Rediscovering Faith, Fraternity, and Service in Lasallian Leadership
At the beginning of October 2025, Lasallian leaders from across Europe gathered at Casa La Salle in Rome for the ASSEDIL Formation Programme, a week dedicated to reflection, connection, and renewal.
Representing the District of Ireland, Great Britain and Malta, Caroline Grech Mallia (De La Salle Junior School, Malta), Romina Borg Psalia (Stella Maris Junior School, Malta), and Áine Best (De La Salle College Belfast).
The week offered rare space to step back from the immediacy of school life and to reflect on leadership through the Lasallian pillars of Faith, Fraternity, and Service, and it proved be a wonderful experience that was both restorative and inspiring.
The conference is another example of the opportunities available in our District to participate in Formation programmes that inspire educators for the ultimate benefit of all those entrusted to our care.
It also highlights the value of belonging to an international network that provides the opportunity to share with and learn from Lasallians across Europe.
It was a very inspiring five days for Caroline, Romina and Áine who reflected on the memorable and productive conference on their return, encouraging others to take the opportunity in the future.
Áine Best, De La Salle College Belfast, reflects on her experience at the formation programme:
As a relatively new Lasallian leader, the week in Rome was an invaluable experience, an opportunity to pause, reconnect, and reflect on what it truly means to lead through the Lasallian values of faith, fraternity, and service.
At first, I was conscious of how busy school life is and how hard it can feel to step away for five days, but this experience reminded me why it matters. Taking time to reconnect with the Lasallian mission re-energised me for the work back home. It gave fresh perspective on what truly sustains our schools: faith in each other, fraternity among colleagues, and service lived out daily.”
The programme reaffirmed that, although the challenges facing Lasallian schools are remarkably similar across Europe, the shared spirit of faith, fraternity, and service continues to provide a hopeful and unifying response.
What struck me most was the sense of belonging, realising that we are part of something much larger than our own school community. Whether speaking with colleagues from Malta, Greece, Belgium, or Spain, it became clear that our experiences are remarkably similar: sustaining morale, nurturing hope, and keeping faith visible amid the pressures of school life. Yet there was also great optimism, a shared belief that the Lasallian charism continues to offer a deeply relevant and restorative response.
Romina Borg, Stella Maris Junior School Malta, outlined how the programme helped deepen the connection with the Lasallian charism.
The Assedil experience is a journey of community, faith, and shared growth that brings together educators and Lasallians from different backgrounds to reflect on their mission and deepen their connection to the Lasallian charism.
It offers participants a meaningful opportunity to pause, share personal stories, and explore how their vocation as educators extends beyond the classroom into the heart of human and spiritual development.
Through dialogue, discussions, prayer, collaborative activities and social activities, the Assedil experience fosters a renewed sense of belonging and commitment to the Lasallian family, inspiring participants to return to their schools with greater purpose, creativity, and compassion in their service to others.
Being a five-day course helped participants to build positive relationships and form connections. The presentations were very interesting and thought provoking.
Caroline Grech Mallia, De La Salle Junior School, explained the many benefits of the week in Rome.
During the first week of October, I attended the Formation Course for Directors of RELEM, organised by ASSEDIL. The experience provided valuable insights into the purpose and mission of ASSEDIL, as well as an opportunity to connect with other Lasallian leaders across diverse educational contexts.
Through the sessions, I gained a deeper understanding of ASSEDIL’s role in supporting Lasallian schools across Europe and the Mediterranean region. Its primary purpose is to promote collaboration, formation, and shared reflection among Lasallian leaders, ensuring that the mission of Saint John Baptist de La Salle continues to thrive in today’s educational landscape.
One of my main reflections centred on the future of Lasallian schools. The course brought together participants from very different realities—ranging from highly secular environments to schools where Catholic influence remains strong. Common themes emerged, including:
The growing secularism and loss of influence of the Catholic Church in society.
The decrease in the number of Brothers.
The increasing role of women in the Lasallian world and in leadership.
Despite these differences, a unifying factor among all participants was the strong sense of belonging to the Lasallian family and the shared desire to preserve and strengthen this spirit.
A significant insight from the course was the reminder that, as leaders, we must discern between what is urgent and what is important in our schools. It prompted me to reflect on our Lasallian identity—how central it is to our vision and how we prioritise it amidst daily demands.
A quote shared during the course deeply resonated with me:
“The best moment to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best moment is today.”
