Jean-Baptiste de La Salle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintJean-Baptiste de La Salle FSC |
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Portrait of Saint John Baptist de la Salle
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| Priest, Religious, Founder and Confessor | |
| Born | 30 April 1651 Reims, Champagne, Kingdom of France |
| Died | 7 April 1719 (aged 67) Rouen, Normandy Kingdom of France |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 19 February 1888, Saint Peter's Basilica by Pope Leo XIII |
| Canonized | 24 May 1900, Saint Peter's Basilica by Pope Leo XIII |
| Major shrine | Sanctuary of John Baptist de La Salle, Casa Generalizia, Rome, Italy |
| Feast | Church: 7 April 15 May (General Roman Calendar 1904-1969, and Lasallian institutions) |
| Attributes | Book, Christian Brothers' habit |
| Patronage | Teachers of Youth, (15 May 1950, Pius XII) Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools Lasallian Educational Institutions Educators School principals Teachers |
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (born April 30, 1651 – died April 7, 1719) was a French priest who changed how children were educated. He started the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Today, he is known as a saint in the Catholic Church and is the patron saint for all teachers of young people.
La Salle spent most of his life helping poor children in France get an education. He created many new ways of teaching that are still used today.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle was born into a wealthy family in Reims, France. This was on April 30, 1651. He was the oldest of many children. His mother's family was noble and owned a successful winery.
When he was just eleven, La Salle showed his wish to serve God. He became a canon at Reims Cathedral at age sixteen. This meant he had an important role in the church. He studied hard and earned a Master of Arts degree.
In 1670, he moved to Paris to study to become a priest. Sadly, his mother died in 1671, and his father died in 1672. At 21, La Salle became the head of his family. He was responsible for his four brothers and two sisters. He continued his studies and became a priest in 1678. Two years later, he earned a doctorate in theology.
Helping Others: The Sisters of the Child Jesus
La Salle became involved with a new group called the Sisters of the Child Jesus. These sisters cared for the sick and taught poor girls. La Salle helped them get started and became their chaplain.
Through this work, he met a man named Adrian Nyel in 1679. Nyel wanted to open a school for poor children. With La Salle's help, a school soon opened. A rich woman then offered to fund another school, but only if La Salle would help. What started as a small favor for Nyel soon became La Salle's life's mission.
Founding the Christian Schools
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At that time, most poor children had little hope for a better future. They often did not get an education. La Salle felt deeply moved by their struggles. He decided to use his own talents and education to help these children. He saw that they were often "left to themselves and badly brought up."
La Salle noticed that the teachers in Reims needed help. They lacked training and guidance. He began to take steps to support them. First, in 1680, he invited them to eat meals at his home. This helped him teach them manners and inspire them in their work. His family found it strange that he was mixing with people from a lower social class.
In 1681, La Salle took an even bigger step. He invited the teachers to live in his home with him. His relatives and friends were shocked by this. A year later, he rented a new house for himself and the teachers.
La Salle decided to give up his church position to focus on schools and teacher training. He had inherited a lot of money. But instead of using it for himself, he sold everything. He gave the money to the poor people in Champagne, who were suffering from a famine.
This led La Salle to start a new religious institute. It was special because it had no priests among its members. This group was called the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. They are also known as the Christian Brothers or De La Salle Brothers. Their main goal was to provide Christian education to the children of workers and the poor.
La Salle's new ideas faced challenges. Some church leaders did not like this new type of religious group. They were not used to a community of non-priests running free schools. Other schools also did not like his new teaching methods. But La Salle and his teachers kept going.
In 1685, La Salle opened what is thought to be the first normal school. This was a school specifically for training teachers. It was located in Reims, France.
La Salle worked very hard and lived a simple life. He died at Saint Yon, near Rouen, in 1719. He passed away on Good Friday, just before his 68th birthday.
Honored as a Saint
Pope Leo XIII declared La Salle a saint on May 24, 1900. Later, Pope Pius XII named him the patron saint of all teachers of youth. This happened on May 15, 1950. His feast day, which is a special day to remember him, is now celebrated on April 7. This is the day he died.
Lasting Impact
La Salle was a true pioneer in training teachers who were not priests. His writings on education were very influential. One famous writer, Matthew Arnold, said that later books on education did not improve much on La Salle's ideas.
His new ideas in education included:
- Sunday classes for young working men.
- One of the first places in France to help young people who had gotten into trouble.
- Schools that taught practical skills and modern languages.
The Lasallian schools continue his work today. This network of schools is over 300 years old. Many schools and even streets are named after him.
In 2021, the Lasallian order had about 3,000 Brothers. They help run over 1,100 education centers in 80 countries. More than a million students attend these schools. They are supported by 90,000 teachers and other helpers.
Even an Asteroid was named after him! 3002 Delasalle was discovered in 1982.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Bautista de La Salle para niños
- Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
- Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, patron saint archive
