Celebrating Founder's Day at De La Salle College

On May 11, His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo visited De La Salle College to celebrate a Mass in honour of the Founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers)  – Patron Saint of All Teachers.

The Cardinal was greeted by the De La Salle Cadet Corps which acted as an honour guard for the visit of the Archbishop of Toronto – as has been the tradition since the days of Archbishop Neil McNeil who blessed the opening of De La Salle College at its current site in 1931. The school founded in 1851 at the invitation of His Grace, Bishop de Charbonnel is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year. De La Salle College has been visited by Cardinal McGuigan who blessed the new school building in 1949, Cardinal Carter who blessed the De La Salle Retreat Centre in 1988, Cardinal Ambrozic who celebrated Mass for the 150th anniversary of the College in 2001, and Cardinal Collins who visited the school on various occasions and blessed the Flag of the Sacred Heart, which is raised each year in the month of June – dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In his homily, Cardinal Leo thanked the Brothers and the lay staff past and current, for their dedication to the human and Christian education of youth in the Archdiocese of Toronto.

As well, the Cardinal reminded the students of their special responsibility to both the local and international Church of the need for young people to respond to the call of God in the spirit of a sense of vocation to the married state as mothers and fathers, to the service of the priesthood and as consecrate persons as Sisters and Brothers.

In his closing remarks, Brother Domenic thanked His Eminence for his gracious presence and promised that the school would always keep in their prayers – each day at morning assembly and at daily Mass in the school chapel – prayers especially for the work of Cardinal Leo as Chief Shepherd of the Catholic population in Toronto and in service to the Universal Church.