Faith and Mission
Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies
Recently, along with colleague and fellow Deputy Principal – Students Ms Jessica Alger, my path led me to New York to complete my third and final year at the Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies at Manhattan College.
Each day began as we entered into very meaningful and intentional community prayer, reflection and learning. We received wisdom and insight from the Brothers, practicum lecturers, fellow classmates, and the texts and meditations of St John Baptist de La Salle.
Words such as “you have been entrusted with this mission” inspired and reminded me that through this experience of Buttimer there is a responsibility to return to and continue the work of St John Baptist de La Salle and the Lasallian Institute.
The opportunity to study at the Buttimer Institute has been both a blessing and a privilege that has reminded me that at the heart of being Lasallian is learning, prayer, building community, caring for those who are entrusted to us and working for those on the periphery. On my return from this experience, my prayer for us as a community at De La Salle College is that we always remember the ones entrusted to us and that we build our community on the virtues and principles that St John Baptist de La Salle modelled with the first Brothers.
Live Jesus in our hearts!
Br Garry Coyte FSC visit to De La Salle College
Students at the College are encouraged to follow a Lasallian pathway after school, should they feel that a life of vocation is calling them. Recently Br Garry Coyte FSC visited De La Salle College to talk to a group of interested Year 12 students on Lasallian Vocations: Youth Ministry, Brothers Vocations and the Lasallian Volunteer Programme.
Most students were particularly interested in the Lasallian Volunteers Programme. Br Garry spent time talking to the Year 12 group about the impact they would be making to the communities they could potentially be working in work in, from outback Australia all the way to Papua New Guinea.
Br Granville Perera Visit from Diyagala Boys’ Town, Sri Lanka
Last Friday, Br Granville Perera FSC, a very special guest from Diyagala Boys’ Town in Sri Lanka spent the day visiting the College. De La Salle Malvern and Diyagala have a very special relationship that has been cultivated in the Yaluwo Immersion over the past couple of years. Br Granville expressed his gratitude and joy in the way that the two organisations work together and it is his hope that we eventually return to Sri Lanka on the Yaluwo Immersion given the Easter Sunday bombings have hindered our return this year due to the heightened security warnings.
Special congratulations to Br Granville on his fifty-year jubilee as a brother.
Staff “Fanning the Flame of Faith” PL Session
To prepare for the new term, staff participated in a second formation session with how we, as Catholic educators, ought to go about fanning the flame of faith within our students. We were reminded that to do that, we need to ensure that the fire is alight within us and that if we are called to be participants of Christ as teachers, then we need to know it, we need to live it and we need to model it to those in our care.
To fan the flame of faith in our students, we need to fan the flame within our hearts first and recognise that we are all participating in the mission of Jesus. We must allow ourselves to be drawn to the heart of Jesus, to understand the humanity of Jesus and this, in turn, will increase our desire to fan the flame and increase our love for our students.
Mrs Rana Brogan
Deputy Principal – Faith and Mission