Madagascan Lasallian Brother Beatified

by Jay Calleja

Blessed Brother Rafael-Louis Rafiringa, a Madagascan Lasallian Brother, was among those beatified on 7 June 2009, Trinity Sunday, in a ceremony presided over by Archbishop Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Blessed Brother Rafael-Louis joined the Congregation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in 1876, 10 years after entering the first La Salle school in Antananarivo, Madagascar. As the Superior General, Br. Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria FSC, intimates in his letter to the Lasallian Family, 'Brother Rafael was exceptionally talented and effective as an educator, a catechist and leader. During a time when foreign missionaries were expelled from the country, Brother Rafael was chosen as the President of the Catholic Union for all Madagascar, effectively running the Church during the period of great opposition. He suffered incarceration on false charges, yet held strongly to his faith and his vocation. Eventually, he was named a Member of the Academy of Madagascar and received the Medal of Civil Merit for the success of his efforts to normalize the relations between Madagascar and France.'

Blessed Rafael-Louis Rafiringa, pray for us.

Related information:
A brochure on Blessed Brother Rafael-Louis Rafiringa from the Institute here
Br. Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria FSC message here
Link to De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines website here

image courtesy of www.lasalle.org