Br. Gaston Robert named District Leader of Canada
On 25 March, Brother Ernesto Sánchez and the General Council appointed Brother Gaston Robert as the first Leader of the Marist District of Canada for a first mandate of three years, beginning in August 2021. Before the appointment, a sondage was taken among the elected delegates of the Province. The four Provincials of the Provinces involved in the transition from the Province of Canada to a new District (Canada, United States, Mexico Central and Mexico Occidental) were also consulted.
In his letter to the Brothers of the Province, Br Ernesto, Superior General, thanked Br. Gaston for having accepted the appointment: “Your international experience as a formator, as General Councillor, and more recently as community leader in communities for senior brothers, your capacity for listening and organisation, as well as your deep Marist spirituality … will be of great help in carrying out your service as leader”.
At the same time, the Superior General thanked Br Gerard Bachand, Provincial of Canada since 2014, for his leadership: “Many thanks, Gerard, for your closeness to people, for your dedication and availability to the Brothers and laypeople of the Province”.
After consultation with the Provincials and Councils of the Provinces of Canada, Central Mexico, Mexico Occidental and the United States, the General Council on 12 June 2020 decided that the Province of Canada, as from 15 August 2021, will become a District. See here for further detail
Br. Gaston Robert
Br Gaston was born in Waterloo, Quebec, on 4 November 1947. After primary and secondary studies in a school run by the Marist Brothers, he entered the postulancy at the age of 18. Once he had finished his training as a teacher, he practised his profession in a Marist college at Iberville for ten years. Then he studied at the Institute of Psychology of the Gregorian University for 4 years and in 1990 he was one of the four formators of the first course of formation for future Masters of Novices under the direction of Brother Basilio Rueda.
In 1993, at the 19th General Chapter, he was elected General Councillor for a mandate of eight years. Returning to Canada in 2001, he worked in a spiritual accompaniment centre in Montreal, giving courses in spiritual anthropology. From 2004 to 2008, he animated French-speaking spirituality groups in Manziana and then in Rome.
Returning to Canada, he resumed his accompaniment and courses until 2011. That year, he was appointed leader of the community of elderly brothers at Château-Richer, situated near Quebec City.
He is currently in charge of the community of elderly brothers at “Les Trois Violettes” residence in Iberville, a position he assumed in 2019.