Logo of the Christian Brothers, adopted in January 2006.

The Congregation of Christian Brothers (officially, in Latin: Congregatio Fratrum Christianorum) is a world-wide community of religious brothers of the Roman Catholic church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelization and education of youth, but work in many ministries, especially ministries with the poor. Their first school was opened in Waterford, Ireland, in 1802. Br Philip Pinto is the current superior general of the Congregation, and head of its Congregational Leadership Team that is based in Rome. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools also known as the Christian Brothers or the Lasallian Brothers is a Roman Catholic religious teaching order, founded by John Baptist de la Salle. ... Image File history File links Christian_Brothers_Logo. ... Image File history File links Christian_Brothers_Logo. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other persons named Edmund Rice, see Edmund Rice (disambiguation). ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference S604123 Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 41. ... A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order of congregation. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5...

They should not be confused with the Brothers of the Christian Schools, or "De LaSalle Christian Brothers," founded by St. Jean-Baptiste De LaSalle, a completely separate though similar order. Rice's congregation are sometimes called "Irish Christian Brothers."

In Canada, Australia, the UK, and Ireland, the order has received sustained criticism in recent years after many claims of the abuse of children in its institutions. Apologies were issued on behalf of the order in several parts of the world towards the end of the 20th Century.

Formation

Edmund Rice

At the turn of the nineteenth century, Waterford merchant Edmund Rice considered travelling to Rome to join a religious order, possibly the Augustinians. Instead, with the support of Dr. Hussey, Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore, he decided to found a religious order. Image File history File links Edmund_rice. ... Image File history File links Edmund_rice. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference S604123 Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 41. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... Detail of St. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about a title... The Diocese of Waterford and Lismore is a Roman Catholic diocese in Ireland. ...

This first school, on Waterford's New Street, was a converted stable, and opened in 1802. In 1803, the citizens of Waterford built a monastery for the young men who had been drawn to assist Rice. The reputation of the school spread and many young men sought to become “brothers”. Leland Stanfords horse stable, still in use Horse kept in stable A stable is a building in which livestock, usually horses, are kept. ... Monastery of St. ...

In 1808, seven of the staff including Edmund Rice, took religious vows under Bishop Power of Waterford. Following the example of Nano Nagle's Presentation Sisters, they were called "Presentation Brothers". This was the first congregation of men to be founded in Ireland and one of the few ever founded in a Church by a layman. Nano Nagle Nano (Honoria) Nagle (1718 – 26 April 1784) founded the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (also known as the Presentation Sisters). // Nano was born in Ballygriffin,County Cork in 1718. ... The Presentation Sisters (also known as the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary) are a Roman Catholic religious order, founded in Ireland by Nano Nagle in 1775. ...

Houses were soon opened in Carrick-on-Suir, Dungarvan, and in 1811, in Cork. In 1812 the Archbishop of Dublin established a community in Dublin. By 1907 there were ten communities in Dublin with in excess of 6,000 pupils. The schools included primary, secondary and technical schools, along with orphanages and a school for the deaf. A community was founded in Limerick in 1816, followed by establishments in many of Ireland's principal towns. WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 52. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 52. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 37. ... Primate of Ireland is a title possessed by the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland (Anglican) Archbishops of Dublin. ... Dublin city centre at night WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: Dáil Éireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ... Primary or elementary education is the first years of formal, structured education that occurs during childhood. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A blacksmith is a traditional trade. ... // The first orphanages, called orphanotrophia, were founded in the 1st century amid various alternative means of orphan support. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference R574572 Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 20. ...

The Holy See formally established the order in 1820. The Christian Brothers was the first Irish order of men approved by a charter from Rome. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Pope (from Latin...

Some Brothers in Cork chose to remain under the original Presentation rule and continued to be known as Presentation Brothers, a separate order also recognizing Edmund Rice as its Founder.

Expansion

Traditional crest of the Christian Brothers, incorporating the Latin motto Facere et docere ('To Do and To Teach').

The order spread to Liverpool and other parts of England. Brother Ambrose Treacy established a very successful presence in Melbourne, Australia in 1868. In 1875 a school was opened in St. John’s, Newfoundland. In 1878 the Brothers were introduced to Gibraltar. Communities were established in New Zealand and, in 1886 the Pope made it clear that he wanted the Brothers in India. A province of the order was established there. In 1900 the order was invited to establish houses in Rome. In 1906 the order established schools in New York City. Image File history File links CrestOfChristianBrothersOrder. ... Image File history File links CrestOfChristianBrothersOrder. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Location within England Coordinates: , Sovereign state United Kingdom Constituent country England Region North West England Ceremonial county Historic county Merseyside Lancashire Admin HQ Liverpool City Centre Founded 1207 City Status 1880 Government  - Type Metropolitan borough, City  - Governing body Liverpool City Council Area  - Borough & City 43. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem specific to England — the anthem of the United Kingdom is God Save the Queen. See also Proposed English National Anthems. ... Brother Patrick Ambrose Treacy CFC (August 31, 1834-October 2, 1912) was a Roman Catholic educationist who established the first permanent Christian Brothers community in Australia in 1868. ... The City of Melbournes coat of arms The central business district of Melbourne, viewed from the north Alternate meanings: Melbourne (disambiguation) Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia, with a population of 52,117 in the Central... Template:Hide = Motto: Template:Unhide = Avancez (go forward) Nickname: The City of Legends City of St. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

The Brothers' schools continue to be of many types, including primary, secondary and technical schools, orphanages and schools for the deaf.

British Parliamentary Committee on Child Migration

Margaret Humphrey's research began in 1986 when, as a social worker, she received a letter from a woman in Australia who said that, at the age of four, she had been sent on a boat from the UK to a children's home in Australia, and who was looking for help in tracing her parents in Britain. Margaret Humphreys is a social worker in Nottingham, England, who in 1987 investigated and brought to public attention the British governments practice, between 1947 and 1967, of resettling poor British children in Australia, Canada, and other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations [1] without their parents knowledge. ...

Humphrey's research led to the exposure of the child migration scheme and to the establishment of the Child Migrants Trust, initially financed by Nottingham City Council, and later by the British and Australian governments. The aim of the trust is to reunite child migrants with their parents.

In 1998, a British Parliamentary Committee on Child Migration began an inquiry into the policy, and published a report in August that year, which criticized the policy in general, and particularly certain Roman Catholic institutions in Western Australia and Queensland where child migrants were housed, and where they were abused. The Western Australian Legislative Assembly passed a motion on 13 August 1998 apologizing to former child migrants.

Sexual molestation charges

Canada

Allegations of sexual abuse at Mount Cashel Boys Home orphanage in Newfoundland led to a royal commission (The Hughes Inquiry). Further investigations followed into allegations at other institutions across Canada.

The Hughes Inquiry concluded that officials had transferred offenders and covered up the sexual abuse at Mount Cashel, and recommended that the victims be compensated. There was insufficient evidence to charge church and government officials with obstructing justice. Nine Christian Brothers were eventually convicted and sentenced to between one and 13 years in prison. These include Edward English and Edward French amongst others. Edward English (b ? - ) is a Canadian Christian Brother who was convicted in 1994 of indecent assault, gross indecency, and assault causing bodily harm against children as part of the Mount Cashel Orphanage scandal in Newfoundland, Canada. ... Edward French (b ? - ) is a Canadian Christian Brother who was convicted in 1991 of indecent assault against children as part of the Mount Cashel Orphanage scandal in Newfoundland, Canada. ...

The orphanage was closed in 1990, and on April 5, 1992, the Christian Brothers formally apologized to the victims of abuse at Mount Cashel. is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

The fight to compensate the victims of Mount Cashel lasted for many years. In 1996 the Newfoundland government paid $11.5 million in compensation. The courts ordered the assets of the Christian Brothers sold to compensate the victims, who were to receive between $20,000 and $600,000 in compensation.

In 2002 St. Thomas More Collegiate in Burnaby and Vancouver College in Shaughnessy paid victims $19 million in an out-of-court settlement.^[1] Also see: 2002 (number). ... St Thomas More Collegiate is an independent Catholic school located in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. ... Coordinates: Country  Canada Province  British Columbia District Greater Vancouver Regional District Established 1892 (municipality status) – 1992 (city status) Government  - Mayor Derek Corrigan  - MPs Peter Julian (NDP), Bill Siksay (NDP)  - MLAs Raj Chouhan, Richard T. Lee, John Nuraney, Harry Bloy Area  - City 89. ... Vancouver College (referred to informally as VC) is an independent Catholic elementary and secondary school (K-12) located in the Shaughnessy neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... Location of Shaughnessy in Vancouver. ...

United Kingdom and Ireland

In March 1998, the Congregation of the Christian Brothers published full-page advertisements in newspapers in Ireland (but not the UK), apologizing to former pupils who had been ill-treated whilst in their care. The unprecedented advertising campaign expressed "deep regret" on behalf of the Christian Brothers and listed telephone lines which former pupils could ring if they needed help.^[2]

Australia

In the 1970’s Ballarat was considered one of the pillars of the Australian Catholic Church and St Patrick’s College was the spiritual heart of Ballarat. However paedophiles operated with impunity across the Senior and Junior schools of the College. The abuse was widespread and well known within the church hierarchy.^[3]

As early as 1971 the now retired Bishop Mulkearns took the half-hearted step of dealing with the problem referring probably the worst St Patrick’s College paedophile, Fr Gerald Ridsdale for counselling. Predictably this strategy did not stop the abuse. Fr Ridsdale went on offending with his most horrific years of inflicting paedophilia abuse ahead of him.

Fr Ridsdale was later convicted of 46 counts of sexual abuse against 21 victims over two decades. His victims claim that he would select children from the class and rape them with impunity either in the presbytery or a public toilet. In one instance he raped a young girl who came to him for comfort on the day of her father’s death. In 1994, Bishop Mulkearns claimed that while he was aware of the abuse, he was not aware of the extent.

The convictions are probably only the tip of the iceberg. Ridsdale has admitted that his victims can be counted in the 100s and further charges are currently being considered by Victoria’s Director of Public Prosecutions.

One of the St Patrick’s College junior campuses, East Ballarat's St Alipius Primary School (now closed) had a particularly active paedophile ring. In the four classrooms there was Brother Robert Best, Brother Edward Dowlan, Brother Fitzgerald, (now dead) and Brother Stephen Francis Farrell. All, except Fitzgerald, were later convicted of sex crimes. During Dowlan's County Court trial in 1996, the prosecution alleged that three St Alipius boys were each sexually abused by Dowlan, Best and Ridsdale.

Dowlan and Best were later transferred to the senior school where they joined other College pedophiles and continued to offend. Only very reluctantly has the Church come to accept its complicity in these crimes and the culture of abuse continues to divide this otherwise peaceful country town. These two convicted felons continue to work in the Christian Brother's various ministries.^[4]

Corporal punishment was widespread throughout the earlier 20th century and into the 1980's at the Christian Brothers' schools. A favorite method was administering the "ghat", a leather strap about 1cm thick and 3cm wide brought down across the students hands. This was administered to children as young as 10. Typical offences included being in the classrooms before the bell (to get out of the freezing Ballarat cold). In the senior campus, one lay teacher, who was considered one of the less violent teachers, administered the ghat to those boys who were the slowest to put down their pens after he clicked his fingers.

Redirection

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the overall numbers of Christian Brothers have declined worldwide (as of December 31, 2006, there were 1,328 Brothers).^[5] It has become impossible for Brothers to take personal charge for the many schools and instituations that continue to flourish. While the extinction of the Congregation is far from immiment, this situation is only likely to become more acute as time passes, particularly throughout the Western world. As such, the Congregation has had to look forward to a time when parts of the Christian Brothers mission will have to pass beyond the hands of avowed Christian Brothers.

At Congregational Chapters, most significantly in South Africa in 1996, Brothers have made significant statements and steps that redefine what it means to be a Christian Brother. In particular, Brothers have felt more compelled to reach out to 'the people on the margins', those persons who are not given the full benefits of the society they live in.^[6] Therefore, fewer Brothers are engaged in direct teaching positions in the present day, but engage in work that tends to the needs of the poor, the sick and the displaced.

The virtual handover of schools, institutions and charitable legacies of the Christian Brothers nevertheless requires members of the Catholic laity that continue to draw inspiration from the works and legacy of the Congregation's Founder, Blessed Edmund Rice. The creation of associated youth ministries such as the Edmund Rice Camps and the Edmund Rice Volunteers is partly attributable to this perceived need. Edmund Rice Camps (often referred to as ERC or Eddie Rice Camps) is a charitable volunteer organisation closely associated with the Congregation of Christian Brothers, and inspired by the work of Edmund Ignatius Rice. ...

Organisational structure of the Christian Brothers

Geographically, the Christian Brothers are divided into several provinces that encompass every continent. The Brothers within each province work under the direction of a Provincial Leadership Team. In turn, the entire Congregation operates under the leadership of a Congregational Leadership Team that is based in Rome (and led by a superior general). These Provincial and Congregational teams are elected on a 6-year basis at congregational chapters. Province is a name for a secondary, or subnational entity of government in most countries. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order of congregation. ... This article incorporates text from the Catholic Encyclopedia, which is in the public domain. ...

At this point in time, restructuring is taking place in Oceania and Europe to account for the changing needs of the Congregation, in particular the declining number of Brothers in the developed world. The five provinces covering Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are combining into one Oceania province across 2007-08,^[7] while the provinces that cover Ireland, England and the Congregational Leadership Team in Rome are combining into a single European province on May 5, 2007.^[8] World map exhibiting a common interpretation of Oceania; other interpretations may vary. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem specific to England — the anthem of the United Kingdom is God Save the Queen. See also Proposed English National Anthems. ...

A special community within this new European province will be based in Geneva, Switzerland, working to establish an NGO known as Edmund Rice International. The purpose of such an organisation is to gain what is known as a "general consultative status" with the United Nations. "This position allows groups the opportunity to challenge systemic injustice and to engage in advocacy work with policy makers on behalf of people who are made poor." As well as including Christian Brothers from provinces all over the world, members of the Presentation Brothers will also have a presence within this community.^[9] Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German:   //, Italian: Ginevra //, Romansh: Genevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich), and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). ... NGO is an abbreviation or code for: Non-governmental organization Nagoya Airport (IATA code) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... The Congregation of Presentation Brothers is an international Catholic congregation of laymen founded in 1802 in Waterford, Ireland, by a local business man, Edmund Ignatius Rice. ...

Notable Christian Brothers

• Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice (founder of the Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers)
• Br. Patrick Ambrose Treacy (leader of the first Australian community of Christian Brothers)
• Br. Paul Francis Keaney
• Br. Paul Nunan

For other persons named Edmund Rice, see Edmund Rice (disambiguation). ... The Congregation of Presentation Brothers is an international Catholic congregation of laymen founded in 1802 in Waterford, Ireland, by a local business man, Edmund Ignatius Rice. ... Brother Patrick Ambrose Treacy CFC (August 31, 1834-October 2, 1912) was a Roman Catholic educationist who established the first permanent Christian Brothers community in Australia in 1868. ... Br. ... Brother Paul Nunan was a Christian Brother, and influential headmaster of Christian Brothers College, Perth, where he served from 1897-1908, 1912-1918 and 1920-21. ...

See also

• Edmund Ignatius Rice
• List of Christian Brothers schools
• Roman Catholic sex abuse cases

For other persons named Edmund Rice, see Edmund Rice (disambiguation). ... Logo of the Christian Brothers, adopted in January 2006. ... The Roman Catholic sex abuse cases are a series of accusations of child sexual abuse and related church cover-ups made against Roman Catholic priests. ...

References

• Davies, K. (1994) When Innocence Trembles: The Christian Brothers Orphanage Tragedy. (Angus & Robertson: Sydney) ISBN 0207184194

1. ^ http://www.religioustolerance.org/clergy_sex3.htm
2. ^ BBC News story
3. ^ Article in the Age Newspaper
4. ^ http://brokenrites.alphalink.com.au/nletter/page122-dowlan.html
5. ^ http://www.edmundrice.org.au/Christian_Brothers/Restructuring/Statistics/
6. ^ http://www.edmundclt.org/history/1996chapterbackground/1996chapterbackground.html
7. ^ http://www.cfcoceania.org.au/docs/138_1.pdf
8. ^ http://www.edmundrice.org.au/Christian_Brothers/Restructuring/New_Leadership_Team_in_Ireland_and_England/
9. ^ http://www.edmundrice.org.au/media/Jointletter07.pdf

External links

• Catholic Encyclopædia
• EdmundSchools.Org
• Christian Brothers
• Christian Brothers on Edmund Rice