Life of the Brothers

From the De La Salle Brothers of Malaysia Facebook page

The De La Salle Brothers of Malaysia organized a series of inspiring sessions for the student leaders and Catholic students of SMK St. Francis Institution on 14-15 October 2024. Led by Brothers Carlo (SG), Collin (SG), Jeano (PH), and Mico (MY), the sessions focused on the life of St. John Baptist de La Salle and deepened the students’ understanding of Lasallian identity.

On Day 1, the Catholic students participated in a session centered around Vocation. The Brothers shared their personal vocation journeys, offering reflections on faith and service, alongside the inspiring life of St. John Baptist de La Salle. The session sparked meaningful and thought-provoking conversations, encouraging students to explore their own sense of purpose and calling.

A heartfelt thank you to Mr. Lee and the school administrators of SFI for warmly welcoming us and making this visit possible.

Stay tuned for more photos of the other sessions!

#FSCvocations #BecomingBrothers

By Raphael Chua (4th year BS Industrial Engineering Student; Contact of the De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines)

Having entered the Brothers Live in Program (BLIP), I had the unique opportunity to immerse myself in a transformative experience that helped me reinforce my faith, service, and communion with the help of De La Salle Brothers. This is a program where we have discussions and learnings that can spark a passion for social justice. Most importantly, it is where the teachings of St. John Baptist de La Salle feel ever present. 

From the moment I first arrived, the Brothers were all welcoming, and I immediately had a sense of belonging to the community. Initially, I had misconceptions about the Brothers being strict but it was quite the opposite. They cracked all sorts of jokes, shared their journey, and were genuinely supportive of whatever challenges we were facing in our lives. Living alongside the Brothers allowed me to witness firsthand their dedication to education and service.

Our day starts with a communal prayer, and during this time, I reflect on the blessings in my life and the opportunities that lie ahead. During the evenings, there were informal gatherings in the common area just so everyone could catch up on their day. We share our triumphs and frustrations throughout the day. The sessions that we have helped me learn more about the brothers' vocation. What struck me the most in one of our sessions was Brother Kino telling us that vocation is not just a calling but also responding to the call. It talks about recognizing our purpose and taking the necessary actions to fulfill it. 

To any young man considering joining BLIP, I advise you to join the program to have an opportunity to discover your potential and have the opportunity to awaken for a higher purpose. You will live and breathe the Lasallian traditions and carry them forward to the world. 

The bonds that I have formed throughout my journey will last a lifetime. It made me into a more thoughtful individual ready to face the challenges of the world, exemplifying our core values of faith, service, and communion. 

#YesBro #FSCvocations

By Marcus Miguel Cuaton (2nd year BS Computer Science student; Aspirant of the De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines)

Psychosocial Development is the process of one’s personality and social skills actively developed from infancy through adulthood. Erik Erikson, a household name in the study of Psychology, would develop the theory of the stages of Psychosocial Development. He believed that experiencing a psychosocial crisis or conflict from each stage would pave the way for an individual to experience development for better or worse. Dr. Jaymee Pantaleon, the guest speaker of the learning session, introduced this topic to us and gave her input about this theory, especially in the context of the Aspirancy Program.

The theory describes Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development where each stage would cover the supposed psychosocial crisis, important events of one’s life, and what an individual can learn from each conflict they face. The introduction of concepts such as Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt and Identity vs. Confusion can help form an aspect of one’s Psychosocial Development. Unfortunately, we ended our learning session at the fourth stage and will be continuing the discussion at a later date.

In the case of being an aspirant, learning Psychosocial Development is quite crucial, as all of us are taking our own journey in order to follow the path of being a Brother or to pursue something else down the line. This journey that we take requires important decisions to be made—decisions that involve one’s mental process. Through learning about Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development, we can be able to discern as we make these decisions.

#YesBro #FSCvocations

By Jose Miguel Villegas (2nd Year BS Legal Management Student; Aspirant of the De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines)

Questions answered, curiosities quenched, and new paths illuminated — these were the shared experiences of the young men who participated in the Becoming Brothers Manila event.

The National Lasallian Vocations Team of De La Salle Philippines, in partnership with the Lasallian Vocations Team of De La Salle University, hosted the Becoming Brothers last 28 September at the Jose Pardo AFSC Hall. Around 17 De La Salle Brothers and three postulants shared their vocation stories with curious students and young professionals. Unique in its own way, the journey of the invited De La Salle Brothers from schools in Luzon has inspired those present to reflect and seek their own mission — their vocation. Many questions were raised, but the frequent concern of participants was whether becoming a De La Salle Brother would force them to leave their profession. In one of the tables, Br. John David Ong FSC, Director of the Lasallian Formation Center, shared that one can still practice his profession as a De La Salle Brother. He continues to explain that one’s current work is a vocation that can be adopted and practiced in ways aligned with the ministries of a Lasalle Brother.

As the event concludes, the community of De La Salle Brothers in Manila and the entire Philippines remains hopeful. They hope that the theme of the event, 'Seeking One's Vocation,' will continue to resonate with the audience, inspiring them to consider the invitation to serve a life similar to that of the founder, St. John Baptist de la Salle.

#YesBro #FSCvocations

From 18-24 September 2024, Br. JJ Jimenez FSC had the second phase of his canonical visit to the Sector of Thailand, this time visiting the Communities in Chanthaburi and Nakhonsawan. Apart from visiting the Brothers, he also took time to meet with the partners and young people in our schools.

During his visit to La Salle School Chanthaburi, Br. JJ joined the opening ceremony of the school Youth Office and the Chanthaburi Rak Nu Camp project. While in La Salle School Nakhonsawan, he met with administrators and teachers--including Filipino teachers part of the school's faculty--as well as members of the La Salle Youth Group.

By Br. Luke Thatsaworn Nonthiboot FSC

Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore from 11-13 September 2024 was a time of great joy and thanksgiving for the Roman Catholics of sunny Singapore. It has been 38 years since Pope St. John Paul II visited Singapore on 20 November 1986. It fulfilled the theme of his visit and brought the “Unity and hope” for the local Catholic faith and mission.

11 September 2024, he arrived in Singapore from Dili, Timor-Leste with Vatican staff and officials to be greeted by a thousand Catholics at the airport. He held a private meeting with the members of the Society of Jesus at the St. Francis Xavier Retreat Centre in the evening of the same day.

On the following morning, he received an official welcome  by the President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before a guard of honour parade at Parliament House. At about 10:30 am, he headed for the  National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Cultural Centre theater for a meeting with "authorities, civil society and diplomatic corps." Mr. Tharman and Pope Francis both delivered speeches at the state address at NUS. Pope Francis praised the city-state's inclusive and harmonious policies amid a highly diverse multicultural and multireligious society. At the same time, he cautioned that meritocracy may lead some to be marginalised for which the state could be mindful of.

In the afternoon at about 4:30 pm, he arrived at the National Stadium to celebrate Holy Mass with 50,000 Catholics and more viewing the livestream of the Mass. He made a tour around the stadium pitch to greet people before Mass started, with many children brought to him for his blessing. His homily praised the gleaming architecture of the state and he reminded the congregation of the importance of love behind the impressive buildings he saw in Singapore. He alluded to the migrant workers that have built the city and that care must be taken for their welfare.

His final day 13 September 2024, morning, he celebrated a private Mass with the priests and religious followed by a visit to a group of elderly people at St. Theresa’s Home.

For the last event of his visit, he held an inter-religious dialogue with youths at Catholic Junior College before leaving Singapore. He appeared particularly re-energised when he interacted with the youth with their questions and   praised the inter-religious dialogue with youths of different religions, the close collaboration of the different religious leaders in Singapore including the positive policy of the government in this aspect as a model for others to emulate.