Lasallian Tradition
The Lasallian Mission is an apostolic ministry of the Catholic Church that provides a human and Christian education to all youth, especially the poor and marginalized, in ministries conducted as places of salvation, by professionals acting together and by association for the sake of this mission.
Become Part of the Lasallian Tradition
Through your association with CBU, you become part of the Lasallian tradition and the global mission of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the largest Roman Catholic order dedicated to teaching. The Lasallian educational mission provides transformative experiences that are innovative and holistic.
Since 1680, educational institutions in more than 80 countries have been influenced by the vision and innovative spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, the Founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (known today as the De La Salle Christian Brothers) and the patron saint of teachers. De La Salle transformed education by forming a community of educators with whom he developed a spirituality of teaching and learning, to give a human and Christian education to young people, especially the poor.
The Lasallian tradition in education centers on Catholic values and personal relationships, emphasizing academic excellence, faith formation, inclusion, respect for the individual, service and social justice. A Lasallian Education strives to enrich each student’s cultural, intellectual, physical, social and spiritual development.
Today, the Lasallian Community, the ongoing home of De La Salle’s tradition and spirit, is alive and functioning in more than 1,000 educational institutions around the world. The De La Salle Christian Brothers, along with 100,000 Lasallian lay colleagues, serve more than 1,000,000 students and their families worldwide. Here in the United States, there are more than 100 Lasallian educational institutions. Christian Brothers University is one of the six Lasallian colleges and universities in the United States.
The De La Salle Christian Brothers and their partners continue the Lasallian tradition by responding to students through advancements in teaching, technology and scholarship. In Lasallian communities, faculty and staff educate minds, touch hearts and cultivate leadership to prepare students for life, work, and service to society and the Church.
I believe that one of the roles of the university in this Lasallian tradition is to be counter to this culture of fear, to be universal, to open up minds, to provide new ways of looking at old and new problems, to challenge our notions and even our ideals, so that we can have well-integrated individuals who see themselves not only as citizens of the nation and the world but agents in its development. We boast, and with good reason, of the material and career success of graduates, but we also must encourage in them a sense of responsibility for the common good if we are to live up to our Lasallian heritage.
“Being a Lasallian University Today” by Brother Thomas Johnson, FSC