From June 3 to 6, the “II Brazilian Congress of Claretian Educators” took place in Batatais (Brazil) with the theme: “O Educador Claretiano e os atuais desafios educacionais: buscas e alternativas”.

About 350 educators participated from the different Claretian education centres of Brazil. This was an extraordinary fan of formation,

knowledge and interchange of opinions which helps the teachers of our education centres speak in the same language, and also stimulate a milieu of fraternity and Claretian identity.

The Congress was a framework for the celebration of the 40 years of the creation of the Higher School of Physical Education. On this occasion, the evening of June 5 a well-deserved homage was rendered to Fr. Sergio Ibanor Piva, cmf, the architect of this small seed planted 40 years ago, which has grown today to become the Claretian University Centre, with more than ten thousand students, the majority of which are in the Education on line modality. The Claretians have been the pioneers of this modality in Brazil and have recently received recognitions from the National Education Ministry. According to Fr. Sergio this is also the celebration of the first higher education program in the Congregation with state recognition.

Fr. Agustín Monroy, General Prefect of Apostolate, was present on behalf of the General Government. In its name and in the name of the whole Congregation, he expressed his joy and gratitude to the Province of Brazil for this important missionary project which, through the education on line, lets thousands of persons finally have access to higher education.

Their great generosity is also praiseworthy for putting at the disposal of the congregation all their experience and technology. We must say that Organisms like Colombia, Argentina, Chile and China, among others, have received the permanent support of the Claretian University Centre.