1651
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
April 30, 1651
De La Salle is born in Reims, France.
Until the age of 13, the family home is
the Hotel de la Cloche, now named the
Hotel De La Salle. Here it was that
John Baptist first learned the meaning of
sorrow at the loss of his young brothers and
sister, Remy, Marie-Anne and Jean-Louis.
1657
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1657
De La Salle made many visits to his
maternal grandparents' home in the
countryside village of Brouillet.
1661
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1661
After some years of private tutoring
at home, De La Salle begins his formal
schooling at the College des Bons Enfants
in Reims.
1662
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1662
Although still very young, he receives
the tonsure at Reims Cathedral,
indicating that he is on the path to
becoming a cleric.
1664
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1664
The De La Salle family moves to another
house on the Rue St. Marguerite when
De La Salle was thirteen years old.
He would live here until the age of 31,
taking care of his brothers and sisters
after his parents died suddenly within
18 months of one another. The house was
sold by the family in 1682 and no trace
of it remains.
1666
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1666
De La Salle is named a Canon of Reims
Cathedral, bringing with it many benefices
and responsibilities. An altar server from
the start, De La Salle regularly attended
Mass and prayers here, and was a Canon
for sixteen years. This is also where he said
his first Mass, and around which his
liturgical life revolved.
1670
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1670
De La Salle enters the Seminary of
Saint Sulpice in Paris and studies at the
Sorbonne University (following courses
on the Incarnation, Sacraments, the Trinity).
1671
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1671
De La Salle's mother, Nicolle Moet, dies at
the age of 38 and is buried the same day.
1672 - 1673
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1672
De La Salle’s father, Louis de La Salle, dies in Reims
at the age of 47 and is buried the following day.
John Baptist de La Salle, his sisters and brothers
were blessed with the tender love of their maternal
grandmother, Perrette Lespagnol, whose ways and
virtues kept them in mind of their mother’s. De La Salle
suspends his studies in Paris and returns to Reims to
take charge of his family.
In 1673, De La Salle returns to school, this time in Reims.
1676
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1676
De La Salle is ordained as a deacon in
the chapel of the Archbishop of Reims.
1678
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1678
De La Salle was ordained a priest on
April 9, 1678. Throughout all this time
he devoted himself to the education of
his four brothers and two sisters.
De La Salle also obtains his Licentiate
in Theology from the University of Reims.
1679-A
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1679
On March 15, 1679, De La Salle first met
Adrian Nyel upon the doorstep at the Motherhouse
of the Sisters of the Child Jesus. Adrian Nyel was a
layman who had worked in Rouen for many years,
providing schooling for the poor. Upon hearing
Nyel's intentions and observing his lack of familiarity
with the situation in Reims, De La Salle invited Nyel
to stay at his home so that they could consult with
others in the town on how to start the proposed school
for poor boys.
1679-B
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1679
The first school was established at
St. Maurice’s in Reims through the efforts
of Adrian Nyel, along with the active
work of De La Salle.
1680
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1680
Nyel sets off to start yet more schools and
De La Salle was left to manage the school
on his own. He knew that the teachers in
Reims were lacking leadership, purpose and
training. De La Salle takes the struggling
group of teachers into his home for meals,
meetings and prayer. This is considered to be
the beginning of the Brothers of the Christian
Schools.
De La Salle receives his Doctorate in Theology
from the University of Reims.
1682
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1682
De La Salle and his teachers move into a rented
house on the Rue Neuve, facing the convent of
Sainte-Claire, in the poorer section of town.
De La Salle resigns his position as Canon of the
Cathedral of Reims, giving up the status, benefits,
income and responsibilities related to that position.
De La Salle was Canon of this cathedral from the
age of 16 until he was 32, and it was here that
he was ordained as a priest on Holy Saturday,
April 9th, 1678, by Archbishop Le Tellier.
1683
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1683
De La Salle begins to distribute his fortune to the poor
of the city of Reims at a time when famine raged,
both among the poor and the upper classes of the city.
In the famine of 1683-1684, he distributed his rich
inheritance (about $500,000 in today’s money)
to the poor through the daily handing out of bread
to everyone who needed it.
1684
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1684
In a "Chapter of 1684", attended by Brothers from
the schools in Reims as well as those from Guise,
Laon, Rethel and Chateau-Porcien — all places
where new schools had been established by
the Brothers — the crucial decision was made
that henceforth they would consider themselves
“religious,” Brothers of the Christian Schools,
and that they would wear a special habit and
bind themselves to the service of God by vows.
1685
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1685
Adrien Nyel asks to retire to Rouen.
1686
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1686
De La Salle brings together the
7-8 principal Brothers for a retreat
in Reims, at the end of which, on June 9,
they pronounce the vow of obedience
for three years, renewed annually.
1688
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1688
De La Salle and two Brothers arrive in Paris,
at the invitation of the pastor of the parish of
St. Sulpice, to begin work at the parish school on
Rue Princesse three days later. This is an important
step because it moves the mission beyond the
confines of a single diocese.
The pastor of St. Sulpice, La Barmondiere,
decides to turn the administration of the school
on Rue Princesse to De La Salle and the Brothers.
1690 - 1691
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1690
New schools open and legal battles start with those
who see these gratuitous schools as a threat to their
livelihood and interests. These troubles continue
for the next 35 years.
In 1691, De La Salle becomes seriously ill and is
near death. The community is in crisis with about
20 Brothers and many schools to maintain. De La Salle
eventually recovers, prays and reflects on the whole
situation, and makes a series of steps to improve the internal
growth of the Institute, including the purchase of Vaugirard,
outside Paris, for the rest and training of the Brothers.
1700 - 1702
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1700
A board of trustees is created in Reims to manage the assets
of the Institute in that area of France. Board members
included De La Salle, his brother Jean-Louis, a local Canon
and another priest, Pierre Delaval.
In 1702, the Archbishop of Paris replaces De La Salle
as Superior of the community in Paris with Fr. Bricot.
The Brothers are up in arms. Finally, they negotiate that
Bricot will be their ‘ecclesiastical Superior’ and De La Salle
will remain as Superior General.
1705
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1705
De La Salle purchased a 175 acre property in Rouen,
called Saint Yon, to be used as a boarding school.
Saint Yon became the foundation of the Brothers
in Rouen and the center of the Institute for many
years. De La Salle spent the last years of his life here.
1712
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1712
De La Salle arrives in Marseilles where he will
be involved in several schools, start a novitiate,
try to go to Rome (unsuccessfully), encounter
Jansenist opposition, and ultimately feel as if
he’s failed in his endeavors there.
1714
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1714
The brothers call DeLa Salle back
to Paris, where he becomes involved
in the life of the school, the oversight
of the Brothers’ work and the religious
life of the Church in the area.
1715
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1715
De La Salle leaves Paris to live at Saint Yon
in Rouen, where he continues his work on
his Meditations, teaches prayer to the novices
and works with the most serious prison cases.
1717
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1717
The 2nd General Chapter begins,
with 16 Directors representing 102 Brothers.
De La Salle is present, but he does not attend
the election of the Superior General or the
discussion of improving the Rule. De La Salle
is asked to take the discussion results and
craft the new Rule.
1719
Saint John Baptist de La Salle
1719
On April 7, 1719, De La Salle passes
away at 4:00 AM on Good Friday.
Brother Barthelemy, who was with him,
suggested that he offer up his sufferings,
to which he replied: "I adore in all things
the will of God in my regard."
Sainthood