By Danielle Valente

Copy Editor

MC lost a beloved member of its community, Brother Luke Salm, FSC, last week. His concern for others and devotion to students is perhaps what will be remembered most.

Brother Luke was a professor of Theology and Archivist for the New York Province of Christian Brothers. Not only was he exceptionally important in the creation of the MC Religious Studies Department, but he is also known worldwide in Lasallian communities for his writings, according to the MC website.

While some current students may not have had the chance to know Brother Luke, an article from a past issue of The Quadrangle notes the special bond he had with students and how much they respected him.

In 1974, a time when MC students wrote freely and expressively in the Quad’s Opinions section, one student chose to write a short snippet about Brother Luke.

The article in the Oct. 2 of ‘74 issue stated, “The facet of Luke’s character which makes him so praiseworthy is his openness. He sticks up for his kids. At a time when faculty, administration and superiors in general are speaking of youth and students as disrespectful, unruly, selfish, arrogant, etc. ad nauseum, Luke feels much of this is a crock of you-know-what.”

The student forgets to address him as Brother Luke, showing the close relationship Br. Luke had with his students. His down-to-earth persona and love for the community was captured very well in the article.

The article describes the problems that neighboring homes had with the then students of MC. Between blasting music in the wee hours of the morning, the use of water balloons and the overall chaos of college life, people began to get fed up. Brother Luke stood by his students.

“Brother who has tracked down 99 percent of all complaints says that very few of them are ‘legit’,” the article states. “I think that a man who is willing to stick by the students in any way is a man worth praise.”

35 years later, Brother is still known for the same thing.

Kevin McCloskey, Coordinator for Campus Ministry and Social Action is perhaps one member of the MC community who was closest with Brother Luke.

McCloskey noted, “Brother Luke was a talented musician, incredible intellect and humble man. I will miss him, yet knowing that he’s reunited with God, the students and his confrere that preceded him in death gives me a smile in my heart.”

McCloskey met Brother Luke at the Buttimer Institute which is held at St. Mary’s College in California each summer where he was a student. Brother’s main focus for the course was to have students better understand of Founder St. John Baptist De La Salle.

Eventually, their paths crossed again in 1996 when McCloskey began working at Manhattan College with Campus Ministry and Social Action. From the beginning, Brother Luke made an impact on McCloskey’s life.

“I am profoundly grateful to have that experience [studying with him at the Buttimer Institute] with Brother Luke, one of the foremost writers and intellectuals regarding the life, pedagogy and spirituality of De La Salle.”

Brother Luke was a special part of the MC community, and one that will not be forgotten.