Our Story
We were founded just over two hundred years ago by a remarkable Irishman called Edmund Rice. Born into a situation where his people had little share in their country’s resources, Edmund was part of a minority who had the advantage of a good education and everything needed in the way of material goods. He became apprenticed to an uncle and proved to have a real flair for business.
At age 23 he married Mary. Within two years, while Mary was pregnant, something happened to her, and just after delivering their child, she died. Edmund was devastated: at 25 he found himself a widower and a single-parent. And soon it became apparent that his daughter was seriously disabled and that she needed specialised and constant care.
Though his business grew and thrived, his success felt hollow. In his pain, he felt himself identifying more and more with those who live on the margins of society. He became increasingly involved with the needy and the neglected, especially the young. And in his contact with the poor, he experienced a closeness to God and felt drawn to follow Jesus more radically.
He saw that education and care of the young was the key to truly liberating people. At the age of forty, with no training or experience as a teacher, he made the decision to give his life to God by educating the neglected boys and young men of his city. His aim was to empower them to make something of their lives, leading them away from the dangers of their day and towards God. He sold his business and rented out his property to provide income to support his mission—and, of course, his daughter. He started in an old stable, turning the downstairs floor into a classroom and moving out of his comfortable home to live upstairs. The teachers he hired to assist him quickly gave up, for the boys were wild and rough. But other helpers presented themselves, wanting to join him not just in his work but in his dedication to God. And so the Christian Brothers—and our close associates, the Presentation Brothers—came into being.
Soon, in response to requests, Edmund’s brothers spread all over Ireland and then beyond the sea. Edmund and his brothers were known for their very practical and all-round response to the needs of the young people they served—they fed those who were hungry, clothed those who were in rags, prepared them for the world of work, educated them to think, nurtured their faith, and encouraged them to love God and respond to those in need. For over 200 years, the Christian Brothers have continued to be brothers to the young and also to others out on the margins of society.
In 1996, all those inspired by Edmund Rice were greatly encouraged when the Church named him “Blessed”, and we are confident that the process will soon lead to his being publicly recognized as a Saint, a model disciple of Jesus.
200+ years
■ of experience
■ of prayer & reflection
■ of compassion
■ of community life
■ of service to youth
■ of mistakes & faults
■ of venturing
■ of making a difference
Ireland
1802
Britain
1825
Gibraltar
1835
India
1841
Australia
1842
USA
1843
Canada
1876
New
Zealand 1876
South
Africa 1897
Rome
1900
Argentina
1948
Papua
New Guinea 1950
Zimbabwe
1954
Uruguay
1955
Dominica
1956
Antigua
1958
Zambia
1964
Peru
1967
Liberia
1969
Sierra
Leone 1969
Cook
Islands 1976
Fiji
1981
Paraguay
1988
Tanzania
1988
The
Gambia 1989
Kenya
1991
Sudan
1991
Namibia
1996
East
Timor
Ghana
2001
Burma
2001