Recent Institute Documents

Description

In response to Proposition 17 of the 45^th General Chapter, the Declaration on the Lasallian Educational Mission has been released. Its intention is to motivate and guide our educational work toward the future in response to the needs and challenges of today’s world. It seeks to offer proposals full of hope and to highlight certain convictions derived from our rich history in order to facilitate the development and continuity of our Educational Communities.

To achieve this objective, present reality has been kept in mind as the starting point, our rich history as an Institute has been recognized and a desired future imagined. It is a profound, inspiring and prophetic text that invites commitment and that looks forward to the future in hope.This new document is not an update of The Brother of the Christian Schools in the World Today: A Declaration of 1967. This Declaration has a different purpose, that of serving as a starting point for an ongoing reflection on the Educational Mission that unites Lasallians worldwide.

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(LINK to International Versions)

INTRO VIDEO
- Here is a short 10-minutes video by Br. Gerard Rummery, FSC, that provides the context for this document. He was a member of the writing committee.

This is the digital version of “Lasallian Formation for Mission: The Pilgrim’s Handbook." More than a new Pilgrim’s Handbook, it is a new reading of the reality and the vision of formation in the whole Lasallian Family.

This new Pilgrim’s Handbook synthesizes in a single proposal the best practices and approaches of Lasallian formation: formation for mission, formation centered on the person, formative processes, formation by competencies, dimensions of formation, formation based on experiences, joint formation, among others. The Pilgrim’s Handbook is a holistic and unifying proposal of formation for the whole Lasallian Family that places the Mission at the center.

“Lasallian Formation for Mission: The Pilgrim’s Handbook” is the result of a collaborative effort of the Secretariat for Formation and Lasallians from different regions. Over the course of a number of years, the writing commission has developed this Handbook to assist in the formation of all Lasallians. The work presents a creative and dynamic vision of formation more attuned to the reality of the formation process.

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(Link to International Versions)

The criteria for the vitality of Lasallian education are reference points that have the purpose of contributing to the efforts of a Lasallian educational ministry in fulfillment of its particular mission.

The International Council for Association and the Lasallian Educational Mission (CIAMEL) has worked on this project at the request of the 45th General Chapter, which requested an instrument for ensuring the vitality of the corporate commitment of Lasallians so that "the school runs well."1 (cf. Proposition 13).

LINK TO PDF

(Link to International Versions)

The International Council for Lasallian Association and Educational Mission (CIAMEL), offers this current, simple and inspiring reflection in order to start a conversation regarding what is fundamental to the Lasallian charismatic family. This document can serve as an instrument to reflect on the challenges of today, always with an eye to the future.

The goals of this reflection are:

• To offer an inclusive and open working document, not a final word, to be used in discerning at the local, district, Regional and Institute levels what a viable model of the Lasallian Family might look like.
• To stir up new interest in belonging to the Lasallian Family.
• To generate more communion which encourages greater participation in mission animation and decision making that impacts the entire Lasallian Family.
• To encourage a continuous reflection on the following fundamental questions, and which correspond to the chapters that follow:
― Who are Lasallians?
― What is the meaning of our life?
― What is our Lasallian Educational Mission today?
― What formation do we need today?
― How do we experience belonging in the Lasallian Family?
― How do we need to organize ourselves in spirit of creative fidelity?

LINK TO PDF

(Link to International Versions)

The General Council of the Institute wrote this Circular at the end of the Year of Lasallian Vocations after four years of encounters, research, and dialogue on comtemporary experience in the Institute and the Lasallian Family. They emphasize that "through this Circular we are not offering a definitive word on Lasallian vocations and association, but rather offering an invitation to engage in dialogue and action. We believe such an engagement will generate creative insights and encourage new understandings that inspire hearts and nourish our shared commitment to serve God and one another."

The sections are below, showing the subdivisions of only the first chapter:

Introduction
CHAPTER 1 - Time of Generosity and Creativity
- Analyzing the four different vocation ministry realities found in our Lasallian world
  - A major emphasis on the vocation of the Brother and little or no emphasis on Lasallian vocations.
  - Major emphasis on Lasallian vocations and little or no emphasis on the vocation of the Brother
  - Little or no emphasis on Lasallian vocations and little of nor emphasis on the vocation of the Brother
  - Great emphasis on Lasallian vocations and on the vocation of the Brother
- Two types of evolving societies in which we try to sow the Gospel
- The main characteristics we find in young people, particularly with regard to the religious dimension
- Young people and religious sensitivity
CHAPTER 2 - Culture of Vocation
CHAPTER 3 - Lasallian Vocation Ministry
CHAPTER 4 - Vocation Ministry for Association
CHAPTER 5 - Vocation Ministry for the Life of a Brother or Sister
To Conclude, or to Continue ...