Lasallian partners, consultants, and capitulants, the Holy Spirit bestowed on John Baptist de La Salle an extraordinary gift for the service of others. De La Salle grew gradually and progressively in his understanding of the nature of this gift. He communicated his understanding to those who had discerned a call to join him in this new venture. He told them that they had received their vocation because God wants children and youth, particularly those that society neglects, marginalizes, and excludes, to arrive at knowledge of the truth and be saved. That is why, he said to them, God had enlightened their hearts and enabled them to know that they were chosen not only to be good educators, but also ministers to youth and, even more, the loving presence of Jesus Christ among young people.

Today we call the gift that the Founder received a charism. In our day also we have discerned that God is calling persons to live this charism not only as Brothers of the Christian Schools, but also in other ways: as partners, as associates, as consecrated religious sisters, and as consecrated and associate members of the Union of Catechists. We are in this Chapter Hall today because we believe that God has chosen us to live this charism and, furthermore, has asked us to render a special service of leadership.

Participating in the charism of John Baptist de La Salle makes us Lasallians and members of an international family. During these two weeks together we have had an extraordinary experience of communion, an experience that has both expressed and nourished our union as Lasallians. We know more now about our mission in the world. We feel more united with those we represent: the 68,000 Lasallians who serve in our schools and centers, and the thousands of parents, former students, friends and benefactors who collaborate with us. We sense a particular unity with the almost 800,000 young people that God is currently confiding to our care. We have deepened our conviction that the Lasallian charism is essentially a gift from God for the education of children and youth, poor youth particularly. For them we are Lasallians.

Lasallians live in an interrelationship with all the communities, groups, and movements of the Church. For this reason we collaborate harmoniously and effectively with the hierarchy, diocesan organizations, other religious institutes, and associations of the faithful. We dialogue with Protestants, Orthodox, Jews, Muslim, Buddhists, Hindus, and members of all other religions, striving for mutual understanding and charitable relations. With them we engage in collaborative action for the poor in our areas and in the quest for justice and peace. Lasallians cooperate also with the civic community and make resources and facilities available, when possible, for youth gatherings, basic and continuing education, retreats, meetings, sports, recreation, etc.

In short Lasallians constitute a worldwide communion of persons committed to generating communion. As we exercise our mission of education, we contribute to the creation of a world where men, women, and youth can live together in dignity, justice, and peace as sons and daughters of God and as brothers and sisters among themselves.

I now depart from the text.

I prepared the words that I have just read some five weeks ago. I'm happy to say that this Chapter is moving us forward in the directions I have indicated in these remarks. The Chapter is helping us conceptualize and express in intelligible language our lived experience of Lasallian association and mission. We are moving towards a new, original, and exciting understanding of Lasallian association and mission. An understanding that will enable us to actualize the enormous potential of our international family for the education of youth, poor youth especially, throughout the world.

We are moving very well. Of course we have to integrate the work of the various commissions. We still have major decisions to make. Nevertheless, I am personally pleased with the movement of the Chapter. And you, our partners, have made a very important - an indispensable - contribution to this effort.

Increasingly we are thinking of ourselves as persons who live in diverse ways the charism that God gave John Baptist de La Salle. We have been clear about respecting the distinct identities of those who constitute this association: Brothers, partners, associates, Sisters, members of the Union of Catechists. We are still searching for the most appropriate language and for other precisions. All that will come with time. We haven't as yet chosen a name for this association, but it is clear that we are in fact LASALLIANS INTERNATIONAL. We are committing ourselves in a new and, I hope, efficacious manner to education of the poor and education for justice. We are searching for ways to make our international association a force in effecting the change of unjust structures and situations. We are striving to understand what being "catechists by vocation" means in situations that one can describe as Christian, in situations that one can call dechristianized, and in situations where most of our young people and partners are of other religions. We are moving towards a new and more profound understanding of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue. Because we believe in Jesus Christ - because and not although we believe - because we believe in Jesus Christ, we welcome all with total respect for their beliefs, even when that respect is not reciprocated. We dialogue by entering into fraternal relations, by working together for social promotion and for justice and peace.

If this new Association of Lasallians - whatever we decide to name it - is to be something more than a pious union of persons and groups, it must have its own structures, structures that are effective. I think that we need to have standing committees of Lasallians - at all levels. Moreover, I believe that we must have some form of international assembly of representatives of Lasallians to initiate reflections on future directions of Lasallian association and mission and on ways that we can and ought to collaborate. Because all Lasallians must have voice and vote if international association is to be meaningful, I believe that a decision to organize such an assembly could be the most important decision of this Chapter.

Granted, organization in all its aspects will be a formidable task. But we have to give the new Superior and new Council something to do!

I now return to the original text.
Lasallian partners, thank you for being with us. You have made an extraordinary contribution. I thank your families also for agreeing to your absence, and I express my regret for any inconvenience they have suffered. You came to Rome not knowing what to expect. I suspect that you are returning to your countries not knowing what to expect. You are probably wondering how you will communicate to others what you have lived and how you will foster implementation of what the Chapter has decided. We Brothers understand your feelings, because we face the same challenge. It is important that you stay in close contact with the Brothers of your district and region and participate actively in programs designed to communicate the results of the Chapter to other Lasallians.

When your name is called, please come forward. It is a pleasure to present you with a medal, which I hope will serve to remind you of the experience of these two weeks. On one side is the image of St. De La Salle, on the other the image of the Generalate. The Casa Generalizia has been "home" for you during these two weeks and, I assure you, it will continue to be home for you whenever you have the opportunity to return to Rome.