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 News of the Institute and Lasallian Family
Rome, June 17, 2004
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 De
La Salle University, Bajío, Mexico: On June 2, 2004, De La Salle
University, Bajío, inaugurated Saint John Baptist de La Salle Square on
the campus property. Local authorities, directors, coordinators,
administrative personnel and many university students attended the
ceremony. For further information see their web site:
http://bajio.delasalle.edu.mx/.
(Br. Donald Johanson)
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 Philippines'
De La Salle Brother Vocation Director Visits UNIKA Manado: Brother
Allan Buenavista FSC, the Vocation Director of the Philippines District
of the De La Salle Brothers, recently visited Manado (April 19 to May
10, 2004) to organize programs for the members of UNIKA's Young
Lasallian Corps (YLC). He conducted an overnight retreat with the
members of the YLC and had a day's session with UNIKA's first graduating
students. He also led a colloquium on the topic, "Lasallians: Agents for
Social Transformation".
During a meeting with the University Rector, Brother Allan submitted a
proposal to establish an office, Center for Lasallian Formation, to
ensure that UNIKA would strengthen its Lasallian character and that both
students and staff of UNIKA would imbibe the Lasallian Spirit of Faith,
Service, and Community (FSC) and live it in their daily lives.
Brother Allan hails from Bukidnon province of Mindanao, Philippines. He
spent the past three years doing missionary work in Papua New Guinea and
is now presently assigned at La Salle Green Hills in Metro Manila,
Philippines.
(Gene Tianco)
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 100
YEARS OF LASALLIAN PRESENCE IN PANAMA 1994 - 2004:
 RECOGNITION
BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PANAMA CITY
The Panama City Mayor's Office delivered a certificate of recognition to
Colegio La Salle, for its 100 years of teaching in the country and for
having become a bastion in Panamanian educational circles. The
distinction was received from the hands of the mayor, Juan Carlos
Navarro, by Brother Honorio Belza, Visitor, in the presence of Brother
Edgardo Quesada, the Director of the school, and of Mrs. Carlota de
Allen, the President of the Parents' Association. A group of Brothers
were in attendance from Panama City and from Colón, as well as were the
teaching staff and administration and part of the student body. The
event took place in the school's auditorium.
  DECORATED
WITH THE ORDER OF "JOSÉ DANIEL CRESPO"
The one-hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the Brothers of the
Christian Schools in Panama was recognized by the government of
President Mireya Moscoso, through the Ministry of Education. The Order
of José Daniel Crespo was awarded to the Brothers in a ceremony that was
held in the Peace Room of the Garzas Palace, the seat of the Presidency
of the Republic, in the historical Casco Antiguo. The Brothers of the
Christian Schools, explained the Minister for Education Doris Rosas de
Mata, extended their "beneficial activity throughout the country, first
as pioneers in public education and later by running private schools of
great national renown." The first didactic seeds that they sewed,
beginning in 1904, were the Normal School for Men, followed soon
afterwards by the Superior School for Men.
These were eras in which the country, in its desperation to come out of
a backward state, was fighting to eradicate unhealthy conditions, to
gain self-respect as a nation, and to achieve international recognition
because two flags were flying in only one territory. The Minister of
Education, Doris Rosas de Mata explained that the Brothers "opened roads
for a democratic life and for the social demands of the people."
The Brother Provincial, Honorio Belza, representing the Brothers of
Panama, received the Order of José Daniel Crespo. This decoration "was
devoted to the handful of missionary Brothers who, one-hundred years
ago, in 1904, took on the administration of the Normal School, the
Superior School, and the School for Indigenous Children. They also
assumed the direction of schools in the San Felipe and the Taboga
neighborhoods..."
 RECOGNITION
BY THE PANAMANIAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
A few days afterwards, the Legislative Assembly awarded a certificate
which also recognized the educational efforts of the Brothers over the
course of these 100 years. Mr. Edwin Cabrera, Secretary General of the
Legislative Assembly, stated publicly: "Let our first lines express to
the community of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, our recognition
for their momentous contribution to Panamanian education in the
intellectual formation of a great number of distinguished Panamanians
since 1904." There followed the handing over of the Resolution which
reflected the sentiment of entire Parliament, which was delivered by Mr.
Ameglio, a legislator.
BEGINNING
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS
 Both
in Panama City and in Colón the centennial celebrations began on May 14
and they will continue until May 15, 2005. The students had a morning
devoted to sports on the morning of May 14. The day ended with a supper
which included Brothers and lay teachers, parents, Signum Fidei members
and the administrative team. May 15 was the day for former students, and
a liturgy of thanksgiving, presided by one of the Auxiliary Bishops,
concluded the day. Bishop Ulloa was assisted by several priests who were
former students of our school. After the liturgy there was a very
pleasant exchange among the various generations who were represented,
and this exchange was made all the more enjoyable by a performance of
the La Salle student music group.
Today, in 2004, we want to draw nearer to all the members of this great
Lasallian Family: Brothers, lay teachers, parents, former students,
current students, administrators, members of Signum Fidei, chaplains,
staff, collaborators, youth movements and all our Lasallian friends, to
give them all a warm embrace under the motto "Knowledge and Virtue," which unites all of us, and at the same time we want to express to them
our thanks for the collaboration that they offer to us in forming good
Christian men and women and for the trust that they have shown us
throughout the years during which the Institute has served the country.
(Br. Edgardo Quesada G) |
 Brother
Alvaro meets the youth movement working in the Lasallian schools of
Lebanon, the 3rd of April 2004: During his visit to Lebanon,
Br. Alvaro superior general, met the youth movement working in the
Lasallian schools of Lebanon. The meeting was prepared by the LCYL
(Lebanese Commission of Young Lasallian). Br. Alvaro shared the Lebanese
young people his wishes of peace to the region, and once again insisted
that being a Lasallian means living in community of values, service, and
education to help up the poor children. Also in a brief dialogue with
them he asked the youth to have a life of faith that could shine
wherever they are working. The meeting ended with a brief word from
Br. Georges Absi, Visitor of the Middle East district, and a word from
Toni Moussa member of the ICYL (International Council of Young
Lasallians). The young people where also invited to participate in walk
organized by the LCYL to the holy valley of Quadisha on the first of
May.
 The
Lasallian movements of Lebanon walk towards Mary: On the 1st of May
2004, and as a first step toward collaboration and communication, the LCYL
(Lebanese Commission of Young Lasallian) invited the young movement
working in the Lasallian schools of Lebanon to participate in a pilgrim
walk towards Mary in the holy valley of Quadisha. Sixty young people where
present. They walked together from 6 different movements of young people working
in De La Salle schools. They expressed their deep wish to work
together and to exchange experiences among themselves. To help them do
this,
the district asked the LCYL to prepare the first regional gathering of
Young Lasallian between the 22 and the 27 of July 2004.
(ICYL) |
Our warmest congratulations to Brothers Lorenzo González Kipper and
Edwin Arteaga Tobón for their Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees:
 Br.
Lorenzo earned his Doctorate in April 30th 2004 at the University of
Montemorelos (Mexico) with his thesis: "Levels of sharing in the Lasallian
associative network in Latin America and Spain." He was awarded a Ph.D.
in Education - (With emphasis in Educational Administration). Br.
Lorenzo is the Secretary General of the Institute in Rome.
 Br.
Edwin defended his thesis at the [UPB] Pontifical University in Medellín,
Colombia, on April 29th 2004 and was awarded a Ph.D. Doctorate in
Theology with his thesis titled: "They will look for the road to Sion (Jer
50.5): New soteriological approaches to the Jewish-Christian dialogue." Br. Edwin is the Archivist of the Institute in Rome.
(Br. Donald Johanson) |
 Lasallian Teachers' Day, De la Salle University, Bogota,
Colombia: Last May 14, Friday, there was a celebration honoring
Lasallian Teachers, in honor of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, the "Universal Patron of Teachers." The special program for the day included
a floral offering, a festive liturgy presided by Cardinal Pedro Rubiano
Saenz, the Archbishop of Bogota. This took place in the Our Lady of the
Star Church at the Chapinero campus. Later on that evening, there was an
academic event during which teachers who had taught in the university
for 20 years were honored. The rector of the University, Brother Faio
Gallegeo Arias, gave a talk which highlighted events in the life and
work of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the tremendous impact he had
on the education of children and the young as a result of his founding
the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He also stressed
the applications of universal education where the Institute is present
on five continents.
(Brother Edgar Figueroa Abrajim) |
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