Brother Libardo takes up office as Provincial
From 12 to 16 December 2009, the III Provincial Chapter of Norandina met in Fusagasugá, the house of the De la Salle Brothers, near Bogotá. The Chapter installed as Provincial of the Province of Norandina Brother Libardo Garzón, appointed by the General Council at its meeting of 3 June 2009.
Born on February 7, 1963 in Filadelfia Caldas, Colombia; he belongs to the Province of Norandina. He was a member of the REMAR movement and then of the aspirancy program in Manizales. He made his postulancy and novitiate in MedellĂn, where he took first vows in 1985. In 1989 he made perpetual profession.
He has a licentiate in philosophy and religion from the University of Santo Tomás; he was a participant in the masters of novices course directed by Br. Basilio Rueda in 1990-91 at Castelgandolfo; he obtained a licentiate in psychology from the Gregorian University in Rome. He has followed courses in administration and in educational systems management.
He has had a variety of ministries: teacher at the school in Santo Domingo de Pasto, at Colegio Champagnat in Bogotá and at Colegio Champagnat in Pasto; master of novices; vice-provincial and provincial administrator; at the present time he is rector of Colegio Champagnat in Ibagué and a member of the provincial council. He was a delegate to the XXI General Chapter.
Brother Libardo replaces Brother Laurentino Albalá, who has completed his service of animation and government, first in the Province of Ecuador, before restructuring, and then two terms as Provincial of the recently created Province of Norandina. The Chapter was accompanied by the presence of Brother Joseph McKee, Vicar General.
The work of the chapter centred in the first instance on sharing the management reports of the Provincial Commissions and the Lay Teams, the Solidarity Secretariate, the Commission of Child, Youth and Vocational Ministry, and the financial balance for the previous three years. The second part of the work concentrated on defining the call to which Brothers and laity feel themselves summoned during the next three years. They also worked on strategies for going in haste and making this concrete in the daily lives of each Brother, lay person, community or ediucational presence.
The capitulants elected as Provincial Councillors the following Brothers: Antonio BolĂvar EnrĂquez Oviedo, Wilson AlcĂvar Torres Eras, Francisco Javier PĂ©rez ParĂs, Ismar Gildardo Portilla Benavides, AndrĂ©s Alirio Miranda Acosta and JosĂ© Luis Sebastián MartĂnez.