Brothers Finding An Identity: A Space To Grow!

Lay colleagues may wonder why Brother X became a De La Salle Brother. For many, their training was a place to grow, soul-wise, as well as externally. Often, this happened initially in the ‘spiritual year’ called the Novitiate. Like many apprentices in TAFE or junior employees in a profession, they later settled their identity as Brothers, by ‘learning on the job’ – in community living, in first years of teaching, and becoming aware of the students who were struggling. All this, as well as in the quiet of  reflection and prayer.

What is a Novitiate?

Central to the Brother’s calling is that a novitiate is about discovery of one’s identity within a brotherhood- as a person and Christian - and providing a space to grow into being the person one is called to be. So, John Baptist de La Salle found his personal experience with the first Brothers from 1680 changed his identity and gave him a new life.

Brother Rory Higgins, who had been in charge of the Brothers’ regional novitiate from 2006-12, says that, “helping them (novices) to understand who they were and acquiring self-knowledge” and authentic motivation, was the greatest challenge for him as Director – the ‘Novice Master’. The Brothers’ Rule expands this goal, stipulating the novices’ need to understand more the contemporary world, the brotherhood, and their own culture. It talks of assimilation, synthesis, integration, and learning. Central to the Brothers’ way of life is “the spirit of faith” and “zeal” for the mission.

What is the Program?

The “Novitiate” in recent times lasts one full year. This Church law says that prolonged absence through sickness or family reasons means the candidate must withdraw, at least for that year’s Novitiate. Usually, the Director has one or two other Brothers who also give inputs or presentations to the ‘apprentices’, as it were, in order to build knowledge, skills and attitudes of a young Brother. These staff members could be from India, Sri Lanka, or other Asian nations. Various experts come to explore different topics, either in person or via zoom.

Usually, there is an exposure program where novices live and work in a family neighborhood of marginalised people for some weeks, to immerse themselves in the area of mission.

As they form a religious community, the program includes daily Mass, two times for personal/individual prayer, meals together, sport or recreation times and personal study on assignments/presentations to the group. There is care of the ‘family’ in household chores, and some manual work, e.g. growing vegetables, mowing lawns etc. At the conclusion of the year, a novice makes application to the Br Visitor and his Council to be admitted to the Institute by taking its five vows, on the recommendation of the Novice Master and the various countries’ Sector Head.

The Challenges for Leaders and Novices

Brothers in charge are always discerning if a candidate is suitable - are there family /psychological/ emotional distractions? Lower levels of attainment of secular and religious knowledge can beleaguer progress. Well-adjusted and maturer people can forge ahead. The facts are that few numbers of young men are now interested in religious life, especially in the Western world. This means that several nationalities and diverse cultures in the Pacific-Asian (PARC) region make up the Novitiate community program. While enriching, one past Director of 6 years, Br Paul Toohey, notes that the diversities can mask different mindsets and behaviours, and even hidden motivations that must be plumbed.

Br Paul pointed to other challenges for the leader. Some past groups of novices at the PARC Novitiate at Lipa, in the Philippines, have numbered up to twenty, when there was a 2-year program. There is the need to interview and spiritually accompany each candidate regularly; this was, he says, a substantial challenge. 

Another Director of many groups, Br Vincent Keating, mentions this accompaniment too, as being crucial to development. He also points to the need to be aware of individual needs, and especially to “earn the trust” and respect of the young man. Throughout, there is the belief that God’s action (“grace”) is involved in any progress, growth in self-knowledge, and discernment of choices.

Three Australian Brothers have been in charge of the Novitiate over the modern period. Br Vincent has served in this role over six different places – two in Sydney and two in PNG at Bomana and Mainohana. He was Director of 20 novices over 2 years in Skaneateles, New York State, and from 2012-2014, 26 novices in Lipa, Philippines. The latter came from the Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Pakistan, and Papua New Guinea.

Br Rory Higgins, as mentioned, had 6 groups of novices of similar countries from 2006-2012 in the inter-District PARC Novitiate at Lipa. Br. Paul Toohey had 3 groups there, in 2000 till 2003, as well as 3 groups earlier in PNG.

Dynamics in Novitiate Groups

Many Brothers in the District identify strongly, as this author can attest, to the good and the challenging times, the bonding with peers, and the idiosyncracies of individuals and the rules, lived in their Novitiate community. The Directors listed above note novices’ goodwill, and their willingness to learn, to test themselves and to be engaged in a serious program of personal and religious development in Lasallian formation. The build-up of friendship and solid relationship between individuals – the novices themselves, or the Director and the novice- is very often a feature of a Novitiate community. Celebrations of birthdays “celebrated with passion,” Church feasts, or common short mission exposures promote bonding, discernment, and commitment. And Brothers who visit are welcomed – seeing what one could be like in the future!

Source: Br Gary Wilson