Mags GarganBr Alvaro Rodriguez recently paid a pastoral visit to Ireland
Br Alvaro Rodriguez, Superior General of the De La Salle Brothers and associates, paid a pastoral visit to Ireland over six days recently, accompanied by Br Jacques D’Huiteau, General Councillor for Europe. He visited and spoke to brothers, teachers, students and associates in Finglas, Ballyfermot, Kilmacud, Castletown (Portlaoise), Waterford and Downpatrick. He addressed a conference in Mullingar of principals of Lasallian schools and centres, as well as meeting with brothers from Britain and Malta.
Br Alvaro, a native of Costa Rica, Central America, oversees the De La Salle mission of “human and Christian education” in over 900 institutions in 84 countries. He reminded his audiences that there is still a great missionary tradition in De La Salle, and paid tribute to many Irish brothers who spent many years teaching and working in places like India, Malaysia, Kenya and South Africa.
Despite a reduction in vocations, he said he was happy to say that lay people are now taking more responsibility for the mission and that the Lasallian family was born and growing within the last 40 years.