“Wherever there is a Lasallian gathering, everyone talks about ‘Indivisa Manent’. I think that is the biggest gift (…), but I think also  is biggest challenge”. With these words Brother Armin Luistro took stock of his visit to Mexico at the end of November and the beginning of December 2024, when he had the opportunity to meet with various groups of the Lasallian Family in various cities of the country.

“United we can do so many things, we can so create many ‘miracles’”, he urged the Mexican Lasallians at the conclusion of his pastoral visit, encouraging them to “continue in the spirit that identifies us as ‘One La Salle’ by serving with one mind and one heart”.

On his itinerary, Brother Superior General together with Brothers Chris Patiño and Martín Digilio, General Councillors, had the opportunity to meet with Brothers and young Brothers  in formation, Lasallian teachers, those responsible for pastoral ministry and culture of vocations, leadership teams of educational works, young representatives of Lasallian groups, administrative and general services staff, Associates, Signum Fidei, Affiliates and benefactors, and with the Guadalupana De La Salle Sisters. Also present were Brother Rafael Cerón, General Councillor as from 1 January 2025, as well as Brother David García, Organisational Coordinator of the Generalate, both Mexicans.

Regarding these meaningful meetings, Brother José Francisco Flores, Visitor of the District of Antilles-South Mexico, stated that it had been “a tremendous grace. This grace has been manifested not only in the visit of the Brother himself and his Councillors, but above all in the spirit in which we have been able to prepare for this visit“.

In fact, the gathering “has generated very important links so that we can communicate among ourselves and be able to define what our tasks are with regard to the Lasallian Educational Mission in the different segments of the Family: directors, Brothers, students, the pastoral ministers, teachers, the support staff, the secretarial and administrative staff, as well as our benefactors, Signum Fidei, Associates and Affiliates. All of us form one big Family”.

Brother Francisco also highlighted that “Lasallian work can only be understood from the dimension of faith”. Recalling the conviction of our Founder that “this is a work of God”, he encouraged us, “let us take on the part that corresponds to us in the Lasallian Educational Mission and let our heart be in the peripheries, because we know that is where my sister is, that is where my brother is”.

In this same perspective of commitment to the most vulnerable, Ms Sara Roldán, Director General of La Salle Galicia, underlined that “it doesn’t matter how important what we do may be, or how high the function we perform in a hierarchy may; what counts in the end is what we do for people, especially for those most in need“.

“So -she continued- the most valuable thing of our work is being able to help others. The most valuable part of our mission is what we do for others, especially for children and young people.

Undoubtedly, one of the most significant elements of the Lasallian Educational Mission in Mexico in recent years has to do with the progressive participation and commitment of the laity. Adalberto Aranda Ramírez commented, “We have to be honest, at the present time the Lasallian Mission that we carry jointly, the most committed and most direct weight is that which corresponds to our lay brothers and sisters“.

In emphasising their “Lasallian identity”, as well as “their closeness, their fraternity and their commitment to our mission”, Brother Adalberto recommended to them “to take on a true Lasallian formation so that they may be authentic spreaders of the Lasallian message of fraternity to our society, to our Church“, since “the future of the Lasallian Mission certainly lies with our Brothers of the Christian Schools. But it is also in all the lay people who are becoming more and more committed”.

These meetings have been deeply inspiring, “not only to reaffirm the Christian educational commitment, but also to reflect on the challenges, dreams and goals shared by Lasallian communities“, as stated on the website of the District of Antilles – Mexico South.

For the young Brother Alberto Alejandro Acosta, “this experience with Brother Armin Luistro has enlightened me in my vocational jorney”, encouraging him and other Lasallians in the formation process to “grow as Brothers (…) to give ourselves fully from the heart, to live the Gospel fully in community and to transform those around us with our own testimony”.

“In this new concept of the world, in these new possibilities that we have, there is an enormous possibility of dreaming together as Lasallians, and this is what Brother Superior and our Councillors have invited us to transmit”. This was one of the conclusions which emerged from the meeting of Brother Armin and the Brother Councillors with the Associates, Signum Fidei, Affiliates and benefactors, as Julio Gordillo assured.

This Lasallian community should be distinguished by the living out of its values; above all it should be noted for its fraternity, a fraternal community which has a common mission and which is guided and enlightened by faith, “Indivisa Manent”, said Brother Rafael Cerón, as an epilogue.

* Article prepared with the collaboration of the communication teams of the Universidad de La Salle de México and the District of Antilles Mexico – South.