SPAIN – ARLEP - Fourth Meeting of Associations of Lasallian Former Students La Salle Center – Lliria – District of Valencia-Palma: Over the course of April 29, 30 and May 1, 2006, the Fourth Meeting of Associations of Former Students was held in Valencia (Spain) using the slogan: "Our Response...COMMITMENT".

Representatives from 41 Associations throughout ARLEP participated, under the organization of the Coordinating Council of Associations. Brother Superior General sent a wonderful message to the participants in which he expressed his joy for the theme of the main conference: "The commitment of former students or how to evangelize in the Lasallian fashion." Brother Ismael Beltrán, Visitor of the ARLEP Region and Brother Rafael Matas, Visitor of the District of Valencia-Palma both participated.

There was a rich exchange of experiences on the part of the various Associations (Talavera de la Reina, Tarragona, La Felguera, Aguimes, Benicarló, Fundació Comtal, etc.) There was also a "Vocation Panel" as well as different roundtable discussions on various themes.

The President of UMAEL who is also President of the Coordinating Council, José Ramón Batiste, spoke about the "most significant advances" made over the course of the two past years.

One of the salient points of this Fourth Meeting was the presentation of the document "The Character Proper to Associations of Lasallian Former Students" which was presented by Brother José Luis Miró, who drew up the document along with a group of former students.
^{(The ARLEP Coordinating Council)}

Mexico - Celebration of the Golden Anniversary of Brothers Evaristo and Pedro : In itself, the notion of 50 years – a half-century – is impressive enough, but we are even more impressed as we look at the quality and prolificness of the lives of Brothers Evaristo and Pedro, who were born in the "Pearl of the Antilles." Their primary education was similar and they came from deeply Christian families and studied with the De La Salle Brothers in their native cities. On April 13 our Brothers Evaristo and Pedro celebrated 50 years of religious life and renewed their vows once again.

We all add our sincere congratulations for our Brothers Evaristo and Pedro and at the same time we thank God along with them for the life that has animated them, for the fraternity that has accompanied them and for the mission they have fulfilled over the course of these 50 years, and we ardently desire that the Lord will give them many more years with us and will grant them abundant apostolic yield in the service of human and Christian education that he has entrusted to us.
^{(Brother Adalberto Aranda R., FSC, Delegate)}

USA - LI-NE District - Lasallian Formation Programs Come to a Successful End : In late March the newly-created Lasallian Formation Programs for faculty held their last sessions. At the end of each session faculty participants were encouraged to evaluate the four-session experience that had been initiated in October 2005.

The participants indicated an overwhelmingly positive response to the programs, both in the first and second semesters. Brother Frederick compiled the evaluations and presented them first to the Lasallian Ministry Team and then to each of the presenters or seminar leaders. The Lasallian Ministry Team reviewed each compiled evaluation noting how frequently the participants expressed gratitude for the opportunity to discuss with peers in small groups issues of significance to them as teachers in a mission-driven school. Participants also noted how rich was the Lasallian tradition and how they felt both affirmed and challenged when they put their experience at La Salle Academy up against the Lasallian mission both in its roots and in its present reality.

During this semester the only new offering was Lasallian Prayer. However, the other electives and the full year courses offered to the faculty a comprehensive Lasallian formation program.
The Lasallian Ministry Team has made some changes in the offerings for next year, e.g. Lasallian Mission will be moved to Year Two for 2nd year teachers. In addition, some new electives have been added, including Lasallian Correction; Presence of God and Live Jesus in Our Hearts; and, Lasallian Social Justice in Action: El Paso and Chicago. It is hoped that the adjustments made and the new offerings will continue to make this experience an integral part of the life of the Academy.

This program, unique in the United States, is now being adapted by other Lasallian ministries
^{(Brother Frederick C. Mueller)}

Re-inauguration of the St. John Baptist de La Salle Chapel at De La Salle University Cancún : Having as its framework the feast of Our Lady of Fatima and the celebration of the Centenary of the arrival of the De La Salle Brothers in Mexico, Saturday May 13th saw the re-inauguration of the Chapel of La Salle University Cancún whose installations had been severely damaged during the passage of Hurricane Wilma in October last year.

Present at the blessing of the Chapel dedicated to Saint De la Salle were Br.Lucio Tazer, Visitor of the District of Mexico South, various Brothers from different Lasallian colleges and universities, as well as Maestro Angel Elizondo López, Rector of La Salle University Cancún and the Vice-Rector, Doctor Fernando Mainou Cervantes..
^{(Constanza Ramos Serrato)}

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