SCB Associates

Associates are Baptized Lay Persons who gather together in small groups following an associate rule of life and live out their Christian commitment by means of a shared charism in relationship with the RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES. The structures, rules and regulations and way of exercising authority and of forming and accompanying new members are a call to move toward holiness over time.

The vocation of the lay faithful and the vocation of the religious enrich, strengthen and complement each other mutually, while each one maintains its proper identity.

S.C.B. Associates are either men or women who wish to associate themselves with our Religious Congregation and share our charism, spirituality and mission.

“The lay-faithful involvement in all our activities is an important step for the growth of the Church. It will also help in promoting as well as creating love and respect for Religious life.” Most. Rev. Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore (Letter dated, March 30, 2005)

The process and degree to which the associates
can be involved in the life and mission of the congregation
depends on how we want to share:

The vision, ministry and spirituality of the congregation is expanded to the S.C.B. Associates.

Associates do not take vows, they do not live with the religious, they do not get involved in the internal governance of the congregation.

They are given an orientation period during which they learn about the congregation, its charism, spirituality, history and its apostolates.

They may make a pledge for one year, renewable annually for as long as they wish.

They may be those who are already employed as teachers, nurses or retired persons, parishioners, or our former students, former teachers…

The S.C.B. Associates make an important contribution to the Congregation, they are “the signs of the times”. The vocation of the lay people is orientated to the sanctification of the family, the profession, the public life and so on.

Moved by the spirit of Vatican II, The General Chapter of 1999/2000 chaired by the Superior General, Mother Benedicta Lobo welcomed the proposal of establishing Lay Collaboration with the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo.

There are two groups: Active S.C.B. Associates and Auxiliary S.C.B. Associates. The latter are incapacitated due to ill health or migration. The process and degree to which the associates can be involved in the life and mission of the congregation depends on how we want to share:

The S.C.B. Associates at Villa Borromeo in Bangalore was initiated on April 3, 2005,the first candidates had their commitment ceremony in 2007.

At this time of launching, the associates primarily saw themselves in mutual relationship with sisters and in “commitment to spreading the gospel and fostering the charism of the Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo.From 2007 to 2020, the number of members and geographic distance between them both increased.

The founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Charles, Fr. Adrien Bresy, chose St. Charles Borromeo as the patron of the Congregation because of the latter’s outstanding qualities, viz., zeal for Christian education, his great love for the Church, the poor, the lonely and the abandoned. The main thrust is incarnating the Compassionate Love of God through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

By collaborating with the Sisters of St. Charles, S.C.B. Associates, therefore, have the privilege of being part of this illustrious Congregation to work toward incarnating the compassionate love of the Lord to the poor and the marginalized.

After a long period of reflection and practical application, the Congregational co-ordinators and animators have prepared the constitutions and guidelines for the proper functioning of the S.C.B. Asociates in India and over-seas missions. I appreciate their courage and constant progress, may God Bless their efforts and endeavours.