In Chapter One of I, John Baptist de La Salle, entitled, "Roots and Wings," the author speaks in the perspective of De La Salle, telling us of his upbringing and the initial spark that led De La Salle from the "clerical" duties of the priesthood to the founding of something that he "wouldn't have touched the project with the tips of [his] fingers" if he knew where it would lead him (Kirby 21).
In a well-developed paragraph, due by classtime on Wednesday, March 11, I would like you to give a personal response to the beginnings of De La Salle's story. Questions to consider:
- What are some observations about his early life that strike you as interesting or odd?
- What defines "vocation" according to what you read of De La Salle's early life?
- How does De La Salle experience God in his life according to the voice of Brother Leo Kirby, FSC, who wrote the essay in the persona of De La Salle?
- How does De La Salle's early life and call to the priesthood and later to the mission asked of him by Adrien Nyel parallel an Old Testament story of God's call to a prophet? (be specific)
- Why is De La Salle relevant to your own life today? From the little you've read, what about his life could you make relevant to your own?
- What was the role of suffering in shaping De La Salle's knowledge of and approach to everyday life?
If you should at all refer to something in the text, please format as follows: Speaking as the person of De La Salle, Bro. Leo Kirby, FSC, writes, "Adrien Nyel, who later became a good friend of mine, was by experince and nature an originator of projects. I guess he was the spark; I was the bush he set afire. Together, I think, we made a pretty good team" (Kirby 21).
The above quote is placed in quotation marks with an introductory phrase (Bro. Leo Kirby, FSC, writes...) and is cited with the last name of the author and the page number from which you took the author's quote in parantheses, followed by a period.
In order to respond on this blog, you will click the header, I, John Baptist de La Salle, then click the"post comment" link at the bottom of this prompt. You will then type your response with a heading that is formatted as follows:
Your Name
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.05
March 11, 2009
14 comments:
Patrick Vento
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.06
March 11, 2009
St. John de la Salle grew up in a time where he wasn't necessarily considered poor but he wasn't considered rich. He went through a tough life. His mother and father died within a 1 year span. His brother was placed in a mental institution, and his sister in the convent died. He also had a sibling die at birth. St. John for short also mentions how God came to him as a gentle whisper. What seems kind of ironic with all the things whether they be good or bad in his life God comes to him as a "Gentle Whisper." St John also mentions that his friend Adrien Nyuel is stated at a "spark" and St. John is the "bush" like Moses and the burning bush. I think that God called on him to do something great, because of all the things that have happened in his life. Although his parents died when he was 20 thats still pretty early so God knew that he knew he could be a leader and take care of not only himself but other people also.
Mitch House
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.06
March 11, 2009
St. John Baptist de la Salle was born into a religious era. He grew up in a social class of what we call today, upper-middle class. He had four of his siblings die in infancy, and later his sister died in the convent. He became the man of the house at 20 years old, when his parents died one year apart. Also because he was the oldest, he gained responsibility for his siblings and the property. However, "vocation" came upon de la Salle rather quickly. Because it was such a religious time, priesthood was common. Also, after being called by God by a gentle breeze, he felt the urge to become a priest. We see this is similar to the prophet Elijah's experience. I think that St. John Baptist de la Salle is similar to my life and others for that matter because he was very unassuming of himself. He did not think of himself, or as of yet, someone who could accomplish anything. But we know that later on, he accomplishes something great.
Brett Cerussi
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.05
March 11, 2009
In the chapter "Roots and "Wings" the author describes the early life of John Baptist de LaSalle as very fun and exciting. He seemed to really enjoy life in the city. He was very close to his family and religion. I thought this was very interesting. De La Salle's calling to the priesthood was not strong. Speaking as the person of De La Salle, Bro. Leo Kirby, FSC, writes, "it was a silent sort of call, more like a whisper than a shout, something like the rustling of a breeze (Kirby pg. 18)". De La Salle experienced God in his life when he met Adrien Nyel who wanted to open a school for boys. Brother Leo speaking as the person of De La Salle, said "that he was the principal person through whom God helped me see what I had to do with my life (Kirby pg. 21)". I think De La Salle is relevant to my own life because he was very interested in his family any taking care of his brothers and sisters. Because of the suffering in De La Salle's life, he learned to "carry through on projects already begun (Kirby pg. 21)".
Jim Pegher
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
REL 011.06
March 11, 2009
I believe that St.John was a great saint and had very humble beginnings. He lived with a wealthy family and as a child he wore extremely flamboyant clothing. I personally think that his child hood set him up for the rest of his because of the fact that he was a teacher to all of his younger syblings. I believe that contributed to make him founding the La Sallen schools. He also came from an extremely religious family that stressed being a good person and having morals. I think his college education helped learn the importance of everyone getting an education even the poor.
Tom Foley
Bro. Rob Peach,FSC
Rel. 011.06
March 10,09
St John de la salle had a happy yet challenging childhood. He lived in a rich family in a big city called Rheims(a city famous for its wines) in France. He liked watching parades of St.Remi because he was a well known saint of the time. He had a wonderful family with loving grandparents, parents,brothers, and sisters. He had 10 brothers and sisters but sadly 4 died in infancy. He really had to help out around the house being the oldest. He had to become a leader to help out his parents with his remaining brothers and sisters. His father was a judge and lived a serious life. This serious life caused the family to live a strict religious life. He went to school at Colllege des Bons Enfants. He was going to become a judge like his father but he was drawn to become a preist. Since he lived so close to the French Revolution, which sparked the connection between the church and government, also helped him decide. His parents died around the same time he graduated from Summa Cum Laude. It was hard for him to continue but his teachings through faith helped him. He met someone who helped him trough the period of morning named Adrien Nyel. Together they started a sister house and educated the poor of Europe.
Matt Bradley
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.06
March 11, 2009
St. John de la Salle grew up as a rich child (he seemed poor to the very wealthy) and was the oldest of his 7 siblings. Both of his parents died when he was young and he literally acted as a teacher/mentor/parent to them. St. John de la Salle also metions on how he was called upon. He says god came to him as a gentle whisper (like Ezekiel). And later when he describes his friend Nyuel, he says Nyuel is the spark and he is the bush on fire that makes a good team (a refrence to Moses). I think that god called upon St. John de la Salle because of his strong religious background he recieved from his parents. I think he was also called because of religion, leadership skills, and his drive to express himself (his clothing). St. la Salle said he had a normal childhood, but when he had so many tradegies happen, like his parents and siblings, he didn't question it. That seems like someone who is fit for a better life than normal, it reminds me of Habbukuk, exept St. la Salle didn't question why, he knew that God had a better plan.
Paul Costello
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.06
March 11, 2009
There are many aspects of De La Salle's life that are unique. Foir instance, he had ten brothers and sisters and was the oldest of all of them. This put a ton of responsibility on him, especially when his parents both died and he had to lead his large family. It was also interesting that De La Salle was born into a relativel wealthy family. We typically see saints coming from poverty, or at least eventually taking a vow of poverty (I am unaware if De La Salle did this in his adulthood because I have only read the first chapter of biography on him). I found the way that he "heard" God's calling for him to be interesting. Bro. Kirby says that he heard it through a soft blow of wind. This is comparable to the Old Testament prophet Elijah's calling. De La Salle's early life is similar to mine in that he had to lead many of his siblings. I obviously don't experience this to the extreme as he did with a great number of brothers and sisters and eventually having no parents to help him, but my neccessary leadership among my family is similar. I have two brothers and two sisters, all of which are younger except a brother who will soon be leaving for college, handing myself responsibility to lead by example.
Mike O'Brien
Bro Rob Peach
Rel 011.06
March 11, 2009
When I read about saint la salle's early life it was very sad and depressing. He was very young when his immediate relative started to die. This must have been very hard to handle. This also probably helped him later in life because he could help the boys with the same type of problems. His life, in my opinion, did not get better. It just changed in the type of hardships. After he started the school I believe that he was presented with different challenges. In his early life most of these where copping with hardships. After he opened the school it became more over coming others pain and miss fortune. The early stages opened him up to changes than what he would have been if not for these challenges. He, as he said, probably became a stuck up snob. I for one am very glad that he grew up the way he did.
Ps. i nvr got the email!!!
Steven Passarello
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.06
March 11,2009
St. John de la Salle was raised in a time where wealth ment a lot to society he wasn't particularly wealthy and with the death of his parents and siblings, he was pretty much on his own to make it through life. Lasalle was called by God in the same way as Elisha, through a whisper. He received this call to preisthood when he was an adult and he went to become a preist. he did not ask why or heistate he knew of God's plan. La Salle also meets a man named Adrien Nyuel who who is said to be a "spark" and La Salle is the "bush set aflame". La Salle's life and work is relevant bewcause he worked to fight social injustice and help the poor he did this by being a "down-to earth-person", meaning he didn't care what class you were he would help you. La Salle is relevant to my life because his example of hw he treated and worked with people no matter who they were is a great example.
Dan Raimondi
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
March 12, 2009
Saint John Baptist de la Salle grew up in a time of religious conflict, and lived in a Catholic environment,along with his extremely religious family. He was considered to be rich in the eyes of the poor in the area, but known by the rich as being poor, so in our times he would be considered the middle class. His family consisted of his parents, both of which died within the span of a year, and ten brothers and sisters, four of which died in infancy. Because of these bad situations in his life, he was able to help children cope with though situations. I think that despite all of these hardships la Salle was able to help a lot of people, and i think he is strong and i would not be able to accomplish something after that bad of a childhood.
Robby Mazeski
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.06
March 12, 2009
Suffereing I think played a huge role in John Bapist De La salle life because it helped him help others with cope with there problems. He could help out people because he learned to cope with the death of a loved one because it happened to him twice with both of his parents dieing when he was only twenty yers old. John de la salle had to grow up pretty fast, and become the man of the house in order to take care of the his many brothers and sisters. The suffering that occured in his life altimatley led him to his work in his everday life. By helping others, supporting his family, and being such a self less person made him a saint in many ways.
De La Salle's life is definitely one to remember. He grew up in a time of poverty despite being rich. He was practically the head of the house watching over his 10 siblings. De La Salle was quite the leader and a strong person at that despite hardships such as his parents' deaths (while all the kids were still of young age), his siblings' deaths, and his brother's going to a mental institution. He inspires me because I could use his "doings" during his life to help myself, and better yet, for my siblings and for everyone else I can. He did all he could for God, including living a life of poverty, and of course, doing God's will.
James Pozycki
Bro Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.06
March 11, 2009
St John Baptist De Lasalle grew up living a so called upper middle class life. Lasalle lived a very religious life mainly because he was born into a religious era. He had a sister die in the convent and four of his siblings died at birth. His brother was placed in a mental institution. When John was 20 his parents died within a one year span. John Baptist de Lasalle turned to the brotherhood as a way to cope with the suffering he had in his life. He described God calling him as a soft whisper. Saint John met a man named Adrien Nyuel that played a big part in de La Salle's life. St John Baptist de La Salle was more then just a good person and a saint, he was trying to give back to the people that helped him along the way when he was struggling with his hard times of his family members passing away.
Damion Jones-Moore
Bro. Rob Peach
Rel 011.05
March 11,2009
St. john de la salle grew up in a very religious time and even though he wasn't poor he wasn't he rich and lived a very tough life. he witnessed his mother and father die within a year apart,his brother was placed in a mental institution and he had a sisiter that died in the convent and a sibling die at birth. St. John for short also mentions how God came to him as a gentle whisper. What seems kind of ironic is that out of all the thins GOD can be he decides to be a gentle whisper just like Elijah in the old testament. St. john de la salle was a great leader he went through alot of adversity but still wanted to help other people before he helped himself and GOD called on him i think because he knew he was capable of being a true leader.
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