What do the pedagogy of fraternity and the pedagogy of encounter entail? This was one of the questions addressed by Brother Rafael Cerón, co-author of Lasallian Reflection No. 12 – covering the period 2026–2027 – in conversation with LaSalleOrg Interviews.
Referring to the theme addressed in the Lasallian Reflection: “Building a fraternal world. Pedagogy of Fraternity, Pedagogy of Encounter”, Brother Rafael acknowledges that fraternity lies at the very heart of Lasallian history and identity: “to be a Brother who guides, who accompanies, who is there for his students through thick and thin”, he remarks. Thus, being a Brother is more than just a title; it is an expression of a vocation, a calling that transcends one’s entire existence through fraternity and closeness to others, so that, as Brother Rafael puts it, “the very word ‘Brother’ already signifies fraternity to me”.
Hence, advocating for a pedagogy of fraternity involves reaching out to others and, therefore, embracing a pedagogy of encounter because “life is encounter”, as Brother Rafael points out, and this includes the world of education by creating environments and “providing tools so that people can have fruitful encounters”. “So, in Lasallian schools, we must create environments of encounter, where people can connect and build relationships through these bonds of fraternity”.
Furthermore, Lasallian education cannot be neutral, as explained in the Lasallian Reflection; in other words, in the words of Brother Rafael, “education must have a purpose, a vision, a mission, and we must not be oblivious to the needs and the reality of our students and our educational community. We must always have a purpose, which is to build a more fraternal world, one characterised by greater solidarity”.
The call in the Lasallian Reflection 2026–2027 to build a more fraternal world is, therefore, essential for the entire Lasallian Family and an opportunity to take up the challenge of universal fraternity, which transcends the ‘self’ to encounter ‘the other’ and, recalling the teachings of Pope Francis, also leads us to “be fraternal towards all of Creation”. Ultimately, it is about “building a project together, despite our differences, in an environment that we must care for”, concludes Brother Rafael Cerón.
