Transcript Christian Brothers Academy Syracuse, New York

Board Formation
The Three Constitutive Elements of
the
De La Salle Christian Brothers
The Sources
The Brothers of the Christian Schools, Declaration on the The
Brother of the Christian Schools in the World Today. Lincroft,
NY: LaSalle Provincialate, 1997
The Brothers of the Christian Schools, The Documents of the 44th
General Chapter. Rome: The Generalate, 2007
The Brothers of the Christian Schools, The Rule. Rome: S.G.SInstituto Pio XI, 1987
Salm, Brother Luke, A Religious Institute in Transition – The Story
of Three General Chapters. Romeoville, IL: Christian Brothers
Publications, 1992
“The vocation of the Brother is a
complex integration of an apostolic
mission that stems from a religious
consecration and includes
community, lay status, educational
work with the preference for the
poor, carried on in schools for the
most part but also in other suitable
educational situations.”
(From A Religious Institute in Transition, p. 127)
The Three Constitutive Elements
•
Consecration
•
Apostolic Ministry
•
Community Life
Consecration
“… Wherefore, I promise and vow association for the
service of the poor through education, chastity,
poverty, obedience, and stability in the Institute.
(Updated Vow Formula, 2007)
Association for the Service of the Poor
Through Education
1.
“We (the Brothers) have rediscovered our
consecrated identity in light of our vow of
association for the educational service of the poor
and it is through it that we attempt to clarify the
other vows.”
(Documents of the 44th General Chapter, Introduction)
2. “We are challenged to live our association today…in
a way that is open and integrated with our
Lasallian partners, who participate with us in the
Lasallian charism, spirituality, and mission.”
(Documents of the 44th General Chapter, 2.1)
Poverty
1.
“By their poverty lived according to the Gospel,
the Brothers become poor in order to follow
Christ who was poor and in order to serve better
all persons as their brothers and sisters,
especially those most in need.”
(The Rule, 32)
2. “The Brothers live simply as persons of ordinary
means, having everything in common.”
(The Rule, 32)
Poverty
3. “In their use of money and material goods put at
their disposal the Brothers are careful to act as
faithful steward.”
(The Rule, 32 a)
4. “In every situation the Brothers will avoid any
external show that would be offensive to the poor.
They furnish their establishments to reflect a
simple lifestyle and shared poverty and so allow the
most disadvantaged to feel at ease there.”
(The Declaration, 31.5)
Chastity
1.
Chastity, rooted in the Gospel and lived in celibacy,
is an expression of love totally vowed to God. It is
a gift of the Spirit. It frees the Brothers for the
service of others and for the kingdom of God.”
(The Rule, 27)
2. Chastity disposes the Brothers to live united
together in community. It sustains them in their
educational work and teaches them how to leave
each and every person with an unselfish and
respectful love.”
(The Rule, 27)
Chastity
3. “Chastity frees the
Brother to be more
totally available for his
work; it makes his work
more effective, even as
it makes greater
demands on him in the
area of the apostolate.”
(The Declaration, 18.6)
Obedience
1.
“The Brothers live out their vow of obedience by
their availability within a community committed to
accomplishing the mission of the Institute.”
(The Rule, 36)
2. “Obedience is a communion with the Holy Spirit…It
is through world events, through young people, the
community of the Brothers and the Superiors,
through the body of the Institute and the Church,
that the Spirit manifests His purposes.”
(The Rule, 36)
Stability in the Institute
1.
“By this vow the Brothers
commit themselves to remain
in the Institute in order to
accomplish its specific mission
and to live in fraternal and
apostolic communion with the
Brothers. They remain faith to
the Institute and to its spirit,
to their Brothers, and to those
they serve in their ministry.”
(The Rule, 42b)
Questions or Comments
Ministry
“The purpose of
the Institute
is apostolic.”
(The Declaration, 22.2)
Ministry
1.
“Lasallian institutions make the means of salvation
available to young people through a quality
education and by an explicit proclamation of Jesus
Christ.”
(The Rule, 130
2. “The Brother’s principal function consists of the work
of evangelization and catechesis.”
(The Rule, 15)
3. “Lasallian institutions are centered on the young,
adapted to the time in which they live, and
designed to prepare students to take their place in
society.”
(The Rule, 13)
Ministry
4.
“The Brothers tie together the work of
evangelization with the effort to develop a good
citizen and to give them access to a good human
education.”
(The Declaration,40.2)
5. “Brothers are attentive to each of their students,
especially those most in need. Brothers are
available to all in an attitude of brotherly
companionship.”
(The Rule, 13)
Ministry
6. The Brother is immersed in the lives of his students:
he knows their interests, their worries, their
hopes.”
(The Declaration, 40.4)
7. “Our orientation to the poor comprises an integral
part of our Institute.”
(The Declaration, 28.7)
8. “The Brother works in service to those whose poverty
in an obstacle to their development as human
persons or to their ability to receive the message of
salvation revealed in Jesus Christ.”
(The Declaration, 13.4)
Ministry
9. “Place the poor, especially those who are young, at
the center of our community and educational
projects in order to better know the reality in which
they live and in order to respond to the different
local needs. For example, students who have
difficulties with their studies, children of
dysfunctional families, migrants, those on drugs,
orphans, and other new forms of poverty.”
(Documents of the 44th General Chapter, 1.3.1)
Ministry
10. “In their educational activity the Brothers will (1)
help their students become more aware of human
suffering in its concrete form; (2) waken in them a
universal sense of brotherhood; and (3) invite them
to share their goods and to serve those who are in
need.”
(The Declaration, 32.2)
11. “Our education works should be
Instruments of the education of the poor, the rights of the
child, education for social justice. and
Islands of creativity and agents of social transformation.”
(Documents of the 44th General Chapter, 2.1)
Ministry
12. “ The Brothers gladly
associate lay persons
with them in their
educational mission.
They provide for them
the means to learn
about the Founder and
to live according to his
spirit.”
(The Rule, 17)
Community
“From the very beginning the Brother
has fulfilled his mission ‘together and
by association’ as a member of a
community by whom he knows he is
accepted, supported, and entrusted
with his mission.”
(The Rule, 16)
“The Brothers’ community should be
simple and planned in a way that
fosters family spirit, work, and
prayer.”
(The Rule, 55)
Community and Mission
1.
“The Brothers’ community shares in the animation
of the institutions of which it is involved…It’s action
to promote the Gospel aims to bring into being a
community of faith in the educational community.”
(The Rule, 51a)
2. “The reason Brothers live together and associate in
community is that they stimulate and help one
another to procure the glory of God through the
salvation of young people.”
(The Declaration, 22.4)
Community and Home
1.
“The community is for the Brothers their home.
They live together. They experience the friendship,
the esteem, the trust and the respect they have for
one another. They share meals. They share
recreation.”
(The Rule, 54)
2. “The Brothers accept and love one another in their
differences and in their similarities.”
(The Rule, 54a)
Community and Faith
1.
“The Brothers’ community is where
the spirit of God is shared.”
(The Rule, 48)
2. “In community the Brothers gather to
listen to God.”
(The Declaration, 26.5)
3. “The Brothers find the principal
sources for their prayer in holy
scripture, in liturgy, and in the
challenges that come to them in
their ministry.”
(The Rule, 67)
Community and Faith
4. “We are called to create
Communities of faith
Island of hope and creativity
•
Which serve as a reference for adults, for youth, and for
children
–
Because of the witness of the Brother’s interior life
Where Brothers look forward to coming to prayer”
“We are called to be
The human face of God
Companions for others along the pathway of their own
spirituality.”
(Documents of the 44th General Chapter, 2.9)
Conclusion
“We dream of Brothers and
communities
-that open their doors to welcome
those who hunger for bread,
friendship, spirituality, culture,
consolation, and the experience of
God
-that are inserted in their
environments, who live simply, and
are committed to combat human
suffering.”
(Documents of the 44th General Chapter, 1.2)
Questions or Comments