The Life and Mission of Saint John
Baptiste de La Salle:
Beginnings of the Lasallian Mission
The Encounter with Adrian Nyel
The Formation of a Community: Brothers of the Christian Schools
Virtue: Prudence
Debate or Discussion
The class will be invited to share their views about the
pros and cons of commitment.
Processing:
1. What do you think it means to be committed?
2. Can relationships be healthy if there is no
commitment? Why or why not?
3. What would the world be like if people did not make
commitments?
Processing
Commitment is…
the hard work & loyalty that someone gives to an
organization, activity, or person
it is about doing what it takes to get the job done.
staying committed takes determination, persistence,
and motivation.
Processing
When we look at the life of Saint La Salle, much of
the success of the Lasallian mission is due to the
commitments made by Saint La Salle and his
teachers.
Processing
“God, who directs all things with wisdom and
moderation, and who does not force the will of men,
wishing to have me completely occupied with the
care of the schools, involved me unexpectedly and
in a short time, so that one commitment led to
another without my being aware of it.”— De La
Salle
The Life and Mission of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle:
The Beginnings of the Lasallian Mission
28 yrs old: At the residence of his spiritual adviser,
Canon Nicolas Roland, he was invited by Adrian Nyel to
open a school for boys. This became a turning point in
his life. (Commitment 1)
A priest agreed to establish a charity school for boys in
his parish; thus, in April 1679, the first school opened its
doors.
The Life and Mission of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle:
The Beginnings of the Lasallian Mission
Soon another donor wished to open a school on the
other side of Reims
The quarters provided by the parish for Nyel and the
other teachers became inadequate. Out of his own
pocket, De La Salle rented a house near his own for the
teachers. Shortly, Nyel opened a third school in Reims.
(Commitment 2)
The Life and Mission of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle:
The Beginnings of the Lasallian Mission
The supervision of the schools demanded more
attention than Nyel could give. The teachers were
young, untrained, and in need of clear direction. More
students attended the schools.
De La Salle decided to invite the teachers into his
home for their meals. In this way, he could work with
them and, he hoped, improve their skills and motivation
as teachers. His plan worked. The teachers improved
and so did order in the schools. (Commitment 3)
The Life and Mission of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle:
The Beginnings of the Lasallian Mission
31 YRS OLD: John Baptist lived with the teachers. This was
against his family's wishes. They started to call each other
“Brother.” (Commitment 4)
Anger, disbelief, and accusations of madness greeted De La
Salle’s actions. Relatives removed his younger brothers from
his care. De La Salle persevered, believing that providing
disciplined, competent teachers was a task given to him by
God.
The Life and Mission of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle:
The Beginnings of the Lasallian Mission
Under De La Salle’s guidance, the teachers increased
in competence. Requests came to open other charity
schools for boys.
The teachers began to grumble about the insecurity
and the hard life of religious discipline. De La Salle
urged them to rely on Providence, but they reminded
him that he did not have to worry if the schools failed
because he was independently wealthy.
The Life and Mission of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle:
The Beginnings of the Lasallian Mission
33 YRS OLD: John Baptist resigned as a Canon and gave
away his personal fortune to the poor and those who were
suffering. (Commitment 5)
De La Salle was now totally committed to the community of
teachers. To establish their unique identity as laymen dedicated
to charity schools, they decided to wear a simple black robe,
thick-soled shoes like those worn by peasants, a tricornered
hat, and a short mantle or cape. (Commitment 6)
The Life and Mission of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle:
The Beginnings of the Lasallian Mission
 40 yrs old: In Vaugirard, John Baptist made the Heroic
Vow with Drolin and Vuyart to be faithful to the mission.
Twelve Brothers soon followed at the Notre Dame de
Liesse. (Commitment 7)
Reflection:
1. Do I value commitment?
2. Do I live up to my commitments?
3. What personal sacrifices have I made in order to
keep my commitments?
4. Who are the persons in my life that help me in my
commitments?