I. Charism - La Salle.org

V. CHARISM IN THE RECENT INSTITUTE DOCUMENTS 187
CHARISM OF ST. JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE for our time: the crucial
role of the school in the evangelization of young people, the preferential
option for the poor, the promotion of justice and our
responses to formation needs of all kinds” (p. 20). One could add
to that list “the elements to be found in the whole Lasallian experience:
its inspiration from the Gospel; its spirit of faith and zeal; its
work in the field of Christian education; its love and its preferential
option for the young and the poor; its communion with the
Church, especially with the parish and the diocese; its basis in
Lasallian spirituality; its relationship with a Lasallian community.”
(Message to the members of the ‘Lasallian Family’, p. 29-30). The
Message to all the Brothers invites them “to set out once again in the
footsteps of St. John Baptist de La Salle and take on the challenge
of giving oneself to God for the service of education for young people”
and proposes three means: the discovery of the Rule, “both
steeped in the CHARISM of the Holy Founder and meaningful for
our international Institute today”; a renewal “in the practice of
meditation”; and “the use of the personal project” (p. 22-23).
One may note that the expression ‘Lasallian charism’ is not used in
reference to the Lasallian Family: we share a ministry inspired by
De La Salle, it would seem that the charism is not shared.
Circular 435, dated June 24 th 1993, gives an account of the 42 nd
General Chapter. The General Council wished this Chapter “to
give each of us inspiration, strength and renewed determination to
be filled with the CHARISM OF THE FOUNDER in the world of today”
(p. 3); eight lines later there is reference to “the founding inspiration
of St. John Baptist de La Salle” (p. 4). The Message to the
Lasallian Family reminds the Brothers that in regard to the mission
of the Institute and its living tradition, they are “in a manner of
speaking, the heart, the memory and the guarantors of the Lasallian
charism” in the shared mission. (p. 15).