Green Light

Manila Standard Today

Dr. Emiliano T. Hudtohan

October 27, 2014

St. John Baptist de la Salle experienced one event that led him to dedicate his life to the Christian education of the youth in 17^th century France. And this happened at the doorstep of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Child Jesus in Rheims. He met Adrian Nyel who was sent by Madame Jeanne Dubois Maillefer, his wealthy relative from Rouen for help to open a free school for boys. His commitment to help resulted to the establishment of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He was then canonized a saint and became Patron of All Teachers.

As we celebrated World Teachers Month and Elderly Filipino Week, I remember two Lasallian educators whom I fondly associate with Madame Maillefer. Josephine Cenzon Caluag and Maria Luisa M. Lacson are les Maillefers of the Philippines because they walk the path of St. La Salle.

Director of professional catechists                                                                                                                                             

Louie served the De La Salle schools for almost five decades. She is a consecrated member of Signum Fidei and was responsible for establishing the 17^th Signum Fidei chapter in the Philippines. In 1967, she finished her master’s in guidance and counselling and religious education at DLSU. Thereafter, Br. Felix Masson, FSC hired her to teach religion at La Salle Green Hills. As Director (1996-2007) of Br. Andelino Manuel Castillo, FSC Religious Education Foundation (BAMCREF) she was primarily tasked to manage the catechetical program of DLSU in 17 public schools.

She faithfully carried the legacy of Br. Castillo, FSC who introduced the staggered scheduling of professional catechists with lessons in 20-30-40-50-minute variants. The study I conducted in 2005 showed that, in the hands of a master catechist like Soledad Nabos, pupils in a 20-minute session outperformed those who had 40 and 50-minute lessons. This happened because of her sustained support for the continuing education of the professional catechists.

With Br. Andrew Gonzalez, FSC and the catechists, she coordinated the publication of Modyul sa Katekismo at Kagandang Asal textbook for the public elementary schools. Together with her catechists, she authored The Lasallian Rosary Manual, highlighting the significance of the sixth decade in honor of the Immaculate Conception and for the intention of the Holy Father. She worked with Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC and formulated the Bamcref Catechists’ Manual, citing the code of conduct of the professional catechist. .

During her directorship, the DLSU Catechetical Center was registered as Brother Andelino Manuel Castillo, FSC Religious Education Foundation, Inc. in 1982. As the ninth director and the fifth lay director of Bamcref, she is a pillar that strengthened the professional service of the catechists in 17 public schools in Metro Manila.

She served as Vice Chair of DLSU Teacher Education and Practicum Coordinator. After retirement, she became the principal of the School of St. Brother Benilde in Pampanga, a De La Sale supervised school. In 2008, she was a theology professor of College of San Benildo, Rizal.

According to her, her association with Br. Felix Masson, FSC, Br. Francis Cody, FSC, Br. Tomas Aquinas, FSC , Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC, Br. Rafael Donato, FSC, Br. Victor Franco, FSC, Br. Leander Fidelis, FSC, Br. William Garvey, FSC, and Br. Bernie Oca, FSC (1967 to 2013) set the foundation of her Lasallian spirituality. This led to her membership in Signum Fidei

Innovative religious educator

Josie spent almost 25 years of her academic life in the grade school, high school, college, and graduate school at La Salle Green Hills and De La Salle University. Through Br. Leander Fidelis, FSC, she became a volunteer catechist of Baclaran Public High School. In the 60s, under Br. Javier Quintos, FSC, Taft grade school principal, she introduced the new catechesis developed by Fr. Banayad, SJ.

As religion coordinator during the administration of Br. Victor Franco, FSC, she implemented the Human Evocative Approach to catechesis, which was experienced based involving the parents and the community. HEA evolved into a Christian Living Program based on counseling psychology and anthropocentric theology. With Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC, her La Salle Green Hills high school principal, she designed a religious education program which was multi-disciplinary, involving the faculty and parents as key religious educators. Her masteral study (1972) on the religious attitudes and values of De La Salle students affirmed the validity of this program.

At DLSU, she taught with Sam Wiley and they co-authored a textbook on marriage and family life. Through Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC, she earned a scholarship at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila and her dissertation (1982) focused on the educational administrative leadership and humanization in five La Salle secondary schools in the Philippines. Her panelists included Fr. Leonardo Legaspi OP, Br. Andrew Gonzales, FSC, Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC, Dr. Lourdes Quisumbing, and Dr. Josefina Ramirez.

By then, Josie, considered as religious education guru, teamed up with Fr. Cornelius Hulsbosch, Br. Edward Baldwin, FSC, and Br. Armand Garcia, FSC in establishing the DLSU Campus Ministry. Br. Gabriel Connon, FSC, answering the call of Vatican II for renewal in education, tasked her to orient the young Brothers on the new catechetics. Later, her religious education program was shared with the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines.

But there was a resistance to her new catechesis. She said, she was summoned by Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila, to explain the new curriculum which was strongly opposed by Mr. Ernie Lagdameo of Opus Dei. [Interestingly, I recall St. La Salle who was opposed by the Catholic hierarchy and the Writing Masters when he revolutionized the one-on-one tutorial system in France.] The new curriculum was not dissolved. Cardinal Sin gave his ‘imprimatur’ and stamped ‘nihil obstat’ on its seemingly humanistic content.

Lasallian partners forever

Louie and Josie are now immigrants. Louie resides in Sacramento, California. She declares, “I continue to live my Lasallian spirituality, living my Faith, Service, and Commitment as a member as a consecrated member of Signum Fidei.” She continues to evangelize through her daily column on Prayer in Business Mirror.

Josie migrated to Guam. There, she devoted her life as a missionary with her late husband Joe. Together they revolutionized the island’s religious education and family formation program. Senators Judith Won Pat, Tina Barnes, and Rory Respicio recognized her “lifetime of distinguished service as an academician, consummate professional, volunteer businesswoman serving the youth, women and families on Guam.”

In 2012, Madeleine Z. Bordallo of the House of Representatives of the United States presented a congressional certificate citing her “20 years of service to students, their families, and communities in recognition of outstanding and invaluable service to the island of Guam.“

Louie and Josie, fashioned by the spirit of St. John Baptist de la Salle, resurrect the devotion of Madame Dubois Maillefer as they continue to serve with love and care through Lasallian service here and abroad.

They are Les Maillefers in the tradition of Lasallian history.

Published November 24, 2014

Green Light

Manila Standard Today

There are three reasons why this article. One is the family life Synod of Pope Francis; the other is the commemoration of All the Faithful Departed; and another is my readings on two Filipino authors. For me, Pope Francis, Br. James Ebner FSC and Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC are theological shifters, and Tato Malay and George Sison are metaphysical shifters.

Pope Francis’ synod

In Newtonian physics, the family life synod was a fulcrum used by Francis to move the mindset of the cardinals from an A to B. It perhaps gave the cardinals a nudge, but not enough to make a shift. Metaphysically, the quarks of the cardinals were not “intensely observed’’ as much as Francis did.

Quantum law states that when quarks are observed they behave differently. Did the Catholic faithful fail to focus on the synod the way Francis did? Maybe, in Gregg Braden’s formula, the square root of one percent of the Catholic population was not too keen on the positive change.

Francis could have used Jeffrey Sach’s power of one formula in leading the cardinals but he shed the accoutrements of an authoritarian pope. He did not force nor did he dictate the unfreezing of the Vatican bureaucracy. Instead, he opted to shift from an archaic triumphal style to a multistream management practice.

But the weight of the Vatican theological bureaucracy is just too heavy for one man. Hence, he needs the quantum energy of the Catholic faithful who must first unfreeze themselves in order to activate the conciliar quarks of the cardinals.

Definitely, he leads by influence; he does not manage ex-cathedra. As such, the core of his inspired pastoral experience radiates as quantum energy [grace], creating a shift to a direction towards a new pastoral consciousness.

Andrew Gonzalez’ God talk

Andrew (+2006) initiated many academic shifts as president of De La Salle University. One of those is his concept of multiversity, which gave birth to One La Salle of the Philippine District in 2011. Equally significant was an innovative shift in professionalizing the Bamcref catechists that resulted to a doctoral program in religious and values formation.

The ultimate goal of that academic program was to develop an adult believer who “acts and lives his life accordingly, respecting traditions and even Church official teachings, but transcending them based on his own convictions and commitments.”

He said, “While creeds are necessary for purposes of documentaries and to give stability to formulae, those formulae can be considered eternally valid pronouncements but declarations which need interpretation, calling for changes in formulations to continue the tradition of faith seeking understanding of the believing and living community.”

In sum, Church doctrines need to be interpreted in the 21^st century by adult Catholics in the light of their personal experience and the Church must interpret these teaching in the language and context of the 21^st century.

James Ebner’s depth experience

James (+2001) in God Present as Mystery said, “Theology today, then, urges us to value and trust our depth experiences. [The] intimations of a Mystery Present [God] can be felt [as] peace and fellowship.” While he respects “those who understand their fidelity to the faith as keeping unchanged what they may have learned in childhood,” he believes that church spokesmen and theological experts are not doing enough to promote the shift.

His point is about the dogmatic and rigid interpretation the Church makes for Catholics. He said, “Community religion is at its worst when it enforces its symbols upon the young in such a way that a person may never connect with his depth experience. In a community of adults thus indoctrinated, there is the problem of inauthentic religion, false conscience, [and] verbal faith.” He insists that contemporary applied theology starts with “awareness of glimmerings in our depths”.

In this light, Francis’ experience in pastoral management mirrors this observation of James. The recent family life synod adhered to dogmatic guidelines, considered absolute and unchanging truths by the cardinals. Thus, tradition failed to connect with the current depth experience of the families in the 21^st century.

Tato Malay’s kamalayan

The depth experience of Tato Malay is revelatory of James’ depth theology. Tato, who did not pursue academic studies, through personal learnings discovered his true self and his God by following his inner light.

His book, Lessons I Never Learned from School, recounts his journey in earning a livelihood without a college degree. More importantly, his discovery of the principles of consciousness and spirituality that truly makes him human. He was able to formulate the law of Manifestation, Attraction, Harmony, Right Action, Expanding Influence, Pure Desire, and Paradoxical Intent.

Based on the law of manifestation, he said, “Thank you, Father, for my all-new 1999 silver Honda Accord.” The ‘thank you’ part affirms that the Honda is already received. And he did receive for it is God the Father who became His source of infinite and unlimited abundance. His thoughts are made manifest in the real world.

He is founder of Kamalayan foundation. It is dedicated to meet the “new needs, unmet potentials and opportunities of a changing reality of the 21^st century. It is intended for individuals “from any culture, nationality, tradition or religion who wish to have a new vision of life, love and spirituality.”

George Sison’s miracle

George, who was once a devout Catholic and a daily communicant, is now a proponent of 21^st consciousness. His shift to higher consciousness is detailed in his books, A Miracle Awaits You, I Am a Winner, and Soul Spa. He works within the theological framework of Andrew and James in the language of metaphysics written in English and Pilipino. He and Tato whose Catholic background is similar are one in promoting quantum consciousness.

He is founder of the Temple of People, Peace and Prosperity, a transformative center right here in the Philippines. This temple is a realization of James’s human race church, described in God Present as Mystery; it is likewise an expression of Ken Wilber’s universal religion based on AQAL theory.

Three decades ago, he predicted that if the Catholic Church will not shift from many of her worldview, it will become irrelevant by 2032. No wonder Francis is working double time leveraging the fulcrum at the base of the cardinals’ comfortable zone.

Warning

Throughout history our hermeneutics of God has been constantly shifting. The shift from the Dark Ages of mythic beliefs to the Renaissance and Enlightenment period of Copernicus, Galileo, Descartes and Newton and to the 21^st century quantum consciousness is ongoing. Francis, Andrew, James, Tato and George are precursors to our new understanding God.

Julie M. Hudtohan, global HR practitioner in UK, told me once that God and the Church are not the same. She echoed the warning of Neale Donald Walsch who said, “God’s message to the whole world: You got me all wrong.”

Column: Green Light

Published: Manila Standard Today

September 29, 2014

Today, I write about the two generals of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The first is a Superior General who leads globally the largest lay  religious educators in the world. The second is a Councilor General who is responsible for the operations of the Brothers the Asia Pacific region.

Global leadership

At the Lasallian Charism lecture series of Br. Michael Broughton, FSC at De La Salle University, Manila, he flashed the image of Br. Robert Schieler, FSC, the newly elected Superior General of the Brothers at the 45th General Chapter in Rome on May 20, 2014. He became the 27^th successor of St. John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the Institute.

Previously, Br. Bob served as General Councilor for the Lasallian Region of North America (RELAN) in Washington, D.C. Before this, he was the Director of Education for the Brothers’ United States-Toronto Region, directing the national educational formation programs for teachers and Brothers in the 104 Lasallian schools. He was Executive Secretary of the Regional Education Board and the Lasallian Association of College and University Presidents. Br. Robert also served for seven years as Auxiliary Visitor and Director of Education for the Baltimore District.

A native of Philadelphia, he served in the Philippines for 13 years in a variety of administrative positions, from Assistant Principal to Superintendent of Schools.

Resilient character

Before I left the Institute in 1978, I was privileged to be Br. Bob’s confrere at La Salle Academy, Iligan City where he taught catechism and history subjects. And he was very popular and well-loved because he was a brother to them inside and outside the classroom. The Lasallian concept of education then was developing personal relationship with the students through sports and co-curricular activities, aside from regular classroom engagement. (more…)

Green Light

Manila Standard Today

Dr. Emiliano T. Hudtohan

October 27, 2014

St. John Baptist de la Salle experienced one event that led him to dedicate his life to the Christian education of the youth in 17^th century France. And this happened at the doorstep of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Child Jesus in Rheims. He met Adrian Nyel who was sent by Madame Jeanne Dubois Maillefer, his wealthy relative from Rouen for help to open a free school for boys. His commitment to help resulted to the establishment of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He was then canonized a saint and became Patron of All Teachers.

As we celebrated World Teachers Month and Elderly Filipino Week, I remember two Lasallian educators whom I fondly associate with Madame Maillefer. Josephine Cenzon Caluag and Maria Luisa M. Lacson are les Maillefers of the Philippines because they walk the path of St. La Salle.

Director of professional catechists                                                                                                                                             

Louie served the De La Salle schools for almost five decades. She is a consecrated member of Signum Fidei and was responsible for establishing the 17^th Signum Fidei chapter in the Philippines. In 1967, she finished her master’s in guidance and counselling and religious education at DLSU. Thereafter, Br. Felix Masson, FSC hired her to teach religion at La Salle Green Hills. As Director (1996-2007) of Br. Andelino Manuel Castillo, FSC Religious Education Foundation (BAMCREF) she was primarily tasked to manage the catechetical program of DLSU in 17 public schools.

She faithfully carried the legacy of Br. Castillo, FSC who introduced the staggered scheduling of professional catechists with lessons in 20-30-40-50-minute variants. The study I conducted in 2005 showed that, in the hands of a master catechist like Soledad Nabos, pupils in a 20-minute session outperformed those who had 40 and 50-minute lessons. This happened because of her sustained support for the continuing education of the professional catechists.

With Br. Andrew Gonzalez, FSC and the catechists, she coordinated the publication of Modyul sa Katekismo at Kagandang Asal textbook for the public elementary schools. Together with her catechists, she authored The Lasallian Rosary Manual, highlighting the significance of the sixth decade in honor of the Immaculate Conception and for the intention of the Holy Father. She worked with Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC and formulated the Bamcref Catechists’ Manual, citing the code of conduct of the professional catechist. .

During her directorship, the DLSU Catechetical Center was registered as Brother Andelino Manuel Castillo, FSC Religious Education Foundation, Inc. in 1982. As the ninth director and the fifth lay director of Bamcref, she is a pillar that strengthened the professional service of the catechists in 17 public schools in Metro Manila.

She served as Vice Chair of DLSU Teacher Education and Practicum Coordinator. After retirement, she became the principal of the School of St. Brother Benilde in Pampanga, a De La Sale supervised school. In 2008, she was a theology professor of College of San Benildo, Rizal.

According to her, her association with Br. Felix Masson, FSC, Br. Francis Cody, FSC, Br. Tomas Aquinas, FSC , Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC, Br. Rafael Donato, FSC, Br. Victor Franco, FSC, Br. Leander Fidelis, FSC, Br. William Garvey, FSC, and Br. Bernie Oca, FSC (1967 to 2013) set the foundation of her Lasallian spirituality. This led to her membership in Signum Fidei

Innovative religious educator

Josie spent almost 25 years of her academic life in the grade school, high school, college, and graduate school at La Salle Green Hills and De La Salle University. Through Br. Leander Fidelis, FSC, she became a volunteer catechist of Baclaran Public High School. In the 60s, under Br. Javier Quintos, FSC, Taft grade school principal, she introduced the new catechesis developed by Fr. Banayad, SJ.

As religion coordinator during the administration of Br. Victor Franco, FSC, she implemented the Human Evocative Approach to catechesis, which was experienced based involving the parents and the community. HEA evolved into a Christian Living Program based on counseling psychology and anthropocentric theology. With Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC, her La Salle Green Hills high school principal, she designed a religious education program which was multi-disciplinary, involving the faculty and parents as key religious educators. Her masteral study (1972) on the religious attitudes and values of De La Salle students affirmed the validity of this program.

At DLSU, she taught with Sam Wiley and they co-authored a textbook on marriage and family life. Through Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC, she earned a scholarship at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila and her dissertation (1982) focused on the educational administrative leadership and humanization in five La Salle secondary schools in the Philippines. Her panelists included Fr. Leonardo Legaspi OP, Br. Andrew Gonzales, FSC, Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC, Dr. Lourdes Quisumbing, and Dr. Josefina Ramirez.

By then, Josie, considered as religious education guru, teamed up with Fr. Cornelius Hulsbosch, Br. Edward Baldwin, FSC, and Br. Armand Garcia, FSC in establishing the DLSU Campus Ministry. Br. Gabriel Connon, FSC, answering the call of Vatican II for renewal in education, tasked her to orient the young Brothers on the new catechetics. Later, her religious education program was shared with the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines.

But there was a resistance to her new catechesis. She said, she was summoned by Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila, to explain the new curriculum which was strongly opposed by Mr. Ernie Lagdameo of Opus Dei. [Interestingly, I recall St. La Salle who was opposed by the Catholic hierarchy and the Writing Masters when he revolutionized the one-on-one tutorial system in France.] The new curriculum was not dissolved. Cardinal Sin gave his ‘imprimatur’ and stamped ‘nihil obstat’ on its seemingly humanistic content.

Lasallian partners forever

Louie and Josie are now immigrants. Louie resides in Sacramento, California. She declares, “I continue to live my Lasallian spirituality, living my Faith, Service, and Commitment as a member as a consecrated member of Signum Fidei.” She continues to evangelize through her daily column on Prayer in Business Mirror.

Josie migrated to Guam. There, she devoted her life as a missionary with her late husband Joe. Together they revolutionized the island’s religious education and family formation program. Senators Judith Won Pat, Tina Barnes, and Rory Respicio recognized her “lifetime of distinguished service as an academician, consummate professional, volunteer businesswoman serving the youth, women and families on Guam.”

In 2012, Madeleine Z. Bordallo of the House of Representatives of the United States presented a congressional certificate citing her “20 years of service to students, their families, and communities in recognition of outstanding and invaluable service to the island of Guam.“

Louie and Josie, fashioned by the spirit of St. John Baptist de la Salle, resurrect the devotion of Madame Dubois Maillefer as they continue to serve with love and care through Lasallian service here and abroad.

They are Les Maillefers in the tradition of Lasallian history.

Column: Green Light

Published: Manila Standard Today

September 29, 2014

Today, I write about the two generals of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The first is a Superior General who leads globally the largest lay  religious educators in the world. The second is a Councilor General who is responsible for the operations of the Brothers the Asia Pacific region.

Global leadership

At the Lasallian Charism lecture series of Br. Michael Broughton, FSC at De La Salle University, Manila, he flashed the image of Br. Robert Schieler, FSC, the newly elected Superior General of the Brothers at the 45th General Chapter in Rome on May 20, 2014. He became the 27^th successor of St. John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the Institute.

 Previously, Br. Bob served as General Councilor for the Lasallian Region of North America (RELAN) in Washington, D.C. Before this, he was the Director of Education for the Brothers’ United States-Toronto Region, directing the national educational formation programs for teachers and Brothers in the 104 Lasallian schools. He was Executive Secretary of the Regional Education Board and the Lasallian Association of College and University Presidents. Br. Robert also served for seven years as Auxiliary Visitor and Director of Education for the Baltimore District.

A native of Philadelphia, he served in the Philippines for 13 years in a variety of administrative positions, from Assistant Principal to Superintendent of Schools.

Resilient character

Before I left the Institute in 1978, I was privileged to be Br. Bob’s confrere at La Salle Academy, Iligan City where he taught catechism and history subjects. And he was very popular and well-loved because he was a brother to them inside and outside the classroom. The Lasallian concept of education then was developing personal relationship with the students through sports and co-curricular activities, aside from regular classroom engagement.

His physical endurance clearly showed his character under difficult and trying circumstances.    He had an on and off bout with amoebiasis. Thus, he chose to sleep on a reclined rattan folding sofa to jump-start his position and race for the comfort room. Our tap water in those days came from an underground stream. Br. Bernie Oca, FSC, Br. Emilio Villarosa, FSC and I appeared to have developed a natural immunity against waterborne amoeba. But for Br. Bob, it was a different story. And so, he lived a life of physical discomfort.

That early, as a missionary with temporary vows, he already showed signs of physical resiliency. This resiliency is a hallmark of his character as a supervisor of De La Salle schools in the Philippines, a scholar of European history, a doctor of education, Auxiliary Visitor of the District of Baltimore, Director of Education of USA-Toronto Region, Visitor of his district and General Councilor for the Lasallian Region of RELAN of USA and Canada.

Regional leadership

Br. Ricardo Laguda, FSC was elected Councilor General the 45th General Chapter in Rome. Part of his portfolio is to manage the De La Salle Brothers of Pacific Asia Regional Conference (PARC).

Previous to this, he was appointed the 4^th University Chancellor in 2010 and officially installed as the 22nd President of De La Salle University in 2012.           In 2006, he was assigned to De La Salle Canlubang to serve as Interim President. In 2007, he concurrently served as the President of the Jaime Hilario Integrated School-La Salle in Bagac, Bataan and De La Salle Araneta University in Malabon.

As a young novice Brother, his guru was Br. Armin Luistro, FSC. Later, he became a novice master himself. Br. Ricky has a Master’s degree in religious education and a PhD in educational leadership and management. He studied at Harvard University to prepare him for his executive position at various De La Salle universities and his leadership as President of De La Salle Philippines.

According to the 2401 Newsletter, Br. Ricky’s presidency was marked by rapid growth and he left a legacy of Lasallian excellence and service: 23 percent of DLSU students on scholarship as of Term AY 2013-2914, 12 undergraduate programs with Level 4 accreditation, 9 CHED centers of excellence as of 2014, 5 major infrastructure projects launched in 2014, 2 UAAP general championship titles and 1 PAASCU institutional accreditation.

Lasallian family partnership

When Br. Armin Luistro, FSC became the Brother Provincial, meaning he was in charge of the De La Salle Philippine District, he made a historic move to insure a sustainable pursuit of the educational mission of St. John Baptist de la Salle in the Philippines. In 1999, he called for a District Synod to establish partnership with the Brothers’ lay educators.

This event is essential in understanding of the message of Superior General Br. Bob Schieler who said, “I know that anything that can be accomplished will be done only because of the great Lasallian family that we are all.” This statement is most significant in the history of the Brothers of the Christian Schools because it was predicted by Br. Gabriel Moran, FSC that religious life is “dead”. As this unfolds lay men and women are called upon to carry out the educational and evangelical mission of the Church.

The Lasallian family Br. Bob refers to is a partnership of the Brothers with the lay educators. In 1999, Br. Armin Luistro, FSC, then Brother Provincial, convened the First Philippine Lasallian District Synod. That synod was unique because the Brothers stayed at the background and their lay partners were given the upper hand to fashion the direction of the District in the Philippines. A Lasallian Partners Council of Convenors was formed to “partake in the decision-making and implementation of the propositions proposed by the Philippine Lasallian Convocation Commission.

A new vision

My logical formula then was: John Baptist de la Salle, a priest, founded a lay religious order with vows of poverty, obedience, chastity, teaching the poor gratuitously, and living in association with each other. Today, the Brothers, who are not priest but with vows, are creating a new ‘order’ of lay men and women who have no religious vows at all. The age of lay apostolate in the 21at century as announced by the Second Vatican Council is now.

The call for the most ordinary Christian is to truly share in the mission of the Church, which was once relegated to the priests, nuns, and the brothers. Thus, the fate and future of the Church is now entrusted in the hands of the lay apostles.

The Generals are leading the way.

.

Dr. Emiliano T. Hudtohan was member of the De La Salle Brothers, Inc. from 1961 to 1978. Currently, he teaches Lasallian Leadership among other in the Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. College of Business of De La Salle University, Manila. He lectures on Lasallian Educational Philosophy and Spirituality at De La Salle Araneta University Graduate School, Malabon. He is cofounder and president of AcademiX2Business, Inc. His email: dr.eth2008@gmail.com and website: www//emilianohudtohan.com.