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De La Salle Brothers

The De La Salle Brothers, officially named the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (Latin: Fratres Scholarum Christianarum; French: Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes; Italian: Fratelli delle Scuole Cristiane) abbreviated FSC, is a Catholic lay religious congregation of pontifical right for men founded in France by Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (1651–1719), and now based in Rome, Italy. The De La Salle Brothers are also known as the Christian Brothers (sometimes by Lasallian organisations themselves[6]), French Christian Brothers, or Lasallian Brothers. The Lasallian Christian Brothers are distinct from the Congregation of Christian Brothers, often also referred to as simply the Christian Brothers, or Irish Christian Brothers.[7] The Lasallian Brothers use the post-nominal abbreviation FSC to denote their membership of the order, and the honorific title Brother, abbreviated "Br."

Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
Latin: Institutum Fratrum Scholarum Christianarum
French: Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes
AbbreviationFSC[1]
NicknameLasallians[2]
Formation1725 (299 years ago) (1725)
FounderJean-Baptiste de la Salle
Founded atRheims, Kingdom of France
TypeLay religious congregation of pontifical right (for men)
PurposeEducation
HeadquartersVia Aurelia 476, Rome, Italy[2]
Region
Worldwide
ServicesEducation
Membership
3,329 members as of 2020
Secretary General
Br. Antxon Andueza, FSC[3]
Br. Armin A. Luistro, F.S.C.[4][3]
Vicar General
Br. Carlos Gabriel Gómez Restrepo, FSC[5]
Motto
Latin: Signum Fidei
English: Sign of Faith
Main organ
Generalate
Parent organization
Catholic Church
Websitelasalle.org
Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, the founder of the De La Salle Brothers

In 2023 the La Salle University website stated that the Lasallian order consisted of about 3,000 Brothers, who helped in running over 1,100 education centers in 80 countries with more than a million students, together with 100,000 teachers and lay associates.[8][6] There are La Salle educational institutions in countries ranging from impoverished nations such as Nigeria to post-secondary institutions such as Bethlehem University (Bethlehem, Palestine), Manhattan College (New York City), US, College Mont La Salle (Ain Saadeh, Lebanon), and La Salle University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US).[9] The central administration of the Brothers operates out of the Generalate in Rome, Italy and is made up of the Superior General and his councillors.[citation needed]

A number of Lasallian institutions have been accused of, and have admitted and apologised for, long-standing and serious physical and sexual abuse against their charges.

History edit

Historical numbers
YearPop.±%
1719275—    
1792925+236.4%
18192,325+151.4%
187410,250+340.9%
190014,000+36.6%
20194,000−71.4%
20213,000−25.0%

In March, 1679, Jean-Baptiste de La Salle met 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.[10] 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".[11] 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".[citation needed]

The order, approved by Pope Benedict XIII in 1725,[12] 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.[13]

The Order edit

As religious, members take the three usual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.[12] 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).[14]

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.[15]

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.[16]

Superiors General edit

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[17]
  • 2000–2014: Br. Álvaro Rodríguez Echeverría, FSC
  • 2014–2022: Br. Robert Schieler, FSC
  • From 2022: Br. Armin Luistro, FSC[4]

Activities edit

Education edit

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.[12]

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. In 2021 the La Salle Worldwide website stated that the Lasallian order consists of about 3,000 Brothers, who help in running over 1,100 education centers in 80 countries with more than a million students, together with 100,000 teachers and lay associates.[8][6]

Institutions edit

  • 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.[18]
  • 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.[19]
  • Lasallian Volunteers are lay people who volunteer for one or two years to engage in teaching and other Lasallian activities.[20] They receive room and board and a living stipend.[21]

Protection of the environment edit

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.[22][23]

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.[24]

Other activities edit

Investment services edit

In 1981, the Institute started Christian Brothers Investment Services (CBIS),[25] a "socially responsible investing service" exclusively for Catholic organisations, saying that it "encourage[s] companies to improve policies and practices through active ownership".[26]

Winery edit

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.[27] 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.[28] 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.[27]

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.[27] 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.[29]

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 carry on production under the name "Mont La Salle Altar Wines".[29] The Brothers retained the Mont La Salle property and have a retreat located there.[27]

Child sexual abuse edit

In the Northern Ireland Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIA), an inquiry into institutional sexual and physical abuse in Northern Ireland institutions that were in charge of children from 1922 to 1995,[30] the De La Salle Brothers admitted in 2014 to the abuse of boys at two institutions: the former De La Salle Boys' Home Rubane House in Kircubbin, County Down, and St Patrick's Training School in west Belfast, and apologised to its victims. The order accepted that one of its earliest overseers engaged in sexual offences.[31] Representing the de la Salle order, Kevin Rooney QC said the brothers recognised that some of their members had caused "immense pain" to children which was "in contradiction to their vocation".[32] Senior Counsel Christine Smith QC said, "...[T]hose homes operated as outdated survivors of a bygone age."[33]

According to Tom O'Donoghue, in contrast to the more elite boarding school, "...schools for the lower social orders usually had the highest pupil-teacher ratios, resulting in many turning to corporal punishment as a behavioural management strategy". He also notes, " ...they were often... placed in charge of huge numbers of children from troubled backgrounds at a time when there was no professional child-care training."[34]

The Inquiry's first public hearings were held from January to May 2014 with the inquiry team reporting to the Executive by the start of 2016[needs update].[30] Module 3: De La Salle Boys Home at Rubane House, Kircubbin, started on 29 September 2014 and was completed on 17 December,[35] when the chairman paid tribute to the victims who testified. By October 2014 about 200 former residents of Rubane House made allegations of abuse, and 55 alleged that they themselves were physically or sexually abused. Billy McConville, orphaned when his mother Jean McConville was abducted and shot by the IRA in 1972, waived anonymity and described repeated sexual and physical abuse, and starvation, at Rubane House.[36] During the inquiry counsel for the De La Salle order said compensation had been paid, and accepted that some members had abused young boys at the home, but that the order believed that some claims "did not take place".[37]

Brother Francis Manning FSC said that the order welcomed the inquiry.[38] Before the abuse issue had become public a Brother wrote in a letter to an alleged abuser "It is best forgotten and I have told some brothers that no reference is to be made to it among themselves or the boys. The whole affair is best dropped with the prayer that all will learn that lesson that our holy rule is very wise in its prescriptions". The order conducted dozens of internal interviews in this case, but did not report the matter to police.[39][40]

On 11 March 2022 statements of apology were made in the Northern Ireland Assembly by ministers from the five main political parties in Northern Ireland and by representatives of six institution where abuse had taken place, including Br Francis Manning representing the De La Salle Brothers.[41] Several abuse survivors and their family members were critical of the apologies that were made by the institutional representatives.[42]

In the 1960s the deputy headmaster of St Gilbert's approved school (for young minor offenders) run by Brothers from the De La Salle order in Hartlebury, Worcestershire, England, was convicted of six counts of sexually abusing boys at the school. He was subsequently reinstated as a teacher at another school. In 2014, former pupils of the school described "a 30-year campaign of sadistic and degrading abuse" including rapes and beatings.[43] A headmaster, a deputy headmaster, and Brothers were reported to have been among those responsible. Police launched an investigation into allegations of abuse at the school between the 1940s and 1970s after former pupils were interviewed by BBC Hereford and Worcester, and documents intended to be unavailable until 2044 were released under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In 2017 and 2018 two former staff members were tried for serious sexual offences, assault causing actual bodily harm, and child cruelty. They were acquitted of all charges other than three charges of child cruelty against one of the defendants, on which the jury was unable to reach a verdict.[44] Other, named, abusers were reported to have died.[43]

There were other cases with many victims in countries including Scotland (St Ninian's in Gartmore, Stirlingshire; St Joseph's in Tranent; St Mary's in Bishopbriggs),[45] Australia,[46][47] and Ireland.[48] Serious and detailed allegations about decades-old abuse have been reported in the US, with several lawsuits being settled in favour of victims.[49][50][51][52] After the scandal became widely known, branches of the Order apologised, publicly or to individual victims, for several of these cases.[43][46][48] At St William's residential school in Market Weighton, England, between 1970 and 1991 many boys were abused; 200 now-adult men have said they were abused. Abusers including the principal, James Carragher, were imprisoned in 2004 for past sexual abuse at the home. Five victims started High Court action for compensation in 2016. Four of the cases were dismissed in December 2016 The De La Salle order repeated their apologies for and condemnation of the abuse.[53] In Australia the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse,[54] which started in 2013, reported in December 2013 that in the period 1 January 1996 to 30 September 2013, 2,215 complaints of abuse were received by the Catholic Church's Towards Healing programme, mostly relating to 1950–1980. "The Church authority with the largest number of complaints was the Christian Brothers, followed by the Marist and then the De La Salle Brothers. The most common positions held by the Church personnel and employees subject to a Towards Healing complaint at the time of the alleged incident were religious brother (43% of all complaints), diocesan priest (21% of all complaints) and religious priest (14% of all complaints)."[55] The De La Salle Brothers also operated the controversial BoysTown school between 1961 and 2001, which is known for having the largest case of child abuse at a single institution in Australia's history.[56]

Investigations and trials continued into 2022 involving a number of other schools[57] and the De La Salle order has only apologised where they have been legally found guilty and not where the allegations haven't been prosecuted. This had brought about a widespread condemnation from former, allegedly abused pupils who lack the evidence to bring about a prosecution.[58]

Lasallian Saints and Blesseds edit

Saints edit

Blesseds edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Identity & Mission". De La Salle Philippines. 2019.
  2. ^ a b Lasalians, De La Salle Brothers
  3. ^ a b "Members of the Chapter". La Salle - 46th General Chapter. 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Election of the new Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools". La Salle Worldwide. Rome. 18 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Elección del Hermano Vicario General". La Salle - 46th General Chapter. 19 May 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "The Christian Brothers at La Salle University". La Salle University. 4 January 2023. The Christian Brothers are at the heart of everything
  7. ^ Slattery, John Luke (1913). "Christian Brothers of Ireland" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. The schools of the Irish Christian Brothers are of many types ... the Christian Brothers' schools ...
  8. ^ a b "The International Lasallian Mission". La Salle Worldwide. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  9. ^ Morgan, G., F.S.C., Lasallian Education – 150 Years in Toronto, 2001.
  10. ^ Anderson, Gerald H., ed. (1998). "La Salle, Jean Baptiste de". Biographical dictionary of Christian missions. New York: Macmillan Reference USA. p. 384. ISBN 0-02-864604-5. OCLC 36017191 – via Google Books.
  11. ^   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "La Salle, St Jean Baptiste de". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 231.
  12. ^ a b c Joseph, Paul (1913). "Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ "Regions – Christian Brothers Conference". Lasallian Region of North America. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  15. ^ . Christian Brothers Conference. Lasallian Region of North America. 2012. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015.
  16. ^ Susan Klemond (6 January 2016). "Christian brother reflects on life, future of Lasallian tradition". Thecatholicspirit.com. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  17. ^ . Lasallian Family, Hong Kong. 11 October 2007. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017.
  18. ^ "HGS - Hermanas Guadalupanas de La Salle". www.hgs.org.mx. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  19. ^ . Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Lasallian Volunteers – what lvs do". Lasallianvolunteers.org. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  21. ^ "Lasallian Volunteers – benefits". Lasallianvolunteers.org. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  22. ^ "Christian Brother found dead in Peru". The La Salle Collegian. 92 (20). Philadelphia: La Salle University: 3. 11 April 2019.
  23. ^ de Jersey, Marc (30 July 2010). "English Brother risks all for the Indians". Catholic Herald. Reissued 3 April 2019
  24. ^ Collyns, Dan (5 April 2019). "Peru: British environmental activist was dead before his body was burned". The Guardian.
  25. ^ "Who we are". CBIS. 10 August 2022.
  26. ^ (PDF) (Report). 6.4. 21 July 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 January 2016.
  27. ^ a b c d Berger, Dan (17 May 1989). "Christian Bros. Winery Is Sold to Heublein". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  28. ^ Saekel, Karola (3 December 2004). "Christian Brother Timothy -- pioneer in wine industry". SFGATE. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  29. ^ a b "Since 1882". Mont La Salle Altar Wines. 2023.
  30. ^ a b "Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry - the background". BBC News. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  31. ^ Crawford, Harriet (7 October 2014). "Rubane House 'like Hell upon Earth' for 69-year-old branded a liar for reporting his abuse as boy". Belfast Telegraph.
  32. ^ Connolly, Maeve (15 January 2014). "De La Salle brothers apologise for abuse". The Irish News. from the original on 4 March 2016.
  33. ^ McDonald, Henry (14 January 2014). "Sisters of Nazareth become second Catholic order to admit to child abuse". the Guardian.
  34. ^ Tom O'Donoghue (2012). Catholic Teaching Brothers: Their Life in the English-Speaking World, 1891–1965. Palgrave Macmillan US. p. 179. ISBN 978-1-137-26905-8.
  35. ^ "Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry tribute to witnesses". BBC News. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  36. ^ . ITVX. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  37. ^ "HIA: De La Salle order 'to protect innocent brothers' from Rubane House". BBC News. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  38. ^ De La Salle Order Briefing. Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill - Official Report (Hansard) (Report). The Northern Ireland Assembly -Committee for the Office of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister. 19 September 2012.
  39. ^ "Abuse cases 'best forgotten', De La Salle brother decreed". Catholic Universe. 3 October 2014.[permanent dead link]
  40. ^ "Rubane House: Sex abuse inquiry 'best forgotten' said senior cleric". BBC News. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  41. ^ McCormack, Jayne; Andrews, Chris (11 March 2022). "Abuse survivors hear Stormont public apology". BBC News.
  42. ^ Connolly, Gráinne; Glynn, Niall; McCauley, Ciaran (11 March 2022). "Abuse survivors apology delivered at Stormont (reported live)". BBC News.
  43. ^ a b c BBC News:Hymns and screams: Abuse at St Gilbert's approved school revealed, 1 December 2014. BBC News
  44. ^ "Former St Gilbert's headteacher cleared of child cruelty". BBC News. 7 November 2018.
  45. ^ "The Scotsman, Executive fights to halt £8.5m claim from abused former pupils, 17 January 2006". Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  46. ^ a b "Two female victims received an official apology but not much compensation". brokenrites.org.au. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  47. ^ "Catholic church appears before Australian Royal Commission into sexual abuse". www.ncronline.org. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  48. ^ a b ie/rpt/01-01.php Government of Ireland:Establishment of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA):The De La Salle Brothers, 1.129–1.131
  49. ^ NEELA BANERJEE (25 December 2004). "$6.3 Million to Be Paid to Settle Abuse Case". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  50. ^ TimesUnion.com: La Salle alumnus alleges sex abuse, 22 September 2014 Troy, New York
  51. ^ John Simerman (26 June 2009). . Mercury News. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  52. ^ PATRICK CONDON (7 December 2010). . Huffington Post (from AP). Archived from the original on 7 March 2016.
  53. ^ "Victims take church to court over St William's school sex abuse". BBC News. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  54. ^ Final Report (Report). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Retrieved 14 December 2015. Page with links to full final report.
  55. ^ Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse at Sydney, Australia, PUBLIC HEARING INTO THE RESPONSE OF TOWARDS HEALING, paragraph 56, 9 December 2013
  56. ^ Robertson, Josh; Zwartz, Henry (26 July 2020). "Justice Denied". ABC News.
  57. ^ Hunt, Jane (19 November 2021). "Former RE teacher to face trial over sex assault charges". East Anglian Daily Times.
  58. ^ "St Joseph's College". Pat Mills. Retrieved 5 November 2019.

External links edit

salle, brothers, different, catholic, religious, institute, also, commonly, known, christian, brothers, congregation, christian, brothers, officially, named, institute, brothers, christian, schools, latin, fratres, scholarum, christianarum, french, frères, Éco. For a different Catholic religious institute also commonly known as Christian Brothers see Congregation of Christian Brothers The De La Salle Brothers officially named the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools Latin Fratres Scholarum Christianarum French Freres des Ecoles Chretiennes Italian Fratelli delle Scuole Cristiane abbreviated FSC is a Catholic lay religious congregation of pontifical right for men founded in France by Jean Baptiste de La Salle 1651 1719 and now based in Rome Italy The De La Salle Brothers are also known as the Christian Brothers sometimes by Lasallian organisations themselves 6 French Christian Brothers or Lasallian Brothers The Lasallian Christian Brothers are distinct from the Congregation of Christian Brothers often also referred to as simply the Christian Brothers or Irish Christian Brothers 7 The Lasallian Brothers use the post nominal abbreviation FSC to denote their membership of the order and the honorific title Brother abbreviated Br Institute of the Brothers of the Christian SchoolsLatin Institutum Fratrum Scholarum ChristianarumFrench Freres des Ecoles ChretiennesAbbreviationFSC 1 NicknameLasallians 2 Formation1725 299 years ago 1725 FounderJean Baptiste de la SalleFounded atRheims Kingdom of FranceTypeLay religious congregation of pontifical right for men PurposeEducationHeadquartersVia Aurelia 476 Rome Italy 2 RegionWorldwideServicesEducationMembership3 329 members as of 2020Secretary GeneralBr Antxon Andueza FSC 3 Superior GeneralBr Armin A Luistro F S C 4 3 Vicar GeneralBr Carlos Gabriel Gomez Restrepo FSC 5 MottoLatin Signum FideiEnglish Sign of FaithMain organGeneralateParent organizationCatholic ChurchWebsitelasalle wbr org Jean Baptiste de la Salle the founder of the De La Salle Brothers In 2023 the La Salle University website stated that the Lasallian order consisted of about 3 000 Brothers who helped in running over 1 100 education centers in 80 countries with more than a million students together with 100 000 teachers and lay associates 8 6 There are La Salle educational institutions in countries ranging from impoverished nations such as Nigeria to post secondary institutions such as Bethlehem University Bethlehem Palestine Manhattan College New York City US College Mont La Salle Ain Saadeh Lebanon and La Salle University Philadelphia Pennsylvania US 9 The central administration of the Brothers operates out of the Generalate in Rome Italy and is made up of the Superior General and his councillors citation needed A number of Lasallian institutions have been accused of and have admitted and apologised for long standing and serious physical and sexual abuse against their charges Contents 1 History 2 The Order 2 1 Superiors General 3 Activities 3 1 Education 3 2 Institutions 3 3 Protection of the environment 3 4 Other activities 3 4 1 Investment services 3 4 2 Winery 4 Child sexual abuse 5 Lasallian Saints and Blesseds 5 1 Saints 5 2 Blesseds 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory editHistorical numbersYearPop 1719275 1792925 236 4 18192 325 151 4 187410 250 340 9 190014 000 36 6 20194 000 71 4 20213 000 25 0 Main article Jean Baptiste de La Salle In March 1679 Jean Baptiste de La Salle met 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 10 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 11 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 citation needed The order approved by Pope Benedict XIII in 1725 12 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 13 The Order editAs religious members take the three usual vows of poverty chastity and obedience 12 The Institute s headquarters is in Rome Italy The order has five global regions North America Region Lasallienne de l Amerique du Nord RELAN Asia Oceania Pacific Asia Regional Conference PARC Europe Mediterranean Region Lasallienne Europeenne Mediterraneenne RELEM Africa Region Lasallienne Africano Malgache RELAF and Latin America Region Latinoamericana Lasallista RELAL 14 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 15 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 16 Superiors General edit This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items June 2020 The following have served as Superior General of the De La Salle Brothers 1717 1720 Br Barthelemy Joseph Truffet FSC 1720 1747 Br Timothee 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 Sebastien Thomas FSC 1822 1830 Br Guilluame de Jesus Francois 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 Jesus Antoine LaFabregue FSC 1923 1928 Br Allais Charles Jean Petiot FSC 1928 1934 Br Adrien Petiot FSC 1934 1940 Br Junien Victor Auguste Detharre FSC 1940 1946 Br Arese Casimir FSC 1946 1952 Br Athanase Emile Louis Arthur Ritman FSC 1946 1956 Br Denis de Jesus Alphonse Louis de Schepper FSC Vicar General 1956 1966 Br Nicet Joseph Loubet FSC 1966 1976 Br Charles Henry Buttimer FSC 1976 1986 Br Jose Pablo Basterrechea FSC 1986 2000 Br John Johnston FSC 17 2000 2014 Br Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria FSC 2014 2022 Br Robert Schieler FSC From 2022 Br Armin Luistro FSC 4 Activities editEducation edit 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 12 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 In 2021 the La Salle Worldwide website stated that the Lasallian order consists of about 3 000 Brothers who help in running over 1 100 education centers in 80 countries with more than a million students together with 100 000 teachers and lay associates 8 6 Institutions edit 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 18 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 19 Lasallian Volunteers are lay people who volunteer for one or two years to engage in teaching and other Lasallian activities 20 They receive room and board and a living stipend 21 Protection of the environment edit 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 Belen 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 22 23 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 24 Other activities edit Investment services edit In 1981 the Institute started Christian Brothers Investment Services CBIS 25 a socially responsible investing service exclusively for Catholic organisations saying that it encourage s companies to improve policies and practices through active ownership 26 Winery edit 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 27 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 28 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 27 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 27 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 29 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 update carry on production under the name Mont La Salle Altar Wines 29 The Brothers retained the Mont La Salle property and have a retreat located there 27 Child sexual abuse editIn the Northern Ireland Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry HIA an inquiry into institutional sexual and physical abuse in Northern Ireland institutions that were in charge of children from 1922 to 1995 30 the De La Salle Brothers admitted in 2014 to the abuse of boys at two institutions the former De La Salle Boys Home Rubane House in Kircubbin County Down and St Patrick s Training School in west Belfast and apologised to its victims The order accepted that one of its earliest overseers engaged in sexual offences 31 Representing the de la Salle order Kevin Rooney QC said the brothers recognised that some of their members had caused immense pain to children which was in contradiction to their vocation 32 Senior Counsel Christine Smith QC said T hose homes operated as outdated survivors of a bygone age 33 According to Tom O Donoghue in contrast to the more elite boarding school schools for the lower social orders usually had the highest pupil teacher ratios resulting in many turning to corporal punishment as a behavioural management strategy He also notes they were often placed in charge of huge numbers of children from troubled backgrounds at a time when there was no professional child care training 34 The Inquiry s first public hearings were held from January to May 2014 with the inquiry team reporting to the Executive by the start of 2016 needs update 30 Module 3 De La Salle Boys Home at Rubane House Kircubbin started on 29 September 2014 and was completed on 17 December 35 when the chairman paid tribute to the victims who testified By October 2014 about 200 former residents of Rubane House made allegations of abuse and 55 alleged that they themselves were physically or sexually abused Billy McConville orphaned when his mother Jean McConville was abducted and shot by the IRA in 1972 waived anonymity and described repeated sexual and physical abuse and starvation at Rubane House 36 During the inquiry counsel for the De La Salle order said compensation had been paid and accepted that some members had abused young boys at the home but that the order believed that some claims did not take place 37 Brother Francis Manning FSC said that the order welcomed the inquiry 38 Before the abuse issue had become public a Brother wrote in a letter to an alleged abuser It is best forgotten and I have told some brothers that no reference is to be made to it among themselves or the boys The whole affair is best dropped with the prayer that all will learn that lesson that our holy rule is very wise in its prescriptions The order conducted dozens of internal interviews in this case but did not report the matter to police 39 40 On 11 March 2022 statements of apology were made in the Northern Ireland Assembly by ministers from the five main political parties in Northern Ireland and by representatives of six institution where abuse had taken place including Br Francis Manning representing the De La Salle Brothers 41 Several abuse survivors and their family members were critical of the apologies that were made by the institutional representatives 42 In the 1960s the deputy headmaster of St Gilbert s approved school for young minor offenders run by Brothers from the De La Salle order in Hartlebury Worcestershire England was convicted of six counts of sexually abusing boys at the school He was subsequently reinstated as a teacher at another school In 2014 former pupils of the school described a 30 year campaign of sadistic and degrading abuse including rapes and beatings 43 A headmaster a deputy headmaster and Brothers were reported to have been among those responsible Police launched an investigation into allegations of abuse at the school between the 1940s and 1970s after former pupils were interviewed by BBC Hereford and Worcester and documents intended to be unavailable until 2044 were released under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 In 2017 and 2018 two former staff members were tried for serious sexual offences assault causing actual bodily harm and child cruelty They were acquitted of all charges other than three charges of child cruelty against one of the defendants on which the jury was unable to reach a verdict 44 Other named abusers were reported to have died 43 There were other cases with many victims in countries including Scotland St Ninian s in Gartmore Stirlingshire St Joseph s in Tranent St Mary s in Bishopbriggs 45 Australia 46 47 and Ireland 48 Serious and detailed allegations about decades old abuse have been reported in the US with several lawsuits being settled in favour of victims 49 50 51 52 After the scandal became widely known branches of the Order apologised publicly or to individual victims for several of these cases 43 46 48 At St William s residential school in Market Weighton England between 1970 and 1991 many boys were abused 200 now adult men have said they were abused Abusers including the principal James Carragher were imprisoned in 2004 for past sexual abuse at the home Five victims started High Court action for compensation in 2016 Four of the cases were dismissed in December 2016 The De La Salle order repeated their apologies for and condemnation of the abuse 53 In Australia the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 54 which started in 2013 reported in December 2013 that in the period 1 January 1996 to 30 September 2013 2 215 complaints of abuse were received by the Catholic Church s Towards Healing programme mostly relating to 1950 1980 The Church authority with the largest number of complaints was the Christian Brothers followed by the Marist and then the De La Salle Brothers The most common positions held by the Church personnel and employees subject to a Towards Healing complaint at the time of the alleged incident were religious brother 43 of all complaints diocesan priest 21 of all complaints and religious priest 14 of all complaints 55 The De La Salle Brothers also operated the controversial BoysTown school between 1961 and 2001 which is known for having the largest case of child abuse at a single institution in Australia s history 56 Investigations and trials continued into 2022 involving a number of other schools 57 and the De La Salle order has only apologised where they have been legally found guilty and not where the allegations haven t been prosecuted This had brought about a widespread condemnation from former allegedly abused pupils who lack the evidence to bring about a prosecution 58 Lasallian Saints and Blesseds editSaints edit Jean Baptiste de La Salle canonised on 24 May 1900 Benilde Romancon canonised on 29 October 1967 Miguel Febres Cordero canonised on 21 October 1984 Mutien Marie Wiaux canonised on 10 December 1989 Jaime Hilario Barbal canonised on 21 November 1999 Cirilo Bertran Sanz Tejedor and 7 Companions canonised on 21 November 1999 Salomone Leclercq canonised on 16 October 2016 Blesseds edit Julian Nicolas Reche beatified on 1 November 1987 Jean Bernard Rousseau beatified on 2 May 1989 Diego Ventaja Milan and 8 Companions beatified on 10 October 1993 Jean Baptiste Souzy and 63 Companions beatified on 1 October 1995 Leonardo Olivera Buera and 5 Companions beatified on 11 March 2001 Raphael Rafiringa beatified on 7 June 2009 James Alfred Miller beatified 7 December 2019 See also editList of Lasallian educational institutions Parochial patronageReferences edit Identity amp Mission De La Salle Philippines 2019 a b Lasalians De La Salle Brothers a b Members of the Chapter La Salle 46th General Chapter 2020 a b Election of the new Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools La Salle Worldwide Rome 18 May 2022 Eleccion del Hermano Vicario General La Salle 46th General Chapter 19 May 2022 a b c The Christian Brothers at La Salle University La Salle University 4 January 2023 The Christian Brothers are at the heart of everything Slattery John Luke 1913 Christian Brothers of Ireland In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company The schools of the Irish Christian Brothers are of many types the Christian Brothers schools a b The International Lasallian Mission La Salle Worldwide Retrieved 22 September 2023 Morgan G F S C Lasallian Education 150 Years in Toronto 2001 Anderson Gerald H ed 1998 La Salle Jean Baptiste de Biographical dictionary of Christian missions New York Macmillan Reference USA p 384 ISBN 0 02 864604 5 OCLC 36017191 via Google Books nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 La Salle St Jean Baptiste de Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 16 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 231 a b c Joseph Paul 1913 Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company 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 Regions Christian Brothers Conference Lasallian Region of North America Retrieved 29 January 2016 5 Core Principles Christian Brothers Conference Lasallian Region of North America 2012 Archived from the original on 19 February 2015 Susan Klemond 6 January 2016 Christian brother reflects on life future of Lasallian tradition Thecatholicspirit com Retrieved 14 March 2016 Death of Br John Johnston Lasallian Family Hong Kong 11 October 2007 Archived from the original on 14 November 2017 HGS Hermanas Guadalupanas de La Salle www hgs org mx Retrieved 21 December 2022 La Salle Sisters La Salle org Archived from the original on 16 August 2019 Retrieved 21 December 2022 Lasallian Volunteers what lvs do Lasallianvolunteers org Retrieved 29 January 2016 Lasallian Volunteers benefits Lasallianvolunteers org Retrieved 29 January 2016 Christian Brother found dead in Peru The La Salle Collegian 92 20 Philadelphia La Salle University 3 11 April 2019 de Jersey Marc 30 July 2010 English Brother risks all for the Indians Catholic Herald Reissued 3 April 2019 Collyns Dan 5 April 2019 Peru British environmental activist was dead before his body was burned The Guardian Who we are CBIS 10 August 2022 CBIS Overview 2014 PDF Report 6 4 21 July 2015 Archived from the original PDF on 28 January 2016 a b c d Berger Dan 17 May 1989 Christian Bros Winery Is Sold to Heublein Los Angeles Times Retrieved 21 December 2022 Saekel Karola 3 December 2004 Christian Brother Timothy pioneer in wine industry SFGATE Retrieved 21 December 2022 a b Since 1882 Mont La Salle Altar Wines 2023 a b Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry the background BBC News 13 January 2014 Retrieved 21 December 2022 Crawford Harriet 7 October 2014 Rubane House like Hell upon Earth for 69 year old branded a liar for reporting his abuse as boy Belfast Telegraph Connolly Maeve 15 January 2014 De La Salle brothers apologise for abuse The Irish News Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 McDonald Henry 14 January 2014 Sisters of Nazareth become second Catholic order to admit to child abuse the Guardian Tom O Donoghue 2012 Catholic Teaching Brothers Their Life in the English Speaking World 1891 1965 Palgrave Macmillan US p 179 ISBN 978 1 137 26905 8 Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry tribute to witnesses BBC News 17 December 2014 Retrieved 21 December 2022 ITVX The Streaming Home For All Of ITV And So Much More ITVX Archived from the original on 2 April 2015 Retrieved 21 December 2022 HIA De La Salle order to protect innocent brothers from Rubane House BBC News 6 October 2014 Retrieved 1 December 2015 De La Salle Order Briefing Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill Official Report Hansard Report The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for the Office of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister 19 September 2012 Abuse cases best forgotten De La Salle brother decreed Catholic Universe 3 October 2014 permanent dead link Rubane House Sex abuse inquiry best forgotten said senior cleric BBC News 30 September 2014 Retrieved 13 February 2018 McCormack Jayne Andrews Chris 11 March 2022 Abuse survivors hear Stormont public apology BBC News Connolly Grainne Glynn Niall McCauley Ciaran 11 March 2022 Abuse survivors apology delivered at Stormont reported live BBC News a b c BBC News Hymns and screams Abuse at St Gilbert s approved school revealed 1 December 2014 BBC News Former St Gilbert s headteacher cleared of child cruelty BBC News 7 November 2018 The Scotsman Executive fights to halt 8 5m claim from abused former pupils 17 January 2006 Retrieved 21 December 2022 a b Two female victims received an official apology but not much compensation brokenrites org au Retrieved 21 December 2022 Catholic church appears before Australian Royal Commission into sexual abuse www ncronline org Retrieved 21 December 2022 a b ie rpt 01 01 php Government of Ireland Establishment of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse CICA The De La Salle Brothers 1 129 1 131 NEELA BANERJEE 25 December 2004 6 3 Million to Be Paid to Settle Abuse Case The New York Times Retrieved 12 July 2018 TimesUnion com La Salle alumnus alleges sex abuse 22 September 2014 Troy New York John Simerman 26 June 2009 Former De La Salle teacher faces new sexual abuse allegations in Minnesota Mercury News Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 PATRICK CONDON 7 December 2010 Top Catholic School Program Concealed Sexual Abuse Knowledge Huffington Post from AP Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Victims take church to court over St William s school sex abuse BBC News 31 October 2016 Retrieved 31 October 2016 Final Report Report Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Retrieved 14 December 2015 Page with links to full final report Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse at Sydney Australia PUBLIC HEARING INTO THE RESPONSE OF TOWARDS HEALING paragraph 56 9 December 2013 Robertson Josh Zwartz Henry 26 July 2020 Justice Denied ABC News Hunt Jane 19 November 2021 Former RE teacher to face trial over sex assault charges East Anglian Daily Times St Joseph s College Pat Mills Retrieved 5 November 2019 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Freres des ecoles chretiennes LaSalle org Web site of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools La Salle De La Salle Christian Brothers Province of Great Britain Archived 3 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine Brief history of the Lasallian Institute Works by Christian Brothers at Project Gutenberg Internet Archive Works by or about Brothers of the Christian Schools at Internet Archive Works by or about Christian Brothers at Internet Archive but some will be about the Irish Congregation of Christian Brothers Works by or about Freres des ecoles chretiennes at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title De La Salle Brothers amp oldid 1219590495, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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