IGBM honoured with three key Institute appointments
Three members of the District of Ireland, Great Britain and Malta will help shape the future of the Lasallian Mission both locally and globally after being honoured with invitations to serve on Institute Commissions and Offices.
Heather Ruple, Mariella Vella and Br. Aidan Kilty have been asked to lend their expertise and passion to the search for new models of governance and new pathways for the Lasallian Mission, prompted by the vision and goals articulated by the 46th General Chapter and III AIMEL.
Superior General Br. Armin Luistro revealed in a letter to all Lasallians that Heather will serve on the Commission on Association, and Mariella on the Commission on Formation, while Br. Aidan will head up the Office on Safeguarding and Integrity.
The key roles being taken up by the trio once again underline the commitment to the Lasallian Mission and how highly regarded our voice is at Institute level.
On an individual basis, the appointments service as a recognition of the experience, knowledge and enthusiasm that each of the trio has brought to the Lasallian Mission for many years.
Mariella Vella
While Mariella admitted that the invitation came as a great surprise, she is a natural choice for the position after working as a teacher and principal for 40 years, and having served on many committees in the District, she is currently the Co-ordinator of Formation in Malta.
It is a role she was delighted to accept and is very much looking forward to helping develop what she sees as a crucial part of the Lasallian Mission.
“I am honoured to be part of this team alongside Br. Eder Polido FSC (Brazil) and Philippe Dulawan (Australia) as I believe the concept of Formation is critical to the future of the Lasallian Mission. I have always had a passion for Formation, going back to 1999 when Br Dominic asked me to get involved”, explained Mariella, who will serve for a three-year term.
“I am really looking forward to getting started as it is wonderful being part of a global initiative and seeing the bigger picture. I think we all have so much to learn from each other, see each other’s perspective and shed a new light on different issues.
“Although there is a global focus for this Commission, I am very much looking at it in terms of how this can be of service to the District and at micro-level to the schools. I am very keen to make sure that the benefit of decisions made at Institute level reach the schools as I believe that is key to the work we are doing”, Mariella added.
Meanwhile, Heather Ruple has been recognised for all her wonderful work over many years with an invitation to head up the Commission on Association and IGBM’s Co-ordinator of Lasallian Vocation was delighted to accept.
Heather Ruple
“I feel very honoured to continue my work with the global Lasallian Family in the area of Association as Chair of the Commission on Association. I am joined by two wonderful Lasallians, Ms Edith Touvi (Togo) and Brother David Garcia (Mexico).
“We will be working hard to surface current and future needs of Association for Mission. Part of our work will include making recommendations in order to support all members of the Lasallian Family in the unfolding journey of Association”, explained Heather.
“It is exciting to be a part of the new One La Salle governance model. The structure of the Commissions will allow more agility in responding to needs in Districts and Regions. The various Commissions hope to serve as bridges within the Lasallian Family.
“We are undertaking this new structure and responsibility with great zeal, faith, and hope in order to live into the dream of the 46th General Chapter that ‘We are one Lasallian Family, with diverse vocations; leaven for a more fraternal world, sent forth to encounter God in those who are poor, and to promote justice’", she added.
The third position for our District sees Br. Aidan Kilty appointed to co-ordinate the Institute’s Office of Safeguarding and Integrity. The role of the Office is to support all Districts in the Institute in their local work of ensuring that all necessary protocols for the protection of children and vulnerable adults are in place and that, in particular, the support of victims is prioritised in District policies.
This important work of Safeguarding, in all its dimensions, is both a Gospel imperative and a reflection of the Lasallian charism to care for those “confided to our care” in all of our District ministries. For the most part, Br. Aidan will work from Oxford with occasional visits to Rome for consultations and participation in international Safeguarding sessions on behalf of the Institute. He is delighted and very grateful for the excellent work of the Safeguarding Co-ordinators in the three countries of our District who, over many years, have developed excellent policies in line with local civil laws and ecclesiastical orientations.