News of the Institute and Lasallian Family

Rome, June 5, 2007

MORAGA - USA - BUSTIN A RHYME IN HONOR OF A SAINT: "He was a really dedicated man. He wanted to help the young and the poor and he didn't let anyone stop him. He was someone who had a dream and saw it through." So says Saint Mary’s College of California senior Jason Harris, speaking of Saint John Baptist de la Salle, the founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.

Jason and two other students at SMC Moraga have livened up the college’s “Founder’s Week” with the creation and posting of their original music video telling the Founder’s story. For the story and video, go to www.stmarys-ca.edu , look under SPOTLIGHT, and click on the headline “De La Salle Meets De La Soul: Rap for the Founder.”

De La Salle Week (April 22 – 29, 2007) is annual event raises awareness of our Lasallian Tradition at Saint Mary's College and includes opportunities for community building, education, celebration, and recognition through many events and programs offered throughout the Week. Saint John Baptist de La Salle was born on April 30, 1651, died on April 7, 1719, and was named Patron Saint of Teachers on May 15, 1950.
Please share this with your community and with all who may be interested.
^{(J. A. Gray - Director of Public Relations and Information Services)}

HAVANA - CUBA - BR. FRANCISCO MALVIDO 70 YEARS OF RELIGIOUS LIFE!: He was born in Havana, Cuba, on February 18th 1920. His parents were Francisco Malvido Nuñez and Dolores Maestre. He was educated in De La Salle College, Vedado, Havana, from which he graduated in 1936.On Sept. 8th of that same year he entered the Brothers’ novitiate. He took the habit on February 2nd 1937, feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple and his sponsor that day was Br.Victorino.

He began to teach – entry classes – in Guatoe, in 1939. Among his first pupils were Bros. Alfredo Morales and José Jáuregui. Before that in 1933, he used to go each week to teach catechism classes in the Carmelite school in Linea Street, in Vedado, near the River Almendares.

In 1940 he began to teach in the school where he had studied, La Salle Vedado, first of all 3rd grade, then 5th grade, later First Year of Commerce and for 2 years the First Year of the Baccalaureate. He made his Final Profession in July 1945 during the Brothers’ Retreat in Vedado. From 1940 to 1961 he was teacher or Director in various De La Salle colleges in Cuba (there were 13).

Br.Francisco holds a Doctorate in Pedagogy from the University of La Havana and he spent five years in the Natural Sciences Faculty of the same university but did not graduate because he had to leave Cuba when the Fidel Castro regime took over all the colleges.
From the age of 15 he was a member of the Cuban Catholic Youth movement which the Church later changed to Cuban Youth Catholic Action. When he became a Brother he was advisor to groups and advisor in the National and Diocesan Councils of the Commissions of Catechesis and Aspirants. He studied theology for 5 years and Ascetics and Mysticism (Religious Life) for 4 years. After leaving Cuba he did religious studies in Rome and Paris.
In 1962 he arrived in the Dominican Republic and was teacher or Director in the different De La Salle Colleges in that country. In 1965 he founded and was Director of the St.John Baptist De La Salle School in the Simon Bolivar barrio in the capital.

Now retired, he continues to prepare children for their First Communion, looks after a Readers’ Club of 200 children in the De La Salle Library and keeps the community accounts. He is advisor to the Alabanza Review of Catholic Christian Renewal, where he writes assiduously, especially in the Basic Instruction section.

To worthily celebrate his fruitful 70 years of Religious Life, his friends and those who were his pupils gathered for a dinner on Sunday June 3rd in La Carreta Restaurant.

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