SYDNEY – AUSTRALIA – “Lasallian Encounter”: Lasallian Youth Leaders (LYL’s) from five of the Sydney metropolitan senior colleges met on Wednesday November 8th at LaSalle Catholic College, Bankstown for a new initiative of the District’s Lasallian Youth Ministry Team “Lasallian Encounter”.

Led by the Director of Vocations & Youth Ministry, Br. Mark McKeon and his team of Lasallian Youth Ministers, James Camden and Darren Perrett, the workshop involved further training for students in their school youth ministry environments and the opportunity to meet and share their Lasallian experience with students from other schools.

The student LYL’s were put through a range of activities such as undertaking listening exercises, preparing improvised testimonies, facilitating small groups, controlling large groups, giving instructions and furthering their understanding of what it is to be a leader, especially to the younger students, in a Lasallian school. All of these skills will be used as they facilitate the retreats and reflection days in their schools over 2007.

Lasallian Encounter also gave students information on upcoming events for the PARC District such as Lasallian Youth Gathering (Melbourne 2007), APLYC (Singapore 2007), Lasallian International Youth Gathering (Melbourne 2008) as well as our Share the Mission program and Balgo Hills Summer Camps..
^{(James Camden, Lasallian Youth Minister, Oakhill College, Castle Hill - jcamden@oakhill.nsw.edu.au)}

Manado – Indonesia - Third graduation ceremony:  At the moment we are 5 De La Salle Brothers (3 “full” timers & 2 “part” timers) to form a small religious community inside of the campus (De La Salle University-Manado). We are doing some advisory, teaching, counseling and IT jobs here but not running the administration. I think the motto “Brothers without Borders” is the new Sign of the Time or the healthy “globalization” among people on earth. We are coming from 5 different nationalities and cultures (Australia, Malta, Philippines, Ski Lanka and Vietnam) to be with the Indonesian people where the majorities are still the Muslims and other Christians denominations. The only Catholic University in the island of Sulawesi is an attempt of the local bishop to bring a better, tertiary and Catholic education to his flocks with the help of the De La Salle  Brothers. We accept all students of different faiths and together we work closely with the local staff in the real spirit of Lasallian Mission.

Saturday, the 11th of November was the graduation ceremony for our students. It was the third time since the foundation of this institution in Manado. It was an occasion of successful achievement of our students, their parents, the staff of the University and the quiet contribution of the De La Salle Brothers.

A last comment: there is still plenty of “vacant” jobs for any Brothers or Lasallian volunteers to join this campus for any length of time; just come, see us here and enjoy the stay. Please contact Bro. David Hawke to get any further information (parcdls@singnet.com.sg or fax: 65 6440 5209).
^{(Br. Benilde Tin)}

Mandaluyong City – Philippines - Life, Love and Loss: On November 2nd Br. Rafael S Donato, the Auxiliary Visitor of Philippines died tragically by drowning. Here some passages of the homily given during Br. Rafael Donato’s Funeral.

“As Joan Chittister writes, “Ecclesiastes invites us to see life as a mosaic made up of small pieces of human experience common to us all but lived uniquely by each one of us; it calls us to the universals of life so that we can understand it before we lose it, enjoy it before we miss it.” Rafael Serafin Donato understood this very well and enjoyed every giddy part of life.  “Death is more universal than life,” a writer once wrote.  “Everyone dies but not everyone lives”.  Rafe lived life joyfully, lovingly, fully.  He lived it as it was meant to be lived.  He knew that Life demanded much but also gave much to the generous.  He epitomized the faithful and prudent manager in our Gospel:  “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”  Indeed, Rafe was given much and he gave back according to his vows, “to procure your glory as far as I am able and as you will require of me.”

His obedience was truly inspiring.  For one who had been President of several schools, who had been Visitor, who had enjoyed so much authority, for one who was a giant in the District, he could have dodged another assignment and simply retired.  I was actually stunned when he accepted, on the spot, his assignment to be Auxiliary Visitor.

Together with Gabriel Connon, Andrew Gonzalez and Benildo Feliciano, Rafe may be the last of the Master Builders, the end of a generation. These are the Brothers who greatly expanded our ministry, strengthened our institutions and professionalized our systems.  What Gabe and Andrew did for DLSU and Benildo for the District, Rafe did for the other early institutions.  We who come after them could only follow their tradition and example.

Let us peel away the profound sadness that we feel today and reveal that underneath all the sorrow is the joy that is Rafe’s homecoming.  I am certain Rafe would want it that way.  We cannot hold on to Rafe, much as we may want to.  As Joan Chittister says, “whatever we are not prepared to lose diminishes our sense of soul and depth of spirit”.

Rafe, thank you very much for your life and your love.  You have taught us much.  You are truly a teacher to the end.  We know that you are now experiencing the great joy that John Baptist de La Salle described in his meditations, the great reunion in heaven.”
^{(From Homily given during Br. Rafael Donato’s Funeral)}

Hong Kong – China - Hong Kong Lasallian Volunteers - Lasallian Leadership Camp 2006: With the positive response and encouragement from various parties, the Hong Kong Lasallian Volunteers organized the second Lasallian Leadership Camp. The Camp for this year was held on 14 – 15 October 2006. The Organizing Committee started planning for the camp at the start of the summer holiday. Members of the Committee are either graduates or current Form 7 students of the Lasallian Schools. 50 Lasallian leaders from the Hong Kong Lasallian secondary schools joined the Camp.

The program kicked off with a service session in the Haven of Hope Sunnyside School. The School caters for students aged from 6 to 18, and suffering from medium to severe mental-challenge.

We are glad to have invited Brother Anthony Cummins, who came from Australia and is currently working in the New Zealand, to be our Guest Speaker for the second consecutive year. In his first session, Brother Tony enlightened us on the life of St. de La Salle through a question-and-answer format. The campers were invited to answer the multiple-choice questions.

On the second day, Brother Tony started the programme by asking the campers to face different directions in order to remember Lasallians from afar. After breakfast, he continued to talk to us about the Lasallian survival kit – The Thrivival Kit. There were different items inside this kit, such as pencils, erasers, chewing gum, etc., representing different leadership qualities. Quotes from St. de La Salle were also used in response to these items.

Though the camp has come to a close, it marks the beginning of our mission. The Lasallian leaders will live the Lasallian Spirit and spread it to their neighbors. The cooperation among Lasallians of different schools will continue in the days to come.

The Organizing Committee would like to take this opportunity of thanking different parties and individuals for their unfailing support and guidance. Specially to the Brother Directors of the Hong Kong Lasallian Volunteers – Brother Patrick Tierney and Brother Thomas Lavin. Without their help and support, the Camp would never have got off the ground. We look forward to similar functions which bond Lasallians together in the near future.
^{(Peter Leung - Hong Kong Lasallian Volunteers)}

Napa – USA - Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2004: TheLasallian Education Fund (LEF), the West Coast Educational Foundation of the De La Salle Christian Brothers, announces the official release and pre-sale of the first Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, created to honor a grand icon of California’s wine industry.

Pre-sale of this highly collectible wine crafted by The Hess Collection Winery began on November 29. For the first time, this wine was made from a tiny, single vineyard – entirely from Mont La Salle Vineyard estate grapes grown at the site of the original Christian Brothers winery where Brother Timothy worked as cellar master for more than 50 years.
The 2004 Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon will release on November 29, 2006, in honor of the late Brother’s birthday. Brother Timothy died on November 30, 2004, just one day after his 94th birthday.

This Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is truly “a message in a bottle” – a message of hope for youth at risk. All proceeds from wine sales help the LEF provide educational opportunities for disadvantaged young people at the 12 Lasallian schools in the western United States. This wine is a labor of love, donated by Hess Collection to help young people achieve a better future through education. Such efforts are part of the Christian Brothers’ three-hundred-year tradition of offering education that is both loving and practical. More info: wine@lasallianeducation.org
^{(News – San Francisco District)}

If you have news notes that you would like us to consider publishing, please email us:lasallew@lasalle.org