MADAGASCAR: ANTANANARIVO

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1 (May 2012) Greetings from Rome. I am happy to send you the Information sheet for the last months, referring to the activities carried out by some of the SIGNUM FIDEI communities of the Lasallian world. My thanks to those who sent in the information. May knowledge of these realities help us to strengthen our links of fraternity and solidarity and may we remember each other in our prayers. Br. Alberto Gomez Barruso MADAGASCAR: ANTANANARIVO Br. Juan Sala We are in the last phase of construction for our new school building. We think that everything should be completed by the end of June. It will be a great joy for us to have Brother Alberto here for the inauguration along with the Lasallian couple who made the financial donation to build our new facility. We have requested the NGO, PROYDE, from Spain for some assistance in acquiring furnishings. As always, we are trusting in God's Providence. It will be a great joy for our young female students to be able to enjoy a harmonious and ample building, in spite of being in a neighborhood where there is a lot of poverty. We are making sure that the complex will not be a luxurious one. The building will be simple yet functional. Greetings from all Signum Fidei members, as well as the school's teachers. INDONESIA - MANADO Stevanus Ngenget Before Easter, Brother David Hawke, General Councilor for PARC, and Brother John Pill visited us. Given the enthusiasm of the participants, I believe that I can say that the program for the meeting was excellent. The Brothers also appreciated how our university, "De La Salle Catholic University," is growing. We have more than 1, 500 students. As he entered the 1

2 hall, Brother David said that he felt like he was entering a Lasallian university, even though there is no Brothers' community in our country at the present time. Some sixty persons attended the meeting counting Signum Fidei members and other teachers. Brother John promised us to return to Manado to strengthen Lasallian spirituality and charism. We are translating Circular 461 on Association into our Bahasa language. As coordinator for our group, I am very satisfied with what we have lived and learned during the visit of the two Brothers. HOLY LAND: JERUSALEM BETHLEHEM: Br. Daoud Kasabry During Holy Week, Brother Alberto Gómez, General Councilor, visited Jerusalem and Bethlehem. He participated in several Signum Fidei activities with Brothers' communities in Jerusalem and Bethlehem and with Young Lasallians. The animators of the Young Lasallians are Mr. Khamis Dabeet and Mr. Ibrahim Al-Attrash. The meeting began with a prayer led by Brother Daoud Kassabry, the Signum Fidei advisor and head of the Lasallian Family. Professor Raëd Abed El Massih gave a talk on Biblical prophecies that speak of the suffering of Jesus and the reason for this suffering. Brother Alberto spoke to Young Lasallians about the key words of faith, fraternity and service and how to live and commit them in their lives at the present time. The Signum Fidei Fraternity in the Holy Land is made up of Lasallians from Jerusalem and Bethlehem. During the meeting we spoke of how we live the "Style of Life" in our own situation. Brother Alberto presented the challenges of the Signum Fidei Fraternities throughout the world. At the conclusion of the meeting we had a simple but heartfelt celebration during which the Signum Fidei members renewed their consecration. SRI LANKA Br. Damian I am Brother Damian, recently appointed Signum Fidei Fraternity advisor. There are 17 of us at the present time and we hold regular monthly meetings. I am planning on going from school to school to invite all teachers to join our association. Our fraternity serves poor children in four different places. (For three years the Sri Lanka community has been twinned with that of Malta). 2

3 FPHILIPPINES- Regional Assembly Myra A. Patambang Thirty-six Signum Fidei members gathered at La Salle-Lipa for the Regional Assembly on April 25. Brother Antonio Servando, national advisor, gave the welcome address to all participants. Mr. Paolo Mata gave a presentation based on his Master's degree studies on the Signum Fidei Fraternity in the Philippines. He offered some good ideas in his talk that will help us in revising the formation program. Mr. Mata was the coordinator of the Signum Fidei community in Zobel and at the present time he is in the Brother's novitiate. During the Assembly we also offered a tribute to Doctor Estrella S. Castaneda, who was one of the founders of Signum Fidei in the Philippines. She celebrated 30 years of consecration and 25 years as an affiliated member of the Institute. The Assembly, which was attended by several Brothers and novices, was a wonderful occasion to live what "together and by association" means. The day concluded with a Eucharistic liturgy during which 3 members made their first consecration and 7 were introduced as aspirants. CHILE La Florida Boris Quiroz - Hugo Vergara We usually begin our meetings with a simple prayer, praying for the families of each member of the group: Professors Patricio Barahona, Claudio Báez, Hugo Vergara, Mr. José Muñoz and Boris Quiroz. After that we read the Gospel using materials sent to us by Brother Alberto Gómez. We took the Meditations of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, written for all those who are dedicated to the education of youth, as a text to work with during our upcoming meetings. Our intention is to carry out some activities in support of the school for oncological research of the Josefina Martínez Hospital and the senior citizens' home located on Saint Raquel Street. 3

4 Recently we were visited by Brother Israel Nery, Auxiliary Visitor of the new District of Brazil-Chile. We very much appreciated his warm and fraternal presence. It was a joy to get together again with all the Signum Fidei members from our school. PERU Manos de Dios César Noé Guerrero In Peru, the Signum Fidei Fraternity celebrated 16 years at the "Signos de Fe" school. In recent months the school emergency exit stairs project was completed thanks to the generosity of Juan Ignacio Puig Durán and his family. Juan Durán is a Spaniard and offered us his assistance after visiting our school. Thanks also go to some German families as it is because of their assistance that we are building a childhood education center that we needed so badly. We do not yet have all the funds we need but the work is going along nicely. Work continues on the building project of classrooms at our childhood education center at our school in Trujillo. Finally, we thank Mr. Norberto Niubó and an anonymous donor for their aid in building a grotto to the Blessed Virgin at the Hands of God School. MALTA Marlene Camilleri Recently Brothers Alberto Gómez and Amilcare Bocuccia visited Malta to lead a meeting attended by members of the Signum Fidei Fraternity and the Brothers' communities. After some words of welcome by Brother Martin Borg and the coordinator, Ms. Marlene Camilleri, Brother Amilcare gave a talk on the work that is being done by the Secretariat for Solidarity and Development on behalf of Third World countries. In his presentation Brother Amilcare made special reference to projects which, for many years, have been financed by our community. It was several years ago that, besides being a Signum Fidei fraternity, we were constituted as a Non Governmental Organization (NGO). Thanks to this initiative we are able to gather funds from the Maltese government for the 4

5 Lasallian mission. Brother Alberto thanked the Brothers and Signum Fidei members for service to the poor and he encouraged us to continue strengthening the life of our community. The day concluded with a Eucharistic liturgy and an aperitif. ITALIA Annual Retreat in the Generalate Franca Bavoso At the end of April 25 members of the Signum Fidei Fraternity in Italy held their annual retreat. Recalling the words of Jesus: "Cast the net on the other side," the retreat theme was "Together and by association becoming nets ourselves." The first talk dealt with the theme of the ecclesiology of communion and it was delivered by Father Donato Cauzzo, a Camilian religious. Other talks were given by Brother Alberto Gómez who presented the Circular on Association and the challenge of the new forms of community for the Lasallian mission. During the retreat, Ms. Erica and Mr. Giampiero Bakobic unveiled a photographic display that helped to interiorize the message of the retreat. Brother Achille, Visitor of Italy, also gave a wonderful conference on what it means to be a member of Signum Fidei today. Brother Giampiero Salvai, national advisor, congratulated all those in attendance in these words: "I was impressed by your commitment during prayer and during times for reflection...i salute you and I embrace you with great esteem, affection and friendship. If you are faithful to your vocation you will be able to do many things for the good of the Church, the Institute, and for those you will find on your journey, especially the poor." At the present time there are three people who are preparing to make their Signum Fidei consecration. AREQUIPA Perú Br. François Morlier Greetings from Arequipa! I am at the new La Salle University and community. A group of students and former students from the Lasallian schools in this city have asked me to be the advisor for the Signum Fidei group they have formed and want to reactivate. I accepted! I asked them for more details about their group, names and addresses of participants... 5

6 (Brother Jean François is well known throughout the Institute. Recently he spent several years on the CIL staff in Rome and when he finished that job he requested to go to Peru where he had been stationed many years ago. (Welcome Br. Jean François, to Signum Fidei). RUMANIA Br. Vicentiu Ghiurca The third formation meeting of the current academic year was held at the beginning of May. In attendance were Brothers and lay teachers from Iasi and Pildesti. The Lasallian mission in Romania is being carried out in a home for adolescents in the city of Iasi and in a school in Pildesti. There are two communities in Romania and a staff of teacher who are fully committed to the Lasallian mission. This meeting was organized by Brother Vicentiu Ghiurca and on this occasion it was led by Brother Alberto Gómez, who presented the associative reality that the Institute is undergoing, particularly in the Signum Fidei Fraternities. Brother Alberto also met with the older students at the school, with Scout leaders who are under the guardianship of Brother Jesús Sagredo, and with some youth from Catholic Action as well as a group of adults who have been committed to the Lasallian mission for many years. For everyone it was a good opportunity to get to know our Institute better and to be encouraged to offer brave responses to the challenges we find. ROTORUA NUEVA ZELANDA Bernadette Fredicksen Greetings from Rotorua. All goes well here where we have begun our SF mission again. We got together with Brother Colin Griffin who facilitates our retreats. We agreed to support students and families from Pacific Islands. We sent them our action plan this year. Brother David Hawke, General Councillor, visited us and spoke to us about the New Evangelization and the topics that will be treated during the International Mission Assembly. It was a good time for sharing among the Signum Fidei members and the teachers at the school. 6

7 BRASIL At the beginning of March Brother Alberto Gómez visited some schools in the Brazilian cities of Porto Alegre, Curitiva, Rio, Brasilia, and Manaus. Besides meeting with several formation groups, in several places he also presented on the reality of the Institute today and the development of association in Lasallian groups and communities, particularly as regards the Signum Fidei Fraternities. In Porto Alegre there was a meeting with the Brothers and lay partners who participated in the most recent CIL session in Rome. Recently the two Lasallian Districts of Brazil merged with the Delegation of Chile, where there are several Signum Fidei groups. There are some teachers who want to begin a journey towards association. VII WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES From May 30th to June 3 rd the VII World Meeting of Families will be held in the city of Milano with the presence of Pope Benedict XVI. We are invited to join in prayer for all families of the world, to defend our own family and to work in order to continue building Christian and Lasallian families wherever we live. Prayer for the VII World Meeting of Families Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father, we adore you, Source of every union; protect our families with Your blessings where couples can be united and a fulfilled life mutually shared by parents and children. Behold Creator of perfection and beauty; grant to every family a just and noble job, so that we can have the necessities in life and enjoy the privilege of working together with You in building humanity. We magnify You, Cause of our joy and delight; lead our families to the paths of gladness and peace to experience the perfect joy granted to us by the Risen Christ. May our days, although difficult or comforting, be opportunities that will unfold your mystery of love and light that Christ Your Son has revealed and the life-giving Spirit has granted. So that we may happily live as Your family, on this journey towards You, Holy God forever and ever. Amen 7