I. Charism - La Salle.org

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VI. EIGHT TESTIMONIES FROM LASALLIANS
We hope that sharing our stories with you provides a context for
our understanding of charism that we have.
The Lasallian Charism.
The word “charism” and all of its related words like charisma and
charismatic are problematic for thousands of Lasallians. The word
has multiple meanings derived from a variety of fields including
leadership, cultural and spiritual movements, personality theory
and theology. We believe “charism” in its theological sense might
offer a useful category in which to reflect on one’s personal gospel
and Lasallian vocation, whatever form it might take.
Charism as Divine Gift.
A charism is a divine gift, tangibly experienced by an individual, a
group, or the Church. In our personal vocational journey, a charism
does not lie outside of us. It resides in the depths of our hearts and
gives meaning and direction to our life. It is in the depths of our
hearts that God has given us all that we need. Charism, a gift of
God, is a way to describe the spiritual resources that lie in the
depths of our heart. When we listen attentively, a charism leads us
to our life’s passion and joy.
Activation through Encounter.
Gifts that we receive vary in their meaning and significance.
Frequently, a gift may sit unnoticed on a shelf or in a drawer, part
of the background of our life. At other times, we infuse gifts with
meaning because of particular events, people or changes in our lives
that cause us to look at things differently. We may move a particular
gift from a drawer to a more central part of our lives, a more significant
place in our household.
It is the same with a charism. The Lasallian charism, a gift from
God, can lie dormant in the depths of ones’ heart. A teacher can
work at a Lasallian ministry for years and not be particularly inter-