Lasallian Mission
The Lasallian educational tradition as expressed and lived at De La Salle College is an extension of the apostolic mission of the Catholic Church. As part of one of the largest educational networks in the world, the Lasallian mission can be found in over 110 schools and ministries just in the United States and Canada. Since 1680, educational institutions in more than 80 countries today have been influenced by the vision and innovative spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle, the Founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and Patron Saint of All Teachers.
Saint De La Salle transformed education by forming a community of committed educators with whom he developed a spirituality of teaching and learning in order to give a human and Christian education to young people, especially the poor. As part of this heritage, Lasallian schools and other kinds of ministries focus on Catholic values and the acquisition of virtues, emphasising academic excellence, religious formation, respect for all persons, faith in the presence of God, concern for the poor and an awareness of importance of social justice based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A Lasallian education strives to enrich each student’s cultural, intellectual, physical, social and spiritual development. The Lasallian vision of a true education is one that stimulates the mind, touches the heart, and creates a sense of leadership in order for our young people to prepare for life, work and service to society and to the apostolic mission of the Church.
Just as in Saint De La Salle’s time, the need for such schools was indeed great so it can be said that today more than ever the world needs what the Lasallian education and mission can give to today’s youth.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts. Forever!
The Lasallian Principles
The International Lasallian Mission
The three centuries that separate us from the birth of St. John Baptist De La Salle have been very rich. The proof of this is the continuity of his mission and the affirmation in different contexts of his spiritual heritage.
Today, the great De La Salle family is made up of more than 3,000 Brothers, who together with the 90,000 educators and lay collaborators assist in more than 1,100 educational works, in 80 countries more than 1 million pupils, including children, young people and adults.
The educational centers of the Lasallian Institute include all grades: kindergarten, primary education, middle schools, high schools, non-
The spirit of the Mission, in fact, is to offer an educational opportunity to those who otherwise would not have access to education and to foster the inclusion of the most marginalized social groups, women and girls, and students with special needs, throughout the world.
Through its educational centers, the La Salle Institute listens to the needs of the realities in which it operates and responds with integrated and sustainable programs so that its schools become a driver of development for the whole community.
To make this possible, the Institute can count on the Secretariat of Solidarity and Development and an international network of Lasallian Non-Profit Organizations, which, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, carry out projects of solidarity, cooperation for development and volunteerism to build a more equitable world.
The educational activity of the Lasallian Mission is carried out in different social sectors. The Institute has always been committed to education for the rights of children. In the year of international literacy (1990), UNESCO awarded the NOMA prize to Lasallian institutions. There is a collaboration with the Intercongregational Project “Solidarity with South Sudan” of the Union of Superiors General; the Institute is also among the founding members of BICE (Bureau International Catholique de l’Enfance).
