Title: Leadesrhip Template, English
1Association for the Educational Service of the
Poor Young Brothers International
Assembly August 2, 2013
Dr. Carmelita I. Quebengco Co-Secretary Lasallian
Education Mission Secretariat Institute of the
Christian Brothers
2Why Lasallian Association?
?Developing concepts/principles of human
rights Freedom Equality Human
Integrity ?Renewed emphasis on the following in
the Church Church as people of
God Important role of the Laity Unity in
Diversity ?An inherent component of the Lasallian
process in the conduct of the
Lasallian Mission ?Realities Decreasing number
of clerics and religious Increasing number of
ministries and people to serve
3Institute 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
4What is Lasallian Association?
- 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
5?1986 Gen Chapter Lasallian Family ?1993 Gen.
Chapter Shared Mission process by which
certain people especially lay teachers share in
the Lasallian educational mission along with the
Brothers Lasallian Vocabulary IA 13
6?2000 Gen Chapter Lasallian Association ?Frater
nity communion among equals fraternity lived
for the mission and shaped by the mission
Br Miguel Campos, 2005 ?Working in
solidarity and communion with one another is
central to the Bros Vocation and to the
Lasallian mission as the educational service of
poor students Gery Short, 2006
7?2007 Gen Chapter Lasallian AssociationCo-Respo
nsibility ?Association is the communion of
persons united in their commitment to the
Lasallian Mission Br John Johnston,
2007 ?Association is uniting oneself to all
those who are involved in the Lasallian mission
of education accepting joint responsibility for
pursuing the goals of that mission especially for
the poor, guided by the charism inherited from
St. La Salle. Above all, it is a process of
personal development, by which each individual
appropriates the Lasallian identity, although the
ways of living it out in concrete may
vary Lasallian Vocabulary IA 13
8People committed to the Lasallian Mission are
free to define their personal process of
Association. We can not impose our goal is to
discern together how each vocational response can
be woven into a seamless garment of association
for the Lasallian mission. Associated for the
LS Mission an act of Hope
9Various Meanings of Association ?For St. La
Salle a fundamental intuition that allowed him
to respond with apostolic zeal to Gods salvific
plan for the young especially the poorthe link
that unites all those committed to the Lasallian
mission those who see themselves responsible for
it and who contribute to its vitality ?To the
Brothers a vow that forms part of their
religious profession ?To some Partners/Lay LS
public expression after a process and according
to the customs of the District ?To some
Partners/lay LS lived out implicitly through
their commitment in the Lasallian mission
according to the characteristics described in
pertinent circulars Associated for the LS
Mission
10Expressions of Lasallian Association
LS Association finds expression in ?attitude of
solidarity with other Lasallians in the conduct
of the LS mission ?search for meaning and
sustenance in Lasallian spirituality ?clear
sense of belonging to the Lasallian story, the
District and regular participation in its
activities ?participate in some community
experience with other Lasallians ?results from
experience and is a dynamic journey not an
acquired status ?an interest and openness to the
universality of the Lasallian mission ?pre-suppose
s a freely mode commitment
Br. Antonio Botana, Bulletin
5
11- LS Mission
- Communion/
- Association
- 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
12Perspectives on LS Association the Lasallian
mission is Gods work it doesnt matter whether
it is a lay person or a Brother who is doing it,
our focus should always be outward not inward, on
these young people who need us
Woman LS Partner, PARC I can not conceive of
the idea of turning back, where the Brothers
still feel like they are the owners of the
Institute. The Lasallian Institute exists for the
world and it should be shared in all its richness
in order to enrich the world FSC
RELAL
13 We find a preoccupation with a sense of
superiority in religious institutes between
religious and lay people. Each group wants to
keep the other at a distance so as to preserve,
as far as possible, its own power and protect its
own interest. This is just my own
observation Male LS Partner,
RELAF the most important thing about our kind
of education is the quality of the relationships
we establish the most important thing about our
evangelization is to make each person feel loved
by God, unique before his presence and
responsible for others the most important thing
about our educational community is the experience
of brotherhood and sisterhood that makes us
builders not of walls but of bridges, making room
for everyone without discrimination and being
open to what they might teach us Br.
Alvaro, IA 13 Closing Remarks
14- In Support of Lasallian Association
- Lasallian Intentional Groups
- Signum Fidei (1975) the first born among LS
associationsin Europe - Lasallian Fraternity in France (LS Third Order
till 2001) open community where members pray
and meet regularly - Lasallian Association for Mission in Bristol
(LAMB, 2001) St. Gabriel Community in Clevedon
work groups living together in community - Galilee Community (since 1984), Valladolid, Spain
married couples with children, FSC and
volunteers living together in community - LS Community in South Chicago FSC, lay
Partners, married couples living in community - Community of FSC and volunteers of El Salto,
Durango North Mexico (1982) live near one
another but in 3 houses - FSC Bulletin 2 - Association
15 - Association of LS Volunteers of Cameroon (1992)
unmarried former students who live together in
community - LS Volunteers of the Philippines (1994)
unmarried graduates living together in community
in service of the LS mission - Community of Life with San Miguel Schools in
California, Baltimore, Chicago Brothers and lay
volunteers live in community near San Miguel
Schools - Informal groups not living together in community
- ?Lasallian Partners for the Economically Poor
(LPEP) - ?Lasallian Association of Miguel Schools
- FSC Bulletins 2 and 3
16 Movement from Brothers to Lasallian Schools
- Non-formal education ministry
- Except Poland for historical reasons
17 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 Quebengco Structures
for LS Mission of the 21st Century
18Challenges of Lasallian Association
- From the Survey of Associates (2002)
- Significant formative experience for Partners
sense of belonging in a Lasallian
community/Brothers community - Some FSCs are reluctant to share authority with
Partners - Some Partners are overly deferential to the
Brothers reinforcing the clerical mentality - New structures yes, but not an assurance of
association - Recognize life of Partners as different and with
other commitments - Need for continuity of formation relevant to
current realities - Provide more meaningful leadership opportunities
- Bulletin 5
19 - ?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 hadan 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
20 - Association was priority theme of the 44th Gen
Chapter (2007) - Lines of Action
- Create new structures that guarantee shared
reflection and decision making - Accept the fact that the Brothers are not the
only owners of the mission - 3. Share responsibility and decision making
capability related to association
21 Challenges from Regional Reports IA 13
- PARC
- ?develop effective association in multi-faith,
multi-cultural environment - ?some Districts find it hard to accept the new
role of Partners in mission need to listen,
consult, collaborate with Partners - RELAL
- ?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 structures - RELAF
- ?create improved structures of leadership
- ?improve collaboration between Brothers and
Partners - ?develop a vision of Association as communion
rather than as Brothers and Associates operating
in parallel
22 - RELAN
- ?engage 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 - RELEN
- ?look for LS leaders to accompany groups in LS
association for continuity - ?establish more collegial climate and
participation in decision making - ?create mechanisms for solidarity to increase
sense of belonging
23 - 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
24 - 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? - OR
- ?Are 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
25 - What is the role of the young Brothers
- in this vision?
- What can the Institute do
- to make this vision a reality?
26 - Towards a new Lasallian Association story
- in 80 countries
- in 5 continents
- directly serving close to a million students