CONCLUSION

Why did they then leave the Institute ? When we put and reput this question in order to decode this massy going out, we often attibuted the fault to the formation.The formation depends surely on the formator,on his methods...but it is not sufficient. There is a strict relation between 3 agents: the formator,the society (environment) and  himself, the main actor.

In this case, the agent-society influence also upon the decision of the individual. The identity firstly goes on the reputting in question.  At the beginning, the 3 constitutive dimensions of the  brothers’ Vocation are impressed in their mind : “ consecration to God as lay religious, the  apostolic ministry of education and the community life” (Rule of the Brothers, art.10) .However,the article 13 of the Rule wrote : “The brothers considered their profession as a ministry”.Which profession is then theirs ?

It is true that the Rule gave thus the definiton of what is their career: “ the finality of this Institute  is to provide a  human and christian education to the youth,especially to the poor”. The RUB is there.The action of education, as it used to be understood, is the teaching at school. The current of life is thus being carried away without unthinkly that one day the “privilege means” (Rule) ,the school, is no more. The moment appears, they meditate surely on the constitutive dimensions of a Brother. The second dimension seems not  to be existing at all. Long reflections finally reach a heartbreaking conclusion : “ the Institute of the Brothers has no more its just Cause”, said  an ex-brother of my promotion. Without preparation before ,the lost of the schools is for them like a cut –wings bird or a person suddenly thrown into water. In our current time,one cannot imagine that a brother could be a wandering photographer , a worker in a ship-building yard, a potterer of art items, an employee –producer of fish sauce being absorbed in fish smell from early morning to late evening, a soil worker, digging, ploughing ,harvesting so poorly to feed oneself etc...not to “wait for a better day” as brother Gustave  aged 33 at the time said , “How  can a young brother accept such a  life that is not visible and credible ?”

And the community life ? From a certain point of view, it is not encouraging in fact, as it was analyzed above. Occasionally some expressions appeared showing this insurmountale anxiety: “like a guesthouse”. Lesser fraternal sharing about finance and spirituality. Repeated disputes about world conceptions. Little delicacy each other. Little cohesion in community.Another ironical proverb: “ each for oneself, community for all”.Money collected by several means and kept for oneself  to  “preview the future”  or to buy what one prefers , this or that  as  just said  above. This phenomena was often spread.the fee of water and electricity and maintenance... the community was in charge.No importance to know who paid and where money was found to settle all these things.Living in such a situation apparently without issue, it is normal that  the ones after the others left with regret a life which is dear for them as “ no group can keep its vitality without a common meaning, common values,a common goal,and a same identity.No group can follow them if their members did not have the same goals,or did not know what they are or,did not work together to get them.If there is a confusion about the notion of Identity, Goal,values, there will be desorientation and discouragement, departures among members and few new recruits” [1]

An aged brother has solved this problem simply: “ live well the 3 vows, this enough!” But this opinion is not enough for the young.The lasallian life is different from that the dominicans one, the  redemptorists or cistercians or others...But, each congregation owns its specific mission.

And for what reasons this small number of 66 brothers still attach themselves to the Institute in spite of all these difficulties ? We can attribute the Brothers these most beautiful qualities that you want : heroic, enthusiast, generous,well-educated  ...However, at the very depth of the heart ,it must not deny the” to wait for the favourable moment´[2] of the response of several brothers  of my age,from which is brother Gustave,or to hope  to see “at last, some light of Hope” [3]. Going to work the soil or adopting a job as the worst, this is to reflect, to meditate,...by asking oneself: “ will it be reasonable that the brother’s life reaches its end here?” .No,no ,” the brothers are not dead yet, on the contrary”  living and being prosperous”,Father Quy,a Redemptorist repeated several times, and  under a condition: “ if we radiate the deep Peace and joy of our Vocation ( this does not means absence of anxiety, obstacles and difficulties),tyhe following words of John Futrell is still true : “ the young called by God to the religious life respond to this appeal if we, the already called before, arrive to communicate the happiness to be religious  nowadays” [4] 

[1] John Johnston, Pastoral Letter 1989, page 11.
[2] Annexes, page 13, ligne 379
[3] Annexes, page 2, ligne 55
[4] John Johnston,  Pastoral Letter 1987, page 34