By Dr. Kurt Schackmuth
The following essay is adapted from a presentation that Dr. Schackmuth offered as part of the third “Cluster Visit” that took place at the Generalate in Rome, Italy, Feb. 16-20. More than 30 Christian Brothers and Lasallian Partners from 10 Districts and Sectors across the Institute joined the Superior General and his Council to discuss synodality, governance, association, vocation and formation.
“Be sure to spend some time with the Christian Brothers. They’re good men and they were very kind to me when your father died.” My mom offered this counsel as I began my undergraduate studies at Lewis University in the fall of 1993. Enrolling at the institution where my father, a sociology professor, had taught for 14 years before his untimely death from leukemia at age 39, carried deep personal significance. Yet it was my experience living alongside the Christian Brothers at De La Salle Hall, a student residence integrated with a community of retired Brothers, that proved to be especially formative and life-shaping.
As a student at De La Salle Hall, we shared meals each day with the retired Brothers of Christian Brothers Center, attended Mass with the community, and participated in social gatherings that brought us all together. Our encounters with these retired teachers and administrators were marked by conversation, hospitality, friendship and storytelling. They provided an education and “early Lasallian formation” for me that extended well beyond classroom and campus ministry experiences.
After graduation, I accepted an entry level office assistant position at Lewis working alongside Dr. Stephany Schlachter, then-vice president for mission and planning, and Brother James Gaffney, FSC, then-president. Their mentorship introduced me to what we now call “mission integration” work in Catholic higher education and laid a strong foundation for my growth as a Lasallian higher education executive.
My initial formation was soon strengthened through participation in the more formal and intensive three-year Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies at Saint Mary’s College of California in the early 2000s. That experience contributed significantly to the development of my Lasallian identity. I am blessed to have learned from some of the most respected figures in Lasallian scholarship and formation, including Brothers Luke Salm, Gus Loes, Gerard Rummery, Jeffrey Calligan, William Mann, and Don Mouton, along with Mimi McCaul, AFSC. They have all had a lasting impact on my knowledge and understanding of the Lasallian charism.
One does not, of course, “become Lasallian” simply through participation in a formation program. The very notion of becoming Lasallian resists precise definition, as it reflects not a destination but an ongoing journey shaped by lived experience, meaningful relationships, and sustained formation and professional development over time. Much like the Founder himself, I was led step by step, often in ways that were not immediately apparent or fully anticipated. Now, nearly 30 years into my service at Lewis University, and shaped by countless opportunities for professional growth, formation and generous accompaniment, I have come to a deeper understanding of what it has meant for me to “become Lasallian.”
I am fully aware that my own journey has been distinctive and that each person comes to participate in the Lasallian mission in unique and particular ways. Reflecting on my own story reminds me of the importance of accompanying others as they “become Lasallian.” This conviction is what gives such depth and meaning to my responsibilities related to hiring, orientation, formation, accompaniment, and vocation exploration in my work at Lewis University, as well as in my roles as a Regional formator and CIAMEL (International Council for Lasallian Association and the Educational Mission) delegate.
When reflecting on Lasallian identity, formation, accompaniment and vocation, it is evident that these dimensions of our charism have undergone significant growth and development over time. The vitality of the mission is reflected in a robust body of recent Institute documents that both extend and enrich our historic foundational “core texts.” Equally important has been the increased involvement and deepened commitment of lay Partners, evident in the expanding influence of structures such as MEL/mission councils, Institute councils and commissions, the ministry of Lasallian animators, three AIMEL (International Assembly for the Lasallian Educational Mission) assemblies, CIAMEL as an Institute level governance body, and lay leadership across ministries, Sectors, Districts, and Regions. Alongside these developments, a growing number of engaged Lasallian educators — women and men, young Lasallians, volunteers, and mission leaders — have demonstrated a strong commitment to their respective vocations, with women exercising particularly significant leadership and influence throughout the Lasallian family.
However, despite these successes, Lasallian ministries today face a number of interconnected challenges that affect their vitality and sustainability across the Institute, among them:
- Employment patterns within Lasallian ministries often result in higher levels of turnover, as Partners (despite strong initial commitment) frequently leave after only a few years to pursue other professional opportunities, leading to the loss of expertise and leadership.
- At the same time, formation programs, while essential, can be costly, time intensive, and difficult to access for Partners who carry significant family, personal and work responsibilities.
- These challenges are further compounded by ongoing restructuring, as Regions, Districts and Sectors continue to evolve at a rapid pace.
- The diminishing number of Brothers available for accompaniment and mentorship presents an additional concern, particularly when some Brothers may not fully recognize or embrace the evolving opportunity to accompany Partners in our shared mission.
- Varied understandings of association, along with differing structures and terminology across the Institute, can also create confusion, especially around the meaning of “Lasallian family.”
- Broader global demographic trends, including aging populations in some Regions, slower population growth, increasing urbanization, and heightened migration and mobility, also shape the context in which the Lasallian mission is carried forward.
- Finally, while “synodality” offers significant promise, its value and processes are not universally understood or embraced, with some questioning its effectiveness as a model for leadership and decision-making.
Clearly, there remains much work for us to undertake together! Encouragingly, the 46th General Chapter provides both inspiration and a roadmap for this ongoing effort, particularly through two “Pathways” devoted to the exploration of these themes and opportunities: Pathway Five, focused on association, and Pathway Six, centered on Lasallian vocations and association. Here are several significant opportunities that lie before us as we continue the important work set in motion by the participants of the 46th General Chapter three years ago:
- Chief among these is the opportunity to form both Brothers and Partners as “Lasallian educators” in new and innovative ways that strengthen identity, deepen commitment to the mission, and clarify their shared role as stewards who are co-responsible for that mission.
- Closely related is the development of “Next Generation” formation programs that respond to contemporary realities through diverse forms, modalities, and levels of engagement, while balancing invitation and expectation for participation in Lasallian ministries and schools.
- There is also an important opportunity to help Brothers more fully understand their distinctive role in accompanying Partners as mentors and sources of inspiration, while likewise encouraging mutual accompaniment in which Partners are invited to support and accompany the Brothers.
- Clarifying the identity and vocation of the Brother in the 21st century remains essential to this work, as does the ongoing task of building trust, strengthening relationships, and creating conditions for meaningful collaboration.
- Finally, there is a pressing opportunity to ensure a shared understanding of co-responsibility within the mission, so that all who serve in Lasallian ministries can act with clarity, confidence and a common sense of purpose.
To “become Lasallian,” then, is not to arrive at a finished identity but to remain open to an ever-deepening call, one shaped by relationship, accompaniment and faithful attentiveness to the signs of the times. My own journey has taught me that Lasallian identity is sustained not only through programs or structures, but through a shared commitment to association, mutual trust and co-responsibility for the mission entrusted to us. As we look to the future of Lasallian education, the work that lies before us is both demanding and hopeful: to form educators who understand and appreciate their vocation, to accompany one another with generosity and humility, and to ensure that the charism entrusted to Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the Christian Brothers continues to take form in new generations.
Live Jesus in our hearts!
Dr. Kurt Schackmuth is chief mission officer and vice president for student life at Lewis University and the Lasallian Region of North America’s delegate to CIAMEL.