Welcome

to the

De La Salle

Brothers,

Marrickville.

WHAT IS ON THIS SITE

Overview

St.De La Salle

A Lasallian Prayer

Lasallian Family

How to Join the De La Salle Brothers

De La Salle Brothers in Australia,PNG &New Zealand

De La Salle Brothers, Marrickville

Headquarters

Lasallian Links

Other Useful Links

E-Mail To: dlsbros@eagles.com.au

SIGNUM FIDEI

DE LA SALLE

BROTHERS

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HEADQUARTERS

International

Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea

OVERVIEW

The De La Salle Brothers is a religious congregation of men within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1684 France by a priest and scholar, John Baptist De La Salle, to live and work in association (with one another) in order to serve the poor through education. In doing so, De La Salle founded the first non-clerical male religious congregation, in the Catholic Church. It was (and still is) a religious congregation with a specific apostolate, education.

As a result, the De La Salle Brother works in an educational setting or in works which have an educative purpose and which allows a preferential option for the poor to be expressed.

At the time of the death in 1719 of John Baptist De La Salle, there were one hundred Brothers in two countries (France and Italy). Today the number is approximately seven thousand Brothers internationally, working in over eighty countries. John Baptist De La Salle was canonised in 1901 and in 1950 proclaimed by the Pope to be the principal patron saint of teachers and student teachers.

De La Salle Brothers today can be found teaching at all levels of education, working as principals or headmasters, as educational consultants, as nurse educators, as missionaries, as religious educators, as administrators, catechists, theologians, psychologists, special educators, welfare workers, spiritual directors, Directors of Catholic Education and in youth ministry.

The De La Salle Brother is characterised by two special traits. The De La Salle Brother sees all things with a spirit of faith and allows the spirit to manifest itself in and through his actions with the spirit of zeal.

A LASALLIAN PRAYER

 In your providence, Lord God,
 you chose St. John Baptist De La Salle, 
 to educate the young in Christian Faith.
 Raise up, Lord, in the Church of today
 teachers who will devote themselves 
 wholeheartedly to the human and 
 Christian education of youth.

 Amen.

(From the Divine Office-Roman Catholic Church)

LASALLIAN FAMILY

You may have already asked yourself if it is possible to learn more about St. De La Salle, without first becoming a Brother. The answer is yes! All throughout Australia, indeed throughout the world, there are groups of men and women who meet regularly to discuss Lasallian issues. These are people who currently work in an educative setting, usually where the De La Salle Brothers have been or still are. These are called Lasallian Partners and are part of a vital network of people continuing the vision of St. De La Salle. There are of course other ways of belonging to the Lasallian Family. For more details, write to or E-Mail one of the addresses listed under 'Headquarters'.

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St.De La Salle

John Baptist De La Salle was a man of his time. Born in France in 1651 to a wealthy family (his father was high in the legal profession), De La Salle would become one of the most innovative educators and thinkers of modern times. He lived in an age of great thinkers and of great people. He grew up whilst St. Vincent De Paul was establishing his great work with the poor and when in England, the philosopher John Locke was penning his 'Thoughts on Education'.

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De La Salle was himself a well educated man, his highest degree being a Doctor of Theology. Amidst all of this, in 1684, De La Salle founded the first, non-clerical, male teaching order in the Church. Others had tried but had failed to establish the connection between a life of prayer, the apostolate and community life. De La Salle saw the connection of all three.

That is not to say that life was easy. De La Salle (a priest) encountered many obstacles within the Church and from civil authorities that had something to lose with the establishment of 'free' Christian Schools. Indeed, in 1691, De La Salle, with two other Brothers, made a vow of association: to remain together, to achieve God's work that had been entrusted to them, despite adverse circumstances.  

John Baptist De La Salle was very much an innovator when it came to education. In his time, he established schools for those unable to obtain an education. De La Salle conceived the idea of having the students in one classroom with a teacher. He established Teacher Training Colleges, Technical Schools, a Maritime College, wrote on Special Education and conceived the notion that students would learn best in their mother tongue, rather than in Latin.

De La Salle died on April 7 (Good Friday) 1719. He was canonised a Saint in 1900 by Pope Leo XIII.

Today, we take these things for granted. Given the lasting effect that De La Salle has had on education, it should not be a surprise to learn that in 1950, he was proclaimed by the Pope to be the Principal Patron Saint of Teachers and Student Teachers. Over three hundred years later, some seven thousand De La Salle Brothers and thousands of Lasallian Partners and Teachers continue the work of St. John Baptist De La Salle, people who "devote themselves wholeheartedly, to the human and Christian education of youth."

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Perhaps after reading through the information about the Brothers and having read the life story of John Baptist De La Salle, you may be wondering how you can journey in the footsteps of St. De La Salle. For men, one way is to consider becoming a Brother.

Each year, a group of similarly - minded young men become Novice Brothers by entering the De La Salle Brothers' Novitiate. After some months of study and guidance, the novice is presented with some symbols of religious life, perhaps the Robe and the Rule of De La Salle.

Upon completion of the Novitiate (normally two years), the young Brother may ask to proceed to first vows. Your Final Profession of Vows comes at least five years after first Vows. The Brother must also be at least 25 years of age in order to be admitted to Final Vows. The Final Profession of Vows is a solemn and public occasion, celebrated in the presence of your family, friends and Brothers.

The life of a Brother, can take you to many places and see you engaging in an array of works and apostolates, which you may not previously have thought possible. Along the way, you learn to reach out to others, to touch hearts as De La Salle once described it. As a way of life, it affords you many rich experiences and blessings.

If you think you would like to know more about joining the Brothers, contact Br. Anthony Cummins via E-Mail at: dlsmal@alphalink.com.au

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DE LA SALLE BROTHERS

IN

De La Salle

Brothers 

Come

To

Australia, PNG,

New Zealand 

DE LA SALLE BROTHERS IN AUSTRALIA, PNG, AND NEW ZEALAND.

The arrival of the De La Salle Brothers in Australia, was essentially a response to a request by the then Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Moran. Cardinal Moran, as early as 1889, had sent a letter to the Superior General, advising him that there were schools in Sydney and Melbourne that awaited and required the services of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The Superior General was able to respond positively to this request in 1904 and in 1906 the first foundation in Australia of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (known in Australia as De La Salle Brothers), took place in Armidale, New South Wales. Initially, a small group of French Brothers were sent; however within a year so, the Australian foundation became a part of the 'missionary' effort of the Irish De La Salle Brothers. This should not be a surprise, as Cardinal Moran had previously been the Bishop of Ossory, Eire (Ireland) and in that capacity he became acquainted with the work of the De La Salle Brothers.

Several foundations followed, with schools and communities of Brothers appearing throughout New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. In 1946, the De La Salle Brothers in Australia, took on missionary work in what is today Papua New Guinea. The foundation at Yule Island (PNG) was the start of several foundations in that country. In 1953, the De La Salle Brothers opened 2 foundations in New Zealand, one at Mangere East, the other at Blenheim.

Today, many of the early foundations exist under the leadership of the laity, many of whom are Lasallian Partners and like the Brothers, strive to achieve the vision of St.De La Salle.

The De La Salle Brothers, currently have communities at Balgo Hills (in the Kimberley in Western Australia), Bankstown (NSW), Beaudesert (QLD), Bomana (PNG), Castle Hill (NSW), Cronulla (NSW), East Bentleigh (VIC)., Henley Beach (SA), Hohola (PNG), Kensington (NSW), Kondiu (PNG), Kurmond (NSW), Malvern (VIC), Mangere East (NZ), Marrickville (NSW), Mentone (VIC), Mount Hagan (PNG), Narooma (NSW), New Plymouth (NZ), Orange (NSW), Rotorua (NZ), Scarborough (QLD), Southport (QLD), with a new community to open at Hoxton Park / Hinchinbrook (NSW) and at Mun (PNG). Many of these communities have Brothers that are active in schools or other educational works, either at the location of the community or nearby.

Along with approximately seven thousand De La Salle Brothers and thousands of Lasallian Partners world wide, the Brothers and Lasallian Partners of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, continue to live out the vision of St. De La Salle and the ministry entrusted to it by the Church.

St.De La Salle 

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 DE LA SALLE BROTHERS AT MARRICKVILLE

Marrickville is a suburb within the Marrickville City Council area. The suburb is bounded by Stanmore,Newtown, Sydenham, Tempe, Earlwood, Dulwich Hill, Lewisham and Petersham. It is well serviced by Sydney Buses and a City Rail service. A train to the city centre takes approximately twenty minutes. Marrickville is a highly multi-cultural area and this is seen in the diverse range of nationalities that are found in the schools at Marrickville.

The De La Salle Brothers came to Marrickville in 1932. De La Salle College Marrickville, conducted by the De La Salle Brothers was officially opened on 28 October 1932 (The Feast of Christ the King), by his Grace Archbishop Kelly. Attendance on the first day was one hundred and nineteen students. In 1933, the school operated with a staff of seven teaching Brothers. Within six years, the student enrolment would be five hundred. It operated as a parochial school for boys, the boy's school being called De La Salle College Marrickville. The school was located in the Parish of St.Brigid, which has been under the care of the Passionists since 1886. The Parish Priest responsible for the building program of the schools was Fr.Casimir.CP.. On the same site, there was a girl's school conducted by the Good Samaritan Sisters.

In 1983, the boys' school and the girls' school on the site at Marrickville, amalgamated into one school. By 1985, the new school had become known as Casimir Catholic College. It currently provides co-education for students from years 7 to 12 (ie. junior to senior secondary), combining the traditions of the Passionists, Good Samaritan Sisters and the De La Salle Brothers. The first principal of Casimir Catholic College was Br.Colin Griffin.FSC.. In 1990, he was succeeded by Br.Justin Joyce.FSC., who in in turn was succeeded in 1996 by Mr.Michael Addicoat.

Of the present community of De La Salle Brothers at Marrickville, four Brothers work at Casimir Catholic College as a Counsellor, a Coordinator and as ESL Teachers. Casimir Catholic College is a multi-cultural school, with approximately sixty nationalities represented in the school.

Of the other members of the De La Salle Brothers community at Marrickville, three Brothers work with the Vietnamese community in Sydney (which includes activities as diverse as teaching music through to pastoral visits to prisons). Some have also taught Religious Education in Government Schools in Sydney.

In many ways, the diversity of works with an educative dimension to them that the Brothers at Marrickville undertake, is representative of the diversity of cultures and interests both within the Brothers' community and within the local community of Marrickville. Ultimately, these activities of the community enhance and work toward the vision that St.De La Salle had, over three hundred years ago.

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This web site was developed and is maintained by Br.David Ivers.FSC., for the De La Salle Brothers, Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia.

Created 13 July 1998. Modified 1 August 1999.

©1998.

De La Salle Brothers, Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia.

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