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Manila Standard Today
September 29, 2014

Brother Robert Schieler, FSC, who has served for the past seven years as General Councilor for the Lasallian Region of North America (RELAN), was elected Superior General at the 45th General Chapter on May 20, 2014. He is the 27th successor of St. John Baptist de La Salle.
Effective immediately, Brother Robert is now leading the largest order of religious Brothers in the Church dedicated to education. He follows Brother Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, FSC, who served as Superior General for 14 years.

Brother Robert, who is from the District of Eastern North America, is the third American Brother to serve as Superior General. Brother Charles Henry Buttimer, FSC, became the first American Superior General in 1966. Brother John Johnston, FSC, became the second in 1986.

La Salle University alumnus Brother Robert Schieler, F.S.C., has been elected Superior General of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools during the order’s 45th General Chapter in Rome. He is the 27th successor of St. John Baptist de La Salle, who founded the order in 17th-century France. A Philadelphia native, Br. Robert also formerly served as a La Salle University Trustee. La Salle  University
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Br. Robert now leads the Catholic Church’s largest order of religious Brothers dedicated to education. He follows Brother Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, F.S.C., who served as Superior General for 14 years.

A Philadelphia native, Br. Robert earned a bachelor’s degree in history from La Salle University in 1972. His first assignment was as a teacher at La Salle College High School from 1972 to 1975.
Br. Ricky Laguda FSC for being elected as one of the General Councilors for the five Regions in which the Institute of Brothers is divided. Br. Ricky is the General Councilor for PARC Region (Asia) and the concurrent President of De La Salle University in Manila.

Councilor General
Born in 1969 in Bacolod City, Br. Angel Ricardo Laguda FSC, or more popularly known as Br. Ricky, completed his formation in Manila and Lipa City and made his final vows in the year 1999. He has earned B.A. in Philosophy, a Master of Arts in Education, a degree in Philosophy, Religious Education and a Ph. D. in Education. Prior to his assignment as the DLSU President, he was appointed as Sector Leader in the Philippines.

Together with Br. Ricky are Br. Pierre Saïdou Ouattara FSC for RELAF Region (Africa), Br. Paulo Petry FSC for RELAL Region (Latin America), Br. Aidan Illtyd Kilty FSC for RELEM Region (Europe and Middle East), and Br. Timothy Coldwell FSC for RELAN Region (U.S. and Canada).

The Institute of Brothers of the Christian Schools has elected General Councilors following the appointment of Br. Robert Schieler as Superior General and Brother Jorge Gallardo as Vicar General during the 45th General Chapter in Rome.
‘We could not be more pleased with Brother Robert’s election as Superior General,” said La Salle University President Brother Michael J. McGinniss, F.S.C. “Brother Robert is extremely well-respected here at La Salle University and by Christian Brothers around the world. We have seen his faithfulness and dedication at work in our own community, and I have no doubt that he will be an excellent leader for the worldwide Lasallian community.”

For the past seven years, Br. Robert served as General Councilor for the Lasallian Region of North America (RELAN) in Washington, D.C. Before that post, Br. Robert was the Director of Education for the Brothers’ United States-Toronto Region. In that capacity, he developed, coordinated, and directed national educational formation programs for teachers and Brothers in the 104 Lasallian schools across the country. He also served as Executive Secretary of the Regional Education Board and the Lasallian Association of College and University Presidents. Prior to those roles, Br. Robert served for seven years as Auxiliary Visitor and Director of Education for the Baltimore District. He served in the Philippines for 11 years in a variety of administrative positions, from Assistant Principal to Superintendent of Schools.

Br. Robert joined the Christian Brothers on Sept. 1, 1968, in Ammendale, Md., and professed his final vows in 1979. He was first introduced to the Brothers as a student at West Catholic Boys High School (now West Catholic Preparatory High School) in Philadelphia. He holds master’s degrees in European history from the University of Notre Dame and in Asian studies from the University of the Philippines, as well as a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

He is the third American Brother to serve as Superior General. Brother Charles Henry Buttimer, F.S.C., became the first American Superior General in 1966. Brother John Johnston, F.S.C., became the second in 1986.
Br. Angel Ricardo Laguda FSC, De La Salle University-Manila President-Chancellor, was elected as the new Pacific-Asia Regional Conference General Councilor of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, as released by LaSalle.org, May 22.

According to web release, the Delegates to the 45th Chapter proceeded to the election of the General Councilors for the five Regions, in which the Institute is divided, after the  election of Br. Robert Schieler as Superior General and Br. Jorge Gallardo as Vicar General.

In his message on May 27 in the official Facebook page of DLSU-M, Br. “Ricky” Laguda disclosed that “this new assignment and ministry requires him to ‘let go’ of his current position and ministry in DLSU.”

Br. Laguda is the fourth Filipino Brother to be elected as General Councilor for Asia; the preceding brothers were University of St. La Salle President-Chancellor Br. Raymundo Suplido, Br, Benildo Feliciano and Br. Victor Franco.

Br. Laguda added in his message that he will continue to be in DLSU until the third week of August and assured the community that he will “meet with the DLSU leadership team regularly to ensure that University operations will continue to respond to the varied requirements of being a Lasallian University.”

Elected together with Br. Laguda in the General council were Br. Pierre Saïdou Ouattara for the RELAF Region (Africa), Br. Paulo Petry for RELAL Region (Latin America), Br. Aidan Illtyd Kilty for RELEM Region (Europe and Middle East) and Br. Timothy Coldwell for RELAN Region: (U.S. and Canada).