杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

杏MAP导航 Francis on Saturday addressed the Lasallian Brothers, formally known as the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, gathered for their 46th General Chapter.

The congregation was founded in France in the 17th century by Jean-Baptiste de La Salle and is the largest order of religious brothers dedicated to education in the Catholic Church.

Building new pathways to transform lives

Pointing to the theme of the General Chapter: 鈥淏uilding new pathways to transform lives鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that for the De La Salle Brothers these "new pathways" are above all educational paths, which they walk in the many schools, colleges, and universities they run in some one hundred countries across the world.

Educating is a gift

This is a 鈥渂ig responsibility鈥� for which to be grateful because 鈥渆ducational work is a great gift,鈥� first of all for those who do it: 鈥渋t demands a lot but also gives a lot鈥�, the pope said.  

鈥淭he constant relationship with educators, parents, and especially with children and young people is an ever-living source of humanity, despite all the hardships and problems that it entails鈥�, he added. 

Man is the way of the Church

杏MAP导航 Francis further highlighted that with their work, the Brothers of Christian Schools offer the values of their rich pedagogical tradition: 鈥淵ou educate to responsibility, creativity, coexistence, justice, and peace. You educate to the interior life, to be open to the transcendent dimension, to the sense of wonder and contemplation in the face of the mystery of life and creation. You live all this and interpret it in Christ, and translate it into the fullness of humanity鈥�, said the pope.

Educational emergency

Noting that the world is experiencing an 鈥渆ducational emergency鈥�, which has been made more acute by the consequences of the pandemic, 杏MAP导航 Francis called attention to the two great challenges of our time: that of fraternity and that  of caring for the common home, which, he said , can only be addressed through education.

A new educational alliance

He remarked that the Christian community is not only aware of these challenges, but also committed 鈥渢o build new ways to transform lifestyles鈥� and  that the De la Salle Brothers are an active part of this process: 鈥淚ndeed鈥�, he said, 鈥測ou are on the frontline in educating to pass from a closed to an open world; from a throwaway culture to a culture of care; from pursuing partisan interests to pursuing the common good.鈥�

Evangelizing by educating

Concluding, 杏MAP导航 Francis encouraged the De La Salle Brothers to continue "evangelizing by educating and educating by evangelizing", recalling that 鈥渁 Christian educator is above all a witness of Christ, and is a teacher to the extent that he is a witness鈥�.