In the Gospel of Luke, we encounter the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It is a story we know well, but we often overlook the tension of the silence. When the traveler is found in need, others pass him by, perhaps because they are busy, perhaps because they feel unprepared, or perhaps because they trust that someone “better qualified” will eventually arrive.
Then, someone stops.
He does not wait for perfect conditions. He does not ask for a mandate or permission. He simply sees a human need and offers what he has in that moment.
Recently, at our Lasallian Dinner and Auction, I shared a story about one of our students that captures this same spirit. It has stayed with me because it speaks directly to the soul of Christian Brothers Academy.
Earlier this month, CBA Spanish teacher Señora Cabal shared an email with me regarding one of her students, Kate Radford ‘26. Over break, Kate was at a physical therapy appointment when a man arrived who spoke only Spanish. The clinic attempted to use a digital translator, but mid-session, the technology failed.
The room fell into that heavy, isolating silence that comes when communication breaks down, a moment when a person in need is suddenly left unheard and unseen.
The therapist asked a simple question: “Does anyone here speak Spanish?”
Kate’s response was equally simple: “I know a little bit.”
With those five words, she stepped forward. She did not wait until she was fluent. She did not wait for recognition or reassurance. She simply offered what she had. Where the technology had reached its limit, Kate’s humanity stepped in. For the remainder of that session, she restored what had been lost.
When she later shared the moment with her teacher, Señora Cabal responded, “This is exactly why we teach.”
At CBA, we pursue academic excellence with purpose. We want our students to grow in knowledge and skill. But a Lasallian education is fundamentally about formation. It is about preparing young people to recognize the holy presence of God in the person standing right in front of them, especially when that person is struggling to be seen, heard, or understood.
In that clinic, Kate did more than translate words. She restored connection. She preserved dignity. She ensured that a neighbor was not reduced to a “language barrier,” but recognized as a person.
“I know a little bit.”
In those words, there is profound humility and real courage. Perhaps that is where all true service begins, not with mastery, but with the willingness to step forward when a moment of need presents itself.
Our students are learning that their gifts, whether a second language, a sharp intellect, or a compassionate heart, are not meant to be held. They are meant to be given, especially in the quiet, unscripted moments that ask something of them.
In the end, the Good Samaritan did not give what he did not have. He simply refused to pass by. Kate did the same.
That is the measure of a Lasallian education.
Mr. Matthew Keough
President, Christian Brothers Academy
