A Taste of Hong Kong Lasallian Heritage
Bust of Brother Aimar
The outstanding event of the College year 1966 was the return of the mortal remains of Br. Aimar, founder of the College. Br. Aimar had been exiled to Vietnam after the fall of Hong Kong to the Japanese and died there a few years later far from his beloved La Salle College.
Br. Michael Jacques, Assistant Superior General, kindly agreed to go through the procedures necessary to bring back the remains to La Salle College for suitable interment in a place of honour.
The remains were placed in an urn and personally carried by Br. Michael on the flight to Hong Kong.
A bust of Br. Aimar had been sculpted and the remains placed in a granite vault underneath and bearing the inscription “Si monumentum requiris circumspice”, that is “If you are looking for a monument to this great man, just look around you at this mighty College which was his creation.”The original quotation comes from Sir Christopher Wren, builder of St. Paul’s London. The location was one of the two courtyards of the College.
When the old College was about to be pulled down to give way to the new, the remains of Br. Aimar were transferred to the Brother’s vault in the Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley. The bust was retained to occupy a place of honour in the school foyer.
