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The De La Salle
Christian Brothers (officially, the Brothers of the Christian
Schools - Fratres Scholarum Christianarum - FSC) is the
largest order of religious Brothers in the Roman Catholic
Church, dedicated exclusively to education, particularly
of the poor and disadvantaged. For years, dedicated lay
women and men and other religious have worked alongside
the Brothers in their schools and apostolic works. In this
shared mission, Partners today participate in the work of
the District of San Francisco at every level.
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In
1998, the number of Christian Brothers worldwide
totaled 6,694. Brothers worked with 64,687 Partners
and 784,061 students in 904 educational institutions
in 87 countries, from El Salvador to the Philippines,
from Greece to South Africa. In the United States
alone in 1998, there were 969 Brothers. Of these,
a total of 679 Brothers worked with 3,123 Partners
and 69,311 students in nearly 100 educational institutions.
(Touching the Hearts of Students by Br. George
Van Grieken, FSC, 1999)
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Lasallian schools
- as they have come to be known - are Lasallian because
they are based on the teachings and vision of De La Salle.
They are transparently Catholic, in order to be, as the
Rule of the Brothers states, signs of the kingdom and means
of salvation. Their Christian identity involves more than
courses of religious instruction and pastoral programs.
The Christian dimension permeates and shapes every aspect
of school life: tone, atmosphere, spirit, signs, symbols,
relationships, curriculum, requirements, policies, regulations.
As Catholic schools, they are called to propose - but in
no way to impose - Jesus Christ, accepting with love and
respect all the young people entrusted to their care, whatever
their religious beliefs. An institution can legitimately
call itself Lasallian only if it is unambiguously Christian.
(Lasallian Schools Today, Br. John Johnston, FSC, Superior
General, 1994)
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Lasallian
Education in the District of San Francisco
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