But we must also set aside times for looking up from the daily routine to see exactly where the path is leading -– times when we gather with colleagues to ask ourselves anew, What are our goals? What is our mission? How best do we answer the call to provide a human and Christian education to students in the western United States?

To answer these fundamental questions we set aside regular times to pause and reflect -– at retreats, workshops, and conferences – within our school communities or with Lasallians from across the District – so that we can see clearly where we have come from and can envision concretely where we want to go.

One of the most important of these gatherings will be held at Saint Mary’s College late next summer, July 30 to August 4, 2006. It is our District Assembly on Mission. Many of you may remember our first-ever District Assembly on Mission in 2002. It was our District’s enthusiastic response to the call to Lasallians worldwide to give Partners both voice and vote in deliberations on the direction of our educational mission. It was a stimulating and memorable experience, and was instrumental in setting our goals for the past four years. All propositions approved by the Assembly were included in our District Action Plan for 2003-2007.

Similarly, the 2006 District Assembly on Mission will provide time, structure, and activities that will allow us as a District to set directions for the coming four years. The delegates to this Assembly will number about 150. Many will be delegates by virtue of the offices they hold in the District, but a significant number will be nominated and elected at large from among the schools and educational works. I am addressing this to everyone who is a member of one of the District’s educational communities. I invite you to acquaint yourself with the Assembly’s purposes and goals and to consider who in your school community would make a good delegate. Could it be you? Or is there a colleague whom you would like to nominate? Procedures for nomination and election of delegates will be communicated soon through the President’s office at each school, and I hope you will consider seriously what contribution you might make to this important Assembly.

The Brothers and Partners in this District are truly discovering their complementarity and steadily building communion in the fulfillment of the Lasallian educational mission. In this, we are in step with thousands of colleagues around the world who are working to fulfill our vocation as Lasallian educators and to secure the continuing vitality of the Institute founded by Saint John Baptist de La Salle.

For basic reading, I would recommend the following: The Mission Statement of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools; the current Action Plan of the District of San Francisco; and an essay by Brother John Johnston, FSC, entitled “Lasallian Association for Mission: 1679-2007.” For an article describing the historic Assembly that was held in 2002, see Signs of Faith magazine on this Web site.)

Your school’s President’s office will soon be providing more information on the planned District Assembly on Mission for 2006.

Fraternally,



Brother Stanislaus Campbell, FSC
Visitor, District of San Francisco