Catholics remember education reformer

By ERIC PIET
Apostolic Nuncio to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Archbishop Kurian Matthew Vayalunkal said all De La Salle brothers and Lasallians should lead a life of prayer and sacrifice for the poor.
He said this was exemplified by the life of St John Baptist De La Salle.
Vayalunkal said this in his homily when celebrating the Year of Lasallian Vocations to mark the 300th anniversary of St John Baptist De La Salle.
All the De La Salle institutes in Port Moresby, including the alumni, gathered on Friday for the event.
St John Baptist De La Salle, a French priest who died at the age of 68 on April 7, 1719, was an educational reformer and founder of De La Salle Brothers and the Institute of Christian Schools.
In his memory, the Institute of Brothers of De La Salle designated 2019 as the Year of Lasallian Vocation.
“It is a great occasion for De La Salle Brothers to promote more and more the common heritage of providing human and Christian education to the young and poor,” Vayalunkal said.
“PNG has continually been blessed with the presence of De La Salle Brothers (who’e been here) since 1946.
“For the last 73 years, hundreds of De La Salle Brothers of different nationalities have offered their time, energy and talents to educate thousands of Papua New Guineans, some of whom are leaders of the country today.”
Among those at anniversary celebration mass were French Ambassador Philippe Janvier Kamiyama and Christian Brother, FSC, for the district of Australia-New Zealand-Papua New Guinea-Pakistan David Hawke.