 Like many great saga, the story of the La Salle Brothers in Malaysia began with a daring dream when in 1852, they sailed to the East to provide education to the deprived youths; for education then was mainly for the rich. In the same year, the Brothers set up their first school, St. Xavier’s Institution, Penang. The 1900’s were boom years as the Brothers’ schools proliferated throughout the country with no less than 60 schools established and student enrolment was impressive. The Changing Tide Circumstances became restrictive as from 1969 with the implementation of the National Education Policy. The Brothers' schools were taken over by the authorities. The dwindling number of Brothers due to aging, restrictive immigration and compounded by the fact that very few Malaysians joining the Brotherhood called for a fresh look into the future of Lasallian tradition in the country.
In the face of the many challenges, it is no longer conceivable that the Brothers can guarantee the continuation and vitality of the Lasallian mission by themselves. Thus, the worldwide Institute today often speaks of the Lasallian mission as a “shared-mission” wherein the future of the Brothers’ work is no longer in the hands of the Brothers alone, but in the unified commitment of all who espouse its mission
For the above reasons, the alumni and the Brothers began working together to find ways to preserve the Lasallian Heritage for posterity, thus marking a new chapter in our Journey with a Dream.
A New Partnership Evolves
 Henceforth, the mission is in the hands of the Brothers and their Lay Colleagues. In fact, it is by togetherness and association that the Brothers and their Lay Colleagues, will fulfill the present-day mission instituted by the founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle. In the Malaysian context, the new partnership is made up of the La Salle Brothers of the Penang District, the Malaysian Federation of Lasallian Associations (MFOLSA), Teachers, Individual Old Boys and Girls of Lasallian schools, Lasallian associates and well-wishers. The partnership may vary in degrees and in levels of commitment and sharing. The role of the lay colleagues is not just consultative but also deliberative in determining the apostolic directions. The 3 Principles Governing Shared-Mission
1. To give a holistic education to the young, especially in schools.
2. To service the poor as a priority.
3. To promote peace and justice, accomplished together as a shared-mission. Overall, Shared-Mission partners are committed to the spirit and mission of St. John Baptist de La Salle in providing excellent formal or informal educational programmes in the service of the poor. They are also committed to the establishment of diverse educational communities with equitable treatment of all members of the society irrespective of race, colour or creed. A good number of Shared-Mission projects have been carried out in Malaysia, among which are: Yayasan De La Salle; La Salle Centre, Ipoh; Asrama Butitin, Nabawan, Sabah; Penang Learning Centre and Kuching Lasallian Foundation. Their profiles will be presented in our forthcoming issues. Why Share the Mission? Because the Lasallian Charism belongs to the Lasallian Family. For the continuation and vitality of the Lasallian Mission The needs of the youth and poor are man NewsBreak!!! |
