Reflecting on the experience of the International Assembly of 2013

This entry was submitted by Denis de Villers of the Francophone Canada District. It is available in English and French.

Au lendemain de l’expérience de l’Assemblée Internationale de 2013...

Le 16 mai dernier prenait fin la 2e Assemblée Internationale de la Mission Lasallienne.  À l’image de l’ensemble de ce que nous avons vécu pendant ces deux semaines, la cérémonie de clôture fut priante, intense, émouvante et hautement significative.

Au plan humain, l’expérience est en soi d’une richesse incomparable. En effet, la diversité des cultures nous a permis de partager nos réalités respectives. Même au niveau du fonctionnement des échanges en équipe thématique ou de langue, il nous a fallu nous adapter pour tenir compte des sensibilités de chacun.

Une chose est certaine, nous avions tous des airs de famille que nous nous sommes reconnus : Une seule famille pour une seule mission. Et cet air de famille lasallien commun nous a donné l’énergie nécessaire pour d’abord plonger avec confiance dans l’expérience pour ensuite surmonter les obstacles qui se sont présentés à nous. Les langues d’usage différentes, les habitudes alimentaires, les modes de vie, les façons de questionner les choses, les manières de célébrer et de prier, voilà les richesses que nous avons appris à mettre en commun.

Au plan spirituel, ce sont nos espoirs, notre foi, nos rêves et nos projets que nous avons amenés avec nous pour les mettre en partage. Un moment privilégié pour recharger nos batteries lasalliennes en un lieu saint, terre de Dieu.

Ce rêve lasallien pour la construction du Royaume de Dieu, nous l’avons partagé, nourri et enrichi avec passion. Il a pris la forme de 9 défis, 24 pistes de réponses et 73 moyens concrets de mise en actions! Nous rapportons avec nous une passion renouvelée et des projets plein la tête. Notre défi est assurément de partager ce souffle nouveau avec les gens de notre région, de notre district et de nos œuvres. Ce n’est pas la fin mais un beau début.

Un merci plein d’admiration va au comité préparatoire, aux responsables de la liturgie, au personnel du secrétariat, au personnel de traduction et aux bénévoles spontanés qui ont su faire de cet évènement un franc succès porteurs de beaux fruits.  

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May 16th was the last day of the second International Mission Assembly. It was really representative of what we experienced during the two weeks, especially the closing ceremony. It was prayerful, intense, moving and highly significant.

From a personal point of view, the experience was of an incomparable richness. In fact, the diversity of cultures allowed us to share our respective realities. Even at the day-to-day level in the thematic team or language groups, we had to take into account the realities of each one of our members.

One thing is certain, we recognized ourselves by our common Lasallian family traits: one family for a single mission, this is what we came for! This common Lasallian family “blood” gave us the energy to first dive with confidence into the experience and then overcome the obstacles when they arose. Dealing with different languages, habits, ways of questioning things, ways to celebrate and pray, was a challenge and a richness that we learned to share.

Above all, it’s our hopes, our faith, our dreams and our projects we brought with us that we shared with confidence. This whole Assembly was a privileged moment to recharge our Lasallian batteries on the holy ground of God.

We shared, nurtured and enriched our Lasallian dream for the construction of the Kingdom of God with passion. It took the form of 3 themes, 9 challenges, 24 responses and 73 concrete actions! We left the Assembly with a renewed passion and our heads full of projects. Now, our challenge is undoubtedly to share this new life with the people of our Region, District and ministries. This is not the end but a beautiful beginning.

A great thanks goes to the Preparatory Committee, the liturgy team, the staff of the secretariat, the translation staff and spontaneous volunteers who were able to make this event such a successful event.

Reflecting with Gratitude

Janet Ruggiero in a
small group discussion.

I am at Mont La Salle, my first time back since I returned from Rome and the International Assembly. Everyone asks how was it? Did you have a good experience?  Are there any new initiatives we should be doing based on the discussions at the Assembly? So many questions yet my responses seem to always talk about individuals I met, events that occurred or adjectives that described my experience.  The one word that keeps coming to my mind is the word gratitude.

In gratitude for the unbelievable opportunity to be a member of the RELAN delegation. Each member of RELAN participated fully in everything  - their amazing organizational skills, their facilitation, the ability to speak so slowly and so elegantly, and of course their dancing. They truly are an amazing group of individuals, especially the young Lasallians - no better group to laugh and talk with.

Brother Michael French and
Charlie Legendre

In gratitude for the prayer services especially the music. They were, thought- provoking, inspiring, and awakening, especially when the pottery hit the ground. I can still hear the drums and “We Are Marching.” Brother Charlie and Brother Michael - you truly touched my heart and aroused my spirit.

In gratitude  for new friendships. The first person I met from outside our Region was Josephine Drumange from Papua New Guinea, a quiet woman but strong who would smile and greet me throughout the Assembly. We often ate together where she talked about her work and her living in community with her two sons. She was just one of the amazing individuals who is committed to the mission and building new relationships. These new relationships were integral to overcoming frustrations with language differences, word meanings and process difficulties. 

In gratitude  for courage. On at least two occasions, delegates talked about risking their lives to carry out the mission but knew it was the right thing to do. Their courage cannot but make each of us desire to do more within our own District and recommit ourselves to this mission of service to the poor.

In gratitude  for the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Their foresight and wisdom in reaching out and engaging lay partners early on to "march" together in association and in solidarity was amplified within the Assembly. Brother Álvaro, in his closing remarks, said it best “When we gather as Lasallians and go beyond our cultural and religious differences, we feel as though we are brothers and sisters and we live an experience that another world, marked by love, understanding, and respect, is possible.”

Janet Ruggiero
Director of Board Formation
District of San Francisco