Is there a future for the Christian Brothers in our world today? I am absolutely certain there is; and that future depends on our success in keeping Edmund’s charisma alive in the entire world specially by working with those that need it the most. In my view that future has to do with a continuation in bringing into life Edmund’s charisma all over the world and especially by working with the most needy.
The main areas I am referring to are:
- Solidarity and social work with the needy
- Heart – centred Spirituality
- Advocacy (Human Rights)
- Community life
- Education of the needy
- Cosmology
Many of these subjects give a real answer to the questions many people and especially young people are asking themselves at present. As a result of my experience working with young people and using these issues as inspiration and as a guideline I can say that as soon as we start going deeper into a Heart – Centred spirituality, getting close to the Universe Story and Cosmology, finding a community that embraces us and giving some of our time to encounter the needy and finding Jesus present in that encounter, our lives experience a complete change and in a way our lives become more meaningful.
As regards the ‘elder’ in the Western World and the ‘youthful’ in developing countries I think the Brothers should work together on these aims in different Brothers’ communities all around the world. I also think that lay members of the Edmund Rice Network, should join these Brothers in their activities and should be invited to join their communities for different periods of time. This could help not only to keep Edmund’s charisma alive regardless of their status within the Brothers’ community but also to help young lay people to see the Brothers’ life as a possible model for their lives and an option to be taken into account.
I can see a big potential in what is flourishing in The Edmund Rice Network and in my view both Brothers and lay people should work together on all future projects. If the Network continues growing, and in the future a structure that supports and agglutinates all the projects around the world is created the Edmund’s charisma will certainly be kept alive.
– with kind permission of Salvador Boucau ( Salvador is a past pupil of Newman College, Buenos Aires )
Timirí 