1. INTRODUCTION

This is the first time that Brother Superior and the Generaf Council address these wishes of St. Paul to the Corinthians, at the same time to the Brothers and to lay people who, throughout the world, either work in Lasallian communities and establishments, or have contact with them.

We turn first to the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The last General Chapter and the Rule call upon them, as the principal heirs of Lasallian spirituality, to live their lives as such with joy and generosity. As disciples of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, they are called upon likewise to be there to help, advise and guide when Lasallian groups and associations are formed, grow and become established. Their position and their role are of the utmost importance, both for the vitality of the Institute and for the future of the whole Lasallian Family.

And now, we should like to speak to the many lay people who, whether or not associated closely with us, share in a variety of ways in our traditional spirituality and approach to education, inherited from De La Salle, and who contribute to its present vitality.

We are writing to you now because, it is true, the 1986 General Chapter asked us to do so; but the overriding incentive is the joy we feel at being able to speak to you directly, convinced as we are, that you will realise, on reading these pages, that it is about you, as a Lasallian, that we are writing. We hope also that this letter will help you to live out your commitment as a man or woman of faith, and as an educator, with a new found enthusiasm.

The members of the 1986 Chapter sent a special Message to the members of the Lasallian Family. The term "Lasallian Family" is now a familiar one, and it includes all the people, groups and movements which have found their inspiration in the educational approach and spirituality of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. The Chapter's Message was addressed to all the teachers working in Lasallian establishments; to all those belonging to Lasallian movements outside these establishments; to former students and friends who kept in close contact with the Brothers; and to those who had chosen a more radical form of commitment inspired by De La Salle.

This letter, however, is addressed more particularly to all those men and women who seek to become more clearly identifiable as Lasallian and to bear witness to this by their lives. It is with this aim in view that they study and assimilate the spirit of John Baptist de La Salle; that they form a close association among themselves and with the Institute; and that they help one another to live their commitment to their faith, to their fellows and to their apostolate of service, more fully and with greater intensity.

This letter is addressed to all Lasallians, and wishes to take into account the wide diversity of their expectations. Our common source of inspiration and strength is felt ever more clearly and strongly to be Saint John Baptist de La Salle. As Lasallians we are his disciples. As his disciples we form one educational and spiritual family. And because of all this, in the course of this letter, we will find so much more which binds us together, than which separates us because we belong to different groups.

We feel the time has come to ask ourselves what has led us to seek to know each other better and to cooperate with each other; why we wish this common effort to continue, and how we envisage the form it will take, and its extent.

In the light of what we have just said, we should now like to set out our principal aims in writing this letter. They are:

a) to recognise and reassert the up-to-date nature of the Founder's spirit, its power to restore life to us, and to help us to build up the means to provide high quality evangelisation and education to future generations;

d) to invite those interested in the Lasallian apostolate, whether involved in our establishments or not, to learn more about the spirit and thinking of John Baptist de La Salle, and to make contact with already existing groups or communities.

There is both variety and unity in these aims. It is true that there is variety and even dissimilarity in our lives when we compare the organisation and vitality of different Lasallian groups. And yet, it is no less true that there can be felt an urgent and more or less widespread call to inject new life into these groups and to form others. This letter attempts to respond to this call.