Presentation of the Saint John Baptist de La Salle Medal: On the night of September 23rd, the date on which the University of De La Salle Bajío (León , Gto.) celebrated the 36th anniversary of it foundation, five persons who were to receive the Saint John Baptist De La Salle Medal, were present in the Juan Alonso de Torres Auditorium together with members of their families, friends and members of the University community.
The Saint John Baptist De La Salle Medal is the highest form of recognition which our Institution gives to those members of the University community who have distinguished themselves in an exceptional manner by the way they have carried out their duties with efficiency , fidelity and loyalty as well as in the practice of the values contained in our Mission Statement.
The candidates for receiving the Medal were introduced by representatives of their respective work areas and after a process in which the above-mentioned qualities were analysed, the Commission charged with this work, officially made known the award-winners for 2004.
The most emotional moment of the night was when the award-winners received their medals and official recognition, from the hands of the Vice-Chancellor and Br. Rodolfo Vivanco Polidura, Visitor of the District of Mexico South.

The award-winners were:
Silvia Horta González , María Arroyo Rodríguez , Jorge Guerrero Alvarez, Miguel Angel Martínez Rayón and Jorge Adalberto Zúñiga.
In his message, Br.Roberto López, Vice-Chancellor, said, “Today our Institution is made up of 1,200 men and women of different ages, training and occupations, who work assiduously to make a reality the dream of John Baptist De La Salle to give an education of quality and values to the greatest possible number of young people, especially the most vulnerable.
From among its magnificent educators, our university each year chooses five men and women who have distinguished themselves by having made education a commitment of fidelity , achievement and availability which fills their lives with meaning.
John Baptist De La Salle , from his place of honour in the history of great men and saints applauds them with the same enthusiasm as we do for this well-deserved award.”
The University Community present very happily joined with the award-winners in a toast which was offered in their honour.
These awards motivate all who form part of this University to continue to be faithful to the ideals with which we identify.
^{( Itzel Villanueva, Universidad De La Salle Bajío)}

Br. Lawrence Goyette: On May 7, 2004, Br. President Louis De Thomasis, FSC at Commencement Exercises at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, USA, awarded Br. Lawrence Goyette an honorary Doctorate of Educational Leadership. Br. Lawrence’s ministry has always been in Lasallian educational initiatives that serve the poor and disadvantaged youth.

What has distinguished Br. Lawrence so prominently is his courage, faith and determination in starting an educational movement in 1993 in Providence, Rhode Island, called the San Miguel School. The model he created was described by the Chicago Tribune as a school “not like any other middle school” existing. Br. Lawrence created the first San Miguel School as a community of compassion that provides an innovative and accessible education in the Lasallian tradition for children of inner-city families. For too many low-income children in inner cities the lure of gangs, drugs, and crime can lead youth away from a path of a productive and fulfilling life.

Br. Lawrence’s model has been so successful that a national initiative of Miguel schools is flourishing across our nation.

The National Catholic Education Association recognized Br. Lawrence by conferring upon him their Award for Distinguished Teaching in the New England Region in1991. In 1996 he received the Juanita Sanchez “Unsung Hero Award” from Direct Action for Rights and Equality. In 1997 the De La Salle Christian Brothers- LINE District honored him at the Huether Conference with the Lasallian Educator Award. At the 2002 National Convention of the Lasallian Association of Miguel Schools, Br. Lawrence was presented with the first De La Salle Award for School Leadership.

Congratulations for this distinguished list of honors.
^{(Br. William Mann)}

CLEP (The Commission for Lasallian Pastoral Mission) Meeting in Sliema, Malta: From October 8 – 10, 2004, ten Brothers from Spain, Ireland, Malta, Poland and Italy met in Sliema, Malta to discuss and continue organizing two important meetings. The CLEP meeting was organized by Br. Benedict Foy of the District of Great Britain. In October – November 2005 there will be a colloquium for those involved in pastoral ministry in Europe. July 26-30, 2006 is the date set for the International Lasallian Youth Assembly which will take place in Italy. It is being organized by a joint committee from Italy and Spain.
^{(Br. Martin Borg, Co-ordinator for Malta Sector)}

The annual meeting of OMAEEC: The annual meeting of OMAEEC ( World Organisation of Past Pupils of Catholic Schools ) was held in the cities of Lisbon and Fatima (Portugal) in September. José Ramón Batiste, as President of UMAEL (World Union of Lasallian Past Pupils), participated in this meeting. OMAEEC represents more than 150,000,000 Past Pupils from the 240,000 Catholic Schools in the world.

The President of OMAEEC, Antonio Guillermo Pires, a Portuguese past-pupil of Don Bosco’s Salesians, presided over the various sessions of the meetings which began on Friday September 24th in the Salesian Provincial House in Lisbon and continued on Saturday and Sunday in the Catechetical Centre in Fatima.

The Presidents of the following organisations participated: The World Union of Past Pupils of the Company of Jesus - The World Union of Lasallian Past Pupils - The World Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco - the World Association of Past Pupils of the Sacred Heart – The Spanish Confederation of Past Pupils of Catholic Education – The Lebanese Federation of Past Pupils of Catholic Schools – The World Union of Past Pupils of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians – the Italian Confederation of Past Pupils of Catholic Education - The Portuguese Confederation of Past Pupils of Catholic Education.

In a fraternal climate everyone participated in the different religious ceremonies which took place in the Basilica in Fatima.

It is planned to hold an OMAEEC Congress in Beirut, Lebanon in April 2005 with the theme:

“The identity of Past Pupils of Catholic Schools in a multicultural and multireligious society”. It will probably be presided over by His Eminence Cardinal ZENON GROCHOLEWSKY.
It is to be noted that OMAEEC is represented in the principle international organisations of: the UN (New York), UNESCO (Paris) and FAO (Rome).
^{(Consejo Coordinador AAA La Salle ARLEP)}

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