Three Brothers from the Lasallian Region of North America (RELAN) professed their final vows this year. In the Midwest District, Brother Matthew Kotek, FSC, and Brother Dylan Perry, FSC, professed final vows July 28 in Darien, Illinois. Brother Paul Avvento, FSC, from the District of Eastern North America (DENA), professed final vows on September 7 at Manhattan University in Riverdale, New York. All three entered novitiate in 2017.
Brother Matthew is a member of the DeLaSalle High School Brothers community in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serves on the Midwest District’s vocations team. He is a graduate of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and has served at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tennessee; Collège De La Salle in Cairo, Egypt; and with the Fratelli Project in Lebanon. Brother Matthew also serves on the Institute’s Standing Committee of Young Brothers.
In gratitude for the day’s celebration, Brother Matthew said, “The presence of our family, friends, colleagues, former students and especially the Brothers, was real affirmation of us in our vocation. The support that we have received from them throughout our formation was what led us to make our final profession. The accolade (when the Brothers of the District gather to fraternally welcome the newly final professed Brothers) was another faithful affirmation of Dylan and I and our religious consecration.”
Brother Dylan Perry, FSC, is principal of De La Salle Blackfeet School in Browning, Montana. A graduate of Christian Brothers High School and Christian Brothers University, both in Memphis, Tennessee, Brother Dylan previously served as a Lasallian Volunteer at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His other former ministries have included DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Miguel School of Tulsa in Oklahoma; Lasallian Volunteers leadership in Washington, D.C. ; and the Brother David Darst Center board of directors in Chicago, Illinois.
“Professing my perpetual vows was a remarkably moving experience. I was so happy to make my commitment in a very communal and public way, alongside a Brother who I have shared every stage of formation and during the celebration of so many Brother Jubilarians,” said Brother Dylan. “The impact and meaning of our life together came into poignant focus seeing the faces of the congregation as I was welcomed by all my Brothers during the Acolade.”
Brother Paul Avvento, FSC, is the director of the office of vocation ministry for DENA and lives in New York City with the Adrien Nyel Brothers’ community. Brother Paul previously served as a Lasallian Volunteer at De Marillac Academy in San Francisco, California. His assignments have included St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C.; Ocean Tides School in Narragansett, Rhode Island; and Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A graduate of then-Manhattan College and Saint Mary’s College of California, Brother Paul also hosts the Brothers Banter podcast.
Commenting on his experience, Brother Paul said: “As I knelt before the altar preparing to profess my perpetual vows, there was this beautiful collision between the natural and supernatural as I was surrounded by my family, friends and Brothers who have coached, inspired and supported me throughout my life.
“Praying the Litany of Saints and experiencing this all together as one universal church and one Lasallian family filled me with the Spirit in ways I could have never imagined. Making these vows to God and sharing them with a church full of people reminded me that God’s call may be singular, but our life is communal and I look forward to living that commitment in a new, radical, faithful way each day for the rest of my life.”
Please pray for these Brothers as they continue their professed vocational journeys.
Watch the livestream of Brother Paul’s profession.
Banner image: Brothers Dylan, Paul and Matthew (center) at Brother Paul’s profession of final vows.
Photo credit: Midwest District and DENA Communications