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People
of Influence in John Baptist de La Salle's Life
Jean-Jacques
Olier (1608 – 1657):
Although De La Salle was only six years old when Olier died, he nevertheless
had a powerful influence in De La Salle's life through the Seminary of
Saint Sulpice that De La Salle attended for eighteen months. Olier was
pastor of the parish of Saint Sulpice, founder of the Sulpicians, and
founder of the Seminary of Saint Sulpice. He was a leading figure in the
spirituality movement of the 17th century that is now called the "French
School of Spirituality." Exactly fifty years after Olier and two
companions took a private vow at Vaugirard to establish the Seminary of
Saint Sulpice, De La Salle and two Brothers took the "heroic vow"
at Vaugirard to establish the Society of the Brothers of the Christian
Schools.
Nicolas Roland (1642 – 1678):
A fellow canon of the Cathedral of Reims, Roland was De La Salle's spiritual
director after De La Salle's parents died and he had to leave the seminary
to care for his family. Roland guided De La Salle for six years until
De La Salle's ordination to the priesthood. He founded the Sisters of
the Child Jesus for educating young girls, had a strong commitment to
educating the poor, and hoped that De La Salle would become involved in
the education of poor boys.
Adrian
Nyel (1621 – 1687):
A layman from the diocese of Laon, he was responsible for the schools
for the poor in Rouen and trained teachers for that work. In 1679, he
came to Reims to establish a similar work there. With the help of De La
Salle, he established several such parish schools. Over time, he became
less involved with the teachers and the schools while De La Salle become
more involved. In 1685 Nyel returned to Rouen to resume his work for the
poor of that city, a consecration for life that he had made in 1657.
Nicholas
Barré (1621 – 1686):
A religious priest of the Order of Minims, a talented preacher, and a
professor of theology in Paris and Rouen, BarrŽ was one of De La Salle's
spiritual guides after the death of Nicholas Roland. He was the founder
of several religious orders of women for the education of girls. BarrŽ
advised De La Salle to have the teachers live with him in his house and,
later, advised him to distribute his wealth to the poor, and to rely solely
on God's Providence – as De La Salle had so often advised his teachers
to do.
Charles-Maurice
Le Tellier (1641 – 1710):
Archbishop of Reims from 1671, he ordained John Baptist de La Salle to
the priesthood (April 9, 1678). Well-connected (his father was chancellor
to King Louis XIV) and hot-tempered, the archbishop had several encounters
with the Founder. De La Salle sought out, and eventually received, permission
from him to renounce his office of canon, live in poverty with his Brothers,
and finally to leave the Diocese of Reims and extend the work of the Brothers
into Paris.
Charles
Demia (1637 – 1689):
A priest of the Diocese of Lyons, he organized the Seminary of Saint Charles
for the training of both priests and schoolteachers. Very interested in
schools for the poor, Demia founded an order of Sisters for the education
of girls, was responsible for creating a school board in Lyons, and wrote
a public treatise called Remonstrances in which he drew attention to the
problem of education for the poor. His writings roused public opinion
and encouraged many people to become involved in education.
Louis
Tronson (1622 – 1700):
The senior spiritual director at the Seminary of Saint Sulpice, Louis
Tronson had a great influence on De La Salle with his regular conferences,
his extensive writings on seminary life, and his series of published meditations.
He was a leading figure at the seminary and later became its superior.
Tronson continued to provide guidance to De La Salle after he left the
seminary, especially when De La Salle came to establish the Brothers in
Paris and found himself in confrontation with the views and ideas of the
Parisian clergy.
Editor's
Letter | Brother
Visitor's Letter | John
Baptist de La Salle: His Life and Times
John
Baptist de La Salle: The Educator and Visionary |
John Baptist de La Salle: A
Saint For Teachers
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