To accompany the reading of the two volumes of his work “From One Community to Another” (Lasallian Studies No. 19), Brother Pedro María Gil, who belongs to the Arlep District (La Salle in Spain and Portugal), has shared some infographics produced using Artificial Intelligence.
“It is a good exercise for gaining an overview,” said the author, referring to this resource which complements his research on the commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the recognition of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, through the Bull In Apostolicae dignitatis solio, issued by Pope Benedict XIII at the end of January 1725. “a good occasion to look to the future and to ask ourselves about the meaning of its journey through these three long centuries of life”, as he himself states in the presentation of the book.
Furthermore, as he delved deeper into the convictions that accompanied him during the process of research and systematisation, Brother Pedro acknowledges that “throughout my life, I had come to realise that De La Salle was not the founder of the Christian Schools—as some of our hymns sang—but that he had founded the Brothers of the Christian Schools, that is, communities that would animate the schools. That network of communities was the essence of our inherited institutional structure”,
“From that point on, I understood better what had happened during the last century and perceived the Institute’s desire to establish a new model. In other words, I interpreted the entire 20th century as a movement towards the refounding of the Community of the Christian Schools”, he adds.
Restore, Renew, Refound
He has developed this perspective extensively throughout the first volume of his work: “A Century of Signs“. “It was first a time of perplexity and attempts at restoration. Then, another time, full of generosity, dedicated to the renewal of what had been inherited. Finally, we are living the fruit of this and we speak of a time of refounding”, he asserts.
On the other hand, in the second volume, “The Interior Architecture”, he refers to the axes of the new Community and proposes six criteria for building it: (1) An Institution in History; (2) the New Evangelisation; (3) the Call; (4) the Commissioning; (5) the Christian School; and (6) the Community of the Christian School.
Thus, he emphasises that the objective of his study has been “to achieve a common language regarding Lasallian identity” as “a possible underground architecture for a possible future”.
The two volumes of this new work by Lasallian Studies No. 19, “From One Community to Another”, 218 and 232 pages respectively, are now available in Spanish, English and French, both in digital and print formats.