Family spirit ⁹

107. Father Champagnat’s great desire and legacy is that we relate to each other and to the young people in our care as the members of a loving family would intuitively do. ¹⁰ We seek to make this a reality even in our more complex educational works.

108. Wherever we are, then, we undertake to build community among all associated with each of our institutions and activities, including those who work alongside us, the young in our care and their families. ¹¹ Each person should feel at home among us. A warmth of welcome, acceptance and belonging should prevail where everyone has a sense of being valued and believed in, regardless of their role or their social standing.

109. Our way of relating to young people is to be a brother or sister to them. ¹² As in a good family, with them we share life with its successes and failures, we set clear standards of honesty, mutual respect and tolerance, and we show them that we believe in their goodness, not confusing the person with their actions when mistakes are made. We are ready to trust each other, forgive each other, reconcile with each other.

110. In a school setting, our family spirit stands in contrast to an assembly-line or results-oriented education which does not respect the dignity and need of each young person. On the contrary, we give preferential attention to those whose needs are greatest, who are most deprived, or who are going through hard times.

111. Our leaders adopt an organisational approach which reflects our values. They encourage a spirit of partnership and shared responsibility, and at the same time, the responsible autonomy of each person involved in the educative process.