Lasallian Saints and Blesseds
St. Mutien-Marie Wiaux
Feast Day: January 30th
He was born in Belgium in 1841. He was a model Christian teacher in Malonne, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was outstanding among the Brothers for his great humility, his observance of the Rule, and his obedience to superiors. He died on January 30th, 1917, and was canonised by John Paul II in 1989.
St. Miguel Febres Cordero
Feast Day: February 9th
He was born in Cuenca, Ecuador in 1854. He distinguished himself by his zeal in the apostolate of education as well as by his religious qualities and intellectual gifts. He died in Spain on February 9th, 1910. He was beatified by Paul VI in 1977 and canonised by John Paul II in 1984.
Blessed James Miller
Feast Day: February 13th
Was born September 21st, 1944 in Wisconsin, USA. In August 1962 he joined the Brothers as a novice and made his first vows a year later. After making his final vows in August 1960 he was sent to Nicaragua until 1979 when he returned to the United States. In January 1981 he went to Guatemala where he taught young indigenous Mayans.
On February 13th, 1982 he was shot several times by three hooded men, who were never identified.
Blessed Nicolas Roland
Feast Day: April 27th
He was born in Reims on December 8th, 1642. In 1665 he became a Canon of Reims Cathedral and two years later was ordained. In 1672 he met the young canon, John Baptist de La Salle and for a time became his spiritual advisor. Roland has a great influence upon De La Salle especially with regard to spiritual detachment.
He was keen on education of poor children and on 13 July 1673 he opened, at as his own expense, a school in Reims for teaching of girls, with the help of two religious Sisters.
He died in Reims on April 27th, 1678, aged 36 and was buried in Reims Cathedral. On his deathbed, he named De La Salle as the executor of his will, thus engaging for the first time the newly ordained Canon to the ministry of Christian education for the children of the poor.
He was beatified on October 16th, 1994 by Pope John Paul II.
St. John Baptist de La Salle
Feast Day: May 15th
John Baptist de La Salle was born April 30th, 1651 in Reims into a wealthy family. He was ordained a priest on April 9th, 1678.
Moved by the plight of the poor children in Reims he was determined to provide them with a quality education. To be more effective, he left his family home and moved in with the teachers he had gathered to run the school. Bit by bit God led him to renounce his position as Canon, and then his wealth, as he pursued God’s mission for him. The community he formed with the teachers eventually became known as the Brothers of the Christian Schools, also known as the De La Salle Brothers.
He died at St Yon, near Rouen, on April 7th, 1719 (Good Friday) aged 67.
In 1900 John Baptist de La Salle was declared a Saint, and in 1950 he was made Patron Saint of all those who work in the field of education.
St. Bénilde Romançon
Feast Day: August 13th
Born in France in 1805, he taught in Saugues, France, for 21 years. Benildus (French: Bénilde). was a model of piety and charity and was much loved by his fellow Brothers and pupils. He died in Saugues on August 13th, 1862. He was beatified by Pius XII in 1948 and canonised by Paul VI in 1967.
Blessed Martyrs of the French Revolution
Feast Day: September 2nd
Blessed Solomon and the Martyrs of Rochefort: Blesseds Leon, Roger and Uldraic.
Born in France in 1745. During the French Revolution he refused to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution and was sentenced to death. He was martyred, by a sword, on September 2nd, 1792. He was beatified by Pius XI in 1926 along with 188 fellow martyrs of the French Revolution. He was the first one of our martyrs and also the first Brother to be beatified. His feast is celebrated on September 2nd with the other Brother-martyrs of the hulks of Rochefort, who died two or three years later.
Blessed Scubilion Rousseau
Feast Day: September 27th
Born in France in 1797. He was one of the early missionary Brothers to go to the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. There he taught young children and Catechism to the local people, including the slaves. He died on the island in 1867 and from then onward a constant stream of pilgrims visited his grave. He was beatified by John Paul II in 1989. His feast day is on April 13th, except in Réunion where they celebrate it on December 20th, combining it with a national holiday celebrating the abolition of slavery on the island.
Saint Jaime Hilario (Tarragona, Spain) and Saints Cyril Bertráin and Companions (Turón, Asturias, Spain)
Feast Day: October 9th
Jaime Hilario was born in Spain in 1898. When Civil War broke out in Spain in July 1936 he was arrested for being a Brother. On January 15th, 1937 he was given a summary trial. Though he could have been freed by claiming to be only a gardener, he insisted on his identity as a religious and thereby sealed his doom. On January 18th he faced the execution squad. His last words were "To die for Christ, my young friends, is to live." When two volleys failed to meet their mark, the soldiers dropped their rifles and fled. The commanding officer fired five shots at close range. Jaime was beatified by John Paul II in 1990 and canonised by him in 1999.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) 165 De La Salle Brothers were executed and an additional 267 were imprisoned, of whom 230 were tortured.
Blessed Arnold Rèche
Feast Day: October 23rd
Born in Lorraine in 1838. He taught in Reims where he died on October 23rd, 1890. During his teaching career he showed great warmth, good humour, and inexhaustible patience towards his pupils. He was recognised as a holy man and was beatified by John Paul II in 1987. His feast day is October 23rd.
Blessed Spanish Martyrs of the 20th Century
Feast Day: November 6th
Includes: Blessed Leonardo José and Companions, Martyrs in Spain (Martyrs of Barcelona - Martyrs of Ciudad Real - Martyrs of Toledo - Martyrs of Cartagena), Blessed Martyrs of Valencia, Blessed Aurelio Maria and Companions, Martyrs (Almeria, Spain).
Br. Louis Camilleri, Servant of God
Br. Louis died aged 87 in 2011 having dedicated his life to Christian education as a De La Salle Brother in Malta. He hailed from a humble working-class family in Zurrieq, Malta and survived persecution in France while attending his novitiate during World War II, having joined the De La Salle brothers aged 14.
The Cause for the Beatification of Brother Louis Camilleri FSC was initiated March 31st 2019 during a ceremony held at St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, by Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna who proclaimed, on behalf of the Catholic Church, Bro. Louis is a “Servant of God”.
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Blessed Rafael Rafiringa
Feast Day: May 19
On Trinity Sunday, June 7 2009, Brother Rafael Rafiringa, was beatified in a ceremony in Antananarivo, Madagascar. He was a native of Madagascar and holds a special place in the history of the local Church.
During a time when foreign missionaries were expelled from the country, Brother Rafael was chosen as the President of the Catholic Union for Madagascar, effectively running the Church during the period of great opposition. He suffered incarceration on false charges, yet held strongly to his faith and his vocation.
Eventually, he was named a Member of the Academy of Madagascar and received the Medal of Civil Merit for the success of his efforts to normalise the relations between Madagascar and France.
Most importantly, Brother Rafael was a man of God. He was a convert to Christianity from his native religion, becoming a Brother who worked arduously teaching, working with the poor, writing books and composing poems and music. He was an exceptionally talented and effective educator, a catechist and leader.