Lasallian Charism

St John Baptist de La Salle 

Born 30th April, 1651 in Rheims, France

Died in 1791 after founding schools in 22 cities.

Made a Saint in 1900 and in 1950 was declared the Patron Saint of Teachers.

De La Salle was a man of great faith, prayer and compassion. But he was also a very down to earth practical individual. For him, Christian spirituality is something to be embodied in ordinary actions. Lasallian spirituality is a process of "discovery":- discovering the poor, discovering oneself, discovering communion with others as a way of life.

The Lasallian mission is rooted in discerning and doing God's will in regard to God's children. Lasallian educators and schools everywhere share Lasallian spirituality as the heart of both the Lasallian story and their ministry to instruct the minds and touch the hearts of the young who have been entrusted to their care.

De La Salle and his brothers succeeded in creating a network of quality schools throughout France that featured students grouped according to ability and achievement, integration of religious instruction with secular subjects, well prepared teachers with a sense of vocation and mission, and the involvement of parents.

Adapted from De La Salle Provincialate, Oxford, [online];
Available from URL: http://www.delasalle.org.uk/fsc/spirituality.htm