What's New in the Region
Haiti Update
The Brothers in Haiti are most grateful for the financial support and prayers they are receiving from all over the Lasallian world.
The Institute's plan to assist Haiti consists of two components. First is collecting monies for immediate needs of the people—food, water, shelter and medicine. Second is the building of a teacher-training center, combined with an elementary school and a dispensary. A property near the airport in Port-au-Prince has been purchased for the new education center which will be headed by the District of South Mexico-Antilles, the District to which Haiti belongs.
The Institute will also extend assistance to local religious congregations in Haiti who have lost almost everything in this tragedy, including members of their orders and most of their structural properties.
To send a donation to the Institute's Haiti Emergency Relief Fund through wire transfer, click here.
Lasallian Education Brand Initiative is Launched
The branding project initiated by the Lasallian Secondary Schools Chief Administrators Association (LASSCA) has officially kicked off. The purpose of the project is to develop a brand strategy that will connect Lasallian secondary schools, higher education institutions and other enterprises in the US-Toronto Region.
Phase I of the project includes engagement sessions with representative samples from Lasallian education stakeholder groups. The sessions, held on Lasallian college, university and secondary school campuses, include interviews, focus groups and ideation sessions with presidents, principals, trustees, teachers, staff, parents and alumni engaged in dialogue about the Lasallilan education brand.
RCCB Calls for Greater Transparency in the Apostolic Visitation of Women Religious
We Have a Vocation Newsletter!
The office of Regional Vocation Ministry recently released the first issue of Vocation Update. The one-page newsletter provides information about vocation efforts in the USAT. Brother George Van Grieken is Regional Director for Vocation Ministry and editor of the publication.
The newsletter will be published several times a year and distributed through email as a PDF file. Everyone is encouraged to forward, print and/or post the copy for others at their location as a way to support vocation ministry.
Renewal Program for Brothers
Document 1 of the 44th General Chapter entitled "Interior Life" has as its first action step: (3.1) "Strengthen the contemplative dimension of our life that will lead us to live the passion for God in the passion for this world." General Councilor Brother Bob Schieler is coordinating the initiative to help actualize this line of action. During the next few months information will be available about "Called to be Brothers," the theme of the renewal program for the USAT Region. The program will begin in the fall of 2010 and conclude with the Regional Assembly in 2012.
New Appointments
• Bill Armijo—Interim Principal of Saint Michael's High School, Santa Fe, NM
• Leslie Shultz-Crist—President of San Miguel High School, Tucson, AZ
• Robert A. Regan—President and Chief Executive Officer of J.K. Mullen High School, Denver, CO
Celebrating Catholic Schools Week
Catholic schools throughout the country will celebrate Catholic Schools Week, January 31 to February 6. This year's celebration will focus on the theme "Catholic Schools: Dividends for Life."
According to Karen Ristau, NCEA president, "Catholic schools provide good things for students and families-high expectations and daily experience of faith. In these challenging times, the theme also reminds parents that the dividends of a Catholic school education-students prepared in faith, knowledge, morals and discipline-last a lifetime. There is no better way to invest in a child's future-or the future of our world."
As part of Catholic Schools Week, National Appreciation Day for Catholic Schools will be observed Wednesday, February 3. A delegation of Catholic school students, teachers and parents will visit Capitol Hill to meet with congressional leaders to promote Catholic schools.
Promotional materials for Catholic Schools Week are available on http://www.ncea.org/news/CSWKitHomepage.asp .
