Two Brothers and Lasallian Partner, blessed by District Brothers, Colleagues, head to Jamaica
Riverdale, NY – Over 30 Christian Brothers, Lasallian Partners, and family members gathered in The Chapel of Holy Infancy, nestled on the second floor of Manhattan College’s Memorial Hall, to commission three Lasallian educators who will head out for missionary service in Jamaica later this month. Brothers Augustine Nicoletti and James Wallace, and Mr. Richard Ward received the blessing of the representatives of the District of Eastern North America’s (DENA) Lasallian Family (right), and will take up ministry at St. Vincent Strambi Catholic High School, in Bull Savannah, Jamaica.
Answering Superior General Br. Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria’s call for Lasallians worldwide to be part of “districts without borders,” DENA accepted the invitation of Bishop Neil Tiedemann, CP, Bishop of the Mandeville Diocese of Jamaica, West Indies, to provide the leadership for St. Vincent Strambi School. Located on the south central side of the island in the town of Bull Savannah, the school has a modest beginning as a trade and agricultural school, but reopened as an academic school in 1994. The only diocesan high school in the Mandeville Diocese, the school is named for Passionist saint, Vincent Strambi, and currently serves 175 students from Grades 7-13. St. Vincent’s is a college preparatory school that also provides skills-training in Grades 12 and 13. Established in a rural farming area, the average family income in the region is $2,000 per year.
Br. Augustine Nicoletti, FSC, D.Min, Ed.D, leaves his post as Chair of the Education Department at Manhattan College, and assume the role of Principal at St. Vincent’s. “Br. Gus” has been an administrator on both the secondary and collegiate levels, and brings his background in teaching, counseling, spirituality and administration to his new position.
Joining Br. Gus, Br. James Wallace, FSC, Ed.D, a veteran African missionary, has stepped down as Vice President for Mission at Manhattan College to begin his new ministry of education at St. Vincent’s.
Mr. Richard Ward will also be a member of the Lasallian educational community, and serve St. Vincent Strambi School as teacher, Campus Minister, and moderator of extracurricular programs. A long time Lasallian, Mr. Ward has served as Campus Minister at La Salle School for Boys, and La Salle Academy in New York City.
Joining DENA’s intrepid trio, Brother Kent Connolly, FSC, of the Midwest District has also answered the call of service, and will connect with the new Lasallian community in Jamaica, later this month.
The Intrepid Trio are surrounded by family and District of Eastern North America (DENA) administration – top: Br. Dennis Malloy, FSC, Visitor of DENA; middle row, l to r: Br. Dennis Lee, FSC, Auxiliary Visitor of DENA, Br. James Wallace, FSC, Br. Augustine Nicoletti, FSC, Mr. Alan Weyland, Executive Director for the DENA Office of Mission and Ministry; bottom row: Mr. Richard Ward (center) is surrounded by his parents John and Marion of North Providence, RI.