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Congregation of Christian Brothers

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For a different Roman Catholic order commonly known as "Christian Brothers", see Lasallian Brothers.
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a world-wide community of religious brothers of the Catholic church, founded by Edmund Rice, considered Blessed by the Catholic Church. The first school was opened in Waterford, Ireland, in 1802. 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.

Contents

Formation

Rice considered joining a religious order on the Continent, but instead, with the support of the Catholic bishop of Waterford, Dr. Hussey, decided to open a school for the poor.

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”. 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.

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.

Expansion

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.

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

Canadian sexual molestation charges

In 1898, the bishop of St. John’s, Newfoundland donated land for an orphanage. It was named Mount Cashel after the site in Ireland where St. Patrick is said to have baptized the pagan king Aenghus in 450. Provincial agencies began placing wards of the state at Mount Cashel in the 1950s.

In 1989, Roman Catholic priest Rev. James Hickey was charged with sexually molesting young boys in his parish. The investigation prompted charges against other priests, including several members of the Irish Christian Brothers running the Mount Cashel orphanage. There were also allegations that previous investigations beginning in 1975 had been covered up, and the offenders sent away to other provinces, where they received treatment.

The church set up a commission of enquiry, and the Newfoundland government established a royal commission (the Hughes Inquiry) to investigate. The publicity also lead to other investigations into sexual abuse in institutions across Canada.

By March 1989 police had laid 77 charges against the eight members of the Irish Congregation of Christian Brothers who were implicated in the earlier investigation. They also charged a ninth man for more recent offences, and laid 17 charges against three civilians.

Nine Christian Brothers were eventually convicted and sentenced to between one and 13 years in prison.

The Hughes Inquiry concluded that officials had indeed covered up the sexual abuse at Mount Cashel, and recommended that the victims be compensated. But it said there was insufficient evidence to charge church and government officials for obstructing justice.

The orphanage was closed in 1990, the facility razed and the land sold. It became the site of a supermarket and a residential development called the Howley Estates. A piece of the orphanage was installed as a small monument to the children of Mount Cashel.

On April 5, 1992, the Christian Brothers formally apologized to the victims of abuse at Mount Cashel.

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 of Ireland in Canada sold to compensate the victims. They were to receive between $20,000 and $600,000 in compensation.

There was another legal battle over the ownership of two Vancouver schools held by members of the Brothers. St. Thomas More Collegiate in Burnaby and Vancouver College in Shaughnessy were slated to be liquidated to pay damages to the Newfoundland victims. But lawyers for the schools said they were not owned by the Order of Christian Brothers, but by four individual members who held shares. In 2002 the schools paid $19 million in an out-of-court settlement.

Today

The order currently boasts about 1,900 brothers across twenty-nine countries. The brothers have provinces in Europe, North America, Oceania, Africa, Latin America, and India. The order is governed by a superior general, who resides in Rome.

Schools started by the Congregation (Incomplete)

Ireland

South America

Canada

USA

Australia

St. Mary's Province Holy Spirit Province St. Francis Xavier Province Special Schools St Patrick's Province

New Zealand

India

See also

External links

 

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