Patron of De La Salle in the World

St. John Baptist de la Salle (1651-1719)

Complete dedication to what he saw as God's will for him dominated the life of John Baptist de la Salle. In 1950, Pope Pius XII named him patron of schoolteachers for his efforts in upgrading school instruction. As a young seventeenth-century Frenchman, John had everything going for him: scholarly bent, good looks, noble family background, money, refined upbringing. At the early age of 11, he received the tonsure and started preparation for the priesthood, to which he was ordained at 27. He seemed assured then of a life of dignified ease and a high position in the Church.

But God had other plans for John, which were gradually revealed to him in the next several years. During a chance meeting with M. Nyel of Raven, he became interested in the creation of schools for poor boys in Raven, where he was stationed. Though the work was extremely distasteful to him at first, he became more involved in working with the deprived youths.
Once convinced that this was his divinely appointed mission, John threw himself wholeheartedly into the work, left home and family, abandoned his position as canon at Rheims, gave away his fortune and reduced himself to the level of the poor to whom he devoted his entire life.
The remainder of his life was closely entwined with the community of religious men he founded, the Brothers of the Christian School (Christian Brothers, or De La Salle Brothers). This community grew rapidly and was successful in educating boys of poor families using methods designed by John, preparing teachers in the first training college for teachers and also setting up homes and schools for young delinquents of wealthy families. The motivating element in all these endeavors was the desire to become a good Christian.

Yet even in his success, John did not escape experiencing many trials: heartrending disappointment and defections among his disciples, bitter opposition from the secular schoolmasters who resented his new and fruitful methods and persistent opposition from the Jansenists of his time, whose heretical doctrines John resisted vehemently all his life.
Afflicted with asthma and rheumatism in his last years, he died on Good Friday at 68 and was canonized in 1900. (Source : Holly's People in the World)

Comment:
Complete dedication to one's calling by God, whatever it may be, is a rare quality. Jesus asks us to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30b, emphasis added). Paul gives similar advice: "Whatever you do, do from the heart..." (Colossians 3:23).

Quote:
"What is nobler than to mold the character of the young? I consider that he who knows how to form the youthful mind is truly greater than all painters, sculptors and all others of that sort" (St. John Chrysostom).
(This entry appears in the print edition of Saint of the Day.) .

Perayaan Pesta Pelindung universitas dimana saya bekerja saat ini, tgl 7 April 2010... diawali dengan Misa Syukur bersama civitas academica dipersembahkan oleh chaplain Pastor Bonifasius Bin Olla, Pr didampingi Rektor yang juga seorang Pastor, yaitu Pst. Revi Tanod, MA. Setelah itu, ada pelantikan BEM (Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa) Unika De La Salle Manado... 

Hari yang pantas disyukuri, sejak perjalanan unika ini yg telah mencapai 10 tahun, Stella hadir di dalamnya sudah 7 tahun.... tidak terasa waktu berjalan... ada suka duka tetapi lebih banyak sukanya bekerja dan mengaktualisasikan diri di institusi ini..... saya mulai dari menjadi seorang Sekretaris Ketua Yayasan De La Salle (waktu itu Pastor Agus Mangundap, MA), selama kurang lebih 4 tahun. Beliau juga Ketua Yayasan yg pertama.... banyak sekali pelajaran kerja maupun hidup bekerja bersama pastor ini...... setelah itu masih dengan posisi yg sama, perubahan kepemimpinan di Yayasan Stella juga bekerja bersama Ketua Yayasan yg ke-2 yaitu Pst Revi Tanod, MA selama kurang lebih 7 bulan, dan akhirnya Ketua Yayasan ke-3 Pastor Paulus Joseph Mentang, Pr (he..he.. tp beliau lebih suka dikenal dgn nama Pst. Hanny Mentang), bekerjasama selama 1 tahun.... tentu saja masing-masing gaya kepemimpinan dan perlakuan berbeda yang saya alami, tetapi itu semua membuat aku lebih dewasa dalam menghadapi berbagai hal yang ditemui. Untuk itu, apapun itu yang saya temui dan lalui selama bekerja, saya bersyukur bahwa institusi ini mampu membentuk orang bukan hanya soal kepandaian, tetapi kepribadian agar menjadi sesuatu/seseorang yang lebih baik. Saat ini, atas kepercayaan atasan aku ikut ambil bagian di lingkungan universitas-nya, cukup enjoy dengan pekerjaannya, ruangannya (dimana juga aku punya ruangan sendiri yang menjadi rumah ke-2 ku, membuat aku bisa lebih betah di kantor he..he..), rekan-rekan kerja yg cukup supportif.. .. yang lainnya masih merupakan kekurangan buatku  pribadi.... yah mudah-mudahan ada perubahan untuk itu.
Semoga Unika De La Salle tetap jaya, dibawah perlindungan St. John Baptist De La Salle... amin