De La Salle Brothers

Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
Latin: Institutum Fratrum Scholarum Christianarum
French: Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes
AbbreviationFSC
NicknameLasallians
Formation1725 (1725)
FounderJean-Baptiste de la Salle
Founded atRheims, Kingdom of France
TypeLay religious congregation of pontifical right (for men)
PurposeEducation
HeadquartersVia Aurelia 476, Rome, Italy
Region
Worldwide
ServicesEducation
Membership2,883 members as of 2023
Secretary General
Antxon Andueza
Armin A. Luistro
Vicar General
Carlos Gabriel Gómez Restrepo
Motto
Latin: Signum Fidei
English: Sign of Faith
Main organ
Generalate
Parent organization
Catholic Church
Websitelasalle.org

The De La Salle Brothers, officially named the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (Latin: Fratres Scholarum Christianarum; French: Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes; Italian: Fratelli delle Scuole Cristiane) abbreviated FSC, is a Catholic lay religious congregation of pontifical right for men founded in France by Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (1651–1719), now based in Rome, Italy. The De La Salle Brothers are also known as the Christian Brothers (sometimes by Lasallian organisations themselves), French Christian Brothers, or Lasallian Brothers. The Lasallian Christian Brothers are distinct from the Congregation of Christian Brothers, often also referred to as simply the Christian Brothers, or Irish Christian Brothers. The Lasallian Brothers use the post-nominal abbreviation FSC to denote their membership of the order, and the honorific title Brother, abbreviated "Br."

The Lasallian order stated that as of December 2023 the Institute had 2,883 Brothers, who helped in running 1,154 education centers in 78 countries with 1,160,328 students, together with 107,827 teachers and lay associates. There are La Salle educational institutions in countries ranging from impoverished nations such as Nigeria to post-secondary institutions such as Bethlehem University (Bethlehem, Palestine), Manhattan University (New York City, US), College Mont La Salle (Ain Saadeh, Lebanon), and La Salle University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US). The central administration of the Brothers operates out of the Generalate in Rome and is made up of the Superior General and his councillors.

A number of Lasallian institutions in several countries have been accused of, and have admitted and apologised for, long-standing and serious physical and sexual abuse against their charges.