AFFILIATION DAY
(Remarks Made by Father Ray Webb During the Affiliation Ceremony - Feb 29th, 2004)

Thank you to Sister Patricia and the choir, to the Brothers, and to all who have worked on making this day possible. Thank you all for coming. I appreciate your support on this special day. You offer support to me, to the Brothers, and to the university and its purpose.

I feel very privileged to have become today an affiliated member of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the De la Salle Brothers. The Brothers have invited me to affiliation and by my acceptance I have pledged myself to solidarity with the Brothers and with the values of the Institute, in particular the education of the poor and those who live in challenging situations.

I feel privileged to have shared in the life they live during parts of these past 30 years.

I am grateful for the great kindness of the Brothers here with us this morning, to their confreres who have preceded them here, to Brother Joe who cannot be with us this morning, to Brother Bernard Rock and many others who showed such kindness to my parents during their eleven visits to the Holy Land.

I feel privileged to have shared with all of you here in a small way in the life and growth of this important university.

In the summer of 1974, the first summer school, when I first came to the university, I never imagined that I would have been able to be here 30 years later. At the beginning I never imagined how wonderful this university would grow to be.

At the beginning I never imagined that after all these years there regrettably still would be no peace and life would be so difficult for so many people.

The Brothers commit themselves by vows for life to share life together, united in Jesus Christ. They share prayer. They share meals and time together and mutual support. They share in a common purpose – education of the young, especially in more difficult situations. They do this for the good of those who study with them and not for their own gain. The Brothers are an inspiration to me in their living and in their work.

When I speak of the Brothers, I note especially that they came and THEY HAVE STAYED. For 112 years they have stayed. For the 30 years of the university, they have stayed. Through wars and intifadas, when others have left, they have stayed. Through curfews and closures, they have stayed. And all of you have stayed, too. Some of you could have gone elsewhere, gone away, gone to better rewards. But you have stayed also, stayed for the purpose of education of our young people, for the sake of the building of our country, for the future we so desperately await.

I thank God for the blessing of the Brothers of Saint John Baptist de la Salle. I thank God for the blessing of knowing all of you. May we encourage and support one another. May God grant us peace.