Lasallian Legacy
Our Brothers: the Heart, the Memory,
and Guarantors
Interviews by Brother Richard Moratto, FSC,
Edited by J.A. Gray, Photography by Will Mosgrove and Richard Wheeler

I was taught by the Brothers at St. Peter's parish school in San Francisco and when my freshman year ended I decided to go to the Juniorate at Martinez. I told my girlfriend I'd be back to marry her, but she said "Oh no, you won't" and she was right. The Holy Spirit was guiding me to a lifetime of commitment.
-- Brother Bertran Coleman, FSC

The 1993 General Chapter proclaimed the Brothers are to be "the heart, the memory, and the guarantors of the Lasallian charism," and the Convocation in October 1999 heard brief reflections on these roles. During the evening tribute Brother Richard Moratto opened, "We Brothers are to be the heart, the chief animators, pumping the blood into our educational ministries and cherishing the students according to the Founder's vision: 'You are ready to give your very life, so dear to you are the children entrusted to you.'" [Mediations for the Time of Retreat #6]. Brother Michael Meister added, "'Let us remember' is a daily watchword: Memory makes 'a bridge between the here-and-now and the timeless sacred,' and within the District memory serves 'to link us to those Brothers who got off the boat in San Francisco 130 years ago, and even back to the Founder himself.'" Brother Michael Sanderl concluded that as guarantors "we acknowledge the past with thanks and dedicate ourselves to further development of our Lasallian mission as vital Brothers in vital communities."

Among the many Brothers of the District who exemplify what it means to be the heart, the memory, and the guarantors of the Lasallian charism, here are three representatives. In an interview with Brother Richard, they reflect on their vocations.

The Heart:
Brother LaSalle Bossong has been a teacher and coach in schools throughout California and also in Milwaukie, Oregon, where he was Director of the Brothers' community.

Brother Richard: Among the Brothers you are known for your quick smile and your warmth and generosity. You are someone whom we feel reflects the commission to be "the heart" of our mission of human and Christian education. What are your thoughts on how the Brothers can continue to be the heart of the Lasallian mission?

Brother LaSalle: The Brothers can continue this by being in every way a "brother" to their students, by having the real love for them that makes a Brother committed and creative. This love comes from a deep well of energy that is kept full by faithful meditation and by love for Jesus and Mary. The human person as he or she grows to maturity is one of the beautiful things in God's creation, and that person needs and deserves our love. A distinctive mark of the Christian Brothers also is to work with those in need, "the poor" - to find ways and means to serve in our work people who are poor.

Brother Richard: How can we Brothers animate those with whom we serve and minister?

Brother LaSalle: Working in equal partnership with our Lasallian colleagues is essential now to fulfilling our mission. We must manifest a real sense of being together, a real sense of community. Also, we Brothers must have a deep religious life. Without God's grace and inspiration we won't make it. But to keep our charism alive we do need more vocations to our life. These will come, if we keep the Brothers in contact with young people in teaching, coaching, social service, and other activities. We must make contact and in that contact show a spirit of love, dedication, and maturity.

Brother Richard: You've been a classroom teacher for almost fifty years and you're still at it. What has inspired you, and what have you experienced?

Brother LaSalle: Back in my first years of teaching, Brother Liguori Edward challenged me to break away from simply being a pedagogue, an automatic teacher, to be creative and challenging, to find ways to awaken each individual to his own intellectual and moral power. That's where my effectiveness and enjoyment as a teacher have come from. I've watched young people advance in learning and helped to bring discipline to their study -- also created ways of grabbing their minds, like using my "rock friends" to teach "the four steps to truth." Being with young people gives you a fresh sense of life. They really are a powerful, enriching presence, and that keeps a teacher going and going.

The Memory:
Brother Bertram Coleman has been a teacher and a principal, and has served the District as Vocation Director, Director of Education, Visitor, and now Director of Archives.

Brother Richard: What are some important memories of your early days among the Brothers?

Brother Bertram: I was taught by the Brothers at St. Peter's parish school in San Francisco, and when my freshman year ended I decided to go to the Juniorate at Martinez. I told my girlfriend I'd be back to marry her, but she said, "Oh no, you won't," and she was right. The Holy Spirit was guiding me to a lifetime commitment. Serving Mass regularly and attending Mass daily in Lent, I became very comfortable talking to Jesus as if he were walking alongside me. The Juniorate for me was a positive experience; I never experienced loneliness there, and we had wonderful Brothers: Arcadius Patrick Halligan as Director, Pius (later Paul) Figueroa, Jerome Griffin, Anselm Shanahan, Edwin Adams. Besides having us in class they coached us in sports, directed our dramatic and musical performances, and were available for counseling.

Brother Richard: You are seen as a Brother who fulfills well the commission to be "the memory" of the Lasallian mission. What would you urge us to remember as we respect and also transform our tradition?

Brother Bertram: I think we should remember the courage of our Founder in facing up to situations he never anticipated, situations that he accepted as challenges and as opportunities to fulfill God's will. Remember what our Founder accomplished despite his never planning all that he did in advance. He accepted development as God's will. I think that God is revealing to us more and more of His creative ability as we learn more of this universe and ourselves. In my own work, I think I have overcome past prejudices and learned to be more welcoming of diversity and tolerant of opposition.

Brother Richard: You are known for carrying on "memory" in a special way, for remembering many former students in a special ministry. Can you tell us about that?

Brother Bertram: I think the message of the Founder, "to touch hearts," has been my inspiration to get close to my students. But we were advised early on not to have "pets" among our students, and this was a dilemma for me. On a retreat, after a few years of classroom experience, I gained an insight that resolved the dilemma. Having observed that my personality attracted some students and not others, I decided I would be available to those students who considered me a friend, so long as I remained fair in grading and dealing with those who were not attracted to my personality. Consequently, I developed lifelong friendships with students and former students and their families. Even as a Principal, I continued to know students, to converse with them, to attend games and activities and outings. My Christmas card list is large, of course. But the real point is that I have tried to "touch hearts" -- and I think that the relations of these people to me are based on their respect for me as a religious and for the moral standards they learned from the Brothers. Some still come to me for counsel.

Brother Richard: You recently turned 85, and you have seen much of the District's history firsthand. How do you see our role now?

Brother Bertram: As District Archivist, I keep up with what is going on, and I still see the future of our Institute as an instrument for bringing to young people a concept of God's love for them and His desire for them to reveal His love to others by reaching out to those who are in need of spiritual, social, intellectual, and physical help. Our sincere love for the young should inspire our students, and our consecrated lives should inspire our Partners. I pray that God will call young men to join us, but I have no difficulty accepting that our numbers may be few compared to our Partners. I think our presence will continue to be an inspiration to those persons whom Vatican II has called to lay ministry in the Church.

The Guarantors:
Brother Timothy Diener began his service teaching chemistry and religion in high school, then went on to help make the Christian Brothers Winery a commercial success. He was cellarmaster at the vineyards until his retirement in 1989, when the winemaking business was sold.

Brother Richard: What first attracted you to life as a Christian Brother?

Brother Timothy: The Brothers I knew, especially the younger ones, seemed to have a happy community life. And in my senior year at Cathedral High School, I really heard the Gospel question, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul?"

Brother Richard: And what significant memories do you have of your life in the Novitiate in Martinez?

Brother Timothy: Well, Brother "Martinez" Leo impressed me as a holy and dedicated man. And I recall being struck by Brother "Black" Leo's speech to us on Robing Day, August 14, 1928, in which he compared the mind to an art gallery to which only the best-quality works should be admitted, nothing frivolous or evil. The discipline of silence was new to me, and it also made a big impression. I began to see how it preserved an atmosphere conducive to peace of mind, personal reading, prayer, and thoughtfulness.

Brother Richard: You might be seen as a "guarantor" of the Lasallian mission through your long career in the Christian Brothers winery. Could you comment on that?

Brother Timothy: You have used exactly the appropriate words in saying "guarantor of the Lasallian mission." My constant thought while working in the winery was that my work was creating some cash that would flow into our schools to guarantee their ability to continue their work.

Brother Richard: You are close to 90 years of age. As we turn to a new century and a new millennium, what do you think the role of the Brothers is at this time in our history?

Brother Timothy: Whether it is God's will that our numbers are dropping, or whether those called by God are rejecting the call, it is a fact that our numbers are dropping. So we are actively working to empower lay people to work with us and to become prepared to carry on the Lasallian mission even if Brothers are absent. The role of the Brothers, then, is to inspire by word and by example the Partners to perpetuate the work started in 1680.

Brother Richard: What do you think your contribution to the life and mission of the Brothers has been?

Brother Timothy: By the grace of God, I have left a record of cheerful service and general helpfulness to others throughout my years as a Brother. The District is blessed with Brothers who together exemplify what it means to live out the Lasallian charism. Today, these Brothers and Partners continue to bring life to that charism as it expands its heart, creates new memories, and guarantees our future.