Christian Brothers Spiritual Center
The Center upholds the Lasallian traditions of the Christian Brothers by offering programs for the human and spiritual development of young adults. Women and men in their 20’s and 30’s have rather age-specific needs that are not always adequately met by the local Church and so we meet them where they are at through spiritual, educational, social and service programs. We believe that our style of hospitality, mentoring and programming are unique to the Philadelphia area and that young adults find the experience of CBSC interesting, engaging and formative. Refreshments and socializing follow each of our programs.
The impact of the post-modern world on the beliefs and values of young adults is certainly undeniable. The operant culture, especially some of the pleasure-seeking and self-indulgent aspects of pop culture, tends to devalue Christian faith and gospel living. The religious formation and spiritual practice of this generation of young adults is significantly different from that of previous generations and, even among themselves, there is a vast continuum of diversity. There can be a tendency to opt for a faith that is sentimental and gratifying while losing sight of a deeper commitment to value-directed living. Many of the meaningful and life-giving values, activities and spiritual practices traditionally provided by the family, neighborhood, school and church communities are missing from the lives of young adults. It is from within this context that the vision of the Christian Brothers Spiritual Center (CBSC) emerges.
We open the Center to all men and women in their 20’s and 30’s who are honestly seeking something more in their life. Our outreach is not only to young adults in our immediate areas of Manayunk, Roxborough and East Falls but also to the greater Philadelphia area. We welcome:
● Singles, married and engaged couples
● All educational backgrounds
● The churched and the un-churched
● Christians and those of other faiths
● Minorities, immigrants and the disenfranchised
● Those from our Lasallian Centers in Philadelphia
● Former volunteers and missioners
We believe in all that is right and possible in young adults at this time and place in our world’s “tsunamic” history. Waves of individualism, relativism, and consumerism have inundated our society. As a result, there is a subtle tendency to lose sight of spiritual values and a fear of making commitments. Within this cultural reality, our mission is to celebrate young adulthood. We aspire to provide a safe space for young people to gather together and be themselves, to create community and to nurture their spiritual life. As a Center, we are anchored in the Christian tradition, but we welcome all young women and men of every faith, ethnicity, educational and economic background.
Rather than overreacting to these changes or settling for a negativism that is shortsighted, we choose to trust in God’s continued providential care for young people. We see glimmers of hope in their hunger for that which gives meaning to life, their thirst for community, their passion for justice and their generous appetite for service. We also hear voices of unrest, uncertainty and lack of direction in their attitudes, words and actions. Although young adults may not be able to recognize or articulate these silent cries as a desire to find God, we believe that, at their very center, God is at work in them. The everyday people with whom they interact, the ordinary experiences of daily life and the typical challenges and confusions of young adult transitions are signs and invitations of the Holy Spirit to unfold their potential. In this incarnational process, we see ourselves as mentors who primarily listen to young adults and who affirm, support, nurture and celebrate all that is right in them.
