ONE FAMILY, ONE MISSION: LASALLIANS ASSOCIATED FOR THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE OF THE POOR
Dear Brothers and Partners,
In a few days the second International Mission Assembly will begin in Rome. It will take place at the Generalate May 5-17, 2013. Twenty delegates from the Lasallian Region of North America will join 120 other Lasallians envisioning a direction for the mission in the areas of pedagogy, pastoral ministry and the educational community. These three areas include among other things, our educational service to the poor, new responses of the mission to new realities of today, the pastoral and faith formation of our youth, understanding the process of association, initial and continuing formation for mission and association, and the ongoing development of appropriate structures for the mission and Lasallian association.
The RELAN delegates began their preparation last July writing a report citing accomplishments on the outcomes of the first Assembly in 2006 and the current challenges our Region is facing. Throughout the fall the draft report was shared with Mission Councils, other groups and individuals eliciting their feedback and suggestions. Revisions to the report were made as a result of this welcomed input. A survey of the report was made available online in which over 250 Lasallians in the Region offered addition feedback. Other Regions have prepared similar written reports that are now available on the Institute’s website.
Our delegates are organized into the three thematic groups proposed by the Assembly’s preparatory commission: Lasallian pedagogy, pastoral ministry (Evangelization and Pastoral Ministry) and the educational community. Each group held several meetings via conference call to deepen their understanding of our challenges and to discuss the proposed readings for the assembly.
We are grateful for the time and commitment of our delegates. They have prepared themselves well for this unique opportunity. To be part of a gathering of voices from the world’s four corners who can speak in harmony about their passion for young people everywhere and the right of children to a quality education is a privilege few will ever have. To be associated with individuals who live the teaching ministry as both a vocation and a profession is to be part of a movement that can unleash incalculable good for every nation’s greatest treasure, their youth. Our delegation goes with our prayers.
Visit this blog often to keep up with the delegates’ experience. You can also follow their journey on Facebook at and on the Christian Brothers Conference website.
Sincerely,
Brother Robert Schieler, FSC
General Councilor, RELAN
