May 20, 2022 - General Chapter 46

The primary focus for today was to elect the General Councilors for the Central Government. According to the Rule, six Councilors are elected by Chapter delegates, which includes the Vicar General. This meant that we would vote for and choose five of them today.

The RELAN regional group meeting.

By pre-arrangement, the first meeting of the day was in Regional groups at 9:00 am, at which we were to provide "up to three" names to add to the list of people that Br. Armin had provided yesterday as those whom he thought would be good team members. Since Br. Chris Patino had been on that list, we spent some time talking about that inclusion. (Chris had absented himself from this part of the meeting to allow for a free discussion.) The conversation we had reminded me of a vow chapter, a well-articulated, observant, and essentially supportive consideration of this particular moment in a person's life journey. Questions about age, experience, work ethic, possible challenges over time, etc. circled around a genuine respect for both his character and his maturity. The positive greatly outweighed the possible negative. When he was invited back into the room, via text, we simply moved forward to consider whether we would recommend an additional name and eventually settled on Br. Ricky Laguda for a variety of reasons.

Back in the Aula Magna at 10:00 am,  Br. Jorge described the process for election - an absolute majority of 36 out of 70 votes is necessary for appointment - and indicated that none of the Paths of Transformation groups had asked for specific Councilors, although there are some responsibilities that were specified. Since the Superior General requested a shared responsibilities approach to the General Council, we will not be voting on Councilors for the Regions or ones with a specific charge. This allows the General Council to develop its internal organization as they choose, in line with the provisions of the Rule.

After passing the minutes of a previous meeting - a very tedious process that could use be done more efficiently with a different method than scrolling through the French text on the screen - each Region reported the names, up to three, that they wanted to add to the list. One added none, and the others added from one to three names. The final list included 16 names. While the ballots were being prepared, different procedural questions were answered and the assembly confirmed that they did not need to meet in language groups.

Br. Rodrigue from Benin, who sat next to me, votes.

Voting commenced at 11:00 am. Ballots were distributed, and delegates were told to check off "up to five" names. These were collected by the Scrutineers, who brought them to the room behind the Aula Magna for counting. During this time, those in the Aula Magna remained in restful anticipation, working on their laptops, chatting with neighbors, or visiting with those in other parts of the room. At 11:30 am, the tabulated votes were read out by Br. Jorge, who first said that there were two Brothers who had acquired 36 votes or more and therefore would become Councilors. The first was Br. Anatole Diretenadji from Central Africa, and the second was Br. Joël Palud, a French Brother working in Lebanon and not present at the Chapter. Great applause as each name was said. The other names and vote counts were also read out for our reference.

Br. Anatole is congratulated by Br. Julien from
West Africa and Br. Ghebreyesus from the Lwanga District

The next ballot with the remaining names was quickly produced, and instructions were given to vote for up to three names this time. The same process was repeated, and at noon the Scrutineers returned with the results. Br. Jorge announced that this time there was no one who had received 36 or more votes. There was a collective sigh as the names and numbers were put on the screen, and another ballot was distributed for another vote.

Much applause after Br. Chris Patino was elected.

At 12:25 pm, the results came back from this third set of ballots, and Br. Jorge announced that there were two Brothers who had acquired 36 votes or more and therefore would become Councilors. The first was Br. Chris Patino from the San Francisco New Orleans District. He had come to Rome to serve as one of the secretaries but stepped in as a Chapter delegate when Br. Donald Johanson, the Visitor of that District, was unable to travel due to Covid exposure and the first alternate could not come due to other responsibilities. When Chris Patino's name was announced, there was strong applause all around. Br. Nick later said that, like the widow's mite story in the Gospel and in line with the theme of the Chapter, the SFNO District was giving from its necessity rather than from its abundance ... an appropriate insight. The second was Br. Ricky Laguda, who would be the only Brother from the last General Council who would now serve on the new General Council. Again there was strong applause. (He told me later that he had packed up his things a few days earlier, anticipating his return to the Philippines.)

The Scrutineers collect the filled-in ballots.

The assembly immediately moved to yet another vote with a new ballot, this time instructed to vote for just one name. The results were quickly tabulated, and it was announced that Br. Martin Digilio from Argentina had received a majority of votes as the last Councilor to be elected. Again there was solid applause and congratulations. During the waiting periods, those elected had accepted the sincere congratulations from many others in the room, who lined up to do so. Some of the other candidates did so with a sense of relief, but all did so with a genuine sense of appreciation that there were some very fine Brothers who would take on this 7-year responsibility. Right after these results were announced, we broke for lunch.

Br. Martin is congratulated by Br. Alvaro.

At 3:00 pm, the assembly gathered in the Aula Magna once more. Joining us was the entire house staff; everyone who worked at the Casa Generalizia, from CBIS, Communications, Business Office, Maintenance, to those working in the Lasallian Research and Resources Service (Archives, Library, Museum) which I oversee. It was a very full room that held a peaceful, appreciative energy all around.

The Casa Generalizia staff is recognized and thanked.

We started with the singing of Honneur a Toi, the text having been given to us on small pieces of paper, although many of us knew it by heart. Br. Antxon took the portable microphone to the front of the dais and told us that we all should be very satisfied with what we had achieved. Hen then asked all those who worked in the house and who had arrived to line up in front. Then, he did a great job in recognizing each department and person there, describing their vital roles in making the General Chapter possible. The Chapter participated showed their appreciation with regular and steady applause. Br. Jorge asked the new General Council to stand up, so that those in the Casa Generalizia could see who the members of the new central government were. Applause seemed to be the punctuation points for this part of the day. Baseball hats from RELAL were distributed as a small gift, and those from the Casa Generalizia left the room.

Translators, Secretaries, and others are thanked.

Br. Antxon then highlighted the translators, secretary, liturgy team, etc., asking them to come to the front for a proper recognition of their labors. We all were very aware of the key role that they played in this successful Chapter, and our level of appreciation was evident. Then the members of the central committee were recognized for their work, often meeting early in the morning or late at night to deal with the various situations that inevitably occur in Chapters such as this one.

Rita, from the Finance office, deserved special

recognition, since she was retiring after 42 years.

Finally, it was time to do some remaining work. Two sets of minutes were reviewed and approved, and the letter from the Chapter to the AIMEL III participants was brought back for approval. Time was given to read it, and there were questions regarding certain words that might be misconstrued. But Br. Jorge pointed out that the key approval text was what the resolution that the Chapter had passed earlier, and this was simply a letter of appreciation for their work and an encouragement of the work that was still to come when they gather to create their lines of action. It was approved.

The new Vicar General with the former Vicar General,

who had been in formation together.

Now that the business of the day was done, there were still a couple of things to cover. The Visitor of France gave a description of the plans to upgrade the facilities at Parmenie and make it into a place where a variety of activities could occur, including a place where Lasallian fraternities, a new Lasallian movement among small groups of teachers in France, could meet for retreats, etc. After him, I encouraged participants to see the new display of photographs from all of the previous nine General Chapters that have been held in Rome, from 1946 to 2014. And then Br. Antxon walked through the details for our meeting with Pope Francis tomorrow morning at 10:15 am in the Apostolic Palace. We don't know if each person will have a chance to greet him. "We will deal with whatever they tell us to do." The afternoon tomorrow will be free, a welcome respite.

Br. Olavo from Brazil joined us in the Den,

along with Br. Aiden and Br. Michael.

Brs. Claude and Jean-René from France join us in the Den.

And yet another photo of the folks in the Den.

It was a great gathering at the end of a long day.

Hence the day was long but very rich. In the evening, the "Den" was filled with people from all language groups enjoying the fact that we had completed a complicated process with a finesse that was unique to our Lasallian character. We celebrated the complex and multifaceted grace of our shared identity, experience, and community.