Issue No. 12, October1999. R.E. Across the Curriculum
Editorial Religious Education Across the Curriculum
Spirituality in Schools, by David Wells
Spirituality and the Secondary School Curriculum, by Bernard Stuart
Values and the Teaching of Mathematics (Part 2), by Brother Enrique Garcia Ahumada
The Lasallian Youth Movement, by Brother John Johnston
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EDITORIAL: Religious Education Across The Curriculum
Religious education is essentially a cross-curriculum activity in any school that claims to be Catholic. Every aspect of school life is involved in the process of helping pupils to develop holistically in their emotions, their intellect, their moral judgement and their spirituality. Every subject area can contribute something special, and every teacher is more than just a conveyor of information bites to be retained until exam time.
This fundamental truth was brought home clearly to those who took part in the October L.A.C.E. Weekend Conference on "Art in R.E. and Assemblies", led by Cecilia Finn, a long-standing member of L.A.C.E. and recently appointed as the new-style school chaplain in Cardinal Wiseman High School, Ealing. On one level it was a very practical work-shop, with hands-on experience of painting, clay-modelling, stained-glass window creation, paper-marbling, wood-burning and many other activities. On another level, Cecilia was careful to bring out the spiritual dimension of this creativity and its potential for stimulating growth and development. The key is in the preparation and the pre-task exercises that the teacher organises. For example, we were shown how a prayerful, meditative exercise preceding an activity of clay-modelling can release people's potential for creativity. This was true for the teachers on the course, some of whom found hidden talents they never dreamed they had. It is equally true for children. All of which goes to show that the R.E. Department and the Art Department in a school should work closely together. Both have much to gain from the relationship.
Various articles in this issue of L.A.C.E. underline the same message. Bernard Stuart sees spirituality as something that permeates the whole curriculum in a Catholic school. Enrique Garcia gives us a further analysis of the potential of Mathematics in promoting the development of the whole person. Terry Collins looks at the potential benefits for R.E. of developing its links with Information and Communication Technology. The interesting thing is that the benefits go in both directions. R.E. draws from other subject areas, but all subject areas would benefit from paying attention to the religious dimension in pupils' lives. This simple but profound fact lies behind the irony of a government educational programme which is fixated on performance measured through quantifiable assessment by tests, but finds itself confronted with the evidence that it is the schools with a religious dimension which consistently do better in those tests. There is an important dimension to education which is not measurable, and which can be loosely summed up in the word "spirituality".
The Role of L.A.C.E.
Spirituality is the key to success in a school. The stone which many
modern educational planners once rejected has become the
corner-stone. This is the work of the Lord and a marvel in many
people's eyes. It is also the grounds for the existence of L.A.C.E.
&emdash; the Lasallian Association of Christian Educators.
L.A.C.E. began life in May 1991 through the initiative of Damian Lundy and a small group of teachers. The membership since then has been very fluid, and it is good to see how many new faces keep showing up at the weekend conferences. However, new faces are not always aware of earlier days, so perhaps it is timely to give a reminder of the nature of L.A.C.E., the reason for its existence and the value of belonging to it.
L.A.C.E. is an Association in a very loose sense of the word. There are practically no formal structures. People become members simply by saying they want to be put on the mailing list, though in practice those who show up at the Conferences get more benefit from their membership because they have a real experience of "association".
L.A.C.E. is an Association of Educators in the broad sense of the term. It is not limited to teachers, even less to just R.E, teachers. It is for anyone who is interested in the work of education, though membership does imply sharing a particular view of education summed up in the word "Christian". It is an Association of Christian Educators, not exclusively Catholic, although by the nature of things most members do in fact work in Catholic schools. That leaves us with the "Lasallian" bit to explain, as the word which distinguishes L.A.C.E. from other such Associations.
The word "Lasallian" is about attitudes and views of education rather than formal structures. It is a handy label which can be used to indicate a whole variety of things that look back to Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle for their inspiration. De La Salle was one of those pioneers of education in the 17th century, when the foundations of the modern world were being laid down. He was a natural teacher, a gifted administrator and he developed a profound insight into the work of Christian education both at the level of the classroom and the network of schools.
"Lasallian" refers to an attitude to children, an attitude of respect, even reverence for them as valuable and important in the eyes of God. This leads to an attitude towards the work of education, which is seen as something supremely valuable and worthwhile for its own sake, not just the convenience of society.
"Lasallian" refers to an understanding of the role of the teacher, the nobility of it, the value of it and the sheer hardness of it. De La Salle set up his schools in the poor quarters of Paris, Rheims and other French cities 300 years ago. It is easy to imagine the living conditions of the pupils and the working conditions of the teachers. Where did they get the strength to carry on? Where can teachers today find the strength to carry on in the face of all the pressures and stress?
"Lasallian" refers to an understanding that the source of strength for Christian teachers lies in two things:-
The Lasallian Association for Christian Educators seeks to provide its members with this twofold source of strength: spiritual reserves and the support of togetherness. It does this primarily through the two L.A.C.E. weekends that are organised in May and October. If you have never been to one, you really are missing out on the main benefit of your L.A.C.E. membership.
The L.A.C.E. Magazine
This magazine too can do its bit to help, and we would like to see it
do more. In particular it can be a platform for mutual help through
sharing ideas and materials for teaching or assemblies. In this issue
we have tried to make a start. We have included a number of smaller
items sent in by various people, especially the staff of Cardinal
Langley School. We are very grateful to them, and we hope their
example will inspire others with the confidence to get their lights
out from under that bushel. There is, I am sure a great wealth of
material around the country and further afield, lying in the
cupboards and filing cabinets of L.A.C.E. members. Let's start to
make L.A.C.E. an even better example of "Lasallian
Association"!
SPIRITUALITY IN SCHOOLS by David Wells
Extracts from the presentation given at the L.A.C.E weekend, May 199 by David Wells, Advisor for Adult Education for the Nottingham Diocese.
We need to take a fresh look at the nature of spirituality in young people before determining the best approach to adopt when working with them.
Adolescent Spirituality
In young people, spirituality is akin to activity. Their active
participation is essential if the process is to have any appeal to
them and any effect on them. They are psychologically geared to
finding out for themselves and they want to discover rather than to
be told. Consequently, we need to find a role for young people in the
spirituality of the school. Experience of participation is what
changes young people, and therefore, if they are to find "God", it
will be through experiences and by participation.
Compared to adults, young people have different views about the physical world. They also have different views about the spiritual world. They have an à la carte approach to everything. They can be critical and questioning, and they tend to live in absolutes. For them, things are either black or white. This means that they tend to be very generous and that they are inspired by the ideal of justice. Conversely they are revolted by injustice and anything they see as unfair.
There are certain gender differences to be taken into account. Boys see themselves as achievers ("I can do that"), whereas girls are more ready to accept limitations. Boys set out to beat the world, but paradoxically they are more insecure. However, we must avoid stereotypes. These gender differences are not fixed. Both can identify with a hero on a journey; both can see themselves as "ascenders and climbers", struggling in their search for meaning and identity.
Approaches to Spirituality
Traditional model
This emphasises ritual and form. In theory the symbols all have a
meaning, but there is a danger that the form may be conveyed without
the meaning. Religion then becomes a series of reflex actions, like
genuflecting. It is important to encourage young people to stop and
think about what they are doing and why they are doing it. Surface
features do not necessarily indicate the underlying
reality.
Mystery awareness model
This emphasises the sense of wonder and awe in the face of existence.
It is a valid base to spirituality but it depends on the ability to
take a panoramic view of life and of the world. This requires a
certain physical and psychological maturity, and consequently it is
more appropriate for the upper age-groups in a school. Younger
children do not focus on the panoramic view; they tend to see things
on the small scale. We must respect this natural
development.
Conversion model
This sees spiritual development as a life-long process of change.
Change is set off by catalytic moments in an individual's experience,
usually as a response to particular persons. An incident provokes a
new kind of reflection and thus leads to qualitative change. We
normally only become aware of such changes after they have taken
place. The conversion model seems to be the one most likely to be
fruitful in young people. In this approach, spiritual development is
a process of discovering one's own abilities, previously
unrecognised. Such moments of discovery can be a source of genuine
joy. There is a striking similarity between the Conversion model of
spirituality and the process of catechesis as presented in the
General Directory of Catechesis. In both cases we are dealing with a
cyclic process which moves through a clear set of stages, starting
and finishing with "witness":- witness, conversion, apprenticeship,
initiation, maturing, proclamation, witness.
The Role of the Teacher
The primary role of the teacher in this model is that of "witness"
and "companion". When exploring spirituality with young people we
have to be ready to move from being teachers to being witnesses. They
do not want to know what we believe. They want know what it means to
us. They want to know, if we really believe it. Authenticity is all
important! The teacher accompanies the pupils through the process,
and at the end of it they, too, assume the role of witnesses to one
another.
SPIRITUALITY AND THE SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM by Bernard Stuart
What follows is not a definitive account of all that is needed to foster the development of pupils' spirituality within the Catholic high school. A school has an overall ethos to which all areas within a school contribute, so as to provide the overall pattern of practice for whole school community. My special interest is in the way in which classroom studies can be made relevant and contribute to spirituality and spiritual development.
Any attempt made by the school to encourage its pupils to make a contribution to the discussion concerned with spiritual development, and to recognise the enriching contribution made by the pupils' cultural backgrounds to the quality of the school's shared life and ethos will depend on the quality of teacher/pupil relationships. The development of appropriate attitudes and responses is a lengthy and on-going process which calls for skilled understanding as teachers help pupils to make sense of the situations they encounter. This reinforces strongly the point that the school has to pay attention to the world in which pupils live, all the elements of which contribute to spiritual development. We shall first take a closer look at this context.
While a variety of questions can fairly be raised about the appropriateness of the school taking an interest in the spiritual development of its pupils, and its fitness to do so, neglect of this area of pupil development is undoubtedly damaging. There is much that can be done to provide an appropriate context for the possibility of spiritual growth, without presuming to manage the direction of pupils' development. We can do so by concentrating mainly on the development of spirituality as awareness and encouraging, but leaving open for personal decision, the mastering of spirituality as response, both in terms of whether it will be made and also, in what form.
As a way of life, spirituality is a fundamental choice which no individual can presume to make on behalf of any other. The same is true of the responses which young people make, or withhold, to their own awareness. As for the awareness itself, it is not in the control of either teacher or pupil. But, certainly, this is an aspect of spirituality with which the school can appropriately attempt to help its pupils. It is important to stress the idea that much, if not most, of what can be achieved in the area of spiritual development education will happen outside of the ordinary school day. Extra-curricular activities, retreats and ad hoc meetings are only some of the opportune times when much may happen.
So what are the implications which can be drawn for the educational contribution to the spiritual development of young people in schools ? In both a whole school curricular approach and the classroom practice which are designed to promote spiritual development, I think it is essential to provide for personal learning through reflection and study. In the classroom, as in the whole school environment, there is greatest scope for personal learning by reflecting on experience and how to get the most from experience.
I would be in favour of an approach that:
In the light of these ideas I wish to present three classroom approaches to be considered by those responsible in the Catholic high school when deciding on a policy relating to whole school ethos which enhances pupils' spiritual awareness, and the planning of a curriculum that includes the aim of promoting spiritual development.
1. Direct study of
personal/spiritual subject matter
There is a need for a "learning areas" (subjects) that look directly
and specifically at questions of human meaning, purpose and value:-
Religious Education, Philosophy, Personal Development, Ethics. Such
studies should have a philosophical centrality in the curriculum.
They also give pupils the opportunity to evaluate their education, to
put it into some perspective, to see how it relates to the rest of
their lives.
2. Indirect study of
personal/social issues
It would be artificial and inappropriate to try to limit the study of
personal/social issues to the particular "learning areas" listed
above. The issues need to be examine as and when they arise in the
curriculum. They need to be addressed in ways that are informative
and empowering for pupils without subverting the standard aims for
the host subject. If these issues are ignored at the time, there
could be a subtle suggestion that the curriculum is not sufficiently
concerned with young people's spiritual development.
3. A personal/spiritual dimension
to all curriculum learning areas
All learning areas should be able to help pupils learn general skills
that will contribute in some way to their personal growth; for
example, skills of analysis, evaluation, interpretation, appraisal of
arguments etc. In addition, each learning area should be able to
articulate a distinctive contribution that it can make to the
personal integration of pupils' school learning. All subjects can
make a distinctive contribution to the spiritual development of
pupils. Each could articulate for pupils how it can be valuable for
them in the larger context of their own lives, trying to alert them
to the meaning of their learning. This approach has two
aspects:-
Any learning has a spiritual or 'purpose' dimension in the way it adds to the range of an individual's access to physical and cultural inheritance. It has some ultimate value and meaning in equipping pupils to respond to life: e.g. religious studies can contribute an understanding of the ways religious beliefs influence behaviour and how people interpret the dilemmas of human existence such as life, joy, pain and death.
The ideas are not new. There already are subjects like this in place in schools : personal development, PSE and living skills. However, no matter how prominent they appear in the school's prospectus or Mission Statement, they are more like 'fringe dwellers' than central subjects in the curriculum. Questions are often raised about their effectiveness and their poor image in the eyes of pupils, parents and school staff. The experience of those who teach them suggests that their educational potential is often subverted by school structures and by what may be termed the 'psychology of the learning environment'.
There are subjects (e.g. English and Mathematics) seen by pupils as having a high importance in the curriculum. Even if they do not like studying them, most pupils will pay some attention to what is being taught, and in general try to understand the basics just on the off chance that 'it may come in handy for a job'.
To a great extent, pupil attitudes towards the study of other subjects at school mirror society's attitudes. For example, the study of religion in church schools is not regarded by some as a necessary or valuable pursuit and certainly not one that could make a difference, or a major contribution to their quality of life. Interestingly, however, pupils will say that religion as such is important - the sort of nominal religion that is better to have than not to have, just in case!
The possibility of an indirect study of personal and social issues is usually threatening to teachers, at least initially. They may feel that "value education" is trying to take over their subject. What is needed is flexibility to acknowledge and explore briefly the spiritual issues that arise naturally within the subject in question without compromising the integrity of the subject matter.
If school structures and community opinion are not supportive of the purposes and value of personal subjects, then their value will be subverted. To make them a valuable and effective part of the school curriculum, it is important to have well defined and highly visible support structures in order that their value may be clearly seen by pupils. To do this is to acknowledge the realities within schools and the community. Both have the potential to undermine any programme that does not keep these issues in mind and does not attempt to address them. That a school sees it as important for all curriculum areas to give some attention to relevant spiritual issues says something about its fundamental understanding of the nature and purposes of education. This would be a key aspect to a holistic curriculum.
The following is a summary list of relevant principles in education for spiritual development:
Spiritual development relates to that aspect of inner life through which pupils acquire insights into their personal existence which are of enduring worth. It is characterised by reflection, the attribution of meaning to experience, valuing a non-material dimension to life and intimations of an enduring reality. This is recognised in the Framework for Inspection (1993), and it has important implications for the process of education for spirituality in a Catholic high school.
Teaching methods will include open inquiry, where the provision of up-to-date information extends pupils' horizons, challenging them to identify, analyse and evaluate evidence and arguments. Use of appropriate pupils' materials gives pupils access to the same information as the teacher; an emphasis on teacher talk as the primary means of presenting information should be avoided, giving priority to objectivity and encouraging pupils to learn how to find and sift information for themselves.
Discussion is an integral part of the learning process; discussions should be conducted along the lines of informed debate, trying to avoid the problems where it is little more than an exchange of uninformed opinions. The privacy and freedom of pupils needs to be respected. This could be achieved by use of a programme or process which focuses on intellectual inquiry, without necessarily expecting or demanding personal responses from pupils.
Controversial issues should be approached in a way that looks at authoritative and conflicting views. The potential emotional reaction of pupils needs to be assessed prior to the use of any experience, process or pupil materials. Any excessively emotional or manipulative process is inappropriate.
The values that the school upholds need to be stated, made clear in practice and not presumed. It is inappropriate to try to impose them. Teachers should follow a clear, written code of ethics for interaction that is impartial and allows the teacher to make reference to his/her own beliefs, values and commitments, when this is judged likely to make a valuable educational contribution to the lesson.
Appropriate use may be made of values clarification and values analysis. A critical appraisal of these approaches is needed if they are to be used effectively with coherence and harmony, at appropriate stages of pupil development, without manipulation, and with some appreciation of their possibilities and limitations.
The above observations are based on the principle which argues that teaching and learning in the school is primarily concerned with helping pupils learn how to think and to be informed. This overarching cognitive emphasis can provide the most appropriate environment for giving attention to personal matters.
The role of the school is not so much to provide emotional experiences but to help pupils identify and think about them; to work towards some understanding of the spiritual dimension in their own lives and in human experience generally. It is important to note that this perspective should not be interpreted as narrowly cognitive, limiting the place for the affective and personal dimension, but as the most appropriate way of structuring learning to make the handling of experience, emotions, attitudes, values and beliefs more respectful of pupils as free autonomous human persons.
The idea of educating the whole person is not a new one. It is behind the growing concern to expand the school curriculum to include areas for study that have previously existed on the margins of life in some schools, even though they are said to be of vital importance for young people. In theory this should not be the case in Catholic schools but, in practice, it may be so. In determining how it addresses the aim of fostering the spirituality of young people, the school must filter the demands made on it by the community, selecting what can be covered appropriately and realistically within its educational framework.
VALUES and the TEACHING of MATHEMATICS (Part 2) by Brother Enrique Garcia Ahumada
Ethical Formation
To open young people to life, to a sense of their responsibilities,
to knowledge and to love, is already a way of accomplishing God's
work, since his Kingdom is built both by the activity of the Church
and by work in the world. Moral attitudes are dispositions to work
for good and avoid evil. Any healthy activity serves to develop the
moral quality of the person, beyond a simple psychological maturity.
The study of mathematics gives rise to moral development, especially
if the instructor and the student consider learning how to be a
better person as one of their objectives.
The main moral attitudes that can be developed through the learning of mathematics are:
Philosophic values
Apprenticeship that leads to mathematical knowledge tends to awaken
an interest in other questions that go beyond the domain of
mathematics and into the search for meaning in all things. What
relationship is there between algebraic symbols and reality? Are they
just names with no real significance? Do animals give evidence that
they understand numerical significance? What are mathematical
entities such as a cube root or the determinant of an equation
system? What link is there between definitions, axioms and theorems
of symbolic logic, philosophical logic and relationships that are
fulfilled in reality? What does the existence of mathematics have to
do with real existence? What genre of reality does infinite
mathematics have?
The Mathematics curriculum generally does not try to awaken philosophical anxieties except when the educational program of a school requires it. But an educator who is open to other cultural avenues is always ready to accompany the student in the growth to personal maturity. If he is trying to form persons and not merely experts or specialists, then opening access to other branches of learning is essential, though admittedly not always easy. Mathematics is a limited field. It is not all of culture, nor is it even the most perfect of all knowledge. It studies quantities and the attributes of matter, which are not all of reality. A one-sided or erroneous mathematics education may not only impoverish affectivity and limit human relationships but even deform one's view of the world, as if everything that is intellectual could be reduced to exact relationships.
Mathematical knowledge has fewer nuances than philosophical knowledge. In mathematics everything that can be demonstrated has the same degree of certainty. In philosophy and in theology it is standard practice to distinguish between physical certainty, metaphysical certainty, moral certainty and probability in varying degrees. Mathematics is inadequate not only in the realm of philosophy but also in aesthetics, ethics and mysticism, which lead to what is beautiful, worthy and holy. Students need to open themselves to these important forms of knowledge in order to have a full life.
Religious values
All reality manifests something of the perfection of God, is
penetrated by the divine presence and can help relationships with
God. Science permits us to admire the supreme creating intelligence.
Mathematics allows us to imagine a universe of infinite dimensions.
Pierre Thuiller in his Les passions du savoir (Paris, Fayard, 1988)
reflects on how mathematics may lead one to God. In educational
centres that foster the faith option, whether they are Christian or
not, the mathematics program should promote religious attitudes such
as the following:
1. admiration for the works of God: wondering at the order of the cosmos governed by mathematical laws; admiring human intelligence, endowed with a participatory creativity enabling it to discover exact relationships between diverse classes of real or imaginary beings; being astonished when faced with the regularity of possible infinite collections of numbers or geometric figures or logical connections;
2. gratitude to God; thanking God for intelligence, for the creation of the cosmos and for the exact structure of the universe, for ones own life and that of loved ones, for the chance to study and to educate oneself;
3. offering to the ever-present God the present study and activities: recalling the presence of God frequently in order to honour God with words and with actions; directing one's current studies towards the service of God and one's neighbour;
4. asking for gifts in the name of Jesus Christ: for his light to understand science and how to use it well, for light to discover in one's personal vocation the best way to serve God and neighbour through science;
5. sorrow for wrong actions: asking for pardon for a misuse of intelligence or for not taking advantage of the opportunities for study or for misusing science;
6. affirmation of faith through stories of scientists whose lives and words show that faith is compatible with the science and technological culture.
The role of the
teacher
The formative role and not just the informative role of the
mathematics teacher demands that one keep these values very much in
mind. They are signs of an education that is based on a balanced
personality, free of trauma and trusting in the future. It is
necessary to continually cultivate self-esteem in young people and
adolescents so as to avoid despondency when faced with repeated
failures. The mathematics class needs to have a healthy atmosphere,
where it is possible to discover and not just reproduce knowledge;
where all have the possibility to understand all that goes on; where
the brighter help the less gifted; where students are assessed
together but do not surrender their individuality; where there is joy
in intellectual exercise and a delight in learning, rather than
discouragement. There is a greater need for stimulation than for
criticism. The teacher needs to take account of the learning process.
Effort also counts, not just the right answer and attitude not just
knowledge, especially if the student is not brilliant in mathematics.
In this way much innocent suffering can be avoided.
THE LASALLIAN YOUTH MOVEMENT by Brother John Johnston, Superior General
Extracts from a talk given to young people from De La Salle Schools all over Europe at the Lasallian Youth Assembly in Worth Abbey, 29 July -2 August 1999.
I have been watching the Lasallian Youth Movement grow and develop during the past two decades, but particularly during the last twelve years. Frankly, I never expected the movement to blossom (or better, to explode) as it has. In 1987 I participated in two congresses: the first, a gathering in Toulouse, France, of Lasallian youth of Europe, and a few weeks later, an intercontinental congress in Quebec, Canada. Five hundred young people from many different countries participated. Some of these young people were already very active in the Lasallian Youth Movement while others came because they were curious, interested, and open to learning. The assembly was a stimulus to the creation of the movement in other countries, such as the United States and English-speaking Canada.
In the past decade I have had the privilege of participating in other assemblies of Lasallian youth: in Manila, Philippines; in Bujedo, Spain; in Rheims, France; and in Memphis, Tennessee. Next Tuesday I leave directly for a Lasallian Youth Assembly in Moraga, California, one of three gatherings taking place this summer in various parts of the United States. During my visits throughout the Institute, I have had many meetings with young Lasallians from our schools and universities. I have met Lasallians who have volunteered for service during vacation periods of the school year, as well as Lasallians who are full-time volunteers. Some of them were living with the Brothers in community. Each of these meetings has been a special moment for me. I am excited and even "energised" by what I see happening.
This Assembly
Your general theme is thought-provoking: Building the Future Today. I
like the emphasis on building: the word expresses a stance that is
proactive, a stance that calls for initiative, creativity, boldness.
The title is correct in its affirmation that we build the future by
living fully today. Yes, we have to be perceptive, sensitive, and
active today. To build the future is not to dream about it or to wait
passively for it to arrive. On the contrary. To build the future we
have to live fully today. The future does not exist. Only today
exists. Nevertheless, what we do today and what we don't do today
shape the future.
To participate in this Lasallian Youth Assembly, some 250 of you have come as representatives of young people from a number of countries of Europe. You also have with you guests from Canada and the United States. You are of different cultures and you speak different languages. Nevertheless, I am sure that already you have sensed how much you have in common &emdash; as human persons, as Christians, and as Lasallians. Take full advantage of the marvellous opportunity you have for sharing experiences, questions, perplexities, pre-occupations, dreams, plans... Do all you can to get beyond the language barrier. If you have some knowledge of a second or third language, use it! Don't be afraid of making mistakes. The important thing is not that we speak a language perfectly, but that we communicate by means of that language.
My Experience of Lasallians
throughout the World
I mentioned the diversity that is evident in this gathering of
European youth. But when I call to mind the incredibly rich
experience I have had during thirteen years as Superior General, and
before that ten years as Vicar-General, I can say that the diversity
here today is quite relative! I recall, for example, meetings of
pupils, teachers, parents, former pupils during my visits to some
twenty countries in Africa where, obviously, everyone, except some
missionary Brothers, is African; and in Japan, Hong Kong, India, and
ten other countries of Asia, where the members of our Lasallian
Family are from very distinct races and ethnic groups. Moreover, some
Lasallians live in countries that are well developed economically,
while thousands of others inhabit some of the poorest countries in
the world. Some Lasallians live in politically stable situations.
Others live in areas of civil strife and even war.
One of the most striking features of our great family today is the variety of religious beliefs among Lasallians. They are Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, followers of traditional religions, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Shintoist... many of our schools have pupils, teachers, parents, and former pupils from three or more of these religions &emdash; and they very successfully form a Lasallian educative community! It may surprise you to know that many persons of other religions are enthusiastic participants in every aspect of the life of the schools and in associations of parents and of former pupils. In the Lasallian Youth Assembly I attended in Manila, participants included Buddhists and Shintoists from Japan and Muslims from Malaysia and Pakistan.
These realities show that one can share in some of the values that we consider Christian and Lasallian without sharing in all of them. Thousands of Lasallians appreciate, for example, our educational philosophy, but do not believe in Jesus Christ. Our policy is to centre attention on what unites us rather than on what divides or separates us. Our experience is that because we share so many values with others, we readily establish unity &emdash; unity in diversity. In this spirit of communion, we encourage Lasallians of all faiths to live their own tradition authentically and to respect totally the right of others to live their tradition.
Of course we must say that while religion plays an important part in shaping the identity and culture of persons throughout the world, not all persons live their religious tradition in an explicit manner. Every Lasallian youth gathering I have attended has included young people (like some of you I am sure) who are wrestling with fundamental questions concerning the meaning of life and the place of religion, and are not ready at this time to declare themselves believers in Jesus Christ and his Gospel.
In the lived experiences of our humanity, we are all the same, because we are all sons and daughters of the same God. Therefore, we are all brothers and sisters. Yet how evident it is that we don't live very well in this world as brothers and sisters. We see so much war, violence, crime, corruption, injustice, oppression, and unnecessary suffering from poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, hunger, inadequate health-care...
How sad it is that we have not learned to have mutual respect for differences. Many of us insist on the freedom to live our particular ethnic, religious, cultural identity, but all too often fail to admit that others have similar rights. We know about the ethnic and tribal conflicts in parts of Africa and Asia. Still, look at Europe, Canada, the United States. Look at Northern Ireland, look at ex-Yugoslavia, look at the problems with so-called minorities and immigrants in each of our countries. We have not yet learned to live together as sisters and brothers.
Pope John Paul says that God calls Christians to be universal brothers and sisters: as such, they have to overcome barriers and divisions of race, ethnic group, tribe, caste, or ideology. The Lord calls us, therefore, to be signs of God's love &emdash; a love which excludes nobody. Christ calls us to break down the fences of a restricted brotherhood and sisterhood and to love universally. Pope Paul VI once lamented that the human heart often appears small and egoistic, having place only for oneself and for a few others of one's own family and of one's own caste. What we need, he said, is a heart with universal dimensions.
The Reign of God
Jesus spoke day after day about the Reign of God &emdash; the kind of
society that God wanted, the kind of society the two Popes have just
described: a society where all live together in justice and in peace
as sisters and brothers. Jesus revealed the characteristics and
demands of the Reign of God through his words, his actions, and his
own person. John Paul II says that for Jesus the reign of God demands
that people learn to love, forgive, and serve one another. It calls
for union among us all, with one another and with God. The Reign of
God must embrace all, including those that society often
marginalises. The Pope says that Jesus drew especially near to such
persons. He said that his mission was to preach good news to the
poor. He reached out to victims of rejection and contempt. He enabled
them to experience liberation even now by being close to them, going
to eat in their homes, treating them as equals and friends, and
making them feel that God loved them. He always revealed tender care
for the needy and for sinners.
John Baptist de La Salle said that the mission of the Institute he founded was to promote the Reign of God. The Rule of the Brothers says that the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools must establish, renew, and diversify its work in accord with what the Reign of God requires. That is precisely what we are striving to do. Every day some 68,000 Lasallian teachers and educators are at the service of 800,000 young people in more than 900 institutions. What are we tying to accomplish in our Lasallian schools and universities? We are trying to help our youth receive a solid human and Christian education. We are trying to assist them to be faithful and loyal sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters among themselves.
Brothers and Sisters to and for
Others
Nevertheless, what I have just said is not at all complete. A
Lasallian school that is truly authentic must do more. It must help
young people learn to be brothers and sisters to and for
others.
What do I mean? I mean that our schools must never be enclave communities, that is to say, communities, so-called communities in my opinion, that are closed in upon themselves. Such groups exist primarily to protect and promote the interests of their members and to help them develop their gifts for their personal and selfish motives. No! We cannot consider our schools to be Lasallian (we cannot even justify them) if they are not fulfilling another expectation: helping young people learn to be brothers and sisters to and for others.
Our schools must have a strong and effective orientation toward education in social justice. We need to have well-organised classes that help. the pupils know and understand the social and economic realities of the world, their nation, their city, their neighbourhood. In addition pupils must have the opportunity to learn the essentials of the social teachings of the Church.
Nevertheless, instruction is not enough. Young people need the opportunity to participate regularly in demanding and well-planned programs of service. Such volunteer assistance can include catechetical and pastoral activities, animation of scouts, sports, and other kinds of youth activities, various kinds of service of the economically poor, the illiterate, slow learners, the aged, the sick, the mentally or physically disabled... You can add to the list. Some of our schools require a certain number of hours of service. Other schools make service voluntary, but expect it of all.
Educators are recognising today that service is formative, that is to say, service changes people. I cannot tell you how many young people have told me that service has changed their lives. I am sure that service has affected many of you here today.
From the description of the Reign of God that we find in the stories of the Good Samaritan and Prodigal Son, we recognise that to be Christians and Lasallians, we have to volunteer for service not only in our youth, but throughout our lives. At the same time we have to work constructively for justice for everyone.
Lasallian Youth
Now we are ready to talk about Lasallian Youth and Lasallian
Volunteer Movements. These movements give service a clear Christian
and Lasallian focus. Earlier I mentioned that there has been an
explosion of Lasallian Youth activity during the past several years.
That is not an exaggeration, although situations vary considerably.
In some areas of the Institute there has been a remarkable
development. In other areas, there is less development or even none
at all.
The movement takes different forms, as you have probably already discovered. In some areas there are annual national or regional assemblies and periodic international assemblies. Sometimes the programs are a week in duration and include well-organised service projects. There are active groups of Lasallian youth in many schools. They meet weekly or monthly for prayer, planning of service projects, and reflection on their experience. They commit themselves to service on a weekly or monthly basis. Some have more extensive projects during the vacation period.
Lasallian Volunteers &emdash;
vacation periods
Throughout the last fifteen to twenty years, especially in Europe,
increasing numbers of volunteers have offered themselves for service
in poor countries during vacation periods. These volunteers have
included pupils, former pupils, teachers, parents, friends, and
Brothers. A number of young people, including probably some of you,
have served during two, three, or even four vacation periods. That
there has been such remarkable progress in recent years is for me a
source of great satisfaction.
Ordinarily Lasallian volunteers are engaged in programs of education or of development that contribute in an important manner to the life of the people. At the same time these activities are valuable educational experiences for the participants. They come to know the richness of cultures previously unknown to them and grow in understanding and esteem for them. Because of the concrete service they have rendered and the personal relationships they have established, they become more aware of and more sensitive to the situation of third world peoples and frequently become more involved in the long-range struggle against poverty and structural injustice.
Lasallian Volunteers &emdash;
one or more years
The movement of volunteers on a long-term basis has been evolving in
diverse ways for many years. France, for example, has a long history
of "co-operants". Numerous young men have collaborated in the
apostolic works of the Institute overseas, as an acceptable
alternative to mandatory military service. Some of them have lived
with the Brothers. In recent years the Institute in France has
transformed this programme into a volunteer program.
In 1988 an organised movement in North America emerged from an informally structured volunteer activity. The Institute named it the Lasallian Volunteer Movement. A very distinct feature of the Lasallian Volunteer Movement is that volunteers share all aspects of the community life of the Brothers, including community prayer and Eucharist. This past year there were thirty-four volunteers. Seventeen of them will continue for another year. Most of the volunteers are assigned within the United States to schools or centres that are at the service of the poor or lower middle-class. They work as teachers, teacher aids, catechists, youth ministers. Some are involved in literacy programs, sports, and a variety of youth activities. Others, however, work overseas in economically poor countries. Volunteers have served in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, and St. Vincent (in the Caribbean). A number of former volunteers are serving as teachers and youth ministers in Lasallian apostolates. Some of them are asking for some form of close "association" with the Brothers. Mexico has a different kind of program. All of their volunteers live together with a community of Brothers in a very poor area. They live an intense life of prayer, community, and service.
Lasallians are Men and Women of
Service
I have spoken at length of the dimension of service. That is
appropriate because the Lasallian movement is a movement of service.
As such, it is demanding. It involves extraordinary sensitivity,
generosity, and a willingness to sacrifice some leisure hours. As you
perhaps know, De La Salle insisted that ardent zeal should
characterise the life of the Brothers. That is a strong expression.
Some shy away from the word "zeal" today, because it suggests to them
fanaticism. The word certainly does suggest (and I think De La Salle
wanted it to suggest) passion, fervour, eagerness. It is interesting
to note that he frequently added for emphasis the adjective ardent,
which means burning. While avoiding fanaticism, we must give
ourselves with loving enthusiasm to the service of others.
On many occasions, I have listened with great interest as young people have reflected on their particular experience of service. They invariably speak of the tremendous impact the experience has had upon them, asserting that they have received far more than they have given. Perhaps. Nevertheless, I think it important that young people recognise the good that their generous service renders to those in need.
I have heard Lasallians say that in serving others they have discovered or rediscovered religious faith. Very often a major factor has been the experience of living in close communion with persons, including young persons, who are firmly committed Christians. Some also relate that, as a result of having participated actively and personally in the local Church in a concerted effort to respond to the needs of the poor, they have discovered a new meaning of Church.
Young Lasallians, God has granted you the special grace of living your Christian faith as Lasallians. That is the meaning of the specific theme of this assembly: Walking together with De La Salle toward Jesus Christ. It is because of that special grace that you are here. God wants you to give yourself to the building of the Reign of God, a society where all persons can live in justice, dignity, and peace as sons and daughters of God and as brothers and sisters among themselves. This God of whom I speak is the loving and compassionate Father who forgave his young son and welcomed him back to the family. This God wants you to be loving and compassionate also, to be like the Good Samaritan, who generously and lovingly took extraordinary care of the man robbed and beaten nearly to death. It is not easy to be good Christians and good Lasallians. To be faithful requires faith, hope, love, and courage. We need to be aware that the euphoria of this assembly is not going to last. You are going to return in a few days to your everyday reality! To be faithful to the commitments you make during these days will require persistence and perseverance in the face of obstacles.
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