The District of San Francisco New Orleans (SFNO) held its 2022 Mission Assembly July 10-14 at Mont La Salle, Napa, CA.
Over five days, Brother and Partner delegates worked to propose vision and priorities that will help guide SFNO’s direction, growth, and leadership for the next four years.
Fun and fellowship marked the start of the Assembly.
Months of planning by a committee led by co-chairs Leadership Formation Director Janell Kloosterman and Office of Education Director Michael Daniels came to fruition as the Assembly’s 42 Brother and Partner delegates arrived on July 10. While prepared by pre-Assembly information and orientation sessions, there still was a feeling of anticipation that the gathering was going to be unlike most that they had attended in the past.
Unlike the SFNO’s inaugural Mission Assembly in 2014, this gathering featured a more compact and focused design, the result of four years of a growing District identity and agenda. The difference did not go unappreciated.
“The Mission Assembly was even more exceptional than I had envisioned,” noted De La Salle Concord president David Holquin. “I had been a participant of previous Mission Assemblies and, for some reason, this one felt different; more prayerful, more deliberate, more inspiring. For whatever reason, it was a wonderfully moving, fruitful, and awe-inspiring time.”
Daily prayer often included time for faith sharing.
Included in these differences was the process for appointing delegates, one that opted for selecting persons who would bring the greatest familiarity and expertise in the specific issues contained within the Assembly’s six thematic areas.
“The knowledge and expertise of those attending the Assembly was impressive and inspiring,” said delegate Emily Heaverlo of La Salle High School. “My biggest takeaway from my experience was the care, concern, and energy by all of those in the room to create a mission and vision that would allow young Lasallians to feel a sense of belonging that could be carried through into our own ministries.”
After an opening evening of welcome, socializing, and settling in, the work of the delegates began in earnest the following morning. Keynote addresses by Brother Visitor Nick Gonzalez, FSC and Michael Daniels set the tone for the rest of the week. That afternoon, working in their thematic groups, the delegates began creating their vision statements, which would frame long-term goals for the District.
Delegates during one of the Assembly’s general sessions.
On July 12, vision statements were presented for input, refined, and brought to the Assembly for acceptance. That same day saw the beginning of the thematic groups’ work on directional statements. These would propose areas of need and priority for the District going forward for the next four years. The statements would be presented and then accepted by the Assembly the next day.
On July 14, the final day of the Assembly was hosted by Justin-Siena High School. After a final consideration and ratification of the Assembly’s work, the delegates heard closing remarks from Brother Nick and General Councilor Brother Chris Patiño, FSC. The Assembly closed with Mass and delegates commissioning ceremony.
A priority for the Assembly planning committee was that ample personal time be provided to the delegates. This allowed for quiet reflection and rest as well as for recreation and social gatherings. A number of delegates remarked that this and Mont La Salle’s setting contributed to the Assembly’s positive atmosphere.
Chairs (l-r) Br. David Caretti, Mike Daniels, and Janell Kloosterman.
The delegates also enjoyed a collection of morning and evening prayers that had been prepared by prayer and formation sub-committee members Kenenna Amuzie, Greg Kopra, Diahann Larson, Charlie Legendre, and Brother Chris Patiño. Also included was a special Assembly reflection by delegate Andrew Berkes of De La Salle Concord.
By Assembly’s end, the strengths of its different structure and organization had become apparent. It was difficult not to see that an impressive amount of work had been done in just a few short days. Commenting on this, former De La Salle New Orleans board chair Herb Anderson said, “I was not surprised by the level of commitment and leadership in the Assembly, but I was surprised by how much was accomplished in such a short period.”
Their duties completed, Assembly delegates’ thoughts turned to the takeaways and hopes that they would carry with them from the gathering.
Br. Nick (center) prepares to commission the delegates.
“The biggest point,” Anderson suggested, “is that children want to connect and the best way for us to help them understand and ultimately live the Lasallian mission is to hear and understand them in a way that they feel fulfilled.”
Holquin offered, “I hope that we truly become inclusive places of belonging for all; that we meet the needs of the adults in our midst so that they can meet the needs of our students; that we boldly and bravely be “radically available” to the needs and people in front of us and into the future.”
Added Heaverlo, “My hope is that the energy and zeal behind our mission and vision statements will be felt and maintained as the process continues on. The work is important and the need is now.”
“Each bring a single flame…”
In his closing remarks, Brother Nick acknowledged the invaluable work of the Assembly in ensuring the continued success of the District through today’s challenging times. “I feel,” he said, “as if we’ve had a reverse Pentecost; each bring a single flame from their community then together create a one huge conflagration…Were not our hearts burning as we heard threads in each group’s vision and direction: belonging, inclusion, healing. It’s God’s desire to heal our world. It is the Spirit that compels us into new action.”
The statements of the Mission Assembly were submitted for approval by the SFNO Brothers District Chapter, which convened its second session July 16-20 at Mont La Salle. Next week: a report on the District Chapter.
