Greeting from Lasalle Sisters in Viet Nam: We are now working at our kindergarten teaching about 60-70 children from 2-5 years old.

At Nha Trang , the house for students which the Institute and the District of Holland helped us build, we have 2 third year students (one Sister and one Postulant), 5 second year students and 1 first year along with our Sister Superior, who cares for them, in all there are 9 of us at Nha Trang.

On June 12, 2004 we had 4 Sisters make their first Vows and on July 11, 2004 we also welcomed 12 Novices. The Mass was celebrated at our Chapel which the Brothers of San Francisco helped us to build in 1999 – 2000. Since 2000 we haven't had to borrow the Chapel of the retired Brothers in Mai Than. We are grateful to your help, thank you very much. Please pray for us and don't forget us.
^{(From a letter of Sr. Madeleine Vu Yen Tho LS.S to the Superior General)}

For each Lasallian Saint, holy day, and important event, a variety of prayers, prayer services, Eucharist readings and lesson plans are provided in English at http://www.brothersvocation.org/URL/saintsdaysm.htm, the web site of the USA/Toronto Region vocations site. Check out the site and feel free to help complete the list by clicking on submit an item on the page. Congratulations to the USA/Toronto Region for a job well done.
^{(Br. Donald Johanson)}

3rd PARC Accompaniment Session for Directors and Formators – July 24th-Aug 15th 2004: The third Accompaniment Session for Directors and Formators was organised by PARC at the Redemptorist Centre in Pattaya, Thailand. The Session had a two-fold purpose, the acquisition of accompaniment skills and an invitation to personal renewal, but besides addressing these important aims it also provided a wonderful opportunity for Brothers to experience something of the internationality and cultural diversity of the Institute. Twenty Brothers from nine PARC Sectors, along with two Gabrielite Brothers from their Malaysian Province, attended the three-week Session that was characterised by a great fraternal spirit and openness. The three-week Session was co-ordinated by a team of Brothers led by Bro. Aidan Kilty (Formation Secretary) and was organised as follows:

Week One: Accompaniment Skills for Directors and Formators
Week Two: “A way of spiritual growth and prayer through journalling”
Week Three: Directed Retreat through Journalling

The last two days of the Session were used as “integration days” during which the participants were encouraged to indicate what practical steps they would take – either for their own spiritual nourishment or in their capacity as Director or Formator - when they returned to their communities.

The Session finished with a celebratory meal in Pattaya to which all the Brothers and Sisters of the Delegation were invited. As in previous Sessions, an essential element in the success of the programme was the wonderful hospitality of the Thai Delegation. The generous contribution of Bro. Joseph Klong, both before and during the Session, was invaluable as was the willingness of different Brothers and Sisters from the Thai Delegation to attend to the travel needs of both participants and Staff. It was also a model of Lasallian hospitality and availability for which all were most grateful.
^{(Br. Aidan Kilty)}

The portrait of St. John Baptist de La Salle called “LARRESSORE” has been found:

The following is a quote from Cahier Lasallien No.49, 1979.

“A note and a photograph from the Archives of the Mother House makes reference to a picture which, at the time, was kept in the village of Larressore in the département of Pyrénées-Atlantique, in France. It was probably brought there from Paris around 1736 when Monsieur Daguerre, founder of the seminary, went to the capital to ask for help for his work. He put together on that occasion a collection of paintings mainly dealing with the education of children. The portrait of the Founder could not fail to be among these.

In this skilfully executed oil-painting, the saint is in his priestly vestments saying Mass before a missal open at the words ‘Sinite parvulos venire ad me’.

It is one of the rare copies of the beautiful portrait of the saint made after his death by Du Phly…”.

“We have since lost track of it and all we have is a photo of poor quality to give us some idea of it.” (Extract from Cahier Lasallien No.49 Iconography of St. John Baptist de La Salle published in 1979)

In 2002, the Director of the Catholic college of Ustaritz, Monsieur Christian Dupin, wishing to put some order in his archives, climbed up to the college attic. Among lots of old objects, he found a large golden frame containing a dusty picture in which one could make out a priest wearing sacerdotal vestments from before the Council and praying before a crucifix and a large missal open at the text “Sinite parvulos venire ad me”. Intrigued and remembering the story of St. John Baptist De La Salle known by him when he was in charge of Pastoral Ministry for Students at the La Salle College in Bayonne and also during his training in the French Lasallian Centre, he contacted the Community of St. Bernard. Everything became clear when someone consulted Cahier Lasallien No.49, Iconography of St. John Baptist de La Salle: it was in fact the picture lost in 1909. Monsieur Christian Dupin gave it to the Brothers’ Community in Bayonne.

This picture was restored in 2003-2004 in Lyon and given back to the Community where it has been placed in a prominent position in the community room. Legally it belongs to the Diocese of Bayonne following an agreement signed between the Institute, represented by Br. Jacques D’Huiteau (a native of Bayonne), Regional Superior for France, and Mgr. Pierre Moleres, Bishop of Bayonne.

A photo (40x50cm.) may be obtained from:

Communauté des Frères d’Aguerria
B.P. 31 64130 MAULEON
FRANCE

Cost: On canvas €52 postage included
On glazed paper €40 postage included.
^{( Mauléon, 25/06/04, Frère R. Blanchar)}

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