Congratulations to La Salle University, Manila, Philippines on its centennial year!
De La Salle University (DLSU) is celebrating its 100th-year together with the 17 La Salle district schools throughout the Philippines. The jubilee year opened with a Mass on June 16th at the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Saint La Salle Hall at the DLSU grounds. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, a graduate of the country’s Jesuit university, was guest of honor and thanked the university for its service and contributions in molding Filipino minds. He also thanked Education Secretary Brother Armin Luistro, former president of the DLSU System, for accepting a post in his Cabinet.
The centerpiece of the centennial event is the One La Salle Scholarship Fund campaign which was launched in 2009 as the Philippine Lasallian Family’s commitment to continue the mission of its founder John Baptist de La Salle-providing quality education to the Filipino youth, especially those in need. The goal of the campaign is to raise P2 billion (approx. US$46 million) by the end of 2011 to support and send about 20 percent of its total student population or 18,000 scholars to the 17 Lasallian schools all over the country. Three-fourths of the targetted amount has already been reached.
A musical and a movie, produced specially for the centennial, are the highlights of the milestone celebration. The three-act musical, Proudly Green (the school color), directed by nationally renowned La Salle high school alumnus Fritz Ynfante, is a song-and-dance story from the time the La Salle Brothers set foot in Manila in 1911 to the hopes and dreams of the next generation of La Sallians. It features Broadway, pop, rock and gospel hits adapted for the production by La Salle alumnus Adie Peña.
The independently-produced film, Paglipad ng Anghel (Flight of an Angel), was financed by DLSU as part of a nationwide fundraising for the One La Salle Scholarship Fund. Written and directed by film award-winner and DLSU professor Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., the movie focuses on the general theme of goodness. The film is part of La Salle’s advocacy and tells the story of an ordinary accountant, Gabby, who encounters a destitute old woman in the streets of Manila and brings her to a place where nuns take care of the poor and dying. Soon after this good deed, he notices two bumps growing on his back which soon become bulky wings that will change his simple life to a complicated one.
Present at the opening of the jubilee celebration was the Institute’s Vicar General Brother Thomas Johnson. In his remarks, he said, “I always think of John Baptist de La Salle as having practical creativity… The creativity shown in the Philippines to establish so many educational institutions, to engage lay people and students in the Lasallian charism and to be among the best in the Institute in using multimedia to further the mission is all part of that practical creativity. It is that same practical yet visionary creativity that our Founder had in writing the Conduct of Schools and the First Rule; it is that same practical creativity that characterizes our schools and it is that same kind of practical creativity that helps us all carry on the Mission with persistence in the face of obstacles, planting the seeds of the education mission, planting the idea of faith and service in communion with courage. It is what makes us ONE LA SALLE with each other, Brothers and Lasallian partners we form one force, one spirit, one mission and ONE LA SALLE.”
Sources: The Philippine Star, June 16, 2011; The Philippine Inquirer, June 16, 2011; http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=De_La_Salle_Brothers_in_the_Philippines
Animo La Salle
Congratulations to De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines on its centennial year!
De La Salle University (DLSU) is celebrating its 100th-year together with the 17 La Salle district schools throughout the Philippines. The jubilee year opened with a Mass on June 16th at the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Saint La Salle Hall at the DLSU grounds. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, a graduate of the country’s Jesuit university, was guest of honor and thanked the university for its service and contributions in molding Filipino minds. He also thanked Education Secretary Brother Armin Luistro, former president of the DLSU System, for accepting a post in his Cabinet.
The centerpiece of the centennial event is the One La Salle Scholarship Fund campaign which was launched in 2009 as the Philippine Lasallian Family’s commitment to continue the mission of its founder John Baptist de La Salle-providing quality education to the Filipino youth, especially those in need. The goal of the campaign is to raise P2 billion (approx. US$46 million) by the end of 2011 to support and send about 20 percent of its total student population or 18,000 scholars to the 17 Lasallian schools all over the country. Three-fourths of the targetted amount has already been reached.
A musical and a movie, produced specially for the centennial, are the highlights of the milestone celebration. The three-act musical, Proudly Green (the school color), directed by nationally renowned La Salle high school alumnus Fritz Ynfante, is a song-and-dance story from the time the La Salle Brothers set foot in Manila in 1911 to the hopes and dreams of the next generation of La Sallians. It features Broadway, pop, rock and gospel hits adapted for the production by La Salle alumnus Adie Peña.
The independently-produced film, Paglipad ng Anghel (Flight of an Angel), was financed by DLSU as part of a nationwide fundraising for the One La Salle Scholarship Fund. Written and directed by film award-winner and DLSU professor Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., the movie focuses on the general theme of goodness. The film is part of La Salle’s advocacy and tells the story of an ordinary accountant, Gabby, who encounters a destitute old woman in the streets of Manila and brings her to a place where nuns take care of the poor and dying. Soon after this good deed, he notices two bumps growing on his back which soon become bulky wings that will change his simple life to a complicated one.
Present at the opening of the jubilee celebration was the Institute’s Vicar General Brother Thomas Johnson. In his remarks, he said, “I always think of John Baptist de La Salle as having practical creativity… The creativity shown in the Philippines to establish so many educational institutions, to engage lay people and students in the Lasallian charism and to be among the best in the Institute in using multimedia to further the mission is all part of that practical creativity. It is that same practical yet visionary creativity that our Founder had in writing the Conduct of Schools and the First Rule; it is that same practical creativity that characterizes our schools and it is that same kind of practical creativity that helps us all carry on the Mission with persistence in the face of obstacles, planting the seeds of the education mission, planting the idea of faith and service in communion with courage. It is what makes us ONE LASALLE with each other, Brothers and Lasallian partners we form one force, one spirit, one mission and ONE LASALLE.”
Sources: The Philippine Star, June 16, 2011; The Philippine Inquirer, June 16, 2011; http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=De_La_Salle_Brothers_in_the_Philippines
Captions:
St. La Salle Hall completed in 1921.
The Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
The nine pioneer Brothers who arrived in 1911.
St. La Salle Hall constructed in 1921.
Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
The nine pioneer Brothers who arrived in 1911.