The Intercapitular Assembly began in Rome Monday, March 21 and will conclude Saturday, April 2. The Assembly, which comes at the mid-point between General Chapters, is a meeting of the General Council and all Brother Visitors. It includes Superior General Brother Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, 72 Brother Visitors, the 10 members of the General Council, and 11 members of the Institute’s secretariats.
The goal of this Assembly is to share what has been the lived experience since the 44th General Chapter in 2007. It is not legislative, but is a time to share best practices in accomplishing the lines of action of the last International Mission Assembly and the 44th General Chapter. The Assembly also provides time to project work that needs to be done before the 45th General Chapter in 2014.
In the first week of the Intercapitular Assembly, the Brothers talked about Lasallian Association and the Vow of Association; the Brothers’ interior life, community life, accompaniment and vocation ministry; and association and Circular 461, Associated for the Lasallian Mission… An Act of Hope. General Councilors for the Regions also reported how their respective Region is responding to the needs and the calls from the 44th General Chapter in the field of Mission.
The Brothers also examined in detail the first five chapters on revisions to the Rule. They were guided by four questions: 1) Does the proposed text of the draft Rule clearly present and explain the identity of the Brother in the world today? 2) Is the text able to inspire Brothers based on the current experience of their lives? 3) Is the text adequate in its response to the changes in the Church and the Institute as reflected in the Church, the Institute and Society? 4) Is there a major omission in the vision of contemporary religious life that it embraces?