On Wednesday, October 16th administrators from Montini Catholic attended an event sponsored by the Midwest District of the Christian Brothers at Resurrection High School in Chicago. The purpose of the meeting was to join peer schools for a dialogue with Br. Chris Patino, General Councilor and Br. Carlos Gomez, Vicar General, regarding the successes of the Leavening Project, a worldwide project and document created by the General Council of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (La Salle).

The project was released in January 2023 and is a plan for the next seven years to assist with the spiritual journey of Lasallians in the modern world. It encourages a mindset and a spiritual disposition to be the leaven from which new possibilities to serve young people on the peripheries grow. The Leavening Project also echoes the words of Pope Francis who said, “an evangelising community is involved in word and deed in people’s daily lives; it bridges distances, is ready to stoop if necessary, and embraces human life, touching the suffering flesh of Christ in others."

The Leavening Project inspires Lasallians to:

• Ask themselves, "Where is my brother?" and "Where is my sister?" when dealing with daily life.

• Treat everyone as a brother or sister;
• Be like Christ to those who live on the social, geographical, existential, and educational peripheries;

In relation to Montini Catholic and other Lasallian schools, the project inspires administrators and teachers to remember the importance of believing in the individual student and to strive to be a beacon of light in their school lives. 

Montini students are part of a Lasallian community spanning 80 countries and currently educating over one million students worldwide. Locally, Montini Catholic is a member of the Midwest District of The De La Salle Christian Brothers, which includes three universities and fourteen high schools.

A Lasallian education centers on five interlocking values which are:

• Quality education
• Inclusive community
• Faith in the presence of God
• Concern for the poor
• Respect for all people

 "Engaging with the Brothers provided us not only an opportunity to share the wonderful things happening in our ministries, but also left us feeling recharged, hopeful, and enthusiastic about our shared mission," said Montini President, Kevin Beirne.

Photo above l to r: 

Br. Chris Patino, General Councilor (Christian Brothers)

Sarah Lhotka, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction (Montini Catholic)

Kevin Beirne, President (Montini Catholic)

Chris Tiritilli, Principal (Montini Catholic)

Br. Carlos Gomez, Vicar General (Chistian Brothers)

Denis Block, Animator and Theology Teacher (Montini Catholic)

Anne Marie Lowery, Director of Development (Montini Catholic)