St. John Baptist de La Salle – Life, Innovations, and Legacy

Vocabulary flashcards covering De La Salle’s educational innovations, pivotal life events, collaborators, final days, and enduring legacy.

Vernacular Instruction

De La Salle’s shift from Latin to French as the classroom language, making lessons accessible to ordinary children.

Simultaneous Teaching Method

A classroom approach in which one teacher instructs many students at the same time, introduced by De La Salle.

Technical Courses

Practical subjects (e.g., bookkeeping, navigation) added by De La Salle beyond basic reading and writing.

Catechesis

Systematic Christian religious instruction central to De La Salle’s schools.

Heroic Vow

Sacred promise made on 21 Nov 1691 by De La Salle, Nicolas Vuyart, and Gabriel Drolin to keep their educational mission alive even if reduced to begging.

Vaugirard

Paris suburb where the Heroic Vow was professed.

Nicolas Vuyart

One of the two Brothers who joined De La Salle in the Heroic Vow commitment.

Gabriel Drolin

Brother who, alongside Vuyart, took the Heroic Vow with De La Salle.

Notre Dame de Liesse

House where twelve Brothers soon joined the founding community after the Heroic Vow.

Parmenie

Mountain retreat where De La Salle spent 1712-1714 in solitude, prayer, and discernment.

Sr. Louise

Religious sister who guided De La Salle spiritually during his retreat at Parmenie.

Rouen

City in France where De La Salle resumed leadership and spent his final days.

Asthma and Severe Rheumatism

Chronic ailments that afflicted De La Salle in his later life, especially during his time in Rouen.

Good Friday, 7 April 1719

Date on which De La Salle died at age 68.

Canonization (1900)

Pope Leo XIII’s declaration that officially recognized De La Salle as a saint.

Patron Saint of Teachers (1950)

Title bestowed on De La Salle by Pope Pius XII, honoring his impact on education.

Lay Partners

Non-Brother collaborators who share in the Lasallian mission of Christian education.

Faith, Service, and Communion in Mission

Core Lasallian values handed down from De La Salle’s legacy.