Category: IRELAND, GREAT BRITAIN & MALTA

On Wednesday morning the Junior Holiday Club enjoyed a trip to Longdown Activity Farm to visit Father Christmas.

As they waited in line to see Santa they enjoyed the Christmas barn; a magical experience full of activities, seasonal crafts and decorations. The children also got to meet their favourite farm animals including pigs, geese, goats and a naughty donkey who had eaten the Christmas lights. As they entered the courtyard of Santa’s Grotto they were able to hold beautiful golden chicks, which was one of the highlights of the morning.

As the children spotted Santa’s tractor sleigh parked outside the Farmhouse, they were extremely excited to enter his grotto. As each group entered, Father Christmas asked them what they wanted for Christmas and gave them each a present and a bag of sweets to take home.

On Monday afternoon the Chapel and Girls’ Choirs came together to sing for parents, staff and local residents at our annual Community Carols. It was a wonderful start to our festive celebrations with a range of traditional carols including; ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ and ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’.

The Choirs also sang ‘Silent Night’, with the first verse in German, ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ in Latin and ‘The Three Kings’, a jazzed up version of the traditional carol ‘We Three Kings’. After the service the congregation enjoyed tea, coffee and mince pies with members of the Choir.

We would like to say a huge thank you to our students who sang beautifully throughout the service and to our Music Department Staff for organising and hosting this wonderful event.

De La Salle College Dundalk Co. Louth

Staff gathered on Friday 16 December to wish their colleague well as he prepared to leave the College. Mr Steve Bedingham taught at St John’s for a credible 38 years and on Friday we all bid farewell to a much loved member of the College community.

Joining the College in 1978 straight after his teacher training at a De La Salle College in Manchester, Mr Bedingham dedicated 38 years to the College. Teaching a variety of subjects, he truly could lend his hand to anything.  He was also a key member of the boarding community and, during his time at the College, lived in five boarding houses.

Not surprisingly there was a queue of staff who wanted to say a few words before ‘Mr B’ left.  Firstly Mrs Sally Williams, who worked with Mr B for 25 years, spoke of a ‘library of memories’ for which he will be remembered. Mrs Audsley, Head of History, enthused about his narrative style of teaching history and how he has inspired so many with his fantastic story-telling. Mrs Standen, his colleague in EAL, demonstrated how much respect our overseas students have for their teacher. When asked in the IELTS exam to speak about someone who has influenced them, nine out of ten students spoke about Mr Bedingham – students never have a problem talking so positively about their teacher, Mrs Standen told us.

Brother Ben closed by explaining how Mr Bedingham’s connection with the College goes back over 50 years, when he was educated at another De La Salle school.  Brother Ben commended Mr Bedingham for his spirit of faith and zeal and, as agreed by many, his willingness to be of service.

We wish you well Mr Bedingham – thank you for all you have done for the College, and the thousands of students who have passed through under your care and guidance.

Next Sunday marks the fifth anniversary of the passing away of Brother Louis Camilleri, FSC, which is also the time prescribed before initiating the research into the life and work of Bro. Louis.
The process will pave the way for the beatification of Bro Louis.
The Core Group assigned to look after the promotion of the Veneration of Bro. Louis is launching this process.

This is a long process, which starts with documenting the life and virtues of this holy Brother, who has served the Church and the Institute of the Brothers so faithfully and zealously.
“We pray that the Lord will one day place him among the glorified in Heaven. Once the Promotion of the Veneration is formally launched, Bro. Louis Camilleri would then be referred to as the Servant of God,” the Core Group said.

The Group has been set up by the Brothers and is responsible for distributing information about Bro. Louis and spreading his devotion.
The Group is also engaged in the gathering of any testimony about the life and work of Bro. Louis.
Those who knew Bro. Louis well and have personal experiences to recall are requested to come forward as witnesses to his saintly life.
This phase is envisaged to take a very long time. The conclusion of this phase rests with the ultimate decision of the Authorities about whether the Servant of God has demonstrated heroic virtues.

The Core Group has already had meetings with both Archbishop Mgr Charles Scicluna and the Postulator General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, Brother Rodolfo Meoli, FSC. Both Mgr Scicluna and Bro. Meoli have been encouraging and have offered their support for this Cause.

Malta Today 27-05-2016