MARIST WORLD HEADQUARTERS HOSTS INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
A General Chapter and a course for Provincial Economes being held here

VILLA EUR HOSTS ANOTHER GENERAL CHAPTER
Following on from our own General Chapter last year, the Congregation of Christian Brothers (CFC) is now holding its General Chapter at Villa Eur during this month of March. They have 90 Brothers in residence, 62 delegates and the remainder support staff. The Brothers invited a group of lay people representing the Edmund Rice Family from various countries to be with them during the first 10 days of their Chapter.
200th Anniversary of their Foundation
Here in our house and chapel the Congregation also celebrated the 200th anniversary of its foundation by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Superior General and Council of the Presentation Brothers (a smaller Congregation originally part of the Christian Brothers) were also on hand to share in this commemoration and thanksgiving. Brother Seán and our Generalate community will host a simple reception on the feast of St Joseph to welcome the Christian Brothers and honor their bicentenary. The Brothers have expressed their great delight with the facilities. We invite all Marists to pray for the Christian Brothers as they commence their 3rd century of religious life and shared mission in the education of youth today.
Villa Eur looks forward to welcoming more Religious Congregations for such important events in the future.

COURSE FOR PROVINCIAL ECONOMES
From March 6th to the 21st, a course for French-speaking Provincial Economes is being held at our General House. This session is under the auspices of the Association of French and English- speaking General Economes in Rome. There are 43 participants ? brothers, sisters, and priests ?who work in 19 different countries and come from 15. Included in the group are three Marist brothers, Fidèle from Madagascar, Alphonse Gahima from Rwanda, and Masumbuko from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Every day from 9 to 1 participants receive basic instruction in accounting methods. Afternoons are set aside for conferences on subjects relating to financial management. Br. Yvon Bédard, our Econome General takes care of the accounting classes. Yvon is the Association?s resource person in this field. He is presenting this course for the third time. Last year?s training session, for English-speaking Economes, was also held at the General House.

Complex political picture
SITUATION IN MADAGASCAR
Since the presidential election on December 16, 2001, the overall situation in Madagascar has been causing worry. After people swore in Marc Ravalomanana as their new President on February 22nd, Madagascar wound up with two governments operating out of two capitals. Society, education, and above all the economy are paying a heavy price. In the capital, Antananarivo, as well as in three other big cities on the upper plateaus, Antsirabe, Ambositra and Fianarantsoa, schools were closed for two months. Finally on March 12th, after the Ravalomanana government established control, students started back to class in these cities, where the Marist Brothers run three secondary schools and one other school. Given the political instability in the country right now, vigilance is the order of the day. Anything can happen!

GOMA – CLASSES START UP AGAIN
Classes began again on February 25th. Happiness in returning was tempered by the desolate landscape blanketed with layers of volcanic lava. By early March all but 40 out of over 1300 students enrolled at Mwanga Institute had returned to school. Already 10 tent structures have been erected on the school grounds and there are plans to acquire more of these and transport them from Nairobi, Kenya, about 2000 kms (1200 miles) away. A large number of books and school supplies are beginning to arrive at the Institute.

SPECIAL COMMISSION – GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
From February 18th to the 22nd, a special 3-man Commission appointed by Br. Sean Sammon held interviews with members of the General Administration community. The group convened to study ways to improve the services rendered by the Administration community for the life and mission of our Institute, and submit its recommendations to the General Council.
The members of the Commision were Brothers Clemente Juliatto, Rector of the Catholic Pontifical University of Curitiba, Brazil, PhD in Business Administration from Columbia University in New York; Antonio Martínez, Provincial of Norte for 9 years and a former Executive Director of Luis Vives Printers and Publishers in Spain; and John Klein, Provincial of Esopus 6 years and a past President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) in the United States.

BROTHER ALFANO?S ANNIVERSARY – SAINTLY ITALIAN MARIST
On March 1st the Brothers of the San Leone Magno secondary school community in Rome shared prayer and a meal together with the General Administration community in remembrance of the anniversary of the birth of Br. Alfano (Giuseppe Carlo Vaser, 1873-1943). His remains are kept in the chapel at the school. His cause for sainthood has been introduced at the Vatican.

MARIST GENERAL COUNCIL MEETS IN ROME – PLENARY SESSIONS BEGIN
Having completed several months of studies in Spanish and English, the General Councilors have returned to Rome and today begin their plenary sessions.

Edited by the Vatican?s Fabric of St. Peter
SAN MARCELINO CHAMPAGNAT, A GIANT OF LOVE
The Vatican has just published Jiménez Deredia at the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican. ST. MARCELLIN CHAMPAGNAT, A GIANT OF LOVE. His Story. The Genesis of Culture, a book on art that also includes a biography of the Saint written by Brother Lluís Serra. In addition the book contains a large collection of photographs of the statue of Champagnat found at St. Peter?s Basilica. Copies of the book will soon be shipped to Provinces that ordered them.

Signs of life
YOUNG MEN SAY A DECISIVE ?YES? TO PERPETUAL PROFESSION
After several years of professing temporary vows, 32 Brothers made their perpetual profession in 2001. Their decisive ?Yes? is a great reason for the Institute to rejoice and pray in thanksgiving to the Lord and our Good Mother

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