The Lasallian community gathered on 14 May for its 10th annual prayer and meal-share at La Salle College.
In honour of the tercentenary anniversary of the death of St John Baptist de La Salle, the school welcome Sydney-based De La Salle Brother Lewis Harwood (Director of Vocations) as guest speaker for the morning’s event.
Br Lewis has taught at Oakhill College in Sydney and De La Salle College in Mangere NZ as a Religious Education cum English literacy development teacher.
Currently, he works for the Australian Lasallian Vocations Team and assists with school visits, retreats, youth ministry, and volunteer programmes.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, Monsignor Kevin Long, Lasallian Volunteers Director Br Anthony Cummins FSC, CEWA Executive Director Dr Debra Sayce, and UNDA Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Selma Alliex have in the past featured as special guest speaker for this event since its inception in 2009.
Br Lewis shared at this year’s prayer breakfast what prayer is, the purpose, why people pray, and how one can pray.
He also provided attendees with prayer tips of how to: create time each day for prayer, have a bible to find and reflect on passages from the scriptures and psalms, and download prayer apps.
De La Daily app provides daily quotes and reflections from St John Baptist de La Salle.
Brother Lewis shared the five characteristics of prayer being:
- Prayer as intimacy – love and our dependence with God;
- Prayer as gratitude – for the gift of life and the gifts we have been given;
- Prayer as mission – helping others, togetherness;
- Prayer as communion – relationship with God and others;
- Prayer as silence – the great universal prayer.
St John Baptist de La Salle teaches Christians to pray with the “eyes of faith”. Prayer is a form of listening to our experiences and seeing the goodness in others.
At the conclusion of the prayer, all gathered together for a light breakfast prepared and served by the Certificate III in Hospitality students in the Peter Elloy Staff Centre.