The Lasallian community of Colegio De La Salle Bayamón gathered Oct. 3 to celebrate the school’s 65th anniversary, giving thanks for generations of faith, education and service to young people and families in Puerto Rico.

The celebration included a special Eucharistic liturgy at Parroquia La Santa Cruz in Bayamón, a place closely connected to the beginnings of the Lasallian educational mission in the community and described for the anniversary as the place “where it all began.”

During the celebration, the community honored Brother Angel Suárez, FSC, for his years of service and commitment to Colegio De La Salle. Brother Angel was among the pioneering Brothers who helped establish the Lasallian mission in Bayamón and continues to reside on the school’s campus today, providing a connection between its earliest years and the community it has become.

The Colegio’s Board of Trustees was also recognized during the anniversary celebration for its contributions to the progress and development of the school and its Lasallian mission.

Colegio De La Salle’s beginnings are rooted in the arrival of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Puerto Rico following their exile from Cuba in the early 1960s. With the assistance of the Dominican Fathers, the Brothers responded to the educational needs of young people in the growing Bayamón community.

From those beginnings, Colegio De La Salle has grown into a Lasallian educational community serving more than 700 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Faculty and staff continue the mission of providing a human and Christian education in the tradition of Saint John Baptist de La Salle.

As Colegio De La Salle celebrates 65 years, the milestone offers an opportunity to honor the Brothers, Lasallian Partners, alumni, families, benefactors and generations of students who have shaped its story while looking ahead to the continued Lasallian mission in Puerto Rico.

Photos courtesy of La Salle TV and Colegio De La Salle Bayamón.