杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

The Brothers of the Christian Schools, also known as Lasallians, are commemorating the 300^th anniversary of the death of their Founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle.

He established the Institute of religious brothers in France, in 1680, to provide quality education for poor children.

In an address on Thursday, 杏MAP导航 Francis praised St. de La Salle as 鈥渁 pioneer in the field of education, who created an innovative education system for his time.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 said the Saint鈥檚 legacy is still remarkable today for its vision of the school, the concept of the teacher, and innovative teaching methods.

Right to education

Considering these three elements separately, 杏MAP导航 Francis said de La Salle鈥檚 vision of the school made clear that all people, even the poor, have a right to education.

鈥淗e gave life to a community of lay people to carry out his ideal, and was certain that the Church cannot remain a stranger to the social contradictions of its times,鈥� he said.

Most education in 17^th century France was done by priests. The formation of the laity as teachers was therefore revolutionary, and the Lasallians became a type of 鈥渓ay monk鈥� dedicated to teaching poor children.

Teaching as a mission

杏MAP导航 Francis then reflected on St. John Baptist de La Salle鈥檚 concept of the teacher.

鈥淗e was certain that schooling was an important reality, which requires adequately-prepared instructors,鈥� said the Holy Father.

Taking stock of the structural deficiencies of his day鈥檚 educational system, de La Salle decided that teaching is not just a job but a mission, and surrounded himself with people who had natural qualities conducive to education and formed them in the 鈥渄ignity of the teacher鈥�.

Revolutionary teaching methods

The 杏MAP导航 said the Saint also put into practice new teaching methods, enlightened by 鈥渁n extraordinary pedagogical realism鈥�.

He held lessons in French 鈥� rather than the Latin that was widely used at the time 鈥� and divided pupils into homogeneous groups in order to better educate them. De La Salle even held seminars to form teachers in the countryside and founded Sunday Schools for adults.

鈥淗e dreamed of a school open to all,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渁nd thus dealt with even the most extreme educational needs, introducing a method of rehabilitation through school and work.鈥�

Offer hope through education

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis urged the Brothers of the Christian Schools to 鈥渋mitate his passion for the least and discarded鈥� and to contrast the culture of death with a 鈥渃ulture of the resurrection鈥�.

鈥淣ever tire of seeking those who find themselves in the modern 鈥榞raves鈥� of bewilderment, degradation, discomfort, and poverty,鈥� he said, 鈥渢o offer hope for a new life.鈥�