A Congregation Chapter is a gathering of elected, ex-officio and invited Brothers from all areas of the Congregation.  Its task is to review the life and ministry of the Brothers and to plan for the future.  The Congregation Chapter takes place every six years.

In March 1996, 70 participants assembled in Johannesburg, South Africa. They represented the Congregation's presence and ministry in 26 countries around the world. 

The participants listened to the story of Christian Brother life and ministry from all provinces and regions.  Stories of success and failure, of traditional works and new ventures were part of these stories. 

In patient dialogue and discernment, the Chapter arrived at Four Directions to serve as central reference points for Congregational life over the coming six-year period.
 

The Four Directions were :
    Internationality
    Call to People at the Margins
    Growth Through Fragility
    The Edmund Rice Family