The first Provincial Chapter
THE NEW PROVINCE OF IBERICA
The first Provincial Chapter of the new Province of Iberica was held in Lardero, La Rioja, Spain. This new Province takes in the old Provinces of Madrid and Norte, as well as Marist work in Romania.
Taking part were Br Sean Sammon, SG, and two General Councillors, Brs Peter Rodney and Maurice Berquet. Six laypeople were also invited to participate.
The work of the Chapter centred on three major themes: spirituality, mission, and finance. It aimed to establish in the coming years a new vision of Marist life as we live it now, and to reinforce Marist spirituality and commitment to the spread of the Gospel.
The new Provincial Council is: Provincial, Br Samuel Holguín; Councillors: Brs Ambrosio Alonso Diez, Alfonso Fernandez García, José Larrea Campo, Enrique Lopez Alzorriz, Alberto Aribe Muga, José Luis Salazar Sobrevilla, José Luis Santamaria Saiz, and Ernesto Tendero Perez.

Br Seán Sammon?s Circular
A REVOLUTION OF THE HEART
Br Seán Sammon?s first Circular has recently been sent to the Provinces and Districts, under the title: ?A Revolution of the heart: the spirituality of Marcellin and the identity of his Little Brothers of Mary in the present day?. The Circular in English is 75 pages.

New Province of Central-North Brazil
BR CLAUDINO FALCHETTO NAMED AS FIRST PROVINCIAL
After the requisite consultations, Br Superior General has named Br Claudino Falchetto as first Provincial of the new Province of Central-North Brazil, which comprises the old Provinces of Brazil Norte and Rio de Janeiro. He will take up his post on the 8th December next.
He has been Provincial of Rio de Janeiro, National President of the Conference of Religious of Brazil for six years, and General Councillor from 1993 to 2001.

Perpetual Professions
YOUNG MEN CHOOSE LIFE!
IBERICA: Br Jaime Comabella made his Final Vows in Lardero on 21 September, and Brs Guillermo Gutierrez in Fuenlabrada on 19 October.
WEST AFRICA: On 12 October Br John Nvo of Guinea made his Final Vows in Koumra. Br Cyprian Gandeebo of Ghana and Br Daniel Taylor of Liberia made theirs in the Cathedral of Kumasi, Ghana. The ceremony was carried out in both English and Twi.
MEDITERRANEAN PROVINCE: On 11 October, Br Carlos Torres made his Final Vows. He has been appointed to the Centre of Sanlucar la Mayor, Seville.
We join in joy and thanksgiving for the gift of the vocations of these four young men, and wish them many years of service to the Church and to youth.

Colloquium
THE RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS AND FRENCH SOCIETY: MOVING INTO A NEW CENTURY
This meeting about the events in France in 1903 took place in Paris on 17-18 October, and was attended by some 850 people. Organized by the Conference of Major Superiors in France, whose General Secretary at the moment is Br Henri Vignau, it covered four themes: the Congregations and the State, facing up to the proscription, reintegration, and what a Congregation is today. Among the numerous highly qualified speakers, we must single out Br André Lanfrey, who spoke on the subject of his thesis: ?Secularization, separation, and the war for the schools.? This Colloquium enabled those taking part to review the historical and juridical interpretation of the events of 1903, with a view to being open to the present through being sensitive to the new challenges facing us.

International Office of Catholic Education
THE MARISTS BECOME ASSOCIATED MEMBERS
The directors of this Office, with its headquarters in Brussels, have admitted the Institute of the Marist Brothers as an Associated Member from 16 October. This is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with official non-governmental statutes, which has a formal consultation relationship with UNESCO and a similar one with UNICEF.

News from the Generalate
SECRETARY GENERAL
The Brothers of the General House paid tribute as they said goodbye to Br Richard Dunleavy, of the Province of New Zealand, who has served the Institute as Secretary General for the last four years. From the 8th September Br Jean Ronzon of the Province of the Hermitage, will take up his duties in this post.

Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruño
WHAT I OWE TO THE MARIST BROTHERS
Cardinal Quezada Toruño of Guatemala received his red biretta from the Pope on 21 October in St Peter?s Square. That evening he was greeted by a large number of people in the New Wing, close to the Sistine Chapel. Learning that one of those present was a Marist Brother, he said that he was a Former Pupil, and embraced the Brother, saying: ?I owe a lot to the Marist Brothers. They taught me to love God, to love Our Lady, and to love Guatemala.? The Cardinal was a key figure in the peace process in Guatemala, acting to reconcile the government and the National Revolutionary Union, and putting an end to the armed struggle which over a thirty year period had led to the death of 140,000 people, most of them civilians.

Marist Centre of Asia and the Pacific
CHANGE OF RECTOR
Br Karl Tapp of New Zealand has finished his period of office as Rector of MAPAC, the university centre near Manila, which takes in young Brothers from Asia and the Pacific area. He is succeeded as Rector by Br Pat Corpus, of the Philippines. The MAPAC community, together with the Superiors of the Asian and Pacific Provinces, held a farewell party for Br Karl, at which they thanked him for his dedication, his understanding, and his personal attention. On the following day, the new Rector was formally welcomed.

Late news
DEATH OF BR QUENTIN DUFFY
Br Quentin Duffy died on the 2nd November in Ashgrove, Australia, aged 88. He was born in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. He had been Provincial of Sydney, and later Vicar General for 18 years during the period of office of Br Basilio Rueda SG. His dedication and his gift for government were outstanding. The Statutes remind us that ?each community will have a Mass said, and will recite the Office of the Dead?. (55.1) The funeral Mass will be celebrated on 11th November in the chapel of St Joseph?s College, Sydney. May he rest in peace.

SED: Solidarity, Education, Development
WORK-MISSION 2003
A total of 94 people took part as volunteers in various works in the countries where this NGO (Non-governmental organization) has projects: Peru, Bolivia, Ghana, Honduras, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Kenya, Rwanda, El Salvador, Tanzania, Uruguay, and Ivory Coast. The time given by the volunteers varied from 15 to 45 days. The age range of the volunteers was 20 to 70, the majority being between 26 and 36. An important point is that 43% of those taking part had already experience of this work. 52.4% were teachers, 22.3% students, and 25.3% in other types of work.
The work done covers such areas as educational support, health, natural medicines, street children, community development, women?s education, setting up of educational and community infrastructures, training of teachers, and pastoral animation.
Finally we note that in Spain, six fields of work have been set up (Navalguijo Rubí, Santa Coloma, Pamplona, holidaymakers, immigrants, and Estella). 91 volunteers took part and worked with 415 people.

NEWS SNIPPETS
– The Year of the Rosary ended on 31 October. John Paul II invited us all to say this prayer by looking at Christ through the eyes of his Mother, and to offer it for peace in the world, and for the family.
– The Brothers have gone back to Monrovia, Liberia, to size up the situation, to examine the possibility of returning, and to arrange for the aspirants? Marist formation in Nigeria.
– Br Carlos Maria McEwan, 43, from Colombia, arrived in the District of West Africa with the aim of joining the Monrovia community.
– AVESOL, an NGO in Porto Alegre, Brazil, linked with the Marist Brothers, has started its own website: www.avesol.org.br
– A new community has started in Aguilar de Codés, Navarre, Spain, on the 12 October. Its work will consist of supporting the church?s ministry in the rural areas.
– The Fraternities of the Province of Central America had a meeting in San Salvador from 31 October to 2 November. There were about 100 people present.
– ?Passionate for Christ, compassionate for humanity ? Consecrated life in the 21st Century? is the theme of the Consecrated Life Conference to be held in Rome 23-27 November 2004, under the auspices of the Union of Superiors General (USG) and the International Union of Women Superiors General (UISG).
-Compostela, final steps on the road to restructuring. On 25 October there was a meeting of the community superiors of the Provinces of Castile, Leon, and Portugal, which will make up the new Province of Compostela.
– The 9th National Champagnat Meeting of the Marist Family of Mexico took place in San Juan de los Lagos from 17 to 19 October, with 120 taking part.
– The annual report of the Population Bureau of the UN points out that the planet has reached the highest number of adolescents in history, some 1.2 billion, a fifth of whom live in conditions of extreme poverty on less than 0.85 US$ per day.
– Number 100 of the Marist Bulletin sent out by the Communications Office of the Generalate in Rome has just been published. It is sent out by email to those who take out a free subscription at www.champagnat.org.
– The Marist Communications Service has just sent out a form to Provincials and District Superiors and to their secretaries with a view to setting up a Marist Correspondents Network.

MARIST BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS
– St Marcellin Champagnat. Letters received. Organized by Brs Ivo Antonio Strobino and Virgilio Josue Balestro. Editora Universitaria Champagnat. 458 pages.
– The formation of Marist directives in practice. Agustin Isla Lucio and Horatio Jose Maria Bustos. Gram Editora, Buenos Aires 2003. 255 pages.
– How to develop affectivity, self-esteem and attitudes in the school.. Jose Maria Valerio Garcia. Editorial PromoLibro, Valencia, 2003, 249 pages.
– Water for life. Prepared by a work group in Ecology of the promoters of Justice, peace, and the integrity of Creation, Roma, 2003.
– Marist Educational Style. Maristas Cataluña.
– The Educational Methodology in the Marist school. Maristas Cataluña.
– Personal Project for Life. Mexico Occidental. 2003.

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