Association 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
Why 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
Institute of the Christian Brothers
Number of Schools
Students
Prof'l/Admin/Staff
FSC
Other Religious
Lay Men
Lay Women
Total
RELAF
89
38,732
RELAL PARC
297
184
330,400 231,880
241
56
1,519
697
2,486
668
164
14,943
17,882
33,657
217
69
8,878
9,938
19,102
RELAN
85
54,454
RELEM
400
280,997
TOTAL
1,055
936,463
157
42
2,180
1,747
4,126
480
57
13,623
16,259
30,419
1,736
388
41,143
46,523
89,790
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%
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 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
2000 Gen Chapter – Lasallian Association
Fraternity… 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
2007 Gen Chapter – Lasallian Association…Co-Responsibility
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
People 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
Various Meanings of Association:
For St. La Salle – a fundamental intuition that allowed
him to respond with apostolic zeal to God’s salvific plan
for the young especially the poor…the 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…
Expressions 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-supposes a freely mode commitment
Br. Antonio Botana, Bulletin 5
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
Perspectives on LS Association
“…the Lasallian mission is God’s work… it doesn’t 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
“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
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 Schools
Region
Francophone-Canada
Yes*
Decision Making Mission Councils
50% FSC ; 50% Partners
United States
Yes
25% FSC ; 75% Partners
Yes**
Yes in some Districts;
More than 50% Partners
In some Districts - 50% - 50%;
not yet in others
in others, more Brothers
varies…depending on District
but there is need for more Partner
participation in some places
Europe Proche-Orient
Asia-Pacific
Latin America
Yes
Africa
*Non-formal education ministry
**Except Poland for historical reasons
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
Challenges of Lasallian Association
From the Survey of Associates (2002)
1. Significant formative experience for Partners – sense
of belonging in a Lasallian community/Brothers
community
2. Some FSCs are reluctant to share authority with
Partners
3. Some Partners are overly deferential to the Brothers
reinforcing the clerical mentality
4. New structures yes, but not an assurance of
association
5. Recognize life of Partners as different and with other
commitments
6. Need for continuity of formation relevant to current
realities
7. Provide more meaningful leadership opportunities
Bulletin 5
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 making
2. Accept the fact that the Brothers are not the
only owners of the mission
3. Share responsibility and decision making
capability related to association
Challenges from Regional Reports IA 13
PARC
develop effective association in multi-faith, multicultural 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
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 coresponsibility
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
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?
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
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