Association for the Educational Service of the Poor

Young Brothers International AssemblyAugust 2, 2013

Dr. Carmelita I. QuebengcoCo-Secretary

Lasallian Education Mission Secretariat

Institute of the Christian Brothers

Why Lasallian Association?

Developing concepts/principles of human rights:Freedom

EqualityHuman IntegrityRenewed emphasis on the following in the Church:

Church as “people of God”Important role of the LaityUnity in Diversity

An inherent component of the Lasallian process in the conduct of the Lasallian MissionRealities:

Decreasing number of clerics and religiousIncreasing number of ministries and people

to serve

Institute of the Christian Brothers

Memento, Jan. 2013

FSC – 1,736 (1.93%) ; Others – 88,054 (98.07%)

FSC + other Religious – 2,124 (2.36%) ; Lay Partners – 87,666

(97.63%)

Lay Women – 51.81%

Lay Men - 45.82%

RELAF RELAL PARC RELAN RELEM TOTALNumber of Schools 89 297 184 85 400 1,055Students 38,732 330,400 231,880 54,454 280,997 936,463

Prof'l/Admin/StaffFSC 241 668 217 157 480 1,736Other Religious 56 164 69 42 57 388Lay Men 1,519 14,943 8,878 2,180 13,623 41,143Lay Women 697 17,882 9,938 1,747 16,259 46,523Total 2,486 33,657 19,102 4,126 30,419 89,790

What is Lasallian Association?

1. Historical background:

June, 1691 – St. La Salle + 2 Partners vowed to serve the poor youth

1694 – St. La Salle + 12 followers came together to consecrate themselves for life to the Christian education of poor boys

1986 Gen Chapter – Lasallian Family1986 Gen Chapter – Lasallian Family

1993 Gen. Chapter – Shared Mission – 1993 Gen. Chapter – Shared Mission – process by which certain people process by which certain people especially lay teachers share in the especially lay teachers share in the Lasallian educational mission along with Lasallian educational mission along with the Brothersthe Brothers

Lasallian Lasallian Vocabulary IA 13Vocabulary IA 13

2000 Gen Chapter – Lasallian Association2000 Gen Chapter – Lasallian Association

Fraternity… communion among equals… fraternity Fraternity… communion among equals… fraternity lived for the mission and shaped by the lived for the mission and shaped by the missionmission

Br Br Miguel Campos, 2005Miguel Campos, 2005

Working in solidarity and communion with one Working in solidarity and communion with one another… is central to the Bros’ Vocation and another… is central to the Bros’ Vocation and to the Lasallian mission as the educational to the Lasallian mission as the educational service of poor studentsservice of poor students

Gery Short, 2006Gery Short, 2006

2007 Gen Chapter – Lasallian Association…Co-2007 Gen Chapter – Lasallian Association…Co-ResponsibilityResponsibility

Association is the communion of persons united in their Association is the communion of persons united in their commitment to the Lasallian Missioncommitment to the Lasallian Mission

Br John Br John Johnston, 2007Johnston, 2007

Association is uniting oneself to all those who are Association is uniting oneself to all those who are involved in the Lasallian mission of education; involved in the Lasallian mission of education; accepting joint responsibility for pursuing the accepting joint responsibility for pursuing the goals of that mission especially for the poor, goals of that mission especially for the poor, guided by the charism inherited from St. La Salle. guided by the charism inherited from St. La Salle. Above all, it is a process of personal development, Above all, it is a process of personal development, by which each individual appropriates the Lasallian by which each individual appropriates the Lasallian identity, although the ways of living it out in identity, although the ways of living it out in concrete may varyconcrete may vary

Lasallian Vocabulary IA 13Lasallian Vocabulary IA 13

People committed to the Lasallian Mission People committed to the Lasallian Mission

are free to define their personal process are free to define their personal process

of Association. We can not impose… our goal of Association. We can not impose… our goal is to discern together how each vocational is to discern together how each vocational response can be woven into a seamless response can be woven into a seamless garment of association for the Lasallian garment of association for the Lasallian mission.mission.

Associated for the LS Associated for the LS Mission… Mission… an act of Hope an act of Hope

Various Meanings of Association:Various Meanings of Association:

For St. La Salle – a fundamental intuition that allowed For St. La Salle – a fundamental intuition that allowed him to respond with apostolic zeal to God’s salvific him to respond with apostolic zeal to God’s salvific plan for the young especially the poor…the link that plan for the young especially the poor…the link that unites all those committed to the Lasallian mission… unites all those committed to the Lasallian mission… those who see themselves responsible for it and who those who see themselves responsible for it and who contribute to its vitalitycontribute to its vitality

To the Brothers – a vow that forms part of their To the Brothers – a vow that forms part of their religious professionreligious profession

To some Partners/Lay LS – public expression after a To some Partners/Lay LS – public expression after a process and according to the customs of the Districtprocess and according to the customs of the District

To some Partners/lay LS – lived out implicitly through To some Partners/lay LS – lived out implicitly through their commitment in the Lasallian mission according to their commitment in the Lasallian mission according to the characteristics described in pertinent circularsthe characteristics described in pertinent circulars

Associated for the LS Associated for the LS Mission…Mission…

Expressions of Lasallian AssociationExpressions of Lasallian Association

LS Association finds expression in:LS Association finds expression in:

attitude of solidarity with other Lasallians in the attitude of solidarity with other Lasallians in the conduct of the LS missionconduct of the LS mission

search for meaning and sustenance in Lasallian search for meaning and sustenance in Lasallian spiritualityspirituality

clear sense of belonging to the Lasallian story, the clear sense of belonging to the Lasallian story, the District and regular participation in its activitiesDistrict and regular participation in its activities

participate in some community experience with other participate in some community experience with other LasalliansLasallians

results from experience and is a dynamic journey not results from experience and is a dynamic journey not an acquired statusan acquired status

an interest and openness to the universality of the an interest and openness to the universality of the Lasallian missionLasallian mission

pre-supposes a freely mode commitmentpre-supposes a freely mode commitment

Br. Antonio Botana, Bulletin 5Br. Antonio Botana, Bulletin 5

In the Lasallian story a fruitful dialogue between mission and communion has been kept alive.

Mission calls for communion

Communion grows and becomes enthusiastic in serving the mission

Communion makes itself a message for the mission

The mission produces communion among those who come to serve it

Br. Miguel Campos, Bulletin 2 Association

LS Mission

Communion/Association

Perspectives on LS AssociationPerspectives on LS Association

“…“…the Lasallian mission is God’s work… it doesn’t the Lasallian mission is God’s work… it doesn’t matter whether it is a lay person or a Brother who is matter whether it is a lay person or a Brother who is doing it, our focus should always be outward not doing it, our focus should always be outward not inward, on these young people who need us”inward, on these young people who need us”

Woman LS Woman LS Partner, PARCPartner, PARC

““I can not conceive of the idea of turning back, where I can not conceive of the idea of turning back, where the Brothers still feel like they are the owners of the the Brothers still feel like they are the owners of the Institute. The Lasallian Institute exists for the world Institute. The Lasallian Institute exists for the world and it should be shared in all its richness in order to and it should be shared in all its richness in order to enrich the world”enrich the world”

FSC RELALFSC RELAL

““We find a preoccupation with a sense of superiority in We find a preoccupation with a sense of superiority in religious institutes between religious and lay people. religious institutes between religious and lay people. Each group wants to keep the other at a distance so as Each group wants to keep the other at a distance so as to preserve, as far as possible, its own power and to preserve, as far as possible, its own power and protect its own interest. This is just my own protect its own interest. This is just my own observation”observation”

Male LS Partner, Male LS Partner, RELAFRELAF

“…“…the most important thing about our kind of education the most important thing about our kind of education is the quality of the relationships we establish… the is the quality of the relationships we establish… the most important thing about our evangelization is to most important thing about our evangelization is to make each person feel loved by God, unique before his make each person feel loved by God, unique before his presence and responsible for others… the most presence and responsible for others… the most important thing about our educational community is important thing about our educational community is the experience of brotherhood and sisterhood that the experience of brotherhood and sisterhood that makes us builders not of walls but of bridges, making makes us builders not of walls but of bridges, making room for everyone without discrimination and being room for everyone without discrimination and being open to what they might teach us…””open to what they might teach us…””

Br. Alvaro, IA 13 Closing Br. Alvaro, IA 13 Closing RemarksRemarks

In Support of Lasallian Association

Lasallian Intentional Groups:

1.Signum Fidei – (1975) the first born among LS associations…in Europe

2.Lasallian Fraternity in France (LS Third Order till 2001) – open community where members pray and meet regularly

3.Lasallian Association for Mission in Bristol (LAMB, 2001) – St. Gabriel Community in Clevedon – work groups living together in community

4.Galilee Community (since 1984), Valladolid, Spain – married couples with children, FSC and volunteers living together in community

5.LS Community in South Chicago – FSC, lay Partners, married couples living in community

6.Community of FSC and volunteers of El Salto, Durango North Mexico (1982) – live near one another but in 3 houses

FSC Bulletin 2 - Association

7. Association of LS Volunteers of Cameroon (1992) – unmarried former students who live together in community

8. LS Volunteers of the Philippines (1994) – unmarried graduates living together in community in service of the LS mission

9. Community of Life with San Miguel Schools… in California, Baltimore, Chicago – Brothers and lay volunteers live in community near San Miguel Schools

10.Informal groups not living together in community

Lasallian Partners for the Economically Poor (LPEP)

Lasallian Association of Miguel Schools

FSC Bulletins 2 and 3

Movement from Brothers to Lasallian SchoolsMovement from Brothers to Lasallian Schools

*Non-formal education ministry

**Except Poland for historical reasons

Region Decision Making Mission CouncilsFrancophone-Canada Yes* 50% FSC ; 50% Partners

United States Yes 25% FSC ; 75% Partners

Europe Proche-Orient Yes** More than 50% PartnersYes in some Districts; In some Districts - 50% - 50%;

Asia-Pacific not yet in others in others, more Brothersvaries…depending on District

Latin America Yes but there is need for more Partnerparticipation in some places

Africa

General Councillors in Lasallian Regions identified the following as having facilitated the move from Brothers to Lasallian schools:

Support of the church

Strong Partner commitment to the Lasallian

mission

Strong Lasallian formation

Success of Partner as leaders

Clear definition of what is a LS School

Decrease in number of FSC and increase in

number of ministries and students

Carmelita QuebengcoStructures for LS Mission of the

21st Century

Challenges of Lasallian Association

Circular 461 counsels that we avoid extremes - ”an all Brother leadership team when there are many Brothers or phasing out ministries when there are very few of them”

Br. Miguel Campos said “Association would assume a certain kind of demise of some kind of relationship we have had…an end to wanting to control everything, the feeling ourselves superior, to assuming that others depend on us. It would be an experience of new life that allows us to open ourselves to others, to listen to them, and be enriched by their contributions”

Association was priority theme of the 44th Gen Chapter (2007)

Lines of Action:1.Create new structures that guarantee shared reflection and decision making2.Accept the fact that the Brothers are not the only owners of the mission3. Share responsibility and decision making capability related to association

PARCdevelop effective association in multi-faith, multi-cultural environmentsome Districts find it hard to accept the new role of Partners in mission… need to listen, consult, collaborate with PartnersRELAL

develop processes for understanding association from the perspective of mission and the different Districts of the Region

consolidate the representation of Brothers and Partners in mission structuresRELAF

create improved structures of leadershipimprove collaboration between Brothers and Partnersdevelop a vision of Association as communion rather than as Brothers and Associates operating in parallel

Challenges from Regional Reports IA 13

RELANengage young Lasallians in association for mission

identify, train, accompany future LS administrators and leaders

continue developing structures that more fully call Brothers and Partners to exercise co-responsibility

RELENlook for LS leaders to accompany groups in LS

association for continuityestablish more collegial climate and participation

in decision makingcreate mechanisms for solidarity to increase sense

of belonging

General Councillors in LS Regions identified factors that hindered the move from Brothers to LS schools:

Some FSC see it as loss of power especially when an FSC is accountable to a Partner

Lack of funds/resources for Partner formation

Lack of rust for Partners

Absence of vision to become a LS school

National education policy of a country

What is your Vision of Lasallian Association?

The following are pertinent questions:Do you intend to turn the schools over to others who

will conduct them without direct reference to our Lasallian heritage?

ORAre you in the process of creatively, dynamincally,

courageously creating structures that will assure that our institutions continue as Lasallian?

Br. John Johnston, 2007 Gen Chapter

Considering the declining number of Brothers, do we phase out ministries or do we join with lay Partners dedicated to the mission and continue the ministry?

Circular 461, 2012

In a future without Brothers what structure will allow for the continuity of the Lasallian mission?

RELEM Regional Report IA 13

What is the role of the young Brothers in this vision?

What can the Institute do to make this vision a reality?

Towards a new Lasallian Association story

in 80 countries

in 5 continents

directly serving close to a million students