A First for Brothers in His Country

On Wednesday, December 19, the University Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile awarded the prize, ?Educator of the Year? to Brother Aldo Passalacqua Restini. Since 1983, the University has bestowed the yearly award upon someone well known for service to the cause of national education.

The recent recipient commented: ?Clearly they wanted to highlight, by way of an ordinary person, the educational work of the Marist Brothers in Chili. To that end, they sought out a Brother who happens to have a public persona. I have had certain roles which may have influenced the prize selection: six years as President of FIDE (a federation of educational establishments), and six years as Director of Education for the Episcopal Conference and leader of the CEIS Foundation of Chili.?

Brother Aldo is 65 years of age and a native of Chile. He is presently Rector of the Instituto Rafael Ariztía in the city of Quillota. He has been involved in Chilean education since 1963, taking on assignments as teacher, counselor and school director. In the latter capacity, he has been the head of Marist Brother schools in Quillota, Santiago, Rancagua et Villa Alemana. Brother Aldo?s award marks the first time that a Marist Brother has received such a mark of distinction.