Our Story

St. John Baptist de La Salle was born in Rheims, France on April 30, 1651. He was the eldest of ten children in a noble family. He studied in Paris and was ordained in 1678. He was known for his work with the poor. He died at St. Yon, Rouen, on April 7, 1719. He was canonized by Pop Leo XIII in 1900. St John Baptist de La Salle was very involved in education. He founded the institute of the Brothers of Christian Schools (approved in 1725) and established teacher colleges (Rheims in 1687, Paris in 1699, and Saint-Denis in 1709). He was one of the first to emphasize classroom teaching over individual instruction. He also began teaching in the vernacular instead of Latin. His schools were formed all over France. In 1705, he established a reform school for boys at Dijon. St. John Baptist de La Salle was named patron saint of teachers by Pope Pius XII in 1950. His feast day is April 7th.

St. Peter Fourier was born in Mirecourt, France, on November 30, 1565, two years after the closing of the Council of Trent. He was educated in this post-counciliar period, with an emphasis on the meaning of Church and its apostolic mission. In 1585 he joined the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine, an abbey that was more concerned with materialism than with serving people. By his example of holiness, he tried in vain to lead the monks from moral decadence to their gospel charism. When he became pastor at Mattaincourt, he engaged the parishioners in active awareness of and involvement in moral and justice issues. He tackled all the hardships and suffering of his people, inventing ways to improve living conditions amid poverty, ignorance, and superstitions. Saint Peter Fourier died in exile in 1640.

Alix Le Clerc was born in Remiremont, France, on February 2, 1576, during a turbulent period in history. At age 19 she met Peter Fourier. Following her dream, Alix pursued the idea of religious life and assembled a group willing to found a new order. On Christmas night, 1597, five young women publicly consecrated themselves to Our Lady. This was the birthing of “The Congregation of Our Lady: Canonesses of St. Augustine” in the church at Mattaincourt.

Drawn together by God’s providence, Alix Le Clerc and Peter Fourier created “The Congregation of Our Lady: Canonesses of St. Augustine” in 1597. Together they dreamed and helped transform unmet needs of their time by making Christian formation available to all. They believed that society can be changed for the better by empowering individuals, especially women, through Christian education. Peter and Alix frequently experienced opposition from the very church that they sought to serve, as well as civil and domestic persecution. Blessed Alix Le Clerc passed in 1622.