatives. We have to become protagonists of the world of education again. It is the time for planning, for research, for the new without forgetting the past. Together, Brothers and lay partners.
* Br Enrico Muller was born in Milan in 1966 and attended the Gonzaga Institute in Milan for 8 years.
He lived in community in Grugliasco, Torno and Giaveno teaching both in Lasallian educational centres (or those of the District) and at the House of Charity; in 2004 he became part of the Pastoral Community of Rome of the new District of Italy .
In 2006 he was sent to Scampia, on the outskirts of Naples, where a Lasallian insertion community and the cooperative Occhi Aperti were established to live the Lasallian mission in a new way. He has had missionary experiences in Kenya and India.
He has always been active in the pastoral field and in the vocational animation and service to the poor; in 1990 he founded the La Salle Volunteer Association that has been active in Grugliasco for a dozen years.
Br. Andrea Biondi became a student of the Brothers of the Christian Schools at the Colle La Salle Institute in Rome in September 1981.
In July 1995 he graduated from the Nautical Institute of Rome as Captain of Long Course for the Navy. Later on, in July 1997 he earned the qualification for the teaching in the primary school.
In September 1999 he entered the Brothers’ novitiate in Griñon (Madrid).
From 2001 to 2008 he was a teacher at ‘La Salle Roma’ School.
From 2008 to 2018 he was first a teacher and then Director of the ‘La Salle’ Institute in Parma.
From 2018 to the present, he is Director of the Institute ‘La Salle Aventino – Pio IX’.
He was recently appointed Auxiliary Visitor of the educational centres.
Visit also the website of La Salle Italy http://www.lasalleitalia.net/?p=3565