SMU Magazine Winter 2001 - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

What is a
Lasallian
University?
Saint Mary’s University, as a Catholic
institution administered by the De La
Salle Christian Brothers, is grounded in
the spiritual and pedagogical insights of Saint
John Baptist de La Salle. Faculty, staff and students
are
described as
living the
“Lasallian
charism.”
With declining
numbers
of men entering
religious
service, it may
seem odd that
Saint Mary’s
University of
Minnesota
describes
itself as a
Lasallian university. If there are fewer Christian
Brothers to carry out the mission of De La
Salle, how will his message of education and
service reach new generations?
A New Testament word referring to a service,
“charism” today refers to the spirit of an
institution or individual as expressed in their
most basic operations, witness, and service. In
the university setting, the Lasallian charism
appears in the institution’s dedication to quality,
student-centered education, and learning
in the Roman Catholic tradition. On the individual
level, the charism appears through
compassionate dealings between people,
commitment to the advancement of knowledge,
and appreciation for arts and culture.
Today, the spirit of De La Salle lives on in
the Lasallian community operating in 81
countries and in more than 1,000 educational
institutions. Over 4,000 De La Salle Christian
Brothers, along with 56,000 Lasallian lay colleagues,
serve over three quarters of a million
students and their families worldwide. Here in
the United States, there are more than 100
Lasallian educational institutions; Saint
Mary’s University of Minnesota is one of seven
Lasallian colleges and universities.
tions, however, he persevered.
By 1684, La Salle had given up his personal
wealth and title in society to be an equal with the
teachers he was guiding. He eventually brought the
schoolmasters together formally as the Institute of the
Brothers of the Christian Schools. In Latin, the group’s
name is Fratres Scholarum Christianarum, the familiar
“FSC” after a Brother’s name. The Institute was
soon-after recognized as an official Congregation of
Religious in the Roman Catholic Church. The Congregation’s
primary purpose was to serve the educational
needs of society, particularly among the poor.
In addition to the founding of schools in 22
cities by the time of his death in 1719, La Salle contributed
significantly to the greater field of education
through his writings and innovative methodology.
He created an orderly system of practical teaching
methods that are considered standard today. For
example, the Brothers taught an entire group of
pupils at once rather than employing the tutor
method of one teacher for one student. Another
innovative method saw the Brothers teach children
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