It was a sad day when the Christian day
school at St. Paul's closed. But no sooner
that those school doors closed, than the
congregation appointed a special committee
to determine if the recently vacated
space could be used for other educational
purposes. After all, four classrooms, a
lunchroom, library and offices, together
with school desks and chairs were already
on hand.At that moment Brother Lawrence Goyette
had a dream- to open a school for middle
school boys in the Providence area who
were at risk due to difficulties in the
family and the neighborhood. As a member
of the De La Salle Christian Brothers,
he was committed to serve students from
economically poor communities.
St. Paul offered Brother Goyette and his
new school, San Miguel, their own vacated
school rent and utility free. He accepted
the offer. That year San Miguel began
with a fifth and sixth grade. Today it has
reached is maximum enrollment of 64 young
men in grades five through eight.
What began under Brother Goyette’s direction
has grown into the national Miguel Schools
Network, a wave of fifteen new schools
established by the De La Salle Christian
Brothers to meet the needs of underprivileged
boys.
Brother Goyette ends a brief history of the
school, now in its 15th year, with this
statement, “In a school like San Miguel…a
place that is mission-driven, where everybody
knows each others’ names, where accountability
is expected…urban boys can become productive
members of society and true gentlemen. There
are many challenges that lie ahead in a future
yet to be. But with hope, determination and
hard work, miracles will continue to happen
for many years.
St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church is proud to have
been a part of fulfilling Brother Goyette’s
dream and serving the urban community in
which the church resides.
