De La Salle Brothers

{{Historical population|||||1719|275|||1792|925|||1819|2,325|||1874|10,250|||1900|14,000|||||||||||||||2019|4,000||| 2021|3,000|||2023|2883|title = Historical numbers}}

{{Main article|Jean-Baptiste de La Salle}}

In March, 1679, Jean-Baptiste de La Salle met the teacher Adrian Nyel in a chance encounter at the Convent of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus. Nyel asked for La Salle's help in opening free schools for the poor boys in Reims. A novitiate and normal school were established in Paris in 1694.{{cite dictionary| editor-last=Anderson | editor-first=Gerald H. |title=La Salle, Jean Baptiste de| dictionary=Biographical dictionary of Christian missions | publisher=Macmillan Reference USA | publication-place=New York | date=1998|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&pg=PA384|via=Google Books| isbn=0-02-864604-5 | oclc=36017191 | page=384}} Then the brothers decided collectively to take what is called a "vow of association" that is still performed today.{{Cite web|last=Luistro|first=Armin|title=De La Salle Brothers Overview|url=https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/brothers/|date=1998-11-25}} This initial vow required the brothers to stay together and interact with their community, instead of living in separate monasteries or isolated convents such as in the priesthood.{{Cite web|title=Lasallian Association for Mission|url=https://www.lasalleigbm.org/association|date=March 27, 2025}}{{Cite web|title=THE RULE OF THE BROTHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS|url=https://www.lasalle.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Rule_2015_eng_ame.pdf|publisher=Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools|location=Rome|date=September 8, 2015}} La Salle spent his life teaching poor children in parish charity schools. The school flourished and widened in scope; in 1725, six years after La Salle's death, the society was recognised by the pope, under the official title of "Brothers of the Christian Schools".{{EB1911 |inline=y |wstitle=La Salle, St Jean Baptiste de |volume=16 |page=231}} La Salle was canonised as a saint on 15 May 1900. In 1950 Pope Pius XII declared him to be the "Special Patron of All Teachers of Youth in the Catholic Church".{{Cite web|title=The Patron Saint of Teachers|url=https://www.cbu.edu/about/lasallian-tradition/st-john-baptist-de-la-salle/|publisher=Christian Brothers University}}

The order, approved by Pope Benedict XIII in 1725, rapidly spread over France. It was dissolved by a decree of the National Assembly set up after the French Revolution in February 1790, but recalled by Napoleon I in 1804 and formally recognised by the French government in 1808. Since then its members penetrated into nearly every country of Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Australia.C. Moe, "Hardly a soft landing: the first Australian foundation of the De La Salle Brothers – Armidale 1906", Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society vol 28 (2007), pp. 67–73.

As religious, members take the three usual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.{{Cite CE1913|wstitle=Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools|first=Paul|last=Joseph}} The Institute's headquarters is in Rome, Italy. The order has five global regions: North America (Région Lasallienne de l’Amérique du Nord, RELAN), Asia/Oceania (Pacific-Asia Regional Conference, PARC), Europe/Mediterranean (Région Lasallienne Européenne-Méditerranéenne, RELEM), Africa (Région Lasallienne Africano-Malgache, RELAF), and Latin America (Region Latinoamericana Lasallista, RELAL).{{cite web |url=https://www.lasallian.info/about/regions/ |title=Regions – Christian Brothers Conference |newspaper=Lasallian Region of North America |access-date=29 January 2016 |archive-date=21 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221140217/http://www.lasallian.info/about/regions/ |url-status=dead }}

During the International Year of Literacy/Schooling (1990), the Unesco awarded the Noma Literacy Prize to Lasallian Institutions.

The order says that its key principles are faith in the presence of God, concern for the poor and social justice, inclusive community, respect for all people, and quality education.{{cite web |url= https://www.lasallian.info/lasallian-family/5-core-principles/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219053154/http://www.lasallian.info/lasallian-family/5-core-principles/|archive-date=19 February 2015|title=5 Core Principles|website=Christian Brothers Conference |publisher=Lasallian Region of North America|date=2012}}

In 2017 the Institute had 3,800 brothers, 75% fewer than in 1965. The decline is due partly to many brothers reaching retirement age, and the small number of new recruits. In the same period the number of students in Lasallian schools increased from about 700,000 to over a million.{{cite web |url=http://thecatholicspirit.com/special-sections/vocations/christian-brother-reflects-on-life-future-of-lasallian-tradition/ |title=Christian brother reflects on life, future of Lasallian tradition|website= Thecatholicspirit.com |date=6 January 2016 |author=Susan Klemond |access-date= 14 March 2016}}

{{expand list|date=June 2020}}

The following have served as Superior General of the De La Salle Brothers:

• 1717–1720 Br. Barthélemy (Joseph Truffet), FSC
• 1720–1747 Br. Timothée (Guillaume Samson Bazin), FSC
• 1751–1767 Br. Claude (Pierre Nivet), FSC
• 1767–1777 Br. Florence (Jean Boubel), FSC
• 1777–1787 Br. Agathon (Joseph Gonlieu), FSC
• 1795–1810 Br. Fumence (Jean-Baptiste Herbet), FSC
• 1810–1822 Br. Gerbaud (Sébastien Thomas), FSC
• 1822–1830 Br. Guilluame de Jésus (François Marre), FSC
• 1830–1838 Br. Anaclet (Claude Louis Constantin), FSC
• 1838–1874 Br. Philippe (Mathieu Bransiet), FSC
• 1874–1875 Br. Jean-Olympe (Joseph Paget), FSC
• 1875–1884 Br. Irlide (Pierre Jean Cazaneuve), FSC
• 1884–1897 Br. Joseph (Joseph Marie Josserand), FSC
• 1897–1913 Br. Gabriel Marie Joseph (Joseph Marie Josserand), FSC
• 1913–1923 Br. Imier de Jésus (Antoine LaFabrègue), FSC
• 1923–1928 Br. Allais Charles (Jean Petiot), FSC
• 1928–1934 Br. Adrien (Petiot), FSC
• 1934–1940 Br. Junien Victor (Auguste Détharré), FSC
• 1940–1946 Br. Arèse-Casimir, FSC
• 1946–1952 Br. Athanase Émile (Louis-Arthur Ritman), FSC
• 1946–1956 Br. Denis-de-Jésus (Alphonse-Louis de Schepper), FSC - Vicar General
• 1956–1966: Br. Nicet Joseph Loubet, FSC
• 1966–1976: Br. Charles Henry Buttimer, FSC
• 1976–1986: Br. José Pablo Basterrechea, FSC
• 1986–2000: Br. John Johnston, FSC{{Cite web |title=Death of Br. John Johnston |publisher=Lasallian Family, Hong Kong |date=11 October 2007|url= http://www.lasalle.org.hk/pages/news/death_johnston.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114022619/http://www.lasalle.org.hk/pages/news/death_johnston.htm|archive-date=14 November 2017 }}
• 2000–2014: Br. Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, FSC
• 2014–2022: Br. Robert Schieler, FSC
• From 2022: Br. Armin Luistro, FSC{{Cite web |title=Election of the new Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools |author= |website=La Salle Worldwide |location=Rome |date=18 May 2022 |url= https://www.lasalle.org/en/86520/}}

{{Main article|Lasallian educational institutions}}

La Salle initiated a number of innovations in teaching. He recommended dividing up of the children into distinct classes according to their attainments. He also taught pupils to read the vernacular language.

In accordance with their mission statement "to provide a human and Christian education ... especially [to] the poor" the Brothers' principal activity is education, especially of the poor. The Lasallian order stated that {{As of|2023|12|lc=y}} the Institute had 2,883 Brothers, who helped in running 1,154 education centers in 78 countries with 1,160,328 students, together with 107,827 teachers and lay associates.

• The Guadalupana De La Salle Sisters were founded by Br. Juan Fromental Cayroche in the Archdiocese of Mexico. They currently teach in ten countries. The motherhouse is in Mexico City.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hgs.org.mx/|title=HGS - Hermanas Guadalupanas de La Salle|website=www.hgs.org.mx|access-date=21 December 2022}}
• The Congregation of the Lasallian Sisters was founded in 1966 by the Brothers of the Christian School in Vietnam to take care of the needs of poor children abandoned because of the civil war there. The office is in Bangkok.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lasalle.org/en/who-are-we/lasallian-family/la-salle-sisters/|title="La Salle Sisters", La Salle.org|access-date=21 December 2022|archive-date=16 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816132405/https://www.lasalle.org/en/who-are-we/lasallian-family/la-salle-sisters/|url-status=dead}}
• Lasallian Volunteers are lay people who volunteer for one or two years to engage in teaching and other Lasallian activities.{{cite web |url=http://www.lasallianvolunteers.org/volunteers/what-lvs-do/ |title=Lasallian Volunteers – what lvs do |newspaper=Lasallianvolunteers.org |access-date=29 January 2016 |archive-date=31 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131135600/http://www.lasallianvolunteers.org/volunteers/what-lvs-do/ |url-status=dead }} They receive room and board and a living stipend.{{cite web |url=http://www.lasallianvolunteers.org/volunteers/benefits/ |title=Lasallian Volunteers – benefits |newspaper=Lasallianvolunteers.org |access-date= 29 January 2016}}

English Lasallian lay brother and missionary Paul McAuley went to Peru in 1995 as part of his ministry in the Brothers of the Christian Schools, and set up a school in a poor shantytown in Lima; after a few years he was honoured with the British award of MBE for his work. He gave the award away and said that he would otherwise have returned it in protest at British companies' activities in the rainforest. In 2000, he founded the La Salle Intercultural Student Community, a hostel for indigenous schoolchildren in Belén, a neighbourhood of the jungle city of Iquitos. He helped tribes in the Amazon rainforest to fight against oil and gas companies expanding into the rainforest; local news media described him as a "Tarzan activist", "white terrorist" and "incendiary gringo priest". In July 2010, the Peruvian government revoked his residency permit for participating in activities "such as protest marches and other acts against the Peruvian state which constitute a breach of public order." He fought the expulsion in Peruvian courts and won his right to stay.{{Cite journal|url=https://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=collegian|date=11 April 2019|page=3|title=Christian Brother found dead in Peru|journal=The La Salle Collegian|volume=92|issue=20|publisher=La Salle University|location=Philadelphia}}{{Cite news |title=English Brother risks all for the Indians|last=de Jersey |first=Marc |newspaper=Catholic Herald |date=30 July 2010 |url= https://catholicherald.co.uk/from-our-archives-english-brother-risks-all-for-the-indians/}} Reissued 3 April 2019

On 2 April 2019, his dead body was discovered in the same hostel he founded in Iquitos; his body had been burned after his death. Peru's episcopal conference praised McAuley and called on the authorities to investigate the crime.{{Cite news |title=Peru: British environmental activist was dead before his body was burned |last=Collyns |first=Dan |newspaper=The Guardian |date=5 April 2019 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/04/peru-iquitos-paul-mcauley-british-activist }}

In 1981, the Institute started Christian Brothers Investment Services (CBIS),{{cite web | title=Who we are | website=CBIS | date=10 August 2022| url=https://cbisonline.com/eu/who-we-are/ }} a "socially responsible investing service" exclusively for Catholic organisations, saying that it "encourage[s] companies to improve policies and practices through active ownership".{{Cite report|url=https://cbisonline.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/07/CBIS_OVERVIEW_2014_v6.4.pdf|date=21 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128034422/https://cbisonline.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/07/CBIS_OVERVIEW_2014_v6.4.pdf|version=6.4|archive-date=28 January 2016|title=CBIS: Overview 2014}}

The Brothers arrived in Martinez, California, US, on the southern edge of the Carquinez Strait, part of the greater San Francisco Bay in 1868. In 1882 they began making wine for their own use at table and as sacramental wine. They also began to distill brandy, beginning with the pot-still production method that is used in the cognac region. Their production expanded until 1920, when prohibition limited their production to wines for sacramental use.

In 1932, at the end of Prohibition, they relocated the winery to the Mont La Salle property in the Napa Valley and continued making wine, in larger quantities. In 1935 Brother Timothy Diener became wine master, and he served in this position for 50 years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Christian-Brother-Timothy-pioneer-in-wine-2667749.php|title=Christian Brother Timothy -- pioneer in wine industry|first=Karola|last=Saekel|date=3 December 2004|website=SFGATE|access-date=21 December 2022}} In the 1950s they acquired Greystone Cellars near St. Helena, California. Varietal wine was made at the Napa Valley facility, generic wine and brandy were produced at Reedley in the San Joaquin Valley, and barrel ageing was handled at Greystone.

The Christian Brothers winery operated under the corporate name "Mont La Salle Vineyards". In 1988 the winery employed 250 people and produced 900,000 cases of wine, 1.2 million cases of brandy, and 80,000 cases of altar wine. Proceeds from sales helped to fund the Christian Brothers programs and schools, such as Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, and the care of ageing Brothers.

In 1989 the vineyards were sold to Heublein, Inc. The sacramental wine brand was purchased by four former Christian Brothers winery executives who {{As of|2023|lc=y}} carry on production under the name "Mont La Salle Altar Wines".{{cite web | title=Since 1882| website=Mont La Salle Altar Wines | date=2023 | url=https://montlasallealtarwines.com/}} The Brothers retained the Mont La Salle property and have a retreat located there.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-17-fi-264-story.html|title=Christian Bros. Winery Is Sold to Heublein|first=Dan|last=Berger|date=17 May 1989|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=21 December 2022}}

• Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (30 April 1651 – 7 April 1719), founder of the Institute, canonized on 24 May 1900
• Salomone Leclercq (15 November 1745 – 2 September 1792), Martyr of the French Revolution, canonized on 16 October 2016
• Bénilde Romançon (14 June 1805 – 13 August 1862), schoolteacher, canonized on 29 October 1967
• Miguel Febres Cordero (7 November 1854 – 9 February 1910), Ecuadorian Brother, canonized on 21 October 1984
• Mutien-Marie Wiaux (20 March 1841 – 30 January 1917), Belgian teacher, canonized on 10 December 1989
• Cirilo Bertrán Sanz Tejedor and 7 Companions (died 9 October 1934), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, canonized on 21 November 1999
• Jaime Hilario Barbal (2 January 1898 – 18 January 1937), Martyr of the Spanish Civil War, canonized on 21 November 1999

• Jean (Leon) Mopinot (12 December 1724 - 21 May 1794), Martyr of the French Revolution, beatified on 1 October 1995
• Jean Baptiste (Udalric) Guillaume (1 February 1755 - 27 August 1794), Martyr of the French Revolution, beatified on 1 October 1995
• Pierre-Sulpice-Christophe (Roger) Faverge (25 July 1745 - 12 September 1794), Martyr of the French Revolution, beatified on 1 October 1995
• Julian-Nicolas Rèche (2 September 1838 – 23 October 1890), educator, beatified on 1 November 1987
• Jean-Bernard Rousseau (22 March 1797 – 13 April 1867), "Catechist of Slaves", beatified on 2 May 1989
• Raphaël Rafiringa (3 November 1856 – 19 May 1919), Malagasy Brother, beatified on 7 June 2009
• Edmigio Isidoro Primo Rodriguez and 6 Companions (died between August to September 1936), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, beatified on 10 October 1993
• Honorato Andrés Zarraquino Herrero and 4 Companions (died between October to November 1936), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, beatified on 11 March 2001
• Ovidio Bertrán Anuncibay Letona and 57 Companions (died between July 1936 to March 1937), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, beatified on 28 October 2007
• Agustín María García Tribaldos and 73 Companions (died between July 1936 to July 1938), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, beatified on 13 October 2013
• James Alfred Miller (21 September 1944 – 13 February 1982), missionary to Guatemala and martyr, beatified on 7 December 2019

• Chretien (Alpert) Motsch (26 May 1849 - 6 April 1898). professed religious, declared Venerable on 12 January 1996{{Cite web |title=1898 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1898.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Adrien-Félix-Jean (Exupérien) Mas (7 June 1829 - 31 January 1905), professed religious, declared Venerable on 3 March 1990{{Cite web |title=1905 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1905.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Adolphe (Théophanius-Léo) Châtillon (31 October 1871 - 28 April 1929), Canadian professed religious, declared Venerable on 2 April 2011{{Cite web |title=1929 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1929.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Giovanni (Teodoreto) Garberoglio (9 February 1871 - 13 May 1954), professed religious and founder of the Union of Catechists of Jesus Crucified and Mary Immaculate, declared Venerable on 3 March 1990{{Cite web |title=1954 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1954.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Augustin Arnaud (Victorin Nymphas) Pagès (7 September 1885 - 16 April 1966), professed religious, declared Venerable on 6 April 2019{{Cite web |title=1966 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1966.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Francisco Andrés (Andrés Hibernón) Garmendía Mendizabál (3 September 1880 - 11 March 1969), professed religious, declared Venerable on 3 July 2008{{Cite web |title=1969 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1969.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Wendelin (Gregorio Cesario) Bühl (13 September 1896 - 11 December 1973), professed religious, declared Venerable on 6 April 1995{{Cite web |title=1973 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1973.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Leonardo (Adolfo) Lanzuela Martínez (8 November 1894 - 14 March 1976), professed religious, declared Venerable on 17 December 2015{{Cite web |title=1976 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1976.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Jean Prosper Fromental Cayroche (27 June 1895 - 5 December 1978), professed religious and founder of the Guadalupan Sisters of de La Salle, declared Venerable on 5 July 2013{{Cite web |title=1978 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1978.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}

• Ghislain-Florent (Térence) Pronier (29 February 1757 - 6 July 1794), Martyr of the French Revolution{{Cite web |title=French Revolution (09) |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/martyrs/MFR09.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}
• Antonio (Louis) Camilleri (1 September 1923 - 29 May 2011), Maltese professed religious{{Cite web |title=2011 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/2011.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}

• List of Lasallian educational institutions
• Parochial patronage

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.lasalle.org/en/ LaSalle.org, Web site of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools – La Salle]
• [http://www.delasalle.org.uk/ De La Salle Christian Brothers, Province of Great Britain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303162621/https://www.delasalle.org.uk/ |date=3 March 2021 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120222104042/http://www.lasalle.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=56&lang=en Brief history of the Lasallian Institute]
• {{Gutenberg author |id=3694| name=Christian Brothers}}
• Internet Archive
• {{Internet Archive author |name=Brothers of the Christian Schools}}
• {{Internet Archive author |name=Christian Brothers}} (but some will be about the Irish Congregation of Christian Brothers)
• {{Internet Archive author |dname=Frères des écoles chrétiennes |search=("Frères des écoles chrétiennes")}}

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Category:Institutes of Catholic religious brothers

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