November 21

Commemoration of the Heroic Vow of 1691

            By the year 1690, the early successes of the works of John Baptist de La Salle was in danger of collapsing due to different internal and external forces strongly affecting the mission of educating the poor.  The death of Henri L’Heurex, the Founder’s protégé chosen to succeed him in leading the Institute, came as a great shock not only to De La Salle but to all members of the community.

            There was also an increasing number of students at the Christian schools and the demands of teaching had taken its toll on most of the Brothers.  There was also no novitiate at the time and only one presented in 1692 and they had to endure the persecutions and lawsuits filled against them by private tutors that led to the burning and closure of many of their schools. 

            Because of this situation, many of the Brothers confronted De La Salle’s full commitment to their mission.  They complained that they were teaching for free and enduring the punishment of persecutions and the cold weather, having nothing on their pockets and faced with the increasing demand of teaching more and more poor students, while De La Salle had his wealth and comfortable lifestyle.  The Brothers were thinking that if the schools would eventually close and they would lose their jobs, they had so savings and so would be back in the streets as beggars. On the other hand,  De La Salle had something to fall back on.  Because of this, many Brothers left the Institute and those who remained were left ill and dispirited. 

            De La Salle was confronted with a great question of commitment and self-direction.  Prayerful as he was, he devoted much time to prayer that God may enlighten him to be a good steward of the community of Christian teachers.  With the help of the two of the Brothers he trusted most, Nicholas Vuyart and Gabriel, having the longest experience and best spiritual understanding, together they had come to measure the problems and make decisions to restore the life and mission of the Institute.  De La Salle gave up his canonry and left all his wealth to join his Brothers in total communion and solidarity.

            On November 21, 1691, De La Salle, Nicholas Vuyart and Gabriel Drolin made the Heroic Vow before the altar of the Lord on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lady as the apex of their total surrender to the Providence of the Almighty as Christian educators in union and association.  They pronounced the following prayer of consecration in complete humility and trust to God:

“Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, prostrate with the most profound respect before your infinite and adorable majesty, we consecrate ourselves entirely to you, to procure with all our power and with all care the establishment of the society of the Christian Schools in the manner that appears to us to the most agreeable to you and most advantageous to the said Society.

And, for that purpose, I, John Baptist de La Salle, priest, I, Nicolas Vuyart, and I, Gabriel Drolin, from now on and forever until the last surviving one of us, or until the complete establishment of the said Society, make the vow of association and union to bring about and maintain the said establishment, without being able to withdraw from this obligation, even if only we three remained in the said Society, and if we were obliged to beg for alms and to live on bread alone.  In view of which we promise to do, all together and by common accord, everything we shall think in conscience, and regardless of any human consideration, to be for the greater good of the said Society.

Done on this 21st of November, feast of the Presentation of the Most Blessed Virgin, 1691, faith of which we have signed.“

By:  Gerson R. Garcia