From 5 to 18 November the Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, together with the General Council, are visiting the Lasallian Region of Africa-Madagascar (RELAF).
This visitation, like those which have already taken place throughout this year 2023 in the other Regions of the Institute: PARC, RELEM, RELAN and RELAL, are spaces for encounter, dialogue and exchange with the Brothers and Lasallian Partners who animate the mission, life and charism in each of the Districts and the Delegation of the African continent, and which includes a visit to some works in the geographical and existential peripheries, in the perspective indicated by the Leavening Project.
“It is an opportunity to continue the Lasallian conversations initiated by the General Council more than a year ago, and it is also an opportunity to walk together in a spirit of dialogue in order to strengthen collaboration“, as Br Anatole Diretenadji, General Councillor, explains.
Likewise, Brother Anatole specifies that the visit will have two phases. “The first phase consists of visiting the Districts, i.e. the countries”, so that “the members of the General Council, individually or in groups of 2 or 3, will visit certain countries, including Cameroon, Rwanda, South Africa, Mozambique, Burkina Faso and Benin“. These visits will take place from 5 to 11 November and will provide them with an insight into the realities of the Lasallian mission in these countries.
In the second phase – continues Brother Anatole – there will be “the great encounter of the Conference with the General Council. It will be an extended meeting with other Brothers and Lay Partners, from 13 to 17 November, in Abidjan (Ivory Coast)”. According to the Councillor, “the purpose of this meeting is to apprehend how the Districts and the Delegation of the Region are functioning at all levels, to learn about their strengths and weaknesses, the challenges and opportunities of mission life, and to examine with local leaders how the vision set out by the 46th General Chapter, the III AIMEL and the Leavening Project is being implemented in the Region.
In short, “these visits and this meeting should enable the General Council to identify the priorities of the Region in order to better accompany and serve the mission of the Institute”, concludes Brother Anatole, welcoming the Superior General and his Council with an expression typical of the Aka group, a village in the Ivory Coast: ‘Akwaba’, thus expressing the welcome and hospitality typical of Lasallians.
Watch the video message from Brother Anatole Diretenadji below.