Basilian Lay Associates

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What do the Basilian Lay Associates do?

Personal Spiritual Formation:

Join in the daily prayer of the Church, seek spiritual direction, and attend monthly meetings and annual retreat.

Community Formation and Relationships:

Participate in Basilian community events such as liturgies, meetings, anniversaries and celebrations. Relate with all members of the Basilian community throughout the world by prayers, thoughts, and personal contact whenever possible.

Ministry Involvement:

Support ministries in Basilian educational institutions, parishes and other ministries by involvement as teachers, coaches, counselors, administrative support staff, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, spiritual directors, parish staff, volunteers in RCIA and marriage preparation, and small faith community leaders.

BLA Basic Document: "A shared life must be based on a collaboration model among professed Basilians and the Basilian Lay Associates. Such a life will strengthen and affirm the identity of each person. . . It will also promote and support the spiritual growth of all and make possible the experience of Christian community within the Basilian context."

The Basic Commitment

The basic commitment is to Jesus Christ lived out in the context of the extended Basilian Community which is formed by the professed members of the Congregation of St. Basil and the Basilian Lay Associates. Basilian Lay Associates have to be committed to one another in Christ. St. Paul greatly emphasizes this form of commitment: Be "members of one another" (Rom. 5:11); "who are to build up one another" (1 Thess. 5:11); "be devoted to one another in love" (Rom. 12:10); "be servants of one another" (Gal. 5:13); "live in harmony with one another" (Rom. 12:10).

The Shared Life

A shared life must be based on a collaborative model between professed Basilian and Basilian Lay Associates. Such a life will strengthen and affirm the identity of each person within appropriate boundaries. It will also promote and support the spiritual growth of all, and make possible the experience of Christian community within the Basilian context.

Like the early Church in Acts, Basilian Lay Associates will gather in Jesus' name,rejoice in His presence, and model their life together after the hospitality of the family that received Jesus at Bethany.

Shared life among the extended Basilian Community will be based upon the spirit of the Basilian Way of Life, shared prayer and ministry.

Commitment as Basilian Lay Associates is to the extended Basilian Community, and concern is for the Basilian mission and the welfare of all the members.

Three aspects of Christian spirituality:

• Communal: Believing, worshipping, and celebrating communities.
• Eschatological: New life brought about by the events of Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost — the Kingdom of God established in human history.
• Missional: Mission of Christian community is to proclaim God's merciful acts and transforming intentions.

An important part of the Basilian Lay Associate commitment involves being present regularly at area community functions, e.g., celebrations of anniversaries, ordinations, seasonal functions, area ordinations and area funerals. In each of the current geographical areas, there will be monthly gatherings of the Basilian Lay Associates. These gatherings are the principal means by which Lay Associates build community among themselves and with professed Basilians and are formed in a spirituality arising from The Basilian Way of Life. This particular dimension of the Basilian Lay Associate commitment is so critical that it will be included in the evaluation that is conducted whenever a Lay Associate requests a renewal of his or her commitment.

Initial formation and incorporation will occur in the context of the Come and See process offered by each area gathering of the extended Basilian Community.

Each year there will be a retreat for all who participate in area gatherings. Lay Associates seeking commitment or recommitment are expected to attend this annual retreat.

Opportunities will be provided for Basilian Lay Associates to experience community among themselves and in the extended Community.

The extended community of an area shall share, on a regular basis, Eucharist, faith life and prayer.

• The Eucharist is the basis and bond of all Christian community. There should be regular gatherings for the celebration of the Eucharist.
• Personal prayer finds support in common prayer that keeps Christians mindful of the responsibility to praise and thank God.
• Mutual support is given and found by sharing the struggles and fruits of living one's faith in the experiences of day-to-day life.
• Mutual love generates true acceptance of one another, with all our gifts and faults.

The hospitality of the Basilian is legendary, and inspired by this, Basilian Lay Associates will seek creative ways to welcome members of the Congregation and one another into their homes and lives.

Ministry

Through their association with the Congregation, Basilian Lay Associates will be empowered to use effectively their insights, talents and position in the world.

In order to achieve effective Lay Associate involvement in Basilian mission and ministry, there must be strong leadership from both the Basilian Lay Associates and the Congregation.

The diversity of gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to the Basilian Lay Associates for the building up of God's kingdom must be identified, encouraged to be used and celebrated.

Opportunities will be provided by the extended Basilian Community of the area for all its members, professed and lay, to be trained in and participate in the Basilian mission of Evangelization.

Basilian Lay Associates are encouraged to share their insights about Basilian ministries with members of the Congregation.

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