Day by day with St. John Baptist de La Salle
A Summary Account of St. John Baptist De La Salle's Life-Journey
| A. First Stage: Childhood and Education |
| 1651 |
De La Salle born in Reims, Frances, on 30th April, to a well-off family |
| 1661 |
Enrolled as a student in the College des Bons Enfant |
| 1662 |
Received the tonsure as a sign that he intended to be a cleric |
| 1667 |
Inducted as a Canon of the Cathedral of Reims |
| 1667-1669 |
Qualified as an M.A. in Philosophy |
| 1670 |
Entered the Seminary of St. Sulpice for clerical studies |
| 1671 |
His mother's death |
| 1672 |
His father's death; John Baptist inherited the family estate and legal
responsibilities |
| 1678 |
Ordained priest |
| B. Second Stage: Involvement With The Schools |
| 1679 |
Chance meeting with Adrien Nyel who had opened schools for poor boys in
Rouen
- Involvement with schools begins |
| 1680 |
Doctorate in Theology, summa cum laude
- De La Salle took the teachers into his family home |
| 1682 |
Rented a house and De La Salle and the teachers moved in |
| 1683 |
Development of a 'Brothers' community
- De La Salle renounced his position as Canon |
| 1684 |
Famine in France. De La Salle gave away most of his money to feed the
poor |
| 1684-1687 |
The community of teachers became a community of Brothers, to be known
as Brothers of the Christian Schools
- First Assembly of Brothers
- First attempt by De La Salle to cease being the religious superior of
the Brothers. |
| C. Third Stage: Development of the Institute; Trials and
Tribulations |
| 1688 |
De La Salle moved from Reims to take over a school in Paris |
| 1690 |
Fell gravely ill and was close to death but eventually recovered. |
| 1691 |
De La Salle, Brother Nicholas Vuyart and Brother Gavriel Drolin made the
"heroic vow" to continue the work of the schools at any cost |
| 1692 |
The novitiate was opened in Vaugirard, Paris to ensure survival of the
Institute |
| 1694 |
Assembly of principal Brothers
- Second attempt by De La Salle to resign as Superior was rejected by the
Brothers. |
| 1691-1712 |
Consolidation of work of the schools despite many problems: loss of friends,
shortage of food, opposition from clergy, law-suits, opposition from the
Teaching Guilds etc... |
| 1701 |
Brother Gabriel Drolin sent to Rome to set up a school; he remained there
for twenty seven years |
| 1705 |
The first written Rule of Life |
| 1712 |
De La Salle withdrew to the south of France and experienced a period of
deep anguish and doubt |
| D. Fourth Stage: Completion of the Work and Culmination
of De La Salle's Life |
| 1714 |
A letter from the principal Brothers recalled De La Salle from the south
of Paris
- De La Salle arrived back on 10th August: "Here I am. What do you
want me to do?"
- Took over role of Superior again but with Brother Barthelemy sharing responsibilities |
| 1719 |
De La Salle died on April 7th (Good Friday)
"I adore in all things the will of God in my regard." (Last words) |
| 1900 |
De La Salle canonised |
| 1950 |
De La Salle declared Patron Saint of Teachers by Pope Pius XII |
