Brothers Vote to Constitute New District (Jun-11-2013)
By a unanimous vote, the Brothers of the Districts of New Orleans – Santa Fe and San Francisco have formally agreed to unite and create the new District of San Francisco New Orleans. Pending the approval of Superior General Brother Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, FSC, the inauguration of the new District is scheduled to take place in July of 2014.
The historic vote, which came on the final day of the Brothers’ Constitutive Assembly in Sierra Madre, California, affirmed the constitutive statutes of the new District, which for the Brothers “are considered both the governing principles for the new district and serve as a mandate for the district leadership and each Brother.” In speaking to the event, General Councilor Brother Robert Schieler, FSC stated, “Guided by the creative leadership of their Visitors, Brothers Donald (Johanson) and Timothy (Coldwell), the Brothers of the San Francisco and New Orleans-Santa Fe Districts, believing in one another and in the vitality of the Lasallian mission in our Region have taken the bold step to create a new reality for the future of that mission.”
Upon the Superior General’s approval of the statutes, the process of organizing the District of San Francisco New Orleans will move forward with the election of a Brother Visitor and the convening of both a District Chapter and a District Mission Assembly. These would take place separately between December 2013 and the summer of 2014.
The four-day Assembly began with orientation presentations by NO-SF Provincial Brother Timothy Coldwell, FSC and San Francisco Provincial Brother Donald Johanson and the vote to name the new District The District of San Francisco New Orleans, which was chosen from several proposed names that had emerged during a nominating process held in both Districts earlier this spring. In an open forum prior to the vote, numerous Brothers spoke to the importance of selecting a name that reflected both the newness of what was being created as well as a recognition of the both the historical importance and geographic significance of their two Districts’ namesake cities. In their vote, the Brothers also indicated that there would be no punctuation separating the two cities’ names, emphasizing the founding of a single and united District. Brother Timothy Coldwell announced the Brothers’ decision to loud applause, saying simply, “Welcome to The District of San Francisco New Orleans.”
On June 12, the Brothers reviewed the organizational and administrative features of their current Districts, as well as proposed features for the District of San Francisco New Orleans. On June 13, the Brothers engaged in a day of discussion and discernment that culminated with their vote of affirmation of the new District’s statutes.
The Assembly concluded that evening with a Mass and celebration which included welcoming new postulants Armando Carvalho, Javier Hansen, and Joseph Wright, the taking of the Habit by Brothers Roberto Martinez and Patrick Martin, and the renewal of vows by professed Brothers.
For more on the new District, click here.