Check out this one-page reflection, titled “To be a Lasallian,” written by senior Kevin Gleason.
In my eyes there are a few different characteristics that go into classifying one as Lasallian. These characteristics stem from two of the Lasallian core principles that we have learned about in class, concern for the poor and promoting an inclusive community. I believe that concern for the poor is a critical part of being Lasallian because assisting those with fewer resources to break the cycle of poverty was fundamental in what John Baptist De La Salle hoped to accomplish with his schools. To be a Lasallian is to carry out this mission today by giving time and energy to help those who are less fortunate than us. It is not necessary to devote your life’s work to this mission like De La Salle was called to do but establishing deeper solidarity with the poor is something that all Lasallians’ should strive for.
Working towards more inclusive communities is another crucial factor in being a Lasallian. De La Salle practiced inclusion by allowing upper-class children to attend the Christian Brothers’ schools and learn along side those whom were destitute. This type of inclusivity has evolved for those who wish to call themselves Lasallian today. Promoting inclusive communities today means celebrating our human differences in terms race, religion, gender, nationality, and sexual orientation. Instead of using these differences to build barriers, Lasallians use them to build bridges of learning and trust between diverse groups of people. Of course, what it means to be a Lasallian can take on many different forms than simply these two characteristics I have identified. This brings me to my last point that there is no definitive answer for what it means to be a Lasallian, interpretations of the term will vary depending on how one perceives De La Salle’s life and story