Brother George Van Grieken is a Lasallian researcher known both in America and in the Lasallian Asia-Pacific Region. Dutch by birth, he grew up in the United States, where he has devoted his life to education and evangelization. A lifelong learner animated by a dynamic and inquisitive spirit, he explores the Lasallian charism through wide-ranging interests in education, spirituality, formation, and technology, inspiring creative initiatives for the renewal of Lasallian life.
The text he offers here is a condensed version of his 1995 doctoral dissertation at Boston College. The title of this MEL Bulletin is drawn from the subtitle of that work, a precious insight in itself. “A pedagogical spirituality” is a striking expression that captures one of the most profound characteristics of Lasallian spirituality: the refusal to separate or divide what is, in fact, one reality, which is the interior life and the concrete work of the educational mission.
At the heart of this understanding lies the conviction that the first pedagogical mediation is the teacher; therefore, all that we do to enrich our personal lives will inevitably resonate in our ministry. Education, at its core, is a relationship between people.
We thank Brother George for this contribution and hope that it will enrich our lives as Christian educators. Our prayers accompany each one of you, dear readers.
Br. Santiago Rodríguez Mancini
Director of the Office of Lasallian Heritage and Research
