BROTHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS

CIRCULAR 455September 15th, 2007

The Documents of the44th General Chapter

“Being Brothers Today: Open Eyes, Burning Hearts”

General CouncilVia Aurelia – Rome, Italy

Lay-out and infography:José A. Warletta, fsc

Non-credited photos:Roch Dufresne, fscJosé A. Warletta, fscPaul WolfingJames Joost, fscGeorge Van Grieken, fscSECOLI and DistrictsArchive of the Communication Office

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September 2007

Brothers of the Christian SchoolsGeneralateVia Aurelia 47600165 Rome, Italy

Index

Introduction 5

1. Interior Life 9

2. Community Life 18

3. Association for the educational service of the poor 23

4. Educational Service of the Poor 29

5. Pastoral ministry of Brothers and Lasallian Vocations 36

6. Accompaniment of Young Brothers in Community 40

7. Young Brothers in the Institute 43

8. Government and Animation 46

44th General Chapter - Message To The Brothers 56

44th General Chapter - Message To The Lasallian Family 58

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Introduction

“Being Brothers Today: Open Eyes, Burning Hearts”

“I Heard Their Cry – I Will Send You”(Cf. Ex 3:7-10)

The biblical event of the Exodus provided the icon and inspiration for the workof the 44th General Chapter. This led the Capitulants to consider what we asBrothers leave behind as we look toward the horizons before us. Also, based onthe Exodus, we considered the various needs that are present in so many formsin our world today that we, as Brothers and with other Lasallians dedicated to themission of education, are called to address so that the Reign of God proclaimedand realized in Jesus may transform the world into one of hope, justice, peace,and communion among people. The 44th General Chapter calls for the Brothersand all who work in the Lasallian mission of education to “hear the cry” of the op-pressed and to reflect on how we must prepare and renew ourselves for an Ex-odus at the beginning of the 21st century towards new horizons.

Our discussions during the Chapter, and the documents resulting from these ex-changes, intend to assist us personally and communally to unleash “an unstop-pable process of conversion” (Bro. Álvaro Rodríguez, Superior General) as weBrothers journey together and with others in realizing our educational mission.

For this the Capitulants studied in groups and discussed in General Assemblysome important aspects of our life.

The necessity for authentic Interior Life and Community Life challenges us, intoday’s world, to be men of faith and prayer, liv-ing our Brotherhood in the simplicity ofthe Gospel. We hear personally andin community the Gospel call tofollow Jesus in his life and mis-sion as a fraternal sign of hopein the world.

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The growing movement centered on the Association for the Educational Serv-ice of the Poor challenges us to understand better the vow of Association as anexpression of our consecration and the call to our educational mission in collab-oration with our Lasallian partners.

The need for the Educational Service of the Poor challenges us through our ed-ucational and evangelizing work among the poor and with all of our students tocreate a world more just and caring, especially for the poor and those whose hu-man rights are violated in many ways.

The importance of the Pastoral Ministry of Brothers and Lasallian Vocationschallenges us to foster Lasallian vocations, especially Brothers’ vocations, so thatwe can witness to and inspire in others the value of faith, fraternity, and serviceto assure the vitality of our educational mission.

The responsibility for Accompanying Young Brothers in Community, a concernborn of a need that progressively emerged during the Chapter, challenges us tosupport and accompany the younger Brothers, and many others, especially intheir spiritual growth, in their life in community, and in their ministry.

The young Brothers presented a document “Young Brothers in the Institute”expressing their hopes and fears and their desire to meet on a regular basis at theinternational level. This Document was approved by the Chapter Assembly.

The need to develop structures in a spirit of fraternity, service, and liberty at alllevels of the Institute that support our mission and all who are dedicated to thatmission prompted a serious discussion on Government and Animation.

As the God of the Exodus told Moses of those uttering a cry for life and hope, “Iwill rescue them,” so too the 44th General Chapter sets this same horizon for the

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Brothers and for all those working in the mission of the Institute. The 44th GeneralChapter does this with the conviction that on this journey to that horizon whatthe God of the Exodus told Moses is told to us also: “I will be with you” (Ex 3:12).

The heading of this preface that encapsulates a recurring theme of the Chapterrecalls the paschal mystery of the new Exodus of Jesus and our Exodus in and withhim. He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus whose eyes wereopened and hearts were burning while sharing a meal with him at the end of theday because then they realized he had been with them the whole time of theirjourney (Luke 24:31-32). We also need open eyes and burning hearts to make thepresence of Jesus Christ a reality in our lives and in this world. And indeed, it issignificant that the feast of Pentecost occurred during the time of the Chapter.We go forward in hope filled with the Spirit of the Risen Lord of life and peace whosends us to be his witnesses throughout the world.

Fraternally in St. John Baptist de La Salle

Br. Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, Superior General

And the members of the General Council:

Br. Thomas Johnson, Vicar GeneralBr. Alberto Gómez BarrusoBr. Claude ReinhardtBr. David HawkeBr. Edgar Genuino NicodemBr. Gabriel SoméBr. Jacques d’HuiteauBr. Jorge Gallardo de AlbaBr. Robert Schieler

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IntroductionWhat we call the interior life is a funda-mental aspect of the life of all men andwomen through which, conscious oftheir calling and mission in the world,they live, in a simple manner, a per-sonal relationship with God. This rela-tionship is a dialogue, founded ongrace, that extends out in love to allpeoples, all living beings, all thingsand to the world.

Our concerns about the interior life ofthe Brother and the difficulties we havein living our consecration in the con-temporary world contexts have beenbrought together into one single chal-lenge and one single horizon whichinvite us to work the of action in orderto unleash unstoppable processes ofconversion that will help us to respondto what God asks of us at per-sonal, community, District, Re-gional and Institute levels.

What is essen-tial is to keepalive the spiritthat is special tous, the spirit of faithand zeal. We are beingcalled to examine if we

are truly living by the Spirit and if weare effectively motivated by thetwofold passion for the God of salva-tion and for those to whom he sendsus. The most important thing of all isthat we be interior men.

1. Challenge: To live andoffer spiritual depth

1.1 Changing Times

We live in a globalized world that fos-ters interpersonal relationships, aware-ness of our smallness, interdepend-ence, respect, and tolerance fordiversity. It is also a world in which thegeneral atmosphere and intellectualmovements contradict the idea of aworld which, in former days, we man-aged quite well: today we would an-swer that we value feelings more thanthe will, impressions more than in-telligence, the body morethan the spirit, plurality morethan unity, and the temporalmore than the eternal.

It is a worldin whichwe are

p a s s i n g

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1. Interior LifeBeing Brothers Today and Tomorrow,

Interior Men in the simplicity of the Gospel

Asif Akbar

through a new secularism that dis-places the last remaining religiousmeanings. Salvation, pardon for sin, re-demption or sacrifice these are nolonger words that have an historicalresonance in society, but rather havecompletely lost their significance forthe ordinary person.

This cultural logic has led us to live in afragmented style, making us experi-ence time and space in another way, aswell as interpersonal relationships and,even the value we place on persons.

1.2 Reflection or prophecy?

We Brothers are persons of our times.Our God is the Lord of History and allcultures are also his Word. It is therewhere he speaks to us, there we lookfor Him and we find Him. But our pres-ence as consecrated men wants to bein association so as to serve as acounter-cultural sign today. Neverthe-less, we cannot avoid being influ-enced by the dominant values of ourculture which can ensnare us in thedynamics of consumerism, superfi-ciality, an existential vacuum and theunbelief of many of our contempo-raries.

The disinterest of many Brothers intheological, religious and catecheticalstudies is an emerging danger owingto this situation. We are also aware ofthe tension created by the distance be-tween what we say in our documentsand what we are living. We have neg-

lected meditation and spiritual read-ing. Our retreats appear to be morelike courses or workshops.

Many times, this giving in to the non-evangelical and dominant aspects ofthe cultural style of today’s world arecompounded by the many problemsthat have their roots in our affectivelife, such as addictions, the demandfor recognition, feelings of omnipo-tence, messianic pretensions, over-work, the obsessions of perfectionismor narcissism.

It cannot be denied that this culturalethos to which we belong makes de-mands on the apostolic dimension ofour religious congregation and thestyle in which we are living our sharedmission with other educational andpastoral agents.

1.3 A possible dream

We must face a serious process of spir-itual renewal that will bring us, as per-sons and as communities, to reducethe distance between our documentsand our life in order to live a spiritual-ity that is visible, credible andprophetic:

– To strengthen the contemplative di-mension of our life that will lead usto live a passion for God in the pas-sion we have for this world.

– To promote a formation that is morein consonance with the life of theDistricts, more personalized, in the

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context of an ambience in which welive that is at once multi-religiousand unbelieving.

– To work on our own way of living,personally and in community, inorder to become the poor Broth-ers who are sought by the poor.

– To create communities that willserve as spiritual references forchildren, for youth and for adults.

– To create anew the means tostrengthen our fraternal bonds.

– To unleash the processes of spiri-tual renewal in the whole Institute.

2. Horizon: Brothersspiritually significant inprophetic communities.

2.1 Eyes wide open

St. John Baptist de La Salle was a manwho permitted himself to be touchedand moved by the situation of aban-donment of the children of the artisansand the poor when he contemplatedGod’s plan of salvation (cf. Rule 11). Itis this same spirituality of eyes openthat our Institute needs to cultivate to-day at the beginning of the 21st cen-tury. It is a spirituality that understandsthat the world, all cultures, sciencesand arts, the lives of nations and ofpersons, particularly if they are poor,are all words that God is using to call tous, to challenge us, to pursue us and

show himself to us.

2.2 Mystical realism

This is Lasallian mystical realism, asBrother Michel Sauvage described (CL55, 105-125), and which so manyBrothers have lived. It is a spirituality in-carnated in the people of our countriesat the present time. It is a way of feel-ing and seeing reality with the eyes ofthe believer which inspires us to work,together with our Brothers and othereducators and pastoral agents, in sucha way that we believe that what we domay be more pleasing to the God, whois present and active in history. It is asensitivity that brings us to discoverthat the rights of all, and especially, therights of the child, are rights that comefrom God.

2.3 Captivated

As in the life of De La Salle, the buildingup of this sensitivity and of this apos-tolic drive is not something that arises

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spontaneously in us (cf. Rule 81). It re-quires a formation that deepens ourlove for Jesus, the Incarnation of God,the splendor of His saving grace in thePaschal Mystery. It is a personal, con-scious and responsive love offered tothe Spirit of Jesus Christ who lives inChurch and in the World. It is a lovethat is always available and seeking.This quest requires a spirit of discern-ment, above all in times of perplexityand uncertainty, like our own. Thisdeepening of love for Jesus opens upin a single movement into adoration ofGod and a love for humanity and all ofcreation.

2.4 Interior Prayer: theexistential imperative

In this formation, interior prayer occu-pies a singular place, one that led ourFounder to name it as the first andprincipal of the daily exercises (cf. Rule69; 73). This interior prayer is not pos-sible as a daily activity if we Brothers donot ask penetrating questions aboutthe meaning of life linked with answersthat speak of Godthrough symbolsor metaphors.

A life of dailyprayer alsorequires usto be awareof our owntenuous attach-ment to the

good, the true and the beautiful. TheBrother who prays every day needscontrol of the body and mind; a rootedsense of personal awareness; a healthysense of his own worth; a progressiveunification of the senses, the emotions,the affections, the ideas, the values andthe decisions involved in living a life offaith; and a belief in Jesus Christ thatopens itself to a personalized doctrinaldevelopment and a loving personal re-lationship. Only in this way will we livethe existential imperative to pray al-ways and not an immature depend-ence on timetables and exterior struc-tures.

2.5 Communities of prayer

For this very reason we need commu-nities in which the life of prayer ispossible. These will be communitiesin which we can cultivate, togetherand by association, our relationshipwith the God of Jesus. The daily en-counter with God, in Word and Bread,is the path to follow. The Word of Godis not limited just to the Scriptures

but it is free andactive in thelives of nationsand individuals.

Our dailyprayer mustbe devel-oped, then,

as an exerciseof a prayerful

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Andy Lim

reading of the Word of God. It mustbe a type of reading that leads us,on the one hand, to discover the re-ligious relationship that exists be-tween history and the economic andsocial situations in the simple life ofthe people with whom we live, andthe Biblical narratives on the other.(MTR 193, 194, 198) We need to dis-cover what relations both have withour own life as consecrated men whoseek together the glory of God in theeducational and evangelizing min-istry. In this way, Scriptures will be, ina renewed manner, our first and prin-cipal Rule (cf. Rule 6).

2.6 To Be More and Have Less

We want to be men of contempla-tion, of a loving relationship with God,with others and with all of creation,because where our treasure is, there isour heart.

Therefore, we also need to review ourlifestyle. Many communities and manyBrothers in particular have too manythings, are busy doing too much, andwant too many things. Some of usBrothers look for too much power andare too full of ourselves.

This is why our life has become some-thing foreign to the poor (cf. Rule 32)and too much like that of the rich. Inthis way our lives are not meaningfulfor either the poor or the rich.

Lasallian spirituality is one of simplicity.

Mystical realism means being con-scious of the limits of possibility, a re-sponsible awareness of the necessary,of the realizable, of the desirable. It is ahumble, measured consciousness. Weneed to build up a perspective of com-munion and participation about mate-rial goods, a viewpoint that is consis-tent with the style of poverty that ourRule invites us to live.

2.7 Exodus and Resistance

It is a spirituality of exodus. We arethe slaves who have to let ourselvesbe led to freedom by God. We are theslaves who must abandon our foolishsecurities in order to cross throughthe dangers of the desert, confident in

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the Presence of the God of Promiseand of the New Covenant calling us tobe free.

We are not being freed to reproduce anew situation of slavery, but to beprophets of a new world. For this rea-son, ours is also a spirituality of resist-ance. Our communities, and eachBrother, have to learn to say “no”, to say“enough”, to say, “that is not for us”, tosay, “not in our name”, and to constructalternatives.

2.8 Alternative Communities

As communities of faith, we are calledto collaborate in the construction ofmore communities of faith (cf. Rule51a), new islands of hope and creativ-ity; alternative communities, commu-nities seeking to be similar to the firstChristian community in Jerusalem andto that of our Lasallian origins.

Communities who would serve as areference for other adults, for youthand for children, or groups of youngpeople themselves who, because ofthe witness of their interior lives,serve as models for adults, otheryoungsters and children. They mighteven be groups of children who seekand offer alternative experiences oflife within our Church and society; al-ternative communities, ecclesialgroups with a human face so oftenmissing in our society and our Church(cf. Rule 17c,d).

2.9 Called

We are called to build communities ofBrothers where we look forward withjoy to coming together for prayer. Thishas less to do with the novelty of stylesthan with the seriousness of the ac-tivity, even though it cannot be deniedthat we must take the time to revisewhat we have been doing at the timeof building the community annualprograms.

We are called to be the human face ofGod. The God of history calls us at thistime to manifest to men and women,especially to the poor, His presence inthis world through the work of educa-tion.

We are called to be companions for oth-ers along the pathway of their own spir-ituality. We need Brothers and commu-nities that live the Gospel authentically.We need Brothers and communitiesthat unleash an unstoppable processof conversion that will help us to re-spond to what God asks of us!

3. Lines of Action3.1 Strengthen the contemplative di-

mension of our life that will lead us tolive the passion for God in the passionfor this world. Some examples are:

– Be attentive in order to discover thereligious meaning of the culture, es-pecially initiating ourselves into theworld of symbols and into symbolicthought that permits us to tran-

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scend from mere experience intomystery.

– Be more creative in personal andcommunity prayer; and in spiritualreading, in our community andsacramental celebrations in waysthat are more affective, more fes-tive.

– Prefer retreats that are morecontemplative than in-structive.

– Give newvalue to thespaces andtimes we dedi-cate for prayer,silence, and inte-rior prayer.

3.2 Promote a new formation,both initial and on-going, inthe present multi-religiousand non-believing context, inorder to know how to live intimes of uncertainty. Develop forma-tion programs:

– that would be more personalized;

– that would be more linked to the lifeof the Districts;

– that would integrate the corporal,the affective, the cognitive, the ethi-cal, the spiritual, the religious;

– that would unite with the reading ofthe bible an interpretation of realityand that of our community to dis-cern the signs of the times;

– this would include in the personalprojects the ways in which Lectio Div-ina, silence, self control and humilitycan nourish and help us to deepenthe interior life of each Brother.

3.3 Work on our own way of livingpersonally and in community so as

to become the poor Brothers whoare sought by the poor, for ex-

ample:

– Live amongthe poor.

– Have a forma-tion programthat integratesthe experience

of contact with thepoor.

– Revise our style of livingin order to live simply in

terms of having, desiring, ac-cepting and planning activities.

– Avoid being obsessed with thelatest novelties and learning to say“enough”.

– Look for new ways of sharing goods.

3.4 Create communities that wouldbe spiritual reference points for chil-dren, youth and adults; for this itwould be necessary, among otherthings:

– To make our communities as placesfor spiritual discernment.

– To share our experience of God as away of enriching the spiritual life of

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each Brother and of the whole com-munity. This must be a priority andmust have its place in the commu-nity annual program.

– To open community spaces andtimes of prayer in order to share withothers.

– To make our communities more visi-ble to other groups.

– Animating groups of faith and reflec-tion in which existential questionsmay be raised.

– Creating communities of faith ofadult teachers with their own leader-ship and collaborating with thosewhich already exist.

3.5 Creating anewthe means tostrengthen thebonds of brother-hood, for example:

– Finding a spiritualcompanion withwhom we can chal-lenge one othermutually as weseek a more au-thentic interior life.

– Identifying and im-itating Brotherswho may serve asicons of Gospel au-thenticity.

– Foreseeing in thecommunity an-

nual program the special occasionswhere we may affirm and expressappreciation for our Brothers.

– Emphasizing the responsibility thateach Brother has with respect to thedemands of the ideals of the interiorlife for himself and for others.

– In community, looking for ways tore-discover the Rule in such a waythat we will read it with new eyesand renewed interest, in order topray with it and permit ourselves tobe challenged by its life-giving in-sights.

3.6 Unleashing pro cesses of spiritualrenewal at all levels ofthe Institute; this im-plies, among otherinitiatives:

– To organize in theRegions or the Dis-tricts, a colloquium/workshop on the in-terior life, before thenext intercapitularmeeting.

– To design resourceson Lasallian Spiritual-ity Brothers of all agegroups. The Institutestructures responsi-ble for formation andLasallian Studiesshould work on this.

– To put intomotion a

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process that will help theBrothers to re-discoverthe practice of Lasalliandiscernment in their

daily life. Brother Superior willinvite Brothers who are ex-

perts in Lasallian Studiesto collaborate on this.

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IntroductionGod is in front of us in the realities ofthe world and of the Church in whichthe Institute is present today.

1. Our post-modern world is very pres-ent in our personal lives and in our re-ligious communities. It is marked inparticular by a primacy of feeling overwill, of impression over intelligence, ofan arbitrary logic and seeking of pleas-ure over a morality of asceticism andprohibitions. It is a world in which pri-macy is given to sensitivity, emotion,and to the instantly present moment.

Human existence is often lived as aplace where one experiments with alimitless freedom, where people exer-cise or believe they are able to exercisepower and creativity without referenceto God. And yet in this world we under-stand that everywhere there is a deepdesire for recognition and for respectdemanded by people, groups of hu-manity, the poor, the young: a desirefor fraternity.

2. The Church changes slowly infront of our eyes: sincethe Second Vati-can CouncilChristians ex-press even more

their desire to become agents, of par-ticipating fully in a common mission, ina variety of ministries and by new waysof participating and decision-making.There is present an affirmation of theChurch — the people of God who aretogether sent into the world. In thiscontext the religious life is called tolive “the passion for Christ, the passionfor humankind”. A renewed fraternity isbeing created.

3. In our Institute we are living thesesame expectations, encouraged byour Lasallian partners, in all the situa-tions where we are present; this hasbeen quite evident these past thirtyyears. These partners are attentive toour way of being present and to thestyle of education that we are devel-oping; they are discovering there thefraternity that attracts them and towhich many wish to associate them-selves in order to live their professionas a vocation.

Without any doubt and as the42nd General Chapter de-

clared to us we have “re-ceived the charism

of fraternity”which, in our

position as re-ligious Brothers

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2. Community Life

Jean Scheijen

(Cf. V.C. 60), responds to the new ex-pectations of the world and the Churchin which God wants us to be witnessesand builders of the Kingdom.

The religious community is a sign ofand a witness to the great Trinitarian“Koinonia”, in which God has willedthat all persons have part in the life ofthe Son and The Holy Spirit. In its struc-tures, motivations and distinguishingvalues, the religious community makespublicly visible and continually notice-able the gift of brotherhood given byGod to the whole Church. It is for thisreason that religious communitieshave their commitment to a missionto be living signs of intense brotherlycommunion (cf. Fraternal life in com-munity 2e).

We remember with deep emotion thewords of Blain of the origins of ourname and our identity (cf. Rule 53)

“In this way, the name Brothers of theChristian and Gratuitous Schools be-came henceforth the official name ofthe children of De La Salle. From nowon, we shall call them by no other. Thisappellation is the correct one because itincludes the definition of their state andindicates the mission proper to their vo-cation. This name reminds them thatthe charity which gave birth to their In-stitute must be its souls and life, that itshould govern all their deliberations andanimate all their projects… This nameteaches them the excellence of the dutythey have assumed, the dignity of their

state, and the holiness proper to theirprofession. It tells them as Brothers theyowe each other mutual proofs of tenderbut spiritual friendship and that consid-ering themselves as the elder brothers ofthe children who come to be taught bythem, they should exercise this ministryof charity with truly loving hearts” (BlainCL 7 p. 241).

4. Called together from our beginningsto live fraternity in community, we be-lieve that this dimension of our identitycalls us -

“To be Brothers today”

men of fraternity,According to the following promises:

Men of fraternity among ourselves,inspired by the prayer of Christ:

“Father, that they all may be one as youand I are one…” (cf. R 48).

Men of fraternitywith the educators who share the

mission with us.

Men of fraternitywith the youth and the adults,

especially the poor,

Men of fraternity in the Church.

This world, the adults and the youthwho are daily entrusted to us, and theChurch put forward for us the chal-lenge of fraternity and encourage uspersonally and in community to livemore authentically.

Our answer to this challenge is the

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Lasallian fraternity lived in a renewedway.

Note: The order of challenges re-sponds to the plan of the Exodus (Ex3:6-10). The community opens its eyesand ears to reality, and becomes thecovenant people sent on mission.

1.1 Challenge: to respond asa community to the needsof our world

As witnesses of the suffering and injus-tice in the world, we are challenged torespond in community to the needs ofthe children and the young, especiallythose who are poor.

1.2 Horizons1.2.1 Being communities of discern-

ment where brothers live a life ofsimplicity in solidarity with the poor.

1.2.2 Go to new places as a Samaritan

of the Gospel where there is no basiceducation and where the word ofGod is less proclaimed.

1.3 Lines of action1.3.1 Place the poor, especially those

who are young, at the center of ourcommunity and educational projectsin order to better know the reality inwhich they live and in order to re-spond to the different local needs.For example: students who have dif-ficulty with their studies, children ofdysfunctional families; migrants,those on drugs, orphans, the rightof the child to be born, and othernew forms of poverty.

1.3.2 Establish communities of Lasal-lians committed to the service ofyoung people or adults in difficulty.

1.3.3 Encourage Lasallian communi-ties to be informed and formed to-gether on social issues and to be en-gaged in the pastoral endeavors ofthe Church and/or in humanitarianinitiatives.

2.1 Challenge: to becommunities thatencourage the followingof Jesus

We are challenged to be welcomingcommunities, a leaven of fraternity inthe world, offering a human face of theChurch and inviting a creative and rad-ical following of Jesus.

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2.2 HorizonsCreate Brothers’ communities thatare visible, credible and fraternal,where life and faith are sharedwith the young and with adultsand can inspire the formation ofLasallian fraternities.

2.3 Lines of action2.3.1 That the Districts and Regions

collaborate in forming interna-tional Lasallian Communities thatare signs of fraternity and of theuniversal mission of the Church. (Cf.The Educational Service of the Poor,6.3.1)

2.3.2 That communities provide timefor faith sharing among the Brothersas visible, living, and active witnessesof Jesus Christ. In this way they willbe signs for the young who seek todeepen their spiritual lives and couldinvite them to choose the conse-crated life (Cf. Pastoral Ministry 1.3.1).

2.3.3 To open the community to Lasal-lians who seek to develop their faithand deepen their spirituality and un-derstanding of the mission by theirsharing with the Brothers

3.1 Challenge: to live themission as a community

Consecrated to the Holy Trinity ourchallenge is to live in community “to-gether and by association” for the mis-sion (Cf. Med. 39.3)

3.2 HorizonsTo live in community our vow of asso-ciation to serve the poor, dedicated toa mission which is not limited to work-ing only in solidarity but which arisesfrom a life in community, enrichedwith the gifts and talents of all theBrothers.

3.3 Lines of action3.3.1 To welcome as a community

those in need and freely give them ofits time and energy,

3.3.2 To encourage collaborationamong different communities andworks to reinforce the spirit of asso-ciation and to respond better to themission.

4.1 Challenge: building anauthentic fraternity

In an age when so many are searching

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for a spiritual life and a deeper sense ofbelonging, we are challenged to live anauthentic life of brotherhood in com-munity.

4.2 HorizonsWe envision community as a place toshare life and faith, where we come toknow and appreciate one another’sjoyful presence, overcome individual-ism, continue our ongoing formationand experience the merciful love ofGod (cf. Rule 50).

4.3 Lines of action4.3.1 To create an atmosphere in com-

munity that assists in building friend-ship, respect, tolerance and mutualsupport that fosters personal andcommunal time for prayer, rest andrecreation, as well as fraternal cor-rection. More importance should begiven to the Brother personally thanto structures and rules.

4.3.2 To fulfill his ministry as commu-nity animator the Brother Directorparticipates in suitable formationprograms provided either by the In-

stitute or other agencies.

4.3.3 To creatively construct the com-munity annual program in a discern-ing manner, recognizing the impor-tance of the presence of the Brotherin community as an indispensablecondition for community life. EachBrother likewise is expected to revi-talize his personal annual programand shares his situation and personaljourney with the community.

The Community Annual Program isan appropriate time to discuss theuse of technology and other materialitems provided for our use takingcare to prevent interference in com-munity life.

4.3.4 To treat with special care and af-fection Brothers who are aged, ill,isolated, or dealing with personal ad-dictions of various kinds.

To be creative in funding activitiesfor the elderly Brothers based ontheir capabilities, to continue to de-velop the ministry of presenceamong the children and the young,especially the poor, and among Lasa-llian partners.

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IntroductionInspired by the General Chapters thathave taken place since 1966, the last 40years have been a true Exodus experi-ence for the Institute. Many Brothers,and with them many Lasallian part-ners, have lived this journey towardour origins in a spirit of joy, though forsome, that journey has at times had itsuncertainties. We have walked to-gether sharing in the reflection of thepost-Conciliar Church, which has alsobeen searching for its foundationalsources during this same period.

The Second Vatican Council, in theConstitution, Lumen Gentium (Chapter2), uses the image “People of God” asthe foundation for understanding thecomposition of the Church. From thisimage can be understood the conceptof “Communion” developed by the ec-clesial documents in the post-Conciliarperiod. “The ecclesiology of commun-

ion is the central and fundamental ideaof the Documents of the Council”(Christifideles laici, 8).

From her Gospel roots, the Church to-day presents her identity as “mystery ofcommunion” (Christifideles laici, 8)where “the communion is missionaryand the mission is for communion”(Christifideles laici, 32; Vita Consecrata,46).

The Church - People of God has recov-ered for all people the charisms thatwere traditionally considered reservedfor religious institutes. “Given the newsituations, a large number of Instituteshave come to see that their charism canbe shared by lay people. As a conse-quence, they are invited to participate, ina deeper way, in the spirituality and themission of the Institute. One could saythat a new chapter in the history of rela-tionships between consecrated personsand the laity has begun that is rich inhope” (Vita Consecrata, 54, § 2. Cf. Con-gregation for Institutes of ConsecratedLife, “Starting Afresh from Christ”, 2002,No. 31).

In the sameway, based onour founda-tional roots,

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3. Association for the educationalservice of the poor

we Brothers, have rediscovered ourconsecrated identity in light of our vowof Association for the educational serv-ice of the poor and it is through it thatwe attempt to “clarify our understand-ing of the other vows” (43rd GeneralChapter, Circular 447, The Brothers,Identity and Formation, Orientation 3).

In this way we express the consecra-tion that we ourselves have professedto the Holy Trinity committing our-selves “together and by association” tothe human and Christian education ofchildren and youth, especially thepoor.

We Brothers live out our consecrationtoday in this new context of the “Peo-ple of God”, together with many otherswho also participate in the Lasalliancharism and who feel called to associ-ate in the mission, although with differ-ent vocations or states of life (cf. Rule,146).

The challenges to which we must re-spond today come not only from thosefor whom our mission is intended,poor children and youth, but also fromthose who share in this mission withus. Through them the Holy Spiritmoves us to live the call of “Being Broth-ers Today”:

– The call to be Brothers with them andto live our fraternity as a sign for allLasallian educators

– The call to be, for them and withthem, mediators of the light with

which God “has illuminated thehearts of those he has chosen to an-nounce his word to children” (MTR193, 1)

– The call to be the heart, memory andguarantors of the Lasallian charismamong them and for them and tofoster new structures of communionfor the mission that the InternationalAssembly 2006 proposed in Associ-ated for the Lasallian Educational Mis-sion, (Main Orientation 8).

1.1 Challenge: the centralityof the vow of associationin our identity as Brothers

The experience of lived association inthe last few years, as well as our fullerunderstanding of the original vow ofAssociation, challenge us to becomemore aware of the centrality of thisvow and to give witness to it in ourlives as Brothers and in our educationalmission. We feel challenged, therefore,to live association according to theGospel, first of all among ourselves.

1.2 Horizons1.2.1 We, as Brothers, recover the inspi-

ration and the original motivation ofthe vow of Association for the educa-tional service of the poor. We live ouridentity as consecrated people as aprophetic sign of the identity of theChurch, a mystery of communion. Thecommunion of the Brothers is thesource and fruit of the mission that we

24

accomplish (cf. Christifideles laici 32.4).

Aware of the meaning of our conse-cration, we offer ourselves to thewhole Lasallian Family as examplesof communion and spirituality in or-der to give a Gospel foundation tothe whole mission of Lasallian edu-cators.

1.2.2 The missionary communion thatcharacterizes the Trinitarian life is thefountain of a fraternal ministry whichcharacterizes the life of the Brothers.By our consecration to the glory ofGod, we Brothers are a constantreminder in the LasallianFamily of the love ofGod which unites us,and of his special in-terest for “the chil-dren of artisans andthe poor”.

1.3 Lines ofaction

1.3.1 Strongly encour-age the Brothers todeepen their reflec-tion on the studiescarried out in the lastfew years concerningthe vow of Associa-tion for the Educa-tional Service of thePoor and continuefostering those stud-ies. Most especially,take care during ini-

tial and continuing formation thatthe vow of association for the educa-tional service of the poor be the cen-tral axis for understanding the iden-tity of the Brother and theperspective by which the other vowsof the Brother are viewed.

1.3.2 With a view to expressing betterthe specific consecration of theBrother and the centrality of the vowof Association for the educationalservice of the poor, the Governmentof the Institute should take the nec-essary steps for the following modi-

fication in Chapter 3 of the Rulen. 25.

1.3.2.1 In the 2nd partof the Vow formula, res-tore the words “andvow” that correspon-ded to the original for-mula of the Brothers:

“For this purpose I, … ,promise and vow tounite myself … “

1.3.2.2 In the 3rd partof the Vow formula,that the vow of associa-tion for the educationalservice of the poor ta-kes first place, thus be-ginning the list of thefive vows.

“Wherefore, I promiseand vow association forthe service of the poor

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through education, chastity, poverty,obedience, and stability in the Insti-tute …”

1.3.3 Communities, Delegations, Dis-tricts and Regions are invited todeepen the understanding of theconsequences of the centrality of ourvow of Association for the Educa-tional Service of the Poor at the per-sonal, community, institutional lev-els, as well as in the way that wesituate ourselves in the mission andin our inter-community relation-ships.

2.1 Challenge: the specificrole of the Brothers inassociation with otherLasallians

Since the General Chapter of 1966-67until the present day, the ecclesial andLasallian context in which the Brothersare situated has changed substantially,thereby challenging us to adopt a newkind of presence: to live out and de-velop association for the educa-tional service of the poor withmen and women whoparticipate in the Lasal-lian charism, spiritu-ality and mission.

This new eccle-sial and Lasal-lian contextchallenges us, asBrothers, to live

association for the educational serviceof the poor in a way that is open andintegrated with our Lasallian partners,especially with those who wish to asso-ciate themselves with us, and to askourselves about the specific role thatwe, as consecrated persons, should ac-complish to support the work of every-one in the Lasallian mission.

2.2 Horizons2.2.1 The Lasallian charism has be-

come a focal point for many believ-ing educators who discover theworth of their mission through thejourney and spirituality of John Bap-tist de La Salle and who together, inthis way, offer to the Church and theworld, a living witness of the Gospel.

We see with joy that educators ofother religions or without religiousaffiliation find in this charism an im-portant source of inspiration thatmotivates them in their educationalwork.

2.2.2 We, as Brothers today, situate our-selves within this common

foundation of theLasallian charism to-

gether with manyother believers

and non-believ-ers. We discovernew aspects ofour identity asconsecratedChristians as

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Stephanie HofschlaegerPixelio.de

well as complementarity in ourcommon mission with other differ-ent kinds of vocations. We have be-come more aware of our responsi-bility to be heart, memory andguarantors of the Lasallian charismfor all Lasallians. At the same time,we rejoice when other Lasallianstake on this responsibility.

Our work as mediators and asthose who accompany our Lasa-llian partners in the mission, tohelp them on their journey as Lasa-llian educators takes on great value.

2.3 Lines of action2.3.1 The 44th General Chapter makes

its own the Areas of Emphasis of theInternational Assembly 2006, Asso-ciated for the Lasallian EducationalMission referring to the discernmentof diverse experiences of association(6.1) and the promotion of the com-munity dimension (Area of Emphasis6.2). It is for the International Com-mission on Association, or whoeverassumes these functions in the newadministrative structure, to assurewhat happens next and to coordi-nate the recommendations.

Wherever possible, and with discern-ment beforehand in the District orin the Delegation, in order to betterrespond to the needs of the mission,foster the opening of communitiesof Brothers and other Lasallians in-volved in the mission.

2.3.2 In line with Area of Emphasis7.1.1 (The Report of the InternationalAssembly 2006), that a Guide articu-lating the essential elements - bibli-cal, theological, Lasallian and peda-gogical - of Lasallian formation andaccompaniment be created to orientjoint formation programs for allmembers of the Lasallian family.Such a Guide would include the pos-sible use of Web-based instruction.

2.3.3 Incorporate and assure, in Lasal-lian formation programs, direct ex-periences of the educational serviceto the poor.

2.3.4 With the goal of developingLasallian research in the area of asso-ciation for the educational service ofthe poor, broaden the role of servicesoffered by Lasallian Studies for theformation of Brothers and Lasallianpartners, organizing most especiallybetween now and the next GeneralChapter one or two international ses-sions of Lasallian Studies for Brothersand Lasallian partners.

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3.1 Challenge: newstructures of associationfor the Lasallian mission

The current structures of associationfor the Lasallian mission should betterreflect the variety and complementar-ity of identities of those participatingtoday in the Lasallian charism and mis-sion from diverse multi-religious andmulti-cultural perspectives. The placeof the Brother in these structuresneeds to correspond to what is beingexpected of him within the model ofthe Church-People of God and Church-Communion. Accordingly, it is urgentfor us to renovate, adapt and createnew structures in order to assure thebest possible service for the missionand the proper development of associ-ation in the whole Lasallian family sothat in this we Brothers might find ourproper place.

3.2 HorizonWe are moving at different speeds to-wards a new model of the Lasallianfamily at the local, regional and globallevels. At these different levels, co-re-sponsibility, collegiality and shared de-cision-making for the mission and the

living out of our proper, interdepen-dent identities are realities that are ex-perienced with joy. We seek structuresof animation and government wherethe mission is carried forth by all thoseassociated for the mission, where theLasallian spirituality is shared and en-riched, and where the Brothers fulfilltheir proper role.

3.3 Line of actionThe government of the Institute willtake the initiative to construct, in thenext two years, a possible model of theLasallian family in line with the newforms of life present in the Church. Forthis, taking into account the Report ofthe International Assembly (Area ofEmphasis 8.2.1) and establishing con-tact with those responsible for theother Lasallian institutes of conse-crated life and lay Lasallian groups andmovements in diverse contexts and incommunion with them, develop struc-tures that would be most adaptable inorder to incarnate today, with a cre-ative fidelity, the Lasallian charismwithin the Church-People of God andChurch-Communion (Cf. The Report ofthe Brother Superior General, J 1 & 2,pgs. 21 – 22).

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Introduction“John Baptist de La Salle was deeplymoved by the way in which the childrenof the artisans and the poor were aban-doned and left to themselves. As a prac-tical response to his prayerful considera-tion of this fact in relation to God’s planof salvation, he came to discern, in faith,what God wanted the mission of the In-stitute to be” ( Rule 11). God has beengood to us, making this increasingly

diverse work hisown for the

service of thechildren ofthe artisansand the poor.

The Lasallian work has considerably in-creased throughout the world. Todaywe are 80,000 educators and morethan 5,000 Brothers, and together weanimate the Lasallian mission whichreaches more than one million chil-dren, young people, and adults.

Historically the Lasallian mission wasprimarily addressed to the economi-cally poor. Over time economic devel-opment has led us to address ourselvesmore to the middle classes. This realityinvites us to intensify our efforts to pro-mote education for justice and tostrengthen our actions for the directservice of the poor.

We give thanks to God for those Broth-ers and Lasallians who, wherever theyare working, put their whole heart intothe option for the poor, attempting,through their educational and evan-gelizing action, to build a world withgreater solidarity and justice.

This reality fills some Brothers withjoy and raises questions in othersabout their specific role as Broth-ers within the Mission. The 42nd

General Chapter has clarifiedthat we are “the heart, the mem-

ory, and the guarantors of theLasallian charism” (Circular 435, p.

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4. Educational Service of the Poor

43). We live as consecrated persons “to-gether and by association for the educa-tional service of the poor”, and we pub-licly profess it.

Our reflection follows the line of think-ing of the 42nd and 43rd GeneralChapters as well as that of the 2004 In-ter Capitular meeting and the 2006 In-ternational Assembly Associated for theLasallian Educational Mission. Educa-tional service of the poor continues tobe relevant for our time and essentialfor the Brothers and Lasallians. The ef-fort required of each one of us is one ofconversion of the heart and of themind (Circular 412, p. 49).

When writing this document for theBrothers, we are mindful of all thosemen and women with whom we areassociated to enliven the one LasallianMission, whatever their social contextsand their forms of commitment.

We cannot help but remember thefaces of so many children, young peo-ple and adults that we carry in ourhearts. They are the justification of our

life and our vocation. They are theimage of God and a call to

brotherhood and soli-darity.

“When wesay: ‘Lord,

show us your face’, the Lord answers us:‘Look at the face of your poor brother,look at the reality that surrounds you,look at the images of your time’ ” (BeingBrothers Today, 2.2b).

1.1 Challenge: ourconversion for the poor

We are challenged as Brothers andcommunities by the reality that ourlifestyle does not satisfy us since werun the risk of consumerism and accu-mulating goods. Our lifestyle couldtake us, little by little, away from theworld of the poor.

In addition, an understanding of therealities of today’s world requires a for-mation that deals with the social, polit-ical, economic, religious areas, amongothers. Our limited formation in theseareas holds us back when we want tomake a decision to go to the poor, ei-ther as individuals or as a community.

Finally, in spite of all of the above weare challenged to be converted to thepoor. Today this is a question of aware-ness and of personal, community andinstitutional decision.

1.2 Horizon We dream of Brothers and communi-ties who are living an experience of Ex-odus and who are united in heart andmind with Jesus and his Gospel, goingout to meet the poor, wherever theBrothers are needed.

John Cardwell

We dream of Brothers and commu-nities that open their doors to wel-come those who hunger for bread,friendship, spirituality, culture, con-solation, and the experience of God.We dream of Brothers and commu-nities, inserted in their environ-ments, who live simply and arecommitted to combat human suf-fering.

1.3 Lines of action1.3.1 Include in the initial and con-

tinuing formation programs of theBrothers preparation for a greaterunderstanding of and a strongercommitment to the educationalservice of the poor, including forma-tion to better understand politicaland religious realities and unjust so-cial structures. Programs of continu-ing formation should be includedand evaluated in the Community An-nual Plans.

1.3.2 Promote the participation of theBrothers of all ages in voluntary ac-tivities that favor the education ofthe poor. For example, projects re-lated to the poor; help for the mar-ginalized, those who have been ex-cluded by society, and the physicallyand mentally challenged.

1.3.3 Promote a change of setting forsome of our communities so thatthey live among people of modestmeans, as people of modest means(cf. Rule 32 and 60).

2.1 Challenge: renovation ofour educational works

We Brothers and Lasallians are chal-lenged to be truly convinced that theeducational service of the poor is aconstitutive part of our Lasallian iden-tity, vocation and mission. The com-mitment to the transformation of oureducational works as instruments ofeducation for the poor, the defense ofthe rights of children and educationfor social justice still greatly concernsus (cf. Area of emphasis 5.1 of the IA2006).

2.2 HorizonsWe dream that the renewal of our ex-isting educational works be done, notonly with the criteria of success andsocial prestige, but with the idea of fi-delity to our vocation and our identityas Ambassadors of Jesus Christ an-nouncing the Gospel to the poor.

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We dream, together with our Lasallianpartners, of continuing to work for theeducation of the poor, the defense ofthe rights of children, and educationfor justice.

We dream of the renewal of our exist-ing educational works so that they be-come islands of creativity and agentsof social transformation.

2.3 Lines of action2.3.1 We assume and adopt as ours

the call of the IA 2006 to renew ourexisting works (5.1.a) and create newones (5.1.b) for the educational serv-ice of the poor.

2.3.2 We encourage Lasallian universi-ties to promote policies and actions

that are in the line with an effectiveoption for the poor and for educa-tion for justice.

3.1 Challenge: Solidarityfor equity

We recognize that in the Lasalliannetwork our educational responsesto the needs and necessary eco-nomic resources are unequal. We arechallenged to find effective strate-gies of solidarity for equity and edu-cational equality.

3.2 Horizons3.2.1 In a globalized world that ac-centuates injustice, we dream of be-ing a prophetic sign to bring frater-nal and equitable relationshipsamong the different parts of theLasallian network.

3.2.2 We dream of a Lasallian networkthat can offer a service of integraleducation of the person to all.

3.3 Lines of action 3.3.1 Promote the exchange of Broth-

ers and Lasallian partners to take ad-vantage of the educational experi-ences and formation programs ofthe different Regions and Districts.

3.3.2 Develop the twinning of Regions,Districts and works of the Lasalliannetwork. SECOLI could undertakethe promotion and coordination forsuch twinnings.

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4.1 Challenge: the rights ofchildren to receive aneducation

A great challenge for the Institute isthe concern for the rights of children toreceive an education, offering accessi-ble and economically supported edu-cational responses to all and support-ing them economically. For this weneed to find our own economic re-sources and to seek public and privateassistance.

4.2 Horizons4.2.1 We dream of an Institute that up-

holds the dignity of the vocation ofthe educator and of the teachingprofession, and that also speaks upin the public arena.

4.2.2 We dream of an Institutethat is capable of responding tothe educational needs of chil-dren and youth of meager re-sources; of an Institute thatestablishes relationshipsand collaboration withother agencies (political,social, religious….) thatwork to resolve prob-lems dealing with theeducation of the poor;of an Institute that rec-ognizes as an integralpart of its mission thefact that all should beaware that education is

the right of every child. It calls forthe economic contribution of theState, which should guarantee toparents the free choice of an educa-tional model.

4.2.3 We dream of a network of educa-tional works for the educational serv-ice of the poor, that shares teachingmethods, seeks resources and alliesitself with other educational move-ments, NGO’s and institutions similarto us, in order to produce a greaterimpact on those societies in whichwe live and on those structureswhich generate poverty.

4.3 Lines of actionWe assume and adopt as ours Orienta-

tion # 8.3.1 of the IA 2006.

“The Assembly proposes that lo-cal, intermediate and interna-

tional levels enhance and cre-ate structures to facilitate the

global sharing of human and fi-nancial resources and knowl-

edge, including but not lim-ited to education,

training, networking,fundraising, grant

making and volun-teer programs. Thiscan happen be-tween individuals,ministries, and ed-ucational institu-

tions throughinformal net-

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Thomas M. Perkins

works and relationships, as well as struc-tures”.

5.1 Challenge: a commitmentin solidarity

Looking at the world, we recognizethat, without abandoning our atten-tion to the economically poor, thereare new realities and new kinds ofpoverty that challenge us. All these sit-uations already pointed out by the IA2006 in its Orientation N° 1 demandresponses from us.

5.2 HorizonsWe dream of Brothers and Lasallianpartners who continue to take part inbuilding a more just and sharing world.They support and participate in pro-grams, movements, structures, and ed-ucational initiatives that respond ef-fectively to all forms of poverty, newand old.

5.3 Lines of action5.3.1 We assume and adopt

as ours, Orientation No. 1of the International As-sembly 2006.

Particularly, the Bro-thers:

– possibly in con-nection with La-sallian universi-ties, take part information pro-

grams for the accompaniment of“children, youth and families in at-risk situations, especially thoseyoung people who are found in ex-treme situations” (Cf. IA 2006 #1.1.2).

– encourage teachers and young pe-ople to inform themselves about theissues of bioethics, the rights of thechild, respect for life, and the inte-grity of creation…

5.3.2 Promote in Districts and com-munities the welcoming, the com-missioning and the accompanyingof Lasallian volunteers.

5.3.3 Establish, promote, adapt, or cre-ate pedagogical, pastoral and cate-chetical projects that are realistic re-sponses to the situations of povertytoday.

5.3.4 Continue to sensitize and tocommit themselves with the youthand adults who are part of Lasallianschools and universities in the pro-

motion of justice (cf. Rule 14).

6.1 Challenge:themigratorymovements

We recognize that, inlooking at the world, an

important challengefor our Institute

and the Lasalliannetwork today

Brett Mulcahy

is to provide an answer to the prob-lems which the migratory move-ments into and within countries areproducing and their consequencesfor children, young people and fam-ilies. For example, street children andorphans.

6.2 HorizonsWe dream that, in order to show uni-versal fraternity, the Institute and theLasallian network provide adequateeducational responses to problemsrelated to migratory movements andtheir consequences.

We dream that the Institute and theLasallian network give a public re-sponse of consciousness-raising anddenunciation of this situation.

6.3 Lines of action6.3.1 Create and/or reinforce, in each

concerned Region or District, at least2 inter-District Lasallian communities(Brothers and Lasallian partners), to

respond to the questions raised bymigratory movements, both in thecountries of origin and in the coun-tries of arrival. This process shouldbe lived in a spirituality based on theExodus (Cf. Community Life 2.3.1).

6.3.2 That the communities and Lasal-lian works, especially those closestto the situations of the migratorymovements, establish programs andeducational responses in favor of theconcerned groups.

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IntroductionOur commitment as Brothers to thelife and vitality of the Institute and itsmission moves us to be directly in-volved in the pastoral ministry of vo-cations. The “human and spiritual dis-tress” of children of the poor in theworld today, calls us to be acutelyaware of the need for Brothers, what-ever our age or condition may be, torespond to their educational needs.It is also necessary to find ways toawaken vocations and to accompanyyouth in their vocational discernmentfor service in the Church, whatevermay be the orientation of God’s callwithin diverse cultural settings andconditions. We Brothers are called tobe prophets and agents of hope inour educational and pastoral activi-ties. We share our ministry of voca-tions with other Lasallians also en-gaged in our mission andresponsible with us forthe promotion anddiscernment of vo-cations.

There are manyreasons why pas-toral ministry of vo-cations is challeng-

ing. Challenges come from both out-side ourselves, in families, society andthe Church, and from the way we un-derstand and live our lives as Brothersindividually and in community. Wemust listen to God’s call to us to trans-form and adapt our lives to changingcircumstances in our Institute, ourChurch and our world. The challengeswe face in our vocation renew hopefor the future and for the mission ofthe Institute. We express our confi-dence in God who continues to callmen and women to live and serve ascommitted Lasallians. We believe thatour vocation as Brothers of the Chris-tian Schools is as relevant and vital to-day as it has been in any period in thehistory of our Institute.

1.1 Challenge: to makeknown who we areThe reality of the Church and of the

world today challengesus to know and tomake known theprophetic nature ofour vocation asBrothers of theChristian Schoolsand the Lasalliancharism.

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5. Pastoral ministry of Brothers andLasallian Vocations

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1.2 Horizons1.2.1 We envision an Institute of

Brothers prepared for the modernworld, with an awareness of ouridentity as consecrated religiousfaithful to our commitments.

1.2.2 We envision Brothers and Lasal-lians living their baptismal call inthe Church and in society, commit-ted to the educational service ofthe poor.

1.3 Lines of Action1.3.1 That we open our communities

to young people who wish to deepentheir spiritual life, discern their voca-tion and better understand our mis-sion by offering them the opportu-nity to pursue this discernment andknow better who we are as Brothers.

1.3.2 That through participation in ed-ucational and pastoral activities, inassociation with our Lasallian part-ners, the Brothers make visible theirdistinctive vocation for service in theChurch.

1.3.3 That the Centre of the Institutemake the pastoral ministry of youthand vocations a priority and set upappropriate gatherings and pro-grams that develop and strengthenthis ministry in the Young Lasalliansmovement.

1.3.4 That those responsible for revis-ing the Guide for Formation accountfor current experience in vocation

discernment and accompanimentthrough various stages of formation.

2.1 Challenge: awaken andaccompany the Christianvocation

The reality of our society challengesus to work for the development ofChristian values by proposing theGospel as a way of following JesusChrist. “By evangelizing young peopleand educating them in the faith, theBrothers help them to find their vocationin the Church” ( Rule 82).

2.2 Horizons2.2.1 We envision groups of children,

youth, young Lasallians, Volunteersand others who live values of faith,fraternity, and service with structuresof accompaniment that are of suffi-cient duration.

2.2.2 We envision families that help to

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create an ambiance conducive toawakening Christian values that makeinvitations for vocations possible.

2.2.3 We envision Brothers and Lasal-lians committed to accompanyingyouth in the pastoral ministry of vo-cations firmly rooted in the Lasalliancharism.

2.3 Lines of Action2.3.1 Establish in the Regions and Dis-

tricts “programs which help to un-derstand and deepen our faith in thecontext of beliefs, values, texts andicons common to different religions,cultures and traditions” (AI 20064.1a).

2.3.2 The Center of the Institute pro-poses ways which favour the accom-paniment of the young who are dis-cerning their vocation and ways inwhich parents can be involved in thisdiscernment.

2.3.3 The Center of the Institute en-courages the making of concreteproposals to children and young

people to help them to develop theirsense of solidarity and find meansbased on their experiences whichcan lead them to a deepening oftheir vocational discernment.

3.1 Challenge: highexpectations forevangelical communities

We Brothers entertain high expecta-tions for a community that radiates

joy, hope and confidence in God’sprovidence, despite the realities ofageing and discouragement becauseof the lack of vocations in some sectorsof the Institute.

3.2 Horizons3.2.1 We Brothers choose to live in fra-

ternal communion as a sign of thepresence of God.

3.2.2 We Brothers enrich each other’svocation by being models of fidelityand spiritual mentors to one anotherthrough our passion for and com-mitment to the consecrated life andthe mission.

3.3 Lines of Action3.3.1 Each District, Sub-District and

Delegation will establish a team ofBrothers and Lasallian partnerswhich will concern itself with awak-ening and accompanying vocationsamong the young.

3.3.2 Each Region and District will es-

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tablish ways to assist Brothers andcommunities to enhance the qualityof their lives and witness by means ofaccompaniment. Special attentionwill be given to Brothers in personaldifficulty and who are discouraged.

4.1 Challenge: presence andwitness in communityamong the young

We are challenged to improve thequality of our presence and witness incommunity among the young, espe-cially the poor. This will lead us to livewith authenticity and to revitalize ourmission.

4.2 Horizons4.2.1 We envision Brothers who as-

sume with eagerness the responsi-bility of promoting the vocation ofthe Brother and of other vocations inthe Church and do not leave the re-sponsibility exclusively to those di-

rectly charged with this ministry.

4.2.2 We envision Brothers who, in as-sociation with Lasallian partners,bear witness to their fraternity bycreating opportunities for the educa-tional service of the poor.

4.3 Lines of ActionCommunities, Brothers and Lasallianscommit themselves to:

4.3.1 pray for vocations so that all be-come involved in this ministry (Cf.Rule 84).

4.3.2 invite and welcome young peo-ple into their communities to “comeand see!” (Jn 1.39).

4.3.3 use the appropriate means andlanguage of the young today in vo-cation promotion such as DVD’s andweb-sites.

4.3.4 establish appropriate plans withother Lasallians to assist in the voca-tion discernment of children and theyoung.

4.3.5 ensure accompanimentthrough all the stages of vocationaldiscernment of the Brother.

4.3.6 strengthen the bonds of es-teem and affection that help theBrother mature as a person and asa religious.

4.3.7 participate in and collabo-rate with the local Church in thepastoral ministry of vocations.

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IntroductionIn the course of our lives we Brothersall need to be accompanied and arecalled to accompany others. What issaid here applies to all the Brothers al-though we are referring specifically toyoung Brothers. We are defining asyoung Brothers those between FirstProfession and the first years after FinalProfession.

We understand accompaniment to bea means of personalizing the processesof formation. This accompaniment iscomplex and is carried out at differentlevels: personal, community, District.It includes all aspects from the interiorlife to the professional life.

The Brothers’ Rule reminds us that it isthe whole community which must payspecial attention to the needs of theyoung Brothers (cf. Rule 54), althoughit also specifies the part played by theBrother Visi-tor, the

Director of the Community and theCommission for Formation. (cf. Rule96a).

1. Challenge: a developedawareness of theimportance ofaccompaniment

The young Brothers have always beena hopeful sign as they constitute thenew life blood, creative vitality and dy-namism for our association in the lightof the educational and evangelizingmission which has been entrusted tous. We can verify that, for the most part,these Brothers are open to accompani-ment and to being challenged. Theyare Brothers who wish to take on life-giving attitudes amidst children andyoung people, especially the poor. Wehave full confidence in them and ac-cept the invitations they address to usto renovate our community life andmission.

In community processes and inserving the mission, youngBrothers, like all the others, ex-perience the tensions experi-enced by anyone wishing toincarnate the ideals of the In-stitute’s charism; at the same

6. Accompaniment of Young Brothersin Community

Rodrigo Vieira

time, they encounter difficulties thatarise from vocational motivationswhich at times, are contradictory, orinadequately discerned at priorstages. At times these conflicts gen-erate unhealthy behavior or attach-ments.

Besides this, the difficulties of beingable to dream together and dia-logue, individualism or lack of atten-tion to others, causes young Brothersto experience loneliness, isolation,and disenchantment in their conse-crated life, especially in this period inwhich affective integration is so im-portant.

We are being challenged to becomecompanions one to another and totake the responsibility for integratingwithin our own persons the constitu-tive elements that form the identity ofa Brother (cf. Rule 10) by participatingin the creative programs of our Districtor Delegation. From this arises the im-portance of District options being clearso that the young Brother can relate tothem.

2. HorizonWe dream of young Brothers strength-ening their desire to be accompaniedand to take on their personal responsi-bility in the process of consolidatingtheir Lasallian identity.

We wish to have a program of accom-paniment which is both demandingand fraternal that guarantees the

growth and joyous gift of each Brother,that gives priority to the spiritual life, tothe quality of community relationshipsand to the environment of affectivitythat supports our vocation.

We dream of communities where wecan grow in our mutual responsibilityof looking after one another in our per-sonal growth, linked to our role inbuilding the Kingdom of God, andwhere we will feel inspired and deter-mined to keep alive the joy of beingBrothers in association for the educa-tional service to the poor.

We dream of a District enriched by thequality of the bonds of friendship thatresults from a true culture of compan-ionship. This favors our openness toaccept the processes of accompani-ment as something quite natural.

3. Lines of action3.1 That we train Brothers in our Re-

gions, Districts and Delegations onhow to accompany human and reli-

41

gious development so that theycould assist the Brothers Visitor in theaccompaniment of young Brothers.

3.2 That we emphasize from the be-ginning of initial formation the con-tact with the reality of the District orDelegation, making certain that theyoung Brothers participate in the for-mulation and development of cre-ative projects for the mission andcommunities. This is particularly im-portant in those areas where theyoung Brothers are formed outsideof their own countries.

3.3 That we see to the quality of com-munity life where the young Broth-ers are assigned in order to guaran-tee a proper diversity in the spread ofages and, at the same time, to en-hance peer relationships and con-versations.

3.4 That we accompany, through thestructures responsible for formation atall levels, the communities where thereare young Brothers, in such a way as topromote in them formative experi-ences of identity and processes of dis-cernment in order to effect a vital syn-thesis between consecration, com-munity life and association for theservice of the poor through education.

3.5 That we encourage meetings ofyoung Brothers in each Region, Dis-trict or Delegation, and at the Insti-tute level in order to give them theopportunity to share experiencesand to help them strengthen theiridentity. These meetings should besystematic and at regular intervalsand should be linked to projects ofeducational service.

3.6 That we assist the young Brothersto be aware of their specific and per-sonal responsibility for committingthemselves in the community“through the joyous gift of them-selves to the service of others” ( Rule49) as the path to the fullness of hu-man and Christian life.

3.7 That we pay attention to the envi-ronment in which the young Broth-ers live and work, being aware thatinstitutional conditions, structures,even physical ones can be a deter-mining factor for accompanimentand for helping to develop healthyrelations in community and in themission.

3.8 That the Center of the Institute willsee to it that more Brothers with per-petual vows accept the service of ac-companiment in younger sectors.

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IntroductionWith 774 Brothers under 40 years ofage in the Institute of the Brothers ofthe Christian Schools (2006), the op-portunity offered to 13 young BrotherCapitulants to participate in the 44th

General Chapter is significant, not onlyfor the young Brother Capitulants butfor all the Brothers.

Thankful for this opportunity to par-ticipate in the 44th General Chapter, aswell as to unite ourselves with otheryoung Brothers from all over the Insti-tute, we, the young Brother Capitu-lants, have had a number of meetingsto deal with various themes and to ex-perience community among ourselvesduring the Chapter. As a result of thesemeetings, the most important themesthat arose for us were Community Life,Consecrated and Spiritual Life, PastoralMinistry of Vocations , EducationalService of the Poor, Associa-tion for the EducationalService of the Poor, theIdentity of theBrother and For-mation. Awarethat we youngBrothers are anactive part of the

Chapter and its Thematic Groups, ourintention has been to address thesethemes by means of our representa-tion and participation in the ThematicGroups.

We young Brothers see the future ofthe Institute as something that in-volves us. We are passionate and hope-ful about ‘dreaming” of something new.“What is to come” contains a collectionof mysteries and feelings which invitesus to live the future as an adventureand the taking on of risks. It is a futurewhich spurs us on and calls upon us,draws us and motivates us. And notjust because our lives are at stake butbecause we feel that also at stake arethe lives of many children, young peo-ple and families that often live in op-pressive situations. Our future andtheir future are interlinked in a timethat is God’s.

The world of communicationsin which we live makes us

see the Institute assomething close to

us. For this reason,we share the idea

of Br. Alvaro ofbeing “Brotherswithout bor-ders”; Brothers

43

7. Young Brothers in the Institute

Paul Schubert & Karin SchmidtPixelio.de

who are enthusiastic about being closeto the poorest along with other Lasal-lians; Brothers who live in communitiesof meaningful fraternal relations;Brothers who support and give mean-ing to their lives through profound andintense prayer.

We wish to live all this “Together andby Association”. We present our needfor “joining together”. We feel associ-ated with each other from the visibilityof “being together”, from sharing ourexperiences, feelings, hopes and fears.From this sharing we wish to journeytogether in our Exodus towards the

service of the poor, the needy andthe marginalized of our societies.

1. Challenge: sharing lifeand mission

We see as positive that the Institute ismore and more in favor of an open-ing up between the different Re-gions and Districts. We young Broth-ers appreciate this opening upbecause it is most important for us toshare different experiences. This ispositive for us and not just at a per-sonal level. It will also be an enrich-ing contribution in relation to variousother aspects of life such as: com-munity life, prayer life, associationand the educational service of thepoor. We want to establish bonds ofunity among us within our diversity.

2. HorizonOur dream is unity between ourselveswith a view to walking together, asBrothers, towards the future. We un-derstand that these mutual relationswill be beneficial in regard to our on-going formation.

3. Lines of action

3.1 In each Region and every twoyears there should be a meeting setup among the young Brothers,which would include mission activi-ties with respect to needy sectors.We would also like to see, a year be-fore the next General Chapter, an in-

44

ternational meeting of repre-sentatives of the young Broth-ers from the different Regions,with a view to expressingtheir hopes and dreams forthe years to come.

3.2 As a proposal, we sug-gest that the SuperiorGeneral and hisCouncil create in-ternational mis-sionary com-munities alongthe lines of “is-lands of creativ-ity”; communi-ties that clearlyhave a life of fra-ternity, prayer

and a meaningful mission, close tothe poor. We wish them to becommunities for learning com-munity dynamics, forms ofprayer and a meaningful mis-sion.

We do not wish that this pro-posal be limited to just

young Brothers. We wishit to be a proposalopen to all the Broth-ers of the Institute. Itcould be a placewhere one spendstwo or three years.

These communitiesshould be open tothe pastoral min-istry of vocations.

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46

Introduction One of the missions of the GeneralChapter is to take into account theneeds of the Institute today with re-gard to its government and leadership,and for that, modify certain existingstructures or change them radically.

Structures have no meaning unlessthey are at the service of the Brothersand the mission of the Institute. Theywill not be able to fulfill this role com-pletely unless the persons having re-sponsibility are animated by a spirit offraternity, service and liberty.

Taking into account the documenta-tion provided, particularly the Reportof Brother Superior andCouncil, the report ofthe International Assem-bly 2006, notes of theBrothers and our own ex-perience, we haveidentified forth ar-eas requiring reflectionand decisions:

– Structures of govern-ment of the GeneralCouncil, Regions andDistricts

– The economic manage-ment of the Institute

– The Lasallian educational missionthat is taking new shapes, sharedwith diverse partners, and requiringnew structures and relationships.

– The consideration of the proposedrevision of the Rule.

I. Structures of Government

1. Challenge: An evolutioncalling for another modelof government

Today we are confronted by both inter-nal and external phenomena that haverepercussions on the Centre of the In-stitute, the Regions and the Districts:

1.1 The number of Re-gions has perceptibly

diminished, decliningfrom 11 to 6, and, per-haps, very soon, to 5.

This results ingrowing complex-

ity and more importantdimensions for each Re-gion.

1.2 It is essential tomaintain a dynamic balancebetween unity and diversityin the Institute. That is whythere needs to be put into

8. Government and Animation

Linda Bucklin

47

place a better communication be-tween the Centre and the Regionsas well as between the persons en-trusted with looking after Regions.This appears to be indispensable in arapidly changing world that requiresresponse and flexibility.

1.3 The Chapter notes that in certainDistricts there is:

– a rapid rate in the decline of the num-ber of Brothers

– a lack of material and human re-sources

– a reduced number of Brothers, andhence sometimes difficulty in findingBrothers to take responsibility forgovernment, administration, and an-imation services.

2. HorizonIt is our wish that the structures of gov-ernment promote unity in the midstof the rich diversity that exists in theLasallian world.

3. Lines of Action

3.1 Model of Government3.1.1 A new model for the General

Council

The 44th General Chapter has madesignificant changes in the shape andcomposition of the General Council.

The Council of the Superior General:

– A Vicar General

– Three General Councillors residentin Rome. They remain in Rome andconstitute, along with the Vicar Ge-neral a permanent community forthe Superior General.

– Five General Councillors for the Re-gions. They are full-fledged GeneralCouncillors but usually reside in theRegion with which they have beenentrusted.

3.2 The General Councillor fora Region

It is clear that the General Councillorfor a Region is a General Councillorelected by the Chapter. Because of this,he has as his mission “to assist the Su-perior General in the government andanimation of the Institute” ( Rule 120).

He carries out this office mainly by as-suming what is foreseen for the Re-gional Coordinator in Rule 127 e: “Hefosters communication among theBrothers Visitor of the Region and sup-ports them in their mission. He ensuresthat the Region remains in contactwith the Brother Superior General. Hefollows up the application of decisionsand programs adopted for the Regionas a whole. He also encourages coop-eration and interdependence withinthe Region and between it and otherRegions of the Institute”.

3.2.1 Needs and Role of the GeneralCouncilor for a Region in Relation-

48

ship with the Centre of the Insti-tute.

3.2.1.1 Needs

– Communication within theCouncil and with the Regions

– Efficiency in work

– A clear presentation of the maindirections of the Institute

– The ability to handle conflict

– The concern for human meansavailable for the mission, especiallythe Brothers

– Maintaining the balance bet-ween the general good of the Ins-titute and the well-being of theparticular Region or District.

3.2.1.2 Role

– To ensure the unity of the Insti-tute

– To be a bridge between the Re-gions and the Centre of the Instituteespecially by assuring good commu-nication

– To take on some of the responsibi-lities of a resident General Councillor

– To work at least twice a year inRome with the complete Council

3.2.2 Needs and Role in Relationshipwith the Region

3.2.2.1 Needs

It would seem to be important foreach Region to express itself on its

needs with regard to the function ofthe General Councillor for the Re-gion. In fact, the Regions are differentand each situation may raise diffe-rent expectations with regard to theGeneral Councillor for the Region,primarily with regard not to his per-son but to his function. A first op-portunity of this expression of needsis provided at the time of the pre-sentation by each Region during theChapter of a minimum of 3 and amaximum of 5 names for a possibleGeneral Councillor for the Region.

As quickly as possible there shouldbe reflection and decisions appro-priate for each Region on:

49

– the needs to which the GeneralCouncillor for the Region will have torespond

– the adaptation of the statutes forthe Region because of the new si-tuation

– the community of residence andother support requirements for hiswork

– All of this will be presented to theSuperior General and his Council fortheir approval.

3.2.2.2 Role

The following functions are commonto all the General Councillors for aRegion, no matter what the Regionhe is charged with:

– Assure respect for the principle ofsubsidiarity and concern for interde-pendence with regard to other Re-gions

– Respond to the particular needs ofthe Region

– Assist in the governance of a Dis-trict if necessary

– Help the Districts in their choiceof those who will assume leadershiproles

– Assist the Districts, in collaborationwith the Visitors, in implementingthe orientations and lines of action ofthe General Chapter

– Accompany the Brothers Visitor of

the Region for which he is responsi-ble and exercise authority by delega-tion of the Brother Superior in a caseof necessity

If there is a Delegation, the GeneralCouncillor for the Region is the Dele-gate.

3.2.2.3 Profile

– An ability to establish collaborationand synergy in the Region

– To be respectful of diversity andknow how to promote unity

– Administrative and organizingtalents

– Ability to communicate and workwith a team

– Knowledge of the Region

– Knowledge of at least one otherlanguage

– Capacity to use mediation beforeauthority.

– Ability to stand back so as to be in-formed, to discern, to decide

– Good health

– Some experience of government

3.3 Process for nomination ofthe new General Council

This process envisages allowing dis-cernment for setting up the futureGeneral Council.

50

After the election of the Superior Gen-eral:

3.3.1 The Chapter proceeds to havetwo straw votes to identify thenames with regard to the GeneralCouncil including the Vicar General:

– 1st straw vote: each Capitulant wri-tes up to 10 names (maximum) inclu-ding persons who are not necessarilyCapitulants. The result of this strawvote is not immediately published.

– 2nd straw vote: each Region comestogether to indicate a minimum ofthree and a maximum of 5 names ofpersons who could carry out the roleof General Councillor for the Region.These Brothers may be from the Re-gion or from outside of it. This meet -ing could also enable the Region tospecify its needs with regard to thefigure of the General Councillor for

the Region.

– The results of these straw votes arepublished simultaneously. The num-ber of votes is not indicated but thenames are published in the order ofthe number of votes received.

3.3.2 After the publication of the strawvotes, the Brothers whose names ap-pear may express their reaction. Thosewho say nothing or those who declarethemselves available prepare for theCapitulants a short summary of theirprevious experience (Curriculum Vi-tae) according to a formula yet to bedetermined. For the first straw vote ifthe names of Brothers not at theChapter are among the top ten theywill be contacted for their responseand, depending on their response,they will furnish a C.V. For the strawvote done by Regions, if this happens,the Regions will see to it themselves if

the Brothers are available.

3.3.3 Article 112b of the Rule applies:“To prepare for the election of theBrother Vicar and other members ofthe General Council, the newlyelected Superior General gathers allthe useful information and makes itknown to the capitulants. If hejudges it opportune, he maysuggest that a straw votebe taken within theChapter and then pres-ent to the electors thenames of the Brotherswhom he judges suit-able for the role”.

3.3.4 The election of theBrother Vicar then takesplace.

3.3.5 The election of theGeneral Councillors forthe Regions takes place,Region by Region. All Ca-pitulants with right of votetake part in this election.

3.3.6 The election of the GeneralCouncillors who reside in Rome fol-lows and will be done one after theother in order to take into accounteventual complementarities.

3.4 Secretariats

Secretariats are organized to helpBrother Superior General and hisCouncil. It is for the Brother Superiorand his Council to determine their

number and mission and to namethose responsible for them.

As regards the Secretariats, the Chap-ter deems it preferable to maintain thedistinction between the responsibilityof government and that of reflectionand organization. This allows the Sec-retaries more freedom to develop their

reflection and their actions insuch a way that they are notseen to be acting as govern-ment, and thus have a courtof appeal when there are dif-ferences of opinion within aSecretariat or between Sec-retariats.

3.5 Intercapitularmeeting

Brother Superior and hisCouncil will organize an in-tercapitular meeting. Theparticipants will be those

in charge of administrativeunits in the Institute (District,

Region, Centre of the Institute) sothey are able to exchange experiencesand significant achievements linkedwith the work of the directions of theGeneral Chapter and foresee the chal-lenges to be confronted in the years tocome.

3.6 Nomination of BrotherVisitor

The Chapter requests that the liberty of

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52

those concerned be respected (thosenominated and the Superior). For thisreason it asks that District Chapterstake this point into account in theprocess of nomination that they de-termine (cf. Rule 134a). The prescribedmethod is that the final straw-vote fornaming a Brother Visitor remain secretand be sent to Rome without beingcounted.

In the event that a District encountersdifficulty in presenting three Brotherscapable of being Visitor, the GeneralCouncillor for the Region will makesure that recommendations 32 and 33from the 43rd General Chapter be ob-served.

II. Economy and Finance

1. Challenge: Searching forself-sufficiency at alllevels

The following matters need to betaken into consideration and requiresearching for solutions:

1.1 The lack of balance with regard tothe financial resources between dif-ferent Districts and Regions to ad-vance the Lasallian mission and for-mation for mission.

1.2 Financing new structures for theLasallian educational mission. Bystructures are understood perma-nent or one time instances in theservice of a synergy between all

those engaged in the Lasallian edu-cational mission.

1.3 The need to identify the necessaryfinancial resources and have themcirculate between Districts, takinginto account conditions linked to thelaws of the country

1.4 The absence of trained administra-tors, of administrative proceduresand modern accounting systems incertain sectors of the Institute.

2. HorizonThe Chapter takes as objectives for thecoming years research for:

2.1 Economic self-sufficiency at theInstitute, Regional and District levels

2.2 Economic management in solidar-ity that avoids maintaining the de-pendence of certain sectors with re-gard to others

2.3 Research for and obtainingsources of finance external to the In-

stitute for works and structures atthe service of the Mission.

3. Lines of Action3.1 That the Bursar of the Institute

and the Economic Council continuethe policy of budget austerity andthat the interest of the stable patri-mony of the Institute continue to bereinvested to reach economic self-sufficiency.

3.2 That aid to Districts and sectorslacking sufficient resources be ap-plied as a priority towards projectsthat lead to economic self-suffi-ciency.

3.3 To ensure that District clearly sep-arate goods and resources belong-ing to the mission and those whichbelong to the patrimony of the Dis-trict, such as a Brothers’ community.

3.4 That the financing of every initia-tive and permanent or temporarystructures in relation to the Lasallianeducational mission be the object ofreflection and prior decisions. Thisapplies to every level of the Institute.

3.5 That in all the Districts and sectorswhere it is necessary, professionalformation in administration, man-agement and professional accounta-bility be assured.

3.6 That at every level, external re-sources for the financing of the Insti-tute’s mission be sought.

III. The LasallianEducational Mission

1. Challenge: To go further insharing the Mission

In 2006 there took place the Interna-tional Assembly, of which the prepara-tion and realization have been impor-tant moments in the development ofsharing the mission.

The Chapter judges it necessary to takeaccount the following obstacles:

1.1 The lack of any formal structurefor lay people, especially at interna-tional level. From this fact, the ques-tion arises of the modes of represen-tation and responsibilities.

1.2 For various reasons, some sectorsof the Institute have neither pro-grams for partners nor a MissionCouncil. Those already set up havelimited experience.

1.3 Models of structures used in reli-gious life are being used as modelsfor the use of partners. Alternativemodels require consideration.

1.4 The source of funds to conductlocal, regional, and internationalassemblies is not clear, nor is the au-thority of these assemblies clearlyexpressed or approved.

2. HorizonIt is important to have a form of asso-

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54

ciation that is adequate and respect-ful of all Lasallians involved, Brothersand partners, so that they can livean intense and close union for theeducational service of the poor,founded on the charism of St. JohnBaptist de La Salle.

3. Lines of Action 3.1 The 44th General Chapter re-

ceives with enthusiasm the workdone by the International Assem-bly 2006 presented in the docu-ment “Associated for the LasallianEducational Mission” and asks that alllevels of the Institute (international,regional, local) take into account theconclusions of that Assembly in plan-ning for the next seven years.

3.2 The 44th General Chapter adoptsthe following lines of action:

3.2.1 At the local level (sector/District)the movement towards the devel-opment of structures/councils withdeliberative voice be supported andencouraged (IA-2006 8.1.1).

3.2.2 That the Regions maintain andcreate (according to local possibili-ties) the structures/councils with de-liberative voice between the localand international level (IA-20068.1.2).

3.2.3 The Centre of the Institute willstudy the possibility of establishing anew International Council of Lasal-lian Association for Mission in con-

formity with the proposition madeby the International Assembly 2006(IA-2006 8.2.1).

3.2.4 That there be taken into accountthe request for a second Interna-tional Assembly before the next Gen-eral Chapter (IA-2006 8.2.2)

3.2.5 That there be set up at the Cen-tre of the Institute, in relation withthe International Council of LasallianAssociation for Mission, a workinggroup who will do what follows toprepare the second International As-sembly and present a Report to Bro-ther Superior and Council with re-gard to:

3.2.5.1 comparison and evaluationof the existing structures of Associa-tion for Mission at every level in or-der to set out recommendations forfuture development (IA-2006 8.2.1)

3.2.5.2 a juridical and canonical rese-arch concerning questions relative

Just

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to the emergence of Lasallianstructures with a view to makingrecommendations to guide thisemergence (IA-2006 8.2.1).

IV. Proposal with regardto the Rule

That under the authority of theBrother Superior General and hisCouncil, a Commission should lead,in dialogue with the Institute, a revi-sion of the Rule. If the Superior Gen-eral and his Council see it as oppor-tune, they should convene anExtraordinary General Chapter or aspecial session of the ordinary Gen-eral Chapter in 2014 in order to sub-mit for consideration the proposedrevision of the Rule.

ConclusionGovernment, finance and the Lasallianeducational mission may appear to bethree distinct domains. They are in-deed so, but distinction does not meanseparation. That which unites the threeis the concern to put all our humanand material resources at the service of

those for whom the Lasallian adven-ture began in the 17th century andcontinues four centuries later: theyoung “far from salvation”, whether en-visaged from a temporal or eternalviewpoint.

What unites them as well is that theycall for our commitment, imagination,tenacity and patience so that unity indiversity be not only a dream but apermanent path.

Dear Brothers,

The 44th General Chapter is drawing to a close and we Capitulants are eager to sharewith you the results of the intense weeks we have lived in community here at theCenter of the Institute. The diversity of our origins, of our cultures, and of our situ-ations, far from endangering our unity actually enriched it and invited us to listenattentively to one another. We hope that you can have a similar experience, in yourown particular circumstances, so that you may discover the richness of those wholive and work with us and recognize the help they bring as we seek together whatGod wants of us today.

The invitation of the 43rd General Chapter that this 44th General Chapter be an “al-ternative” one in style led us to enter into a process inspired by the biblical episodesof the Exodus and of Emmaus to discern in faith what God is asking of the Institutetoday. This challenges us to listen to the call of the world, the Church, of our con-secrated life, and of our Institute engaged in human and Christian education, es-pecially for the poor (cf. Rule 3).

Thank you for your prayers, your notes, the reflections you have shared with us, andyour study of the preparatory documents. This helped us to engage in a fraternaleffort at discovering the needs of our times. We want to continue with you thisawareness of the signs of God in our lives, in our communities, in the changing cul-tural contexts, and in our association for the educational mission, especially for thepoor (cf. Rule 39). The General Chapter is coming to a close, but this is only a begin-ning: Brothers, communities, Districts, Regions, the Center of the Institute, we allhave to seek together how to renew our lives as did the Chapter in the light of Em-maus, “Being Brothers Today: Open Eyes, Burning Hearts.”

Some of what we say will be familiar and some of what we say may be disconcert-ing. However, we hope that you will see in the challenges that we have decided toface nothing less than a commitment to the spirit of Jesus urging us to thoughtfulrenewal to fulfill the mission confided to us in our world and in our own particular

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44th General ChapterMessage to the Brothers

situations today. This urgency led us to place the report on “Interior Life” at the be-ginning of the Acts of the Chapter.

We face a major challenge, namely, to deepen our interior life, one that is lived bythe Spirit in fraternal communities, driven by a passion for Jesus Christ and for hu-manity and to act in conformity with our words. The importance of the Lasallian vo-cation for the world and the Church today, and the concern for the continuity ofthe Lasallian mission, requires Lasallian vocation ministry, especially vocations tothe Brothers’ life. Are we willing, each of us, singly and together, to pray and haveothers pray for vocations, to teach about our life, to accompany those who showinterest in being Brothers, to be open to new forms of association, to affirm our iden-tity as Brothers?

The field for our shared mission is large. There are new challenges: the rights of chil-dren, respect for life from its inception to its end, problems created by migratorymovements of people, the need for a true solidarity among nations… Along withother Lasallians engaged with us in the educational service and evangelization ofmany young people and others, especially the poor, let us face together the chal-lenges we encounter. The international character of our Institute should facilitatethe coordination of our efforts and motivate us to have our voice heard,

The consensus which we achieved aimed at taking into account both the unity ofthe Institute and its great diversity, identifying the “Horizons” toward which we jour-ney together and the major “Lines of Action” we listed – taking into account the sug-gestion that they not be too general - rather than using the more familiar procedureof stating “Propositions”. Recommending flexibility in applying the “Lines of Action”to reach the “Horizons” does not detract from the fact that they are decisionstaken by the General Chapter by a large majority, and thus engage all of us in theirimplementation.

We are called, each of us singly and together, to be Brothers today, associated to-gether in community and in the body of the Institute and with many partners en-gaged in the educational service of the poor, children, the young, and adults,whom we encounter in our ministry.

Brothers, whatever your age, play your part for the vitality of the Institute (cf. Rule145) in your own circumstances! When your heart is open to the call of the Lord,he will fill it with the gifts needed to respond (cf. Rule 35c). We Capitulants have triedto do this before inviting you to do the same. Be open today to the movement ofthe Spirit!

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44th General ChapterMessage to the Lasallian

Family

Dear members of the Lasallian family, we send you fraternal greetings fromRome!

The 44th General Chapter is coming to a close and we, the 111 Capitulants gath-ered here from all parts of the world and ready to return to the different placeswhere we share the Lasallian mission with many of you, want you to know theimportant place you have had in our hearts, our thoughts, our decisions. Ourgreeting is also to all who, in the diversity of their religious affiliation and human-istic convictions, find in St. John Baptist de La Salle a light and support in the com-mitment for a world in solidarity and peace where all can find a place, with theirmost fundamental rights respected, for all are sons and daughters of the sameFather.

Our General Chapter focused particularly on what is more specific to our lives asBrothers, for that is the first responsibility of a General Chapter. Also, all the Ca-pitulants of this 44th General Chapter are Brothers, in contrast to the last two Gen-eral Chapters. However, you were constantly present in our exchanges and in thedecisions we made.

First of all, the Assemblies held over the past few years in the Districts and Re-gions led to the International Assembly 2006 Associated for the Lasallian Missionof Education. During our work at the Chapter three of the principal organizersof the Assembly presented the Report of the Assembly to us and in our discus-sions we referred often to this Report. And in addition to using the Report asa reference document, the 44th General Chapter accepted the Report for the In-stitute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and appealed to the Center ofthe Institute and to all the sectors of the Institute to implement, each accordingto its own responsibilities, the principal orientations and areas of emphasis inthe Report.

Also, your prayers and the obvious interest many of you expressed about theChapter sustained us in our determination to honor your expectations.

Finally, and above all, we can testify that the life commitment of many among youis a strong witness to the dignity of the individual and of the individual’s work,and in a special way this is the case for those engaged in the Lasallian mission.This is for the Brothers and for Brothers’ communities an encouragement to livefully our own specific vocation.

In a particular way a biblical icon, that of Moses hearing God calling him by nameand sending him to free his oppressed people telling him “I heard their cry – I amsending you” inspired us in our work. We Brothers also must live with a passionfor Christ and for humanity. We must be, according to our specific vocations, inour lives as educators and motivators of faith of those confided to our care, es-pecially children and the young whose fundamental rights are violated. As an in-ternational network we can do more than we are doing. “The poor are our mastersand will be our judges,” wrote Brother Alvaro, Superior General.

The field of our shared mission is vast. In addition to the rights of children and re-spect for life, we have noted in a special way the problems posed by migratorymovements, which affect many families, the need for a true solidarity among na-tions, people yearning for true hope in our world… We count on you to take upthe challenge, each according to your age, state in life, and personal convictions.Do you hear the calls, loud or silent, of those for whom you are directly respon-sible, with their intellectual, moral, affective, and spiritual needs? We ask you tocontinue to respond to these calls with us. Lasallian vocations and vocations tothe Brothers’ life are indispensable for our common educational mission open tothe transcendent; the Young Lasallians spoke of this during their second Sympo-sium held in Rome in July 2006. We can all contribute by prayer and, accordingto our own circumstances, the cultivation and accompaniment of the vocationsneeded by the Church.

At the close of the 44th General Chapter we understand better what we must leavebehind to raise our eyes to new horizons. And we ask you to continue on the jour-ney with us, supported by the promise given to Moses: “I will be with you” (Exodus3:12).

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