Each summer Christian Brothers Conference offers robust formation programs. Registration for 2026 opens in mid-February.
The Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies will take place at Manhattan University in Riverdale, New York, from Sunday, June 28 – Saturday, July 11. This three-year intensive Lasallian program studies the life, work and spirituality of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the origins of the Lasallian educational mission. The Buttimer I class is capped to 40 participants through a first-come, first-served registration process.
This summer’s Lasallian Social Justice Institute (LSJI) will be held in Syracuse, New York, from Monday, July 20 – Friday, July 24, with a theme of child poverty and the work of hope. Through partnerships with local community organizations, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the lived realities of children and families experiencing poverty and the systemic forces that sustain it. Grounded in the Lasallian tradition and Catholic social teaching, the weeklong program will explore several interconnected issues impacting child poverty in the Syracuse community, including education, housing instability and food insecurity. The number of participants is limited to 12 with a maximum of two from each ministry.
The sixth cohort of the Brother John Johnston Institute of Contemporary Lasallian Practice will have its first gathering at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, from Monday, July 13 – Thursday, July 16. This initial session focuses on the story and vision of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. Spanning two years, this program is designed for Lasallians who exercise or show potential for mission influence. Participants engage in prayer, study, reflection and dialogue that assist in more deeply animating our shared mission on the local level and within the broader Lasallian family.
The process to nominate or select participants is determined by ministries and/or Districts. Chief administrators are invited to use this guide to help determine which formation program may be the right fit for their colleagues.For any questions, please contact Sarah Laitinen, director of education and formation, at slaitinen@cbconf.org or (202) 529-0047 x 109.