RELAN District Visitors: Bro. Fernando Lambert (Canada Francophone), Bro. Stanislaus Campbell (representing Bro. Donald Johanson, San Francisco), Bro. Timothy Coldwell (New Orleans-Santa Fe), Bro. Dennis Malloy (District of Eastern North America) and Bro. Larry Schatz (Midwest).
The radiance of the sun in Laval, Montreal on Saturday, the 19th of May 2012, was rivaled only by the joy and excitement that filled the hearts of Lasallians who were present for the inauguration of the new RELAN (Région Lasallienne de l’Amérique du Nord/Lasallian Region of North America) at De La Salle Residence. Brothers and Associates from all around Canada Francophone were joined by a representation from the Institute led by Superior General Brother Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría and the District Visitors from the USAT Region. In the spirit of solidarity they celebrated the coming together of five Districts of the Institute in North America.
To the tune of “Toi + Moi,”1 the gala event began with a lively and spirited program that recognized Brothers and Associates in the Canada Francophone District who have devoted themselves to the Lasallian mission. This was followed by the formal ritual celebrating the creation of RELAN with the signing of the documents. In his keynote address, Superior General Brother Álvaro cited the most important aspect of the management of the new RELAN—that it “can respond better and with renewed structures to all the challenges facing us on the one hand from the decrease in the number of Brothers and on the contribution of those Lay Lasallians who wish to share our charism, without closing the door to the new vocations to the Brotherhood, in such a way that we may be able to go on being what the document Vita Consecrata calls ‘a prolongation of the history of a special presence of the Risen Lord’ (VC 19).” In closing, Bro. Álvaro said the creation of RELAN is an occasion “for looking together in the same direction: to be instruments of salvation for the young.”
Click here to view the inauguration video.
1Pop song by French singer Grégoire.
Signing of 
the document creating RELAN: Brother Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, General Councilor Brother Robert Schieler and General Councilor Brother Claude Reinhardt.