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It
is
not common for a meeting to begin in a cemetery, but that is just how
this uncommon Chapter began. Standing in a circle around the graves of
Brothers who labored before us, the participants were able to make a powerful
connection between past and future work.
All 55 attendees
were divided into four committees for the Chapter work sessions: Brothers'
Life, Educational Mission, Leadership and Structure of Educational Works,
and Regional and Overseas Apostolate/Stewardship. A fifth committee, comprised
of some already on the other committees, met at the close of the Chapter
to incorporate the suggestions of participants into two documents endorsed
by the Chapter, the "Context for Action/Action Plan". They shared in lively
and often times animated discussions as they all participated in the development
of legislation to be presented at the General Assembly. The entire event
-- a blending of prayer, committee meetings, General Assembly sessions,
and the sharing of meals -- further served to unify all who attended.
Lay Partners began to know that they were no longer just observers of
this process which was new to them, but rather full participants with
growing responsibilities.
Signs of
Faith staff members, Brother George Van Grieken and Cathy Locke, asked
representatives from each of the committees to discuss their feelings
about, and reactions to, this historic event. The representatives interviewed
were: Martin Farfan and Brother James Meegan from Cathedral High School,
John Scudder from Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, Carole Swain from
Saint Mary's College, and Brother Thomas Westberg from De La Salle High
School.
Interview
Cathy Locke: What are your reflections regarding the inclusion
of Partners in this Chapter?
Brother
James Meegan: Having Partners at this meeting was a very important
development in our history, as the Institute grows in the realization
that our Partners are very much involved and, in fact, do most of the
work. The involvement of Partners was really a recognition of their work.
Carole
Swain: As Partners, we talked about the influence that we had on the
conversations in our various committees, related to the theme of connectivity
-- connecting students with the Brothers' work from the beginning of their
education and on into college. Our conversations were deep and meaningful.
We felt so welcomed and part of a family. It was an interesting opportunity,
and a significant moment in helping to plan for the future. The first
few days, I was in awe of how much Brother David and the Leadership Team
have done to make the District financially secure and able to expand its
works when the Brothers are shrinking in numbers. But by the second and
third days, when our committee work started,I felt a responsibility by
all of us there. I did not feel it was the Brothers and me; I felt we
were doing it together. It is impressive to see what the Leadership Team
has done; it was a class act, to tell you the truth! It gave you a sense
of security from which you could work. With the plans we made, I felt
we could dream and create ideas that could happen.
Cathy:
Can you give us an idea of how the groundwork set at the last Convocation
was able to bring ideas into formation at this District Chapter?
John Scudder:
At the Convocation, we had talked about how to get teachers and other
Partners to become part of the Lasallian world experience; to go beyond
our own District. The idea of having teachers go to India and other countries
where the Brothers are working came up at the Convocation. That idea was
brought up in different places at different times. Then finally, in the
Overseas Apostolate Committee, of which I was a part, we developed a proposition
to give Partners the opportunity, as Brothers have, to experience the
Lasallian world outside of their schools or geographic areas. Because
of this legislation, six teachers will be going to India this summer.
Martin
Farfan: Although I did not attend the Convocation, I know that in
my committee, the groundwork for our Chapter Act was laid prior to our
meeting. Our committee dealt with the idea of "gratuity," which goes back
to our Founder. If we want to continue serving the poor students in our
communities, we need to be able to do so on a gratuitous basis. I was
surprised to see how many other people felt that way. In the last ten
years, tuition has tripled, but the majority of the poor are earning the
same or less.
Brother
George Van Grieken: During our time together, did you get any sense
that there was a different dynamic with the addition of the Partners?
Brother
James: It seemed to be a natural inclusion; it seemed to be the right
time for a number of things. I also think we were at the point where we
could talk without contention about service of the poor. It has taken
us a number of years to get there, to be able to have a real unity, to
be able to do some different things, to step beyond our normal realm and
have our Partners also in that place.
Brother David reminds us that we no longer can afford the luxury of talking
about who the poor are, we've got to act.
Cathy:
Would each of you talk about the Chapter Acts with which you were involved?
Brother
James: In my mind, there were two Chapter Acts that were very important.
One was the movement of the schools in the direction of becoming more
accessible to the poor. The other was an Act proposed by the Governance
and Structure Committee that proposed to regularize the inclusion of Partners
as members of the General Assembly, which would have given them a voice
and vote regarding the mission. That was a rather dramatic and revolutionary
Chapter Act. [Editor's Note: This Act, as it was worded, was not approved
by the Superior General and his Council.]
Carole:
I was most involved with Act 191. It was developed to connect the Saint
Mary's College School of Education with the District. That Act is making
it possible for us to establish a center of Lasallian outreach at Saint
Mary's College. We will now have a budget so that professors can be reassigned
from their College teaching responsibilities to go where there is a need
in the District, whatever it may be: science, math, literacy, or special
education. We can match needs with resources. That was our dream, and
now it is becoming a reality.
Brother
Thomas Westberg: I was on the Brothers' Life Committee. It was an
animated committee. We looked at a number of things with regard to our
lifestyle. For example, we formalized the process of selecting our Community
Directors. It gave us an opportunity to come back within the larger mixture
of the Assembly to focus on the work of the Brothers, which is really
an important part of the Chapter.
Brother
George: It is interesting to point out that, of the five committees,
two of them elected Partners as chairs.
John:
The Regional and Overseas Apostolate Committee was primarily comprised
of Brothers. I don't know if it was a "set up," but I was elected Chair
in the first meeting!
Martin:
I was on the Educational Mission Committee. I was surprised that what
I said carried as much weight as a Brother. The same thing could be said
when it came down to the floor of the General Assembly. Partners may not
have had a vote, but through their committees, they felt like they did.
It seemed to me that the Acts were calling us to take action. They were
a challenge, saying in effect, this is where the need is, and it's currently
not being met at the desired level; particularly the need for service
of the poor. And it's not so much serving the poor as partnering with
them. It wasn't until I was part of this process, that I felt a part of
the whole community. Before, I had felt something was missing.
Cathy:
Would you address the impact this Chapter meeting will have over the next
four years?
John:
It has had a profound effect on how we look at things at Sacred Heart
Cathedral. For example, we could not decide exactly what criteria we should
use when we went to accept students off of our waiting lists for the freshman
class. It was very hard because so many were qualified. What we decided
to do was to give preference to those students who demonstrated the greatest
financial need. Also, the simple idea in the Action Plan about each institution
taking on two new works in service of the poor. That generated a number
of very creative projects like our relationship with Saint Paul of the
Shipwreck in Bayview/Hunter's Point; it generated discussion about a proposed
tuition-free middle school in San Francisco. It gets people thinking.
If we begin to build endowments that allow kids to come to our schools
who otherwise could not, we're in a better place.
Brother
George: A movement like this, does it come just from the Chapter?
Brother
James: There are several examples which helped us move in our current
direction. With LEO (Lasallian Educational Opportunities), there was resistance
to establishing something other than the traditional high school and college
models; resistance to taking some very important high school people and
putting them into a different set of circumstances. The District's experience
with LEO has certainly been a foundation. Also, the commitment to assume
the operation of Cathedral High School occurred within the four years
preceding the Chapter and Convocation. I also think the District Leadership
has taken a real innovative step with Yakima, responding to the needs
there and taking over the school in Sunnyside within a month after its
closing. It took us 30 years to determine that we were finally going to
commit to Cathedral; it took the Leadership less than 30 days to make
the decision about Saint Joseph School. It's taken us years to get to
this point. There seems to be a real energy, enthusiasm, on the part of
Brothers and the Partners to go beyond.
Cathy:
What effect has this District Chapter had on your day-to-day work?
Brother
Thomas: Just about every decision I've been involved with, in regards
to school administration, involves my lay Partners. That's always been
a part of the way I work, part of what I do. This Chapter gave me a real
affirmation of our Partners' commitment that had been taken for granted
in the past. It took on much more depth with me than before. At the very
end of the process, a resolution was presented which was probably the
most touching part of the entire Chapter for me. It was when our Partners
spoke about their very strong commitment to, and their belief in, the
Brothers and our mission together. It told me just how much we mean to
our Partners and how much they mean to us.
Martin:
The whole District feels that we are in service of the poor; it is more
than just a nine-to-five job. It's an actual part of our lives; it's a
vocation. There is much more of an understanding that what we are dealing
with financially does not always have to make sense. We have two choices:
either we abandon the students whom we serve, or we serve them and find
the resources. Now, there's more of a commitment to find the resources,
to take the risks.
Brother
George: Did this Chapter give you any new insights about how we see
ourselves and our future?
Brother
James: The experience of this and previous Chapters verifies that
we have a vocation, and our vocation takes different forms. As Martin
just said: people are not just employees; they're more than Partners;
this is their vocation for their time of life with us. We are going through
a great evolution. We're attracting a broader range of students and keeping
the very poor students. Our challenge is to make sure we become more diverse,
to make sure we do not fail to serve the students from the oldest, poorest,
and most troubled neighborhoods. That's where we do our best work.
Cathy:
It seems that a shift occurred among everyone: where the Partners, and
the Brothers' view of the Partners, went from a feeling of being on the
outside of the circle to entering the inside of the circle.
Carole:
I agree. It was interesting that on the first day I felt like I was on
the outside; then to go from the outside in. It feels powerful because
of the renewed commitment the Brothers were making and that we were making
with them. I came back feeling strong. I feel I don't have a choice anymore;
I am a part of the Brothers' work forever. Before, I was happy to be doing
the work I was doing. But now I feel a sense of responsibility to spread
the Lasallian mission. ?
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