For a Perpetual Memorial of the Matter

Proclamation of Our Holy Father Pope Pius XII Proclaiming
SAINT JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE
Patron of All Teachers and Student Teachers

The saying of Saint Bonaventure that "they only are true educators who can kindle in the hearts of their students the vision of beauty, illuminate it with the light of truth, and form it to virtue" is particularly appropriate at the present time when the education of the young is not only frequently at variance with the principles of true moral training, but is often godless and irreligious, and thus harmful in the extreme.

For this reason, the Church cherishes with a great affection those whose duty it is to educate the young, all the more so as the welfare and development of the Christian commonwealth depend on them in no small measure. A man of outstanding holiness and remarkable genius, JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE, once educated the young, and still, through the Institute founded by him, continues to do so according to excellent principles and methods.

Moreover, to train teachers for their important mission he established training centers which catered especially for village schoolmasters. The origin of training colleges for teachers, now to be found everywhere, must truly be attributed to him. So great, besides, was the esteem of this eminent pioneer in education for the office of teacher that he would not permit the Brothers founded by him to become priests lest they should be turned aside from their principal function, and he was convinced that their vocation could lead them to authentic sanctity. In order, therefore, that teachers and student teachers might have a model whose example and virtues they could imitate, the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools has asked me that, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the canonization of Saint John Baptist De La Salle by my predecessor of esteemed memory, Leo XIII, this saint should be proclaimed heavenly patron of all teachers of both sexes, clerical or lay, whether actually engaged in teaching or preparing for the profession.

I, for my part, convinced that the education of the young is of the first importance, and desirous that those to whom this task is confided or who are preparing for this mission should have a further powerful incentive to fulfill their exalted vocation in accordance with the principles of faith, most willingly accede to their wish. Wherefore, having consulted with the Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, and having attentively considered the matter, with sure knowledge and after mature deliberation, in the fullness of my apostolic authority, by virtue of this proclamation, and for all time, I constitute and proclaim Saint John Baptist De La Salle, the principal patron before God of all teachers of youth and accord him all the liturgical honors and privileges going with that title.

Given at Rome, in my 12^th year as Pope, from St. Peter's, and sealed with the Fisherman's ring, on this 15^th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, One Thousand Nineteen Hundred and Fifty, Feast of Saint John Baptist De La Salle.

Pius XII, Pope

Saéc Leänh cuûa Ñöùc Giaùo Hoaøng Pioâ XII
toân phong thaùnh Gioan LaSan laøm Quan Thaày caùc nhaø giaùo duïc
vaø sinh vieân sö phaïm
baûn dòch cuûa Freøre Theùophane Keá, fsc.

Thaùnh Bonaventura ñaõ vieát : "Moät nhaø giaùo duïc chaân chính laø ngöôøi gieo aùnh saùng vaøo taâm trí moân sinh, laøm cho moân sinh bieát chieâm ngöôõng nhöõng caûnh huy hoaøng trong vuõ truï tinh thaàn vaø thaàn linh, laøm cho moân sinh yeâu chuoäng chaân lyù, vaø dìu daét moân sinh treân ñöôøng ñaïo haïnh."
Lôøi noùi aáy laø tieâu chuaån ñònh giaù cho tình traïng giaùo duïc ngaøy nay, moät tình traïng giaùo duïc laém khi ñoái nghòch vôùi nhöõng nguyeân taéc luaân thöôøng ñaïo lyù, xu theo chieàu höôùng voâ thaàn duy vaät; tình traïng giaùo duïc nhö vaäy laø ñaàu ñoäc tuoåi treû, vaø quaû thaät laø moät ñaïi hoïa !
Vì vaäy, Meï thaùnh Giaùo Hoäi yeâu quyù caùch rieâng nhöõng nhaø giaùo duïc chaân chính. Hoï thi haønh söù maïng giaùo duïc theo nhöõng nguyeân taéc Kitoâ giaùo, nhaèm muïc ñích taïo haïnh phuùc cho töøng caù nhaân, taïo lôïi ích chung cho xaõ hoäi vaø gíao hoäi.
Coù moät ngöôøi thaùnh thieän xuaát chuùng, moät ngöôøi coù thieân taøi laï luøng, ñoù laø Jean Baptiste De La Salle - thaùnh Gioan LaSan. Ngöôøi aáy ñaõ giaùo duïc tuoåi treû, vaø vaãn coøn tieáp tuïc söù maïng giaùo duïc qua moät hoäi doøng chính Ngöôøi ñaõ khai saùng vaø thaønh laäp. Hoäi doøng giaùo duïc naøy vaãn theo göông vaø nghieâm giöõ nhöõng nguyeân taéc giaùo duïc Kitoâ-giaùo, cuõng nhö nhöõng phöông phaùp sö phaïm giaùo duïc maø thaùnh laäp doøng ñaõ truyeàn laïi.
Thaùnh Gioan LaSan ñaõ toå chöùc nhöõng trung taâm sö phaïm ñeå ñaøo taïo nhöõng giaùo vieân cho caùc vuøng thoân queâ. Vaø ñoù chính laø nguyeân thuûy cuûa nhöõng phaân khoa sö phaïm ñaøo taïo nhöõng nhaø giaùo maø hieän nay chuùng ta thaáy hoaït ñoäng khaép nôi treân theá giôùi.
Thaùnh Gioan LaSan quí troïng söù maïng giaùo duïc ñeán noãi Ngöôøi ñaõ khoâng muoán cho caùc tu só thuoäc hoäi doøng Ngöôøi saùng laäp laøm linh muïc, vì Ngöôøi nghó raèng vôùi chöùc linh muïc teá leã, con caùi cuûa Ngöôøi laø caùc Freøres LaSan, seõ phaân taùn chí höôùng cuûa hoï laø thuaàn daïy doã moân sinh trong caùc tröôøng Kitoâ. Ñaáy laø söù maïng chính cuûa hoï. Thaùnh Gioan LaSan cuõng xaùc tín raèng ôn keâu goïi laøm nhaø giaùo cuõng ñem ñeán cho hoï ñaày ñuû ôn Chuùa cho vieäc roãi linh hoàn vaø neân thaùnh.
Vì theá, ñeå cho caùc giaùo chöùc vaø sinh vieân sö phaïm coù moät ñaáng Thaùnh laøm göông maãu, vôùi ñöùc haïnh cuûa Ngöôøi ñeå hoï noi theo, vaø nhaân dòp leã kyû nieäm 50 phong thaùnh cho Gioan LaSan do ñöùc Leâo XIII, vò tieàn nhieäm ñaùng meán cuûa Ta, vaø Doøng LaSan qua vò thænh nguyeän vieân yeâu caàu Ta tuyeân boá thaùnh Gioan LaSan laø Quan Thaày treân trôøi haèng che chôû taát caû nhöõng giaùo chöùc nam nöõ, linh muïc hoaëc giaùo daân ñang taïi nhieäm laøm giaùo vieân, giaùo sö, hoaëc ñang thôøi kyø taäp luyeän ñeå trôû thaønh nhaø giaùo.
Veà phaàn Ta, Ta xaùc tín raèng söù maïng giaùo duïc tuoåi treû laø söù maïng quan troïng haøng ñaàu, vaø vì Ta ao öôùc nhöõng ngöôøi ñang ñaûm nhaän söù maïng giaùo duïc vaø nhöõng ngöôøi ñang taäp luyeän ñeå trôû neân nhöõng nhaø giaùo coù moät söùc khuyeán khích maïnh meõ ñeå hoï laøm troøn söù maïng cao caû cuûa hoï chieáu theo nhöõng nguyeân taéc ñöùc tin, Ta hoaøn toaøn höôûng öùng vaø chaáp nhaän lôøi thænh nguyeän cuûa Doøng LaSan.
Vì vaäy, sau khi tham khaûo yù kieán cuûa quyù huynh ñaùng kính cuûa Ta laø Clemente Micara - hoàng y cuûa toøa thaùnh Roâma, giaùm muïc Velletri vaø toång tröôûng thaùnh boä nghi leã - vaø sau khi ñaõ caân nhaéc taàm quan troïng cuûa vieäc naøy, yù thöùc roõ raøng vaø ñaõ suy nghó chính chaén, vôùi quyeàn haønh toâng ñoà cuûa Ta - qua saéc leänh naøy vaø ñeå cho taát caû caùc thôøi ñaïi töông lai - Ta thieát laäp, Ta tuyeân boá Thaùnh Gioan LaSan laø Quan Thaày chính tröôùc maët Thieân Chuùa cho taát caû caùc giaùo chöùc daïy doã tuoåi treû, vaø Ta caáp cho thaùnh Gioan LaSan taát caû nhöõng vinh döï phuïng vuï vaø nhöõng ñaëc quyeàn lieân heä ñeán Chöùc Töôùc aáy.
Taát caû nhöõng gì traùi nghòch vôùi saéc leänh naøy ñeàu voâ hieäu hoùa.

Ban boá taïi Roâma, töø ñeàn thôø thaùnh Pheâroâ,
ñoùng daáu vôùi Nhaãn Ngö Phuû cuûa Ta,
ngaøy 15 thaùng 5, ngaøy leã thaùnh Gioan LaSan,
naêm thöù 12 Ta ngoài treân ngai giaùo hoaøng.
Ngaøy 15 thaùng 5 naêm 1950
(aán kyù)