Could I share a wonderful Christmas story with you? It involves three high schools of the Midwest District, De La Salle Institute and Saint Patrick of Chicago, and Saint Joseph of Westchester, Illinois, which worked together to assist students at De La Salle High School–New Orleans. The following information was sent to me by Brother Michael Quirk, president of De La Salle Institute:

At the regional assembly in November I discovered that the students at our fellow Lasallian school, De La Salle High School–New Orleans, would be missing many of the normal things at Christmas. While speaking with Gina Hall, DLS principal, and Ken Tedesco, the president, they said what they really needed was gift certificates.

As a result, I contacted others to suggest a plan, and in a short time Saint Patrick raised $5000, De La Salle Institute $3750 and Saint Joseph $1250 and they converted them into gift cards for stores recommended by the De La Salle High School-New  Orleans administration.

Then, on Friday, December 16, student representatives from De La Salle and Saint Patrick, along with Brother Konrad and myself, flew to New Orleans to deliver and distribute 400 gift certificates to the students of De La Salle. Each student received a $25 gift certificate to stores such as Target, Sears, Best Buy, and Starbucks.

Thanks to De La Salle, Saint Patrick, and Saint Joseph for their creativity, care and concern for their fellow Lasallians in New Orleans. I believe there are other stories similar to this one. Without a doubt, they are examples of what our Superior General Brother Alvaro urged for all of us: making the image of God fully manifest, and helping to realize God’s dream.