Suggested Revisions of the Rule Are Due

February 2009

Suggested revisions of the Rule are due

In December Brother Frank Carr sent all the Brothers Circular 459 about the process of revisions for the Rule. In the accompanying letter he noted that all the Brothers have the responsibility for the Rule, and consequently, all the Brothers may make suggestions for revisions and comments and may express new directions or ask questions for the Rule Commission which will gather the information. The Brothers of the Midwest District are invited to prepare and send their comments and suggestions on the Reply Sheet that accompanied his letter. Send to Brother Joseph Martin at the Burr Ridge Office or email him at before May 1st so that all suggestions can be sent to the Generalate by the announced deadline of May 31, 2009.

LewisUniversity will host a multi university meeting

LewisUniversity will host a multi university meeting at the Wyndham Hotel near O’Hare International Airport on February 26th and 27th. Those attending will examine how to link various administrators from each of the universities in the Midwest District with their counterparts from other Lasallian institutions of higher education. Attending from the three Midwest universities will be their Presidents, chief Academic Officers, representatives from Student Development and Directors of Mission among others. Representatives from La SalleUniversity, Saint Mary’s College of California and the Midwest District administration will also attend.

Brother Frank Carr will visit BethlehemUniversity

From March 3rd to 9thBrother Frank Carr will travel to Bethlehem to visit the three Brothers of the Midwest District who serve at BethlehemUniversity: Brothers Robert Smith, Neil Kieffe and Cyril Litecky. He will be accompanied by Brother Frank Byrne, Visitor of the New York District.

Holy Week Retreat announced

Brother Larry Schatz, Auxiliary Visitor, has announced that the District Triduum Retreat this year will be April 9-12 in Mundelein, IL. The retreat leader is Fr. Tom O'Neill, Chaplain of Viterbo University and formerly chaplain at Saint Mary's University, Winona campus. Registration procedures will be announced soon.

Another Brother moves toward sainthood

On January 17thPope Benedict XVI authorized Monsignor Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints, to publish the Decree on the miracle received through the intercession of the Venerable Brother Raphael-Louis Rafiringa (Madagascar). This means that the Institute can proceed with the Beatification. The ceremony will take place in Antananarivo on a date to be determined.

This reminder is for community Directors

In January Brother Frank Carr sent all the Directors of communities some information about the C-2 forms that need to be completed for the Generalate. The information requested is a brief history of the community and the apostolate for the previous year. The form is available at the web site that was referenced. Directions are included for sending a copy to Rome by email. A copy of the form should also be sent to Cheryl Garrigan in Burr Ridge – .

Lenten reflection booklets will now be emailed

This year the booklet of Lenten reflections is being prepared by Brother Larry Schatz, Auxiliary Visitor. He has contacted a number of Lasallians from Midwest ministries and requested that they prepare reflections based on the daily Scripture readings. The collection of prayers and reflections will be available for each day of the Lenten season. Once completed, this booklet will be emailed to all Brothers and ministries of the Midwest District for their personal use. This will replace the published booklets that have been mailed over the past few years. Each person can choose to print a daily prayer and reflection or read it on a computer screen.

Lasallian administrators will meet in Charleston

This year the Lasallian Secondary Schools Chief Administrators Association will hold its conference at the Double Tree Guest Suites in Charleston, SC, from February 22nd to 25th. The theme of the gathering is “Catholic Identity in a LasallianSchool: Mission, Ministry and Message.” Three keynote addresses will highlight the program: Michael Guerra, Former President of NCEA, will speak on “The Mission of the CatholicHigh School: Leadership and Inspiration;” Brother James Gaffney will address “The Lasallian Brand: Messaging the Mission;” and Brother Thomas Johnson has titled his talk “Catholic Identity of the LasallianSchool: Ministry and Mission.”

Founder’s Day will be celebrated at Saint Mary’s

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota will celebrate Founder’s Day on February 24th on its Winona campus. The program will include a mass in St. Thomas More Chapel followed by a luncheon. The University will hold a convocation in The Page Theater in early afternoon. Special recognition will be given to the Christian Brothers in honor of their 75 years of service at Saint Mary’s, and the University will honor the Long Island – New England District for its contribution to Saint Mary’s including three of the four most recent Presidents. Brother Larry Schatz will represent the Midwest District at the event.

Brother James Miller grants were awarded

On January 14th the committee members of the Brother James Miller Social Justice Fund reviewed twenty-one applications for funding and awarded fifteen grants totaling $11,000. The recipients included the following: Girls Computer Training at St. La Salle Puthumanam School in India; Escuela Primaria "Los Higos" Jacuga for Colegio La Salle in Dominican Republic; ESL for Hispanic Evangelization at St. Raymond H.S. in Bronx, NY; Beds and Bedding at DLS Child Discovery Centre in Kenya; African American Studies Program at Vincent Gray Academy in East St. Louis, IL; Saving Youth by Presentation Sisters in Chimbote, Peru; Summer Camp Program at Dunrovin Retreat Center in MN; Native American Art Workshops at De La Salle Blackfeet School in MT;

Unity/Understanding of Different Tribes at St. Paul's Secondary School in Kenya; Basic Computer Training at St. James Secondary School in Tamil Nadu, India; After School Program at Central American Martyrs Center in Chicago, IL; Vocational Training Facility at Besrate Gabriel School in Ethiopia; Teen Recreation/Socialization Program at Almost Home in St. Louis, MO; Helping Hands Project at Torture Abolition Survivors International in Washington, DC; Computer Facilities at St. La Salle Higher Secondary School in Tamil Nadu, India. Committee members include Mrs.Lori Dressel, Sister Marlene Schemmel, CSJ, and Brothers William Clarey, Kevin Convey, Charles Kelly, and Thomas Hetland (Chair).

LTIP will be featured in the NCR

Brother Pat Conway reported that he and the six students in the LTIP were interviewed by Tom Fox and the editorial staff of the National Catholic Reporter on February 2nd. They were quite interested in this new venture and plan to publish a feature article in the next few months. Conveniently, Brother Pat had his thumb drive with him and was able to supply many photos and documents related to the program as background information for the staff members. Those who read the NCR could watch for the article and then post it for other community members to read.

Year of the Brothers will be 2010-2011

A steering committee will soon be planning a Regional conversation called “A Year of the Brothers” which will take place in 2010 and 2011. Given the age of the Brothers in the Region and the diminishing numbers, this program could capitalize on the generativity of the Brothers and help them appreciate a new role they can play in the Region. This would carry forward the outcomes of Being Brothers Today and the experiences of the 2006 International Assembly and the 44th General Chapter. This Regional program of continuing formation will be timely as Districts restructure themselves. The program format includes a five-day retreat in the summer of 2010 in each sector (East Coast, Midwest, SF and NOSF), Advent Days of Recollection, Lenten Days of Recollection, and a Regional capstone Assembly in the summer of 2011. More information will be available as the program takes shape.

Report released on study of Religious Brothers

In 2005 the Religious Brothers Conference (previously NARB) commissioned the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at GeorgetownUniversity to conduct a study of religious Brothers in the United States. The study examined various aspects of the life and ministry of Brothers with particular attention to what attracted them to Brotherhood and what sustains them in their life and ministry. The survey was mailed to a random sample of 1,500 Brothers, and 450 completed surveys were returned. An Executive Summary of the study is now available for those who are interested in reading the results.

Brother Denis Murphy sent this photo

“This picture was taken about half a block from our house in the city of Sulaymaniyah (Suli for short), in the governmental province of the same name in Kurdistan, Iraq. This is where we buy our vegetables as well as our bottled water. It’s shirt sleeve weather here during the day when it’s sunny, but cold inside when the electricity goes off which is often.” Read his current report at the end of this newsletter.

LewisUniversity received a grant from Lilly Fellows Network

This past fall, LewisUniversity received a $12,000 grant from the Lilly Fellows Network, part of the Lilly Fellows Program in the Humanities and the Arts, based at ValparaisoUniversity in Indiana. The grant will fund a new Mentoring for Mission program, a joint initiative between the Office of Mission and University Faculty Development. The project, which will be launched during the 2009-2010 academic year, is in keeping with the University’s strategic plan, Vision 2011, which calls for expansion, support, and development of mission-based formation and development for faculty and staff. The grant-funded project will fulfill a growing need to advance mission-focused orientation and development beyond the traditional new employee workshops and welcoming activities and to direct specific attention to the role of faculty members as Lasallian educators in a Christian community.

Montini Catholic H.S. will hold dedication

On February 22nd Montini Catholic H.S. in Lombard, IL, will have a dedication mass and luncheon for the new Academic & AdministrativeCenter on its campus. The mass will begin at noon in the Field House and will be followed by the blessing and luncheon. On January 6th the school opened the doors to its new Academic & AdministrativeCenter that was completed in time for the start of second semester. Phase I of the Capital Campaign, “Celebrate Our Future, Building On Success,” began in May 2008 with the demolition of the former Dominic Hall, which once housed the school’s library, art rooms, and guidance offices. The new building features the new LearningResourceCenter, where students can study, research, and work on computer and internet projects in the computer lab. The computer lab also serves as a foreign language lab. The new center also contains the school’s administration offices and reception desk, along with many offices and conference rooms.

Congratulations to

• Brother Dominic Ehrmantraut,who was appointed Principal of Tangaza, one of the leading colleges in Eastern Africa. Previously, he served as Director of Christ the Teacher Institute within the College.
• Brother Dennis Malloy, who was appointed Visitor of the new District of Eastern North America (DENA).
• Brother Joseph Martin, whose recent article “Calumet and Hecla Mining Records: A Mother Lode of Information,” appears in the current issue of the National Genealogical Society Magazine.

Health Updates

• Brother Patrick O'Brien has been released from the nursing home in Cincinnati and will continue his recovery for four to six weeks at home in Ferdinand, IN.
• Brother Leo Keindel, 96, Dean of the Midwest District, was discharged from St. JosephHospital and is now recovering at St. Mary's Home, 1925 Norfolk Ave., St. Paul, MN55116. Phone: 651-696-8400.

Brother Bill Clarey sent this for Senior Brothers

1. Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister has a wonderful meditation "The Gift of Years: Growing Old Gracefully" on video at this web address:

2. Dr. Leonard's HealthCare Catalog has Men's Ice Treads for $4.99. Item #75242 "These slip-resistant Ice Treads over your shoes help protect you from falling on ice or snow. Lightweight, heavy-duty treads have four stainless steel spikes for sure footing." It may be easier for some to take their shoes off, position the Treads, and then put their shoes back on. For outside use only. Call: 800-785-0880 for a catalog.

Rest in Peace

• Brother David (Lupinian David) Pieters, 88, died at MotherTheresaHome in Lemont, IL on January 29th. A De La Salle Christian Brother for 62 years, he was born Frederick Leo Pieters in Burlington, WI, to Albert and Frieda (Wiemer) Pieters. He graduated from St. Mary's H.S. in Burlington in 1938, obtained a PhB in1942 from MarquetteUniversity, and served in the US Military from 1942 to 1945. He joined the Brothers in 1946 and professed final vows in 1952. In 1949 he earned an MA at the University of Notre Dame. As an educator and counselor, he served at St. Mel H.S. and St. Patrick H.S. in Chicago, St. George H.S. in Evanston, Bishop Noll H.S. in Hammond, IN, and ChristianBrothersCollege (now University) in Memphis, TN. He retired in 1990 to ChristianBrothersCenter in Romeoville for 12 years before moving to the Brother's community in Westmont. Survivors include a sister Mrs. Carolyn Degrave of Burlington, WI; a brother Donald (Betty) of East De Pere, WI; and his religious family, the Brothers of the ChristianSchools. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on January 31stat HolyTrinityChurch in Westmont, IL. Interment was at ResurrectionCemetery in Romeoville.

• Dr. Roy Gordon "Arnold" Mersch, 70, former Brother Irenaeus Arnold, a resident of HarborHeights in Sheboygan, WI, died on December 20th. Born in 1938, he was a graduate of Saint Mary's College in Winona and later received his Ph.D. at St. LouisUniversity. He was an educator in the Milwaukee Public Schools and was a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan. Before he left the Brothers, he taught at La Salle H.S. Cincinnati, St. Francis H.S. Wheaton, and CBC H.S. and University. Survivors include a brother and sister-in-law, Bernard and Olena Mersch of Stillwater, Minnesota. In honoring his wishes, there was no service.
• Francis William Richard, 76, brother of Brother Bernard Richard died at a hospice in Madison, WI, following a long illness. Survivors include his wife Dixie among others. He requested cremation. A memorial service will be held sometime in the spring.

OUTSOURCED

From Brother Martin Spellman -- Resurrection Retirement Community

The term "outsourcing" has very much penetrated everyday vocabulary in our country, often in a pejorative sense because of its negative impact on American workers. It may come as a surprise that it is being applied, tongue-in-cheek, to some fifteen Brothers in the Chicago area not presently living in homes and communities dependent on the Midwest District or district ministries. This came about for a variety of reasons, some for the demands of work, some for personal preference, but the result—Brothers outsourced! The outsourcing for two of them, Brother Joseph O'Malley and Brother Martin Spellman, now living at the Resurrection Retirement Community on Chicago's northwest side appears to have stirred up a lot of curiosity. Why branch out like this while there is ample room in the Chicago area district houses specifically (and expensively!) built for retired Brothers? The hope is that this note may answer that and other questions and also give a glimpse into their everyday life in the "RRC".

The seed of an idea was the discovery by Brother Bill Clarey that many of the religious Sisters cared for in the ResurrectionLifeCenter would receive frequent, even daily, visits from their fellow nuns. We Brothers had taken advantage of the excellent nursing care of the LifeCenter for many of our Brothers, five of them in the course of 2008, but our attention and visits to them was sporadic at best. Couldn't we do better with a near-by community? Three of these men have since gone to their reward, but earlier in the spring of 2008, Brother Bill, together with Brothers Kevin Fitzgerald and Fred Dillenburg,set out to remedy the situation, investigating various Catholic senior living residences, and they finally opted for the RRC, a large complex of 475 apartments a short distance from the Life Center.

The next step was to recruit Brothers for this novel sort of community. Accordingly, Brother Martin, returning from the year in Italy, and Brother Joseph, from St. Paul and Westmont, were invited to be the pioneers for what may some day comprise four or five members of a community, each one living in his own small apartment. In early fall, the two Brothers entered a larger community of more than 550 persons, 89% of them widows! They created something of a "buzz", especially among the several men who are alumni of the St. George, St. Mel and "the Old St. Pats" as well as the many ladies whose fathers, husbands and sons still called themselves "Brothers' Boys".

An initial large entry fee had to be paid, but it truly is an investment, returned when a resident leaves, or it is left to his or her estate. There is also a monthly rental which includes most utilities as well as the principal meal of the day, served in the large dining room with a choice of entrees plus six other options. The two Brothers occupy small efficiency apartments, less than 400 sq. feet, with small kitchen, full bath and a living room which has an alcove for the bed and chest of drawers. Neither Brother had a stick of furniture to begin with, but a shopping excursion to the IKEA store supplied most of what was needed as well as the fun and some frustration of assembling almost everything.

Life in the RRC has settled into a pleasant routine. Brother Martin spends each school day tutoring at St.PatrickHigh School, traveling free on the CTA as a senior citizen. Brother Joseph has thoroughly scouted out the nearby neighborhoods with daily walks and is most faithful in visiting Brother Maurice Anglim.Both have been impressed with the friendliness of fellow residents, greeted by all in passing as "our Brothers." They have yet to discover anyone disgruntled with life in this most Catholic atmosphere where eighty or more attend daily Mass in the beautiful chapel. Many other activities are on offer. Brother Martin is part of the choir of elderly voices and attends the art classes. All sorts of card playing and entertainments can be participated in. Any Brother or Lasallian coming to Chicago or stopping at nearby O'Hare Airport is most welcome to come and see.Y'all come.