SAINT JOHN BAPTIST de LA SALLE

1651-1719
Founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
Patron Saint of Christian Teachers

"I had imagined that the care which I assumed of the schools and the masters would amount only to a marginal involvement committing me to no more than providing for the subsistence of the masters and assuring that they acquitted themselves of their tasks with piety and devotedness . . . Indeed, if I had ever thought that the care I was taking of the schoolmasters out of pure charity would ever have made it my duty to live with them, I would have dropped the whole project. ... God, who guides all things with wisdom and serenity, whose way it is not to force the inclinations of persons, willed to commit me entirely to the development of the schools. He did this in an imperceptible way and over a long period of time so that one commitment led to another in a way that I did not foresee in the beginning."

John Baptist de La Salle

John Baptist de La Salle was born at Reims in 1651, the first son of wealthy parents.  At the age of 11 he received the tonsure and was named Canon of the Reims Cathedral at 16.  After the death of his parents he had to take on the administration of family affairs but despite this he managed to complete his theological studies and was ordained a priest on April 9, 1678.  He received a doctorate in theology in 1680.  He soon decided that he would establish schools to educate the poor and illiterate young boys with whom he came into contact through his Ministry.

These times were very difficult for many.  Only a small minority of people could afford to educate their children, but most people were extremely poor, country and townsfolk alike.   It was their plight that moved de La Salle to take action.  He renounced his position as Canon and abandoned his family home, to live amongst the teachers.   This was the beginning of the community that became known as the Brothers of the Christian Schools.

The ecclesiastical authorities didn't approve of the creation of this new type of religious community, one of consecrated laymen running free schools "together and by association."  Neither did the educational establishment, which resented de La Salle's innovative methods and his insistence on providing each child with a free education regardless of whether they could afford to pay.

Despite the abundant opposition, de La Salle and his Brothers managed to create a network of quality schools throughout France.  Children were taught in their native tongue (as opposed to Latin and Greek)  and grouped according to ability.   Parental involvement was encouraged.  Religious instruction was integrated with secular subjects and teachers were well-prepared, with a sense of vocation and mission.  In addition, de La Salle pioneered programmes for training lay teachers and Sunday courses for working young men.  He founded one of the first institutions in France for the care of delinquents.

In addition to founding training colleges for teachers and reform schools for delinquents John Baptist de La Salle also pioneered technical schools and secondary schools for modern languages, arts, and sciences. His work quickly spread throughout France and after his death, spread across the globe.

Worn out by austerities and exhausting labours, he died at Saint Yon near Rouen on Good Friday 1719, just weeks before his sixty-eighth birthday.

John Baptist de La Salle was declared a Saint in 1900.    He was made Patron Saint of all those who work in the field of education in 1950, because of his life and inspirational writings.  The example of John Baptist de La Salle is one that anyone who works with young people would be wise to follow.  He  taught us how to meet failure and frailty with compassion, how to affirm,  to strengthen and to heal.  At the present time there are de La Salle schools in 80 different countries around the globe.  

In addition to schools, the Lasallian community is involved in all areas of youth-work, including sports, scouts and of course Retreat work.