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Br. Luke Salm

Br. Luke Salm
1921-2009

Br. Luke was born in Albany, NY in 1921. He was the oldest of eight children. He attended St. Teresa’s School and Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, NY. He came to Manhattan College in 1955 and spent 35 years as an active faculty member. Br. Luke was instrumental in the creation of the Theology department, now called the Religious Studies department. He is well known in Lasallian communities worldwide for his many writings about the Christian Brothers. Br. Luke has given workshop presentations at colleges in Albany, NY; Memphis, TN; Winona, MN; Kansas City, MO; Santa Fe, NM; Moraga, CA and at retreat centers in the USA, Guatemala, Liberia, Kenya, Australia, Singapore and Rome. He counts classical music and opera as hobbies and plays piano and organ. Br. Luke passed away on August 31, 2009. Read

Educational Background:
B.A. The Catholic University of America (Summa cum laude), 1945
M.A. Greek and Latin, The Catholic University of America, 1949
S.T.L. Theology, The Catholic University of America, 1953
S.T.D. Theology (first non-cleric S.T.D.), The Catholic University of America, 1955
Sabbatical study at Catholic University of Louvain, 1971-1972

Area of Expertise:
Theology

On becoming a Christian Brother:
I was interested in becoming a Brother when I first met them at CBA Albany as a freshman in 1932. I admired their teaching skill, their concern for students and their dedication to the life of the school.

Meaningful experience as a teacher:
I taught 600 religious priests, Brothers and nuns in Smith Auditorium in a lecture series designed to help in the transition and changes in theology and church life after Vatican II.

Significant life experience:
I was one of the youngest Brother delegates elected to the Renewal General Chapter held in Rome 1966-67.

What do you consider to be your greatest contributions to the College?
Contributing to the creation of the Theology department, now the Department of Religious Studies.

On the future of the College:
Brothers will be fewer and less influential, perhaps even disappear; Lasallian lay associates will try to maintain the Lasallian and Catholic dimension of the College, but that will become increasingly difficult without the Brothers.

More About Br. Luke:
I am fond of steamships and ocean liners. Whenever I could I always travelled by sea. In my lifetime I have made three ocean voyages, including crossing both the Atlantic and the Pacific.

Career at Manhattan:
Manhattan College, Asst., Assoc., Full Professor, 1955-1991
Archivist, New York Province of the Christian Brothers
Manhattan College Board of Trustees

Before coming to Manhattan College, Br. Luke taught at La Salle Academy in New York City (1945-48) and De La Salle College of Catholic University in Washington, D.C. (1948-55). He also served as a lecturer at St. Mary’s College of California in 1972 and 1980. He was an adjunct professor at Maryknoll Seminary from 1973-83. Br. Luke has been a member of Phi Beta Kappa since 1945. He was elected delegate to the F.S.C. General Chapter in Rome in 1966, 1976, 1986, and 1993. He has received three honorary degrees: an LL.D. from La Salle University in 1977, an L.H.D. from St. Mary’s College of California in 1988 and a D.H.Lit. from Lewis University in 1990. He was the 1983 recipient of the Manhattan College Trustee’s Teacher-Scholar Award and the recipient of the National Association of Religious Brothers “Proclaimer” Award in 1983.

Br. Luke has served as Treasurer, President and Executive Secretary of the Catholic Theological Society of America (1959-1983). He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Liturgical Conference (1963-66) and as Treasurer of the Council of the Study of Religion (1978-83). He has also been a part of the International F.S.C. Committee on Religious Vows (1972-75) and the International F.S.C. Committee of Redaction of the Rule (1984-1985).

Christian Brothers Publications:
Beginnings: De La Salle and his Brothers, 1980
Encounters: De La Salle at Parmenie, 1983
Brother Miguel Febres Cordero: Teacher, Scholar, Saint, 1984
Brother Scubilion Rousseau: Apostle of Reconciliation, 1986
Brother Arnold Reche: Apostolic Ascetic, 1986
Brother Benilde Romancon: Teacher Saint, 1988
John Baptist de La Salle: The Formative Years, 1989
Brother Mutien Marie Wiaux: Sanctity in Simplicity, 1989
The Work in Yours: The Life of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, 1989, 1996
The Martyrs of Turon and Tarragona: The FSC in Spain, 1934-1939, 1990
A Religious Institute in Transition: The Story of Three General Chapters, 1992