New documentary on the life and legacy of Saint John Baptist de La Salle

“The Life and Legacy of Saint John Baptist de La Salle” is the title of the new documentary produced by the Lasallian Region of North America (RELAN), in collaboration with the District of North America East (DENA), to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the recognition of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools through the Bull of Approbation of the Holy See, granted by Pope Benedict XIII on 26 January 1725.

The global rollout of this biographical documentary will take place on 26 January 2026. It traces the journey and living legacy of the founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, “not as a distant historical figure, but as a living presence who continues to inspire how we teach, lead and serve today”, according to the DENA website.

“There are stories that remind us who we are. Stories that ground us in purpose. The life of Saint John Baptist de La Salle is one of those stories”, says Brother Robert Schaefer, Visitor of DENA, in the trailer that was shared prior to the documentary’s release. 

The film was shot by the DENA Communications Office and included several locations in North America, France and Italy, at the Generalate of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.

The documentary is 25 minutes long and is in English, although it can be viewed with subtitles in Spanish, French, and Italian. “We encourage Lasallian institutions to screen the documentary during the week of 26-30 January, either during morning prayer, at a school assembly or as part of a reflection in the classroom, as a meaningful way to connect with the founding history of De La Salle and its relevance today”, is the invitation from Brother Roberth Schaefer.

For more information and requests regarding the screening of the documentary, please contact the director of the DENA Communications Office, Keane Palatino, at kpalatino@fscdena.org.