It’s Official: We Are Setting Out For a New Path

Brother Visitors and those responsible for the Lasallian Educational Mission (MEL) in RELEM have agreed: “Doing nothing is not an option.”

At the joint meeting of the Visitors’ Conference and the RELEM MEL Council held between March 10-14 in Rome, there was a shared commitment for a journey of transformation—rooted in tradition yet open to a broader horizon.

At this meeting, the District of Ireland, Great Britain and Malta was represented by the Brother Visitor Ben Hanlon, Auxiliary Visitors Michael Curran and Thomas Walsh (IGBM members of the Visitors’ Conference), and Joseph Gilson (IGBM member of the RELEM MEL Council).

Through prayer, reflection, dialogue, and a commitment to renewal, the demographic and leadership challenges facing RELEM were acknowledged and a new shared direction of travel agreed: a process of conversion and cooperation leading to the restructuring of the RELEM into two Districts and three complementary MEL networks by June 2027.

The next two years will be intensely marked by meetings, new relationships, decisions, experiences, trials, and hopes. But above all, they must be lived and shared. No one should feel left out. Every voice must be heard in shaping the best way forward. All Lasallians, within their own abilities and limitations, are being called to embark on this synodal journey in solidarity and communion.

This evolving path begins in Lent 2025, guided by our shared trust that the Lasallian Institute and Mission remain essential—serving every child, young person, and adult in need across RELEM.

Included is the Communiqué informing all Lasallians of this shared goal. Moving forward, the RELEM Team invites you to contribute by sharing stories of experiences, vocational journeys, and missionary initiatives on relem@lasalle.org.