INDIA - BANGALORE - Inauguration of New Noviciate: On May 28th the official opening of the new Novitiate building of the Indian Delegation took place in Bangalore. The new building, which is located in Sakalavara Village, Bannerghatta, was blessed by Archbishop Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore, who then presided over a Mass of Thanksgiving in the presence of most of the Brothers of the Delegation along with a large number of invited guests who included Bro. Cassian Pappu (Penang) and Miss Irene Tan from Malaysia representing the many international donors, many of them anonymous, who so generously contributed to the substantial building costs. In an address of welcome and thanks following the Eucharist, Bro. David Hawke, Delegate, also recognised the Delegation’s debt of gratitude to the world-wide Institute. In his words, “no development such as this is undertaken without the necessary funds to build and maintain it. Today, with deep gratitude, we thank our donors – Bro. Alvaro, Superior General, Secoli, the Districts of San Francisco, Ireland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, South Belgium and Australia…” At the same time, he also paid special tribute to the former Delegation Administration, Bro. John Fernando (President) and Bro. Mark Murphy, Delegate, without whose energy, vision and fundraising “the project would not have been possible…The Delegation is indebted to these two Brothers…”

The new building can accommodate around 30 Novices plus a staff of 3 Brothers. There is also ample guest accommodation. The first profession in the new Novitiate took place on Pentecost Sunday when 8 Novices made their first profession. Their post-Novitiate formation will continue in Boys’ Village in Madurai where they will also have teaching and supervision responsibilities in apostolates under the auspices of Bro. James Kimpton’s Reaching the Unreached. With the newly professed Brothers having left for Madurai, the new Novitiate year began in early June with 16 Novices, 4 in the second year and 12 in the first year. Additionally, 15 Brothers in temporary profession renewed their vows during the Mass of Thanksgiving for the opening of the Novitiate. In my view, both the opening of the new Novitiate and the commitment of a significant group of younger Brothers, along with the Delegation’s effective vocations’ promotion programme, offer genuine grounds for optimism for the continued inculturation of Lasallian religious life in India. As such it is a sign of hope not only for the Brothers in India but also for the whole Institute.
^{(Br. Aidan Kilty)}

Homestead, Florida, USA: A centennial tree in honor of the arrival of the Brothers in Cuba, planted by Brother Álvaro Rodríguez, FSC, Superior General, on Sunday, July 3, 2005, at the SJB De La Salle Educational Center, Homestead, Florida. A year after, Br. Alvaro wrote: "It is a sign of life and a sign of the future. Not only does it grow but it is very beautiful to look at, especially when it is surrounded by a group of children, the reason for our existence as Lasallians."
^{( J.M. Dorado)}

Philadelphia, PA – Lasallian Volunteer Orientation: La Salle University hosted this year’s Lasallian Volunteer Orientation from July 23 – July 30, 2006. The gathering brought the group of almost fifty volunteers from all over the nation to Philadelphia. The group listened to guest speakers, shared prayer together, worked together to overcome the St. Gabriel’s Hall Ropes Course and shared some time to grow as a community. The event culminated in a Commissioning Ceremony where the volunteers pledged their commitment to Lasallian values of Faith, Service and Community and to the apostolates where they will serve.

The Baltimore District will welcome six volunteers for the 2006-2007 academic year to live in District Communities and share in the work of three of our apostolates. Three volunteers Tim Ferhringer, who will live in Baltimore’s Brentwood Community and serve at St. Frances Academy, Janitzia Rodriguez, who will live in Camden’s San Miguel Community and serve at the San Miguel School and Paul Sevcik, who will live in Philadelphia’s Manyunk Community and serve at La Salle Academy, will return for a second year in service. Three new faces, Jahmese Myers, who will join the San Miguel community and school, Erin Stannard, who will join the Brentwood community and the St. Frances staff, and Sara Vogelpohl, who will join the Manyunk community and the La Salle Academy staff, will begin their first year of service in the District. Welcome back and welcome to the Baltimore District!
^{( News: Baltimore District)}

Viability and Vitality through Restructuring (PARC) Manila – Philippines: Representatives of the District of Penang (Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore) and the District of the Philippines and Myanmar held meetings in Manila in June and July to explore possible ways of strengthening the Lasallian mission in those countries. The meetings followed up a decision of last December’s PARC meeting which identified several “clusters” of Districts and Delegations within the Region that saw the advantages of working together in order to strengthen the vitality and viability of the Lasallian mission in their respective sectors.

The plan drawn up in Manila calls for the creation of an “Alliance Council” made up of the Regional Coordinator and the Visitors of both Districts. They are to be assisted by a team of full-time consultants whose task it is to identify existing and future needs/opportunities in the countries that make up the Alliance (which includes Indonesia) and to recommend ways of providing services and resources in response to those needs/opportunities.
Also present at the June meeting in Manila were representatives from the District of Colombo and the Delegations of India and Pakistan, who met separately to look at ways by which they might help one another. A second meeting has been scheduled for September to follow up on this encouraging start.

An earlier meeting in Bangkok last May brought together another cluster, this time representatives from the District of Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, the District of Vietnam, and the Delegations of Thailand and Japan. The positive energy generated at the meeting is expected to develop into concrete action in the near future.
^{(Br. Victor Franco)}

Bethlehem University begins the new academic year. Bethlehem – PALESTINE: Through all the uncertainties that are taking place in the Middle East, Bethlehem University continues to serve the people of the Holy Land. Approximately 2599 students ended registration for the new academic year 2006/2007 on Friday 18 August 2006. With the support and generous assistance of the Alumni, BU continues to focus on “lighting a candle in the darkness” – and what a bright glow we see!

The new academic year 2006/2007 began on Monday 28 August 2006. Registration for new students started on Monday 14 August 2006, followed by registration for the 4th , 3rd and 2nd year respectively. The corridors of Bethlehem University were full of students waiting for their turn to register for the new academic year.

Brother Peter Iorlano, Coordinator of Institutional Values, started to train BU students for the orientation of new students that took place on Tuesday, 22 August 2006 till Thursday, 24 August 2006.
^{( News: Bethlehem University)}

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