LEAD Story 340

"Thursdays with La Salle" is a four-part online formation series for Lasallian Partners during this time of COVID-19. In 4 constructive Thursday in May 2020 we organized an online formation program via ZOOM. This was conceptualized by formators from the Lasallian East Asia District who have been in quarantine in their respective countries.

Through this initiative, we hope that the Lasallian family will be able to grow in their faith, find creative ways to serve others, and deepen their relationships at home/social circles and connect with the Worldwide Lasallian Family.

For Part 1, we are happy to have Br. Michael Broughton FSC, talks about the Lasallian core value of faith as finding meaning, purpose, and joy. He proposes that faith can be conceptualized as faith in ourselves, faith in others, and faith in God as we understand God -- something higher, greater, and bigger than ourselves.

For Part 2, Br. Dennis Magbanua talks about the Lasallian value of service. Service is rooted in our faith -- why we do the things we do. He asks us to reflect on what moves us in this time of deep distress, just like our Founder. He also encourages us to find creative ways to help the last, the lost, and the least.

For Part 3, Coreen Paul from La Salle Centre in Malaysia talks about how we can build personal relationships in our homes, especially now that we spend more time with our loved ones while in quarantine.

In the last episode of “Thursdays with La Salle”, Br. Armin Luistro, the Brother Visitor of the Lasallian East Asia District, reminds us that even though we are in the middle of the same furious storm, we are not on the same boat. Some of us have the privilege of being in a big boat -- where at times, we can experience some seasickness and discomfort, yet we have the security of income, shelter, and food. However, there are many others who are in tiny little boats, whose lives are rendered vulnerable to the storm. Br. Armin challenges us to look at the storm from the perspective of those in tiny little boats -- just as our Founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle did for the children of artisans and the poor, more than 340 years ago. As Lasallians, we can actively participate in re-creating and re-shaping our world in the "new normal".

In total, we had connected with 290 Lasallian from LEAD and 18 Lasallians from other sector directly. And the recorded session also uploaded to Facebook viewed by more than 10.8K user. This is a new try for us, from the idea to meet up with other formator in LEAD, then, to running the first episode, everything happened just in a month. Other than the program content, we, the organizing committee also experience a kind of formation through our Lasallian solidarity and service. On behalf of the organizing committee, we are thank for our speakers, country coordinators and all the participants who join us in the past 4 weeks. We hope everybody can stay healthy and safe. God Bless.

SINGAPORE - 8 LYNKsters (Lasallian Youth Network) and 2 Brothers spent the morning of 11 July walking around Toa Payoh to visit our mentees from the Lasallian Mentoring Programme. We worked in pairs to visit 25 mentees in their homes. We have not seen them since we paused in mid March. It’s almost four months now.

We took this time to check on their wellbeing as well as to see if they are equipped enough to continue our mentoring sessions online. We are glad to see all our mentees and their families doing well during this time and are managing within their means. (Text & Photos: Ms. Ed-Linddi Ong)

PHILIPPINES, July 15 - the De La Salle Brothers of Ozamiz, together with the members of the La Salle University community witnessed the blessing of the newly renovated Our Lady of the Star Chapel. After the blessing of the chapel, Fr. Ed Tabada, the University Chaplain, led the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Br. Butch Alcudia FSC, in his thanksgiving message, wished that the chapel be the guiding star for the members of the school community as they strive to respond to the Lasallian mission especially in this trying time. He took the opportunity as well to acknowledge the generosity of the family of the late +Dr. Anita Lim represented by her son Mr. Alexander Lim that made the renovation possible.” (Text & Photos: Br. Jeano Endaya FSC)

SJIIM High School Principal, Dr Nicola Brown and IBDP Coordinator Ms Maureen Fitzgerald (seated centre) with some of the top scorers who obtained 40 points and above

For the third year running, students of St. Joseph’s Institution International School Malaysia (SJIIM) once again produced outstanding results in the recent 2020 International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) examinations.

29% of its IBDP students obtained 40 points and above which should place them in the top 10% of results worldwide. SJIIM also achieved an overall average score of 35 points, far above the 2019 IBDP Global Average of 29.7 points. These result statistics are especially good considering that the students have completed their IBDP studies in challenging and unnatural circumstances given the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the world this year.

The top IBDP scorer for SJIIM, Justin Hew Kin Jun, scored 43 points. He was over the moon with his results and credited the school for helping him to achieve it, “My educational journey in SJIIM is one that is so vivid and profuse in meaningful experiences that I will forever cherish. Among those were the unrelenting support given by the teachers amid the curriculum, the student body that engendered the Lasallian ethos through service and other kinds of activities. In SJIIM, the notion of inclusivity is consistently enforced, thereto no student is precluded from customary interactions and interpersonal relationships. This is precisely what constitutes a great school environment that advocates its students to ‘Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve’. A big thank you to my dedicated teachers for helping me to do well for the IBDP. I couldn’t have done it without you.” For the next step of his education, Justin Hew will be furthering his tertiary studies in the area of Physics and Maths at a top foreign university.

SJIIM’s Top IBDP Scorer, Justin Hew with his proud mother

Anissa Ng Wan Cheng, one of SJIIM’s IBDP high achievers scored 40 points and attributed the unique educational environment she experienced as the reason for her success, “Studying at SJIIM taught me that education was more than just about academic grades. Our LaSallian values challenged us to use our gifts and passions to make a difference to others. At SJIIM, I had a great balance of rigorous academic study, fulfilling and exciting extracurricular activities. Throughout the IBDP, there was lots of support from my teachers, year mates and seniors which helped me to persevere and develop my character. I am truly grateful to have been awarded a scholarship at SJIIM to experience the IBDP.” For her tertiary studies, Anissa Ng will be heading to the University of Bath, UK for her BSc (Hons.) in Psychology degree.

SJIIM’s achievement resonates with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme’s standing as it enjoys a very high level of respect and recognition among the world’s higher education institutions. For students, success in the IBDP often results in advanced standing, course credit, scholarships or other admissions-related benefits at top universities worldwide. Today, more than 5000 schools worldwide offer IB programmes.

Dr Nicola Brown, the High School Principal of SJIIM, was pleased with the good results and was very proud of their achievements. She added, “I want to congratulate our graduates for their courage during these unprecedented times. There has been much anticipation for the results this year following the cancellation of the IBDP examinations. We are incredibly proud of the way our students have managed this challenge and the results they have achieved. We wish them well in the next chapter of their education as they move on to universities overseas or here in Malaysia. Congratulations to the SJIIM Class of 2020.”

Maureen Fitzgerald, the IBDP Coordinator of SJIIM, was also beaming with pride at the performance of her charges. She further said, “After a difficult term and much uncertainty, I am so proud of our students and their successes with these results.  They have shown a great deal of resilience and fortitude, and community spirit in supporting one another. They have worked hard for the results that they have earned, and I feel very fortunate to have been able to share in their celebration today."

For more information about SJIIM’s IB Diploma Programme, please visit https://www.sji-international.edu.my/ibdp/

Relevant Chinese name:
马来西亚国际学校
(八打灵再也Tropicana 院校) :          
St Joseph’s Institution International School Malaysia (Tropicana PJ Campus)

For media inquiries:

Mr Neoh Soon Ken
Director of Business Development
Contact No: +603 86053605; +6016 4758308
Email: kenneoh@sji-international.edu.my

SJIIM's Top IBDP Scorer, Justin Hew obtained an impressive 43 points

PHILIPPINES - On July 18, 2020, the Brothers of the new Holy Infancy Community welcomed the upcoming school year by having a meet and greet with the contacts and aspirants. Br. Chuck Magno FSC, together with Brs. Ivan Umali FSC and Henry FSC, organized the online meeting despite the extraordinary times. Accompaniment doesn’t stop because of this challenging time, rather it transforms into a more creative way of fraternal support to the young. The community is looking forward to attracting more young men to consider the life and spirituality of the De La Salle Brothers. (Text & Photos: Br. Dan Sanding FSC)

“Vocation is always a personal response to the call of God. It is He who takes the initiative. One of the key elements of a “culture of vocation” is the recognition that God calls everyone and calls continually. A response to this call requires an open, dynamic Lasallian vocation ministry that helps “to discover the concrete way to carry out the project of life to which God calls

JAPAN - As featured in a regional newspaper, Br. Rodrigo and the other members of the Catholic Church in Hakodate expressed solidarity and extended help to mostly Vietnamese and Filipino workers in the midst of the COVID-19 woes. Coordinated by Yunokawa Parish and together with Lasallians from Hakodate La Salle, they checked on the foreign workers, collected and distributed food supplies to those who needed it. (Text: Br. Aikee Esmeli FSC; Photo: Hokkaido Shimbun / Hokkaido News)

MALAYSIA - An interesting event occurred in St Xavier’s Institution (SXI), Penang on Friday, 20 December 2019.

A team of soldiers led by Captain Ashraf arrived at 9am to remove 64 decommissioned Lee Enfield Rifles from a 'storeroom' under Stairs 8 leading to the Brothers Quarters. The Board had invited the soldiers to remove the rifles as they had remained unused for many years.

With their firing pins removed, the rifles had more of an antique value and had been used by the boys of SXI Cadet Corps for parade purposes. Apparently, they had been in our keep for decades and forgotten by those who replaced the early people in the know.

It was interesting to observe that the army personnel conducted the operation with the assumption that they were engaging with another armed party! Throughout the few hours they were in SXI, there was a soldier with his finger on the trigger of his very much live and able-to-fire M-16! Captain Ashraf intimated that this was the first time they were conducting such an operation to 'retrieve' guns from a school. Each gun had a serial number and had to be accounted for. The Ministry of Defense thanked SXI for its cooperation. (Adapted from the Original: Dr. Francis Loh; Photos: Br. Jason Blaikie FSC)

On 2020 July 4, the young Brothers newly assigned to Singapore for either Studies or Apostolic Training Community (ATC) met with Br. Kelvin Tan FSC, who facilitated via zoom an orientation about living in Singapore. It was followed by a Q&A session. (Text & Photo: Br. Antonio Cubillas FSC)

A Lasallian brother finished his cross-stitch piece of the periodic table of elements after two decades — a feat he made while on lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.

Brother Martin Sellner FSC revealed his embroidering accomplishment via Facebook on Friday, July 17.

“Finally after two decades, the cross-stitch of the Periodic Table is complete,” he said, posting photos and a video of the last five stitches he made “out of over one million.”

Finally after two decades, the cross-stitch of the Periodic Table is complete. Posted is a short video of the final five…

Posted by Martin Sellner on Friday, July 17, 2020

“The table and border actually took six years,” he said. “Finally the last nine elements were named by the IUPAC and I was able to complete it during this prolonged lockdown.”

Sellner has been a De La Salle brother for over 60 years and has a passion for chemistry, having taught the subject in schools in the United States and in La Salle campuses in the Philippines.

He is laboratory services head in De La Salle Araneta University in Malabon and Lasallian animator at De La Salle Santiago Zobel School in Muntinlupa City.

Sellner has also been teaching other Lasallian brothers to cross-stitch, as per his Facebook post on July 5.

He also has a social media presence on the video app TikTok, where he shares optimistic messages to the Lasallian community, such as being open to distance learning during the pandemic.

Distant learning, on-line learning. Looks like fun. It will be fun. Was I born too soon??? Even a young man like me can learn. I am enjoying it and I am ready. Are you? All you LaSallians, hop on board. This will be a fun year. Keep climbing towards your dreams. All you my LaSallian colleagues, a challenge? I know your talents and dedication. Just like the students, you will have fun. Even my hugs will be on-line and distant!! UGH on-line only??? No. Hugs to all of you now.

Posted by Martin Sellner on Sunday, June 21, 2020

“Distant learning, on-line learning. Looks like fun. It will be fun,” he said in a video on June 22. “All you LaSallians, hop on board. This will be a fun year. Keep climbing towards your dreams.” JB

Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1309415/look-lasallian-brother-completes-cross-stitch-of-periodic-table-after-two-decades

PHILIPPINES - A group of Senior High School students from University of St. La Salle - Bacolod - John Christian Kho, Don Santillan, Jaren Kilayko, and Justin Villanueva - who are members of the BAYOnihan Project who sold printed shirts to raise funds turned over P20,000 in cash to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for Negrense frontliners. (Text & Photo: The Visayan Daily Star Facebook Page)

We wish Br. Miggy Crisostomo FSC the very best as he pursues his Graduate Certificate in ASEAN Studies in the University of the Philippines - Open University! #TakeTheLEAD

Below  is  an  excerpt  from  the  LEAD Inauguration message of Br. Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria FSC, the former Superior General of the Brothers. The full text document is attached to this newsletter.