Lasallian Prayers
Prayer is a central element of life at DeLaSalle and precedes all classes, assemblies, Masses, administrative meetings and other community gatherings.
We follow in the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle, who wrote, “Pray to God to give you today the same grace given the holy apostles, and ask God that, after filling you with the Holy Spirit to sanctify yourselves, God will also communicate to you your mission in order to procure the salvation of others” (Meditations, No. 43.3).
de La Salle instilled a spirit of prayer and reverence in his students, beginning the school day and pausing every half hour to acknowledge, “Let us remember that we are in the Holy presence of God.”
Introductory at the beginning of any group prayer
Leader: Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
(Followed by a few moments of silent reflection.)
Group: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Intercessory at the end of any group prayer
Leader: Saint John Baptist de La Salle
Group: Pray for us!
Leader: Live, Jesus, in our hearts.
Group: Forever
Acts of Faith
The following represent traditional Lasallian week of prayers for faith.
Novena Prayers
A novena (from the Latin: novem, nine) is a traditional Catholic practice of persevering in prayer for nine specific days for a particular need or blessing. The designation of nine days recalls the biblical report of there being nine days between the day of the Ascension (the return of the Risen Jesus to heaven) and Pentecost (the promised coming of the Holy Spirit to bless the apostles and early disciples of the Lord to begin the Church).
Prayer of the Teacher
This is a modernization of the prayer that the Christian Brothers prayed before school each day some time after 1850. Although some mistakenly attribute the origin of the prayer to St. John Baptist de La Salle, Brother Gerard Rummery, FSC, a Lasallian scholar, notes it has its genesis in the 18th century Traité des Étudesby Charles Rollin. The prayer echoes the spirituality of St. de La Salle, who was proclaimed by the Catholic church on May 15, 1950, to be the Patron Saint of Teachers.
You, O Lord,
are my strength, my patience, my light, and my counsel.
It is you who touch the hearts of the children entrusted to my care.
Abandon me not to myself for one moment.
For my own guidance and that of my students,
grant me the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety,
the spirit of a holy fear of you and an ardent zeal to procure your glory.
I unite my efforts to those of Jesus Christ, and I beg the Most Blessed Virgin, Saint Joseph, the Guardian Angels, and Saint John Baptist de La Salle to protect me this day in the performance of my duties. Amen.