info@dlszobel.edu.ph (+632) 8771-DLSZ

POW August 8-13, 2011

The Brother President delivered this message last August 8, 2011 to a small group of young people from DLSZ and other La Salle schools during the Youth Festival at the Our Lady of the Star Chapel, sponsored by the Campus Ministry Office. The Youth Festival was held on the night before the Relic of St La Salle was transferred to La Salle College Antipolo.
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More than 100 years ago, in 1897, there was a girl who sent a letter to New York Sun, which was a widely read newspaper in the US at that time. The little girl’s name was Virginia O’Hanlon and this is what she wrote:

“DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
“Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
“Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’
“Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
That was in 1897.
I am reminded of the 2005 version of this question which was sung by the group The Black Eyed Peas. The lyrics of the catchy refrain was sang by Fergie which goes this way:
No,no, no, no baby, no, no, no, no don’t lie
No, no, no, no, yeah, you know, know, know, know, you gotta try
Anyway, the girl’s letter was printed in the newspaper in September 21, 1897 with a reply from the editor
“VIRGINIA O’HANLON.
“115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.”
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
For a good number of us here, St La Salle before this week was like Santa Claus to us. We believed that he existed but we weren’t really sure that he did until of course, now.
The arrival of the Relic of St John Baptist de La Salle to De La Salle Zobel proved that the Brothers were not lying after all (*wink*). Now in front of you is the holy remains of a humble man who was born in France in 1652, who started schools for poor boys, who started the Congregation of the De La Salle Brothers and who died in 1719 and proclaimed a saint in the year 1900.
Here is proof that this St La Salle was not just a story that has been retold by voices from generation to generation. His life was real. He lived. He died. And his spirit continues to live among us.
As we are now on the eve of the departure of the Relic as it is to be transported to La Salle College Antipolo, will we stop believing, will we stop acting like Lasallians?
I think we can learn from what the newspaper editors of the Sun wrote to Virginia many years ago. We do not need to see the remains of St La Salle in order for us to live the Lasallian Core Values of Faith, Service and Community. We believe in love and hope even though we do not really tangibly see these as objects to be recognized by our five major senses. Moreover, St La Salle lives again when we all work together to make Lasallian education accessible to the poor. When you raise funds for the poor, when you donate to the One La Salle Scholarship fund, when you join wholeheartedly the outreach program, when you participate actively in the school’s environmental projects, when you teach without counting the cost, when you volunteer to stick around longer to assist in the veneration of the Relic, you become the body of St La Salle in this world. When you become St. La Salle in this world, you people see the Christ in you. People see God in you.
While I am sad that tomorrow, St La Salle’s Relic will have to be transferred to another place, I am also happily challenged to be a Lasallian of real faith. I do not need to see him physically to be inspired to act justly. My faith is stronger now. I’m sure your faith is too.
I hope that after tomorrow, because of our experience of the visit of the Relic and also because we have a stronger faith, we can say the following words with more feelings:
“St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.”
For this great opportunity to be with our Founder, through the Relic, we thank the Lasallian Formation and Mission Department, especially the Campus Ministry Office, the volunteers, the Brothers of the Philippine Sector, the members of the school security, the local Barangay officials, Village Association officers, and everyone who made this visit and veneration a time of wonderful memories worth keeping, challenging us to continue to share our lives with others, especially those who are poor and to live Jesus in our hearts. Forever.
Major Activities of the President’s Office
Monday August 8
– Joined the young members of the community in prayer and praise to St La Salle during the Youth Festival
Tuesday August 9
– Joined the DLSZ school community to bid farewell to the Relic of St La Salle
– Presided over the Monthly Operations Council Meeting
– Hosted the Asia Pacific Educators Congress Organizing Committee Meeting in DLSZ
Wednesday August 10
– Attended the Quarterly Meeting of the Muntiparlas Consortium in Marymount School
– Organized the iPad Genius Bar workshop for a small group of DLSZ teachers who are iPad users
Thursday, August 11
– Held a special Music Department iPad Genius Bar training for a small group of DLSZ Music teachers
Friday, August 12
– Visited the Study Program for International Students’ Sportsfest held at the Softball field
– Welcomed Br Roly Dizon FSC and watched the mini-concert of his personally-sponsored youth group RamDiz Young Singers at the Sylvia P Lina Theater
– Assisted in the Growth in Organizational Leadership and Development Season 2 Session
Saturday, August 13
– Welcomed the organizers and delegates of the Philippine Drowning Prevention Congress held at the Debbie Decena Auditorium
– Helped Coach Oliver Caja in training the new DLSZ Ultimate (Frisbee) Team composed of 40 high school boys and girls at the DLSZ Soccer Field. The official name of the team/club is Ultimate Animo

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