Three tasks for Lasallian non-profit organisations

There are many Lasallian non-profit organisations around the world carrying out solidarity initiatives in support of the most impoverished and most vulnerable: feeding programs, rebuilding of classrooms, soup kitchens, free legal aid, emergency response, brokered cooperatives and, above all, support for the education of the impoverished and excluded. 

“You listened to the most heart-breaking stories, you dried their tears, you carried their wounds. Most of all you showed up when no one else had time or energy to do so”, highlighted Br. Armin Luistro, Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, in his address during “Bridging the Gap”, the first international Gathering of Lasallian Non-Profit Organisations held at the Generalate, in Rome, from 23 to 26 March. “You are at the heart of the Lasallian Mission”, acknowledged Brother Armin.

To continue building bridges of solidarity, the Superior General proposed three essential tasks: 

“The work to bring about justice, promote peace or care for our common home should all be linked integrally with the mission of education”, stated Brother Armin, emphasising, inspired by Saint John Baptist de La Salle, that “the Lasallian Mission is one” and, therefore, “we must not separate the mission of education from the work of justice and peace”. 

In other words, “we teach justice and learn how to become agents of justice in our world. We pray for peace and strive to become instruments of God’s peace on earth”. This is a priority issue, for “when teaching is not linked with works of justice, education does not liberate, but reinforces the same unjust structures that cause pain and suffering in our world”.

The Superior General begins with an observation that “should trouble us deeply”: “the networks that cause harm and havoc — drug cartels, trafficking syndicates, organised crime — are more tightly connected, more strategically coordinated, and more mutually reinforcing than the networks organized around good”.

Hence the need “new lens” to position ourselves as “a global network of interconnected foundations with a shared educational mission, to generate a greater global impact on poverty and exclusion”. Brother Armin’s invitation to “walk more closely with each other towards a shared vision of the world” must lead us to build “a Community of Lasallian Non-Profits”. 

Finally, the Superior General poses some questions: ‘Is there an opportunity for us to sit down and put our heads and hearts together so we can work collaboratively on one shared dream with a global impact? Can we develop a system were each of Lasallian non-profit works locally but dreams globally? Is it time to identify a Lasallian flagship initiative we can all rally around in the next 5 to 10 years?

“Let us draw new pathways of hope. Let us be the change we want to see!” urges Brother Armin.