A Chapter is a call to assume a consciousness that doesn’t come naturally. For most capitulants, the daily experience in community and mission is “school,” District,” “Region.” To assume a consciousness that one is acting as Body of the Institute (Rule, 112) requires a fairly dramatic shift, to an international consciousness. Along with the extra rungs on the ladder that need climbing, there’s the charge to “promote communion”—taken together, a special intention and attention is needed, to say nothing of grace.
So today the capitulants brought that intention and attention to the second stage of a discernment process to name a dream for the Institute. We carried on yesterday’s work into the plenary session where we worked through amendments to an agreed upon statement of a challenge that we face as an Institute. Before lunch we went to the “World Café,” where at various tables over coffee and cookies we built on the challenge to articulate a dream. After lunch, we gathered in plenary session to do our best to make prose and poetry out of the different versions of the dreams we had. When we were done, we had near unanimous support, a good sign for these times.
Before the Eucharistic celebration in the evening, we gathered as Regions. The question before us was, “What are three values that are needed to enable the dream of the next seven years to come to reality?” Brother Bob Schaefer led us through an intuitive and intelligent process to bring values to the surface; we then discussed the nuances of each and chose three. With the blessing of a good night’s rest, we’ll take up our communal discernment with new vigor tomorrow.
Brother Timothy Coldwell, FSC, is General Councilor for the Lasallian Region of North America. He is providing reflections throughout the 46th General Chapter, which are being shared on Lasallian.info and on Facebook and Twitter. Learn more about the General Chapter here and from the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Search #FSC46GC on social media for more highlights. Visit the General Councilor’s page for more reflections from Brother Tim >
Photos courtesy Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools Communications Service