First Bursary Cohort Attends Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies 2026
Jo Millea, Director of Formation for the District of Ireland, Great Britain and Malta will accompany the first cohort of recipients of the Brother Alfred Calcutt Bursary for Lasallian Studies to participate at the Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies held at Manhattan University in New York, USA, from 28 June to 11 July 2026.
The Buttimer Institute is an intensive three-year formation programme. Each summer, participants gather for two weeks to study the life and work of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the origins of the Lasallian mission. Through study, prayer, and community, they deepen their Lasallian identity and return equipped to animate the mission in their own contexts.
Jo joins Mr Nic Mifsud (De La Salle College, Malta) and Mrs Emma Biggins (St Cassian’s Pastoral Centre). Their experience at Buttimer will be shared with the wider IGBM community in the weeks ahead, through reflections and moments captured on the ground. Follow IGBM's social media channels for updates from New York.
Reflections from Participants
Nic:
I approach this experience with a deep sense of gratitude, having experienced the Lasallian Mission here in Malta, first as a student and now through my leadership role within the same community. I hope to deepen my understanding of the life, spirituality and educational vision of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, while reflecting more intentionally on my own Lasallian vocation. I am particularly looking forward to learning alongside colleagues from different Lasallian contexts and being enriched by their experiences and perspectives. I hope to return better equipped to animate the mission at De La Salle College Malta and to share this formation meaningfully with the wider IGBM community.
Jo:
Attending Buttimer this year feels very timely and especially important on a personal level as I step away from De La Salle School, where I have served as an art teacher and leader for 21 years, and into a new chapter of deepening my vocational commitment and service to the broader Lasallian Mission. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to develop my own Lasallian Formation, to make further connections and to hopefully share this experience through my role within the District Mission team on my return.
Emma:
After fifteen years as Director of St Cassian’s Centre, I feel deeply grateful for the opportunity to attend Buttimer. I am hopeful that it will be a valuable experience in broadening my knowledge and understanding of St John Baptist de La Salle and his story, enriching my appreciation of Lasallian spirituality, and strengthening the work we do at St Cassian’s Pastoral Centre.
I look forward to learning alongside colleagues from across the International Lasallian Family and to sharing my own journey in the hope that it may offer encouragement and inspiration to others.