The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-09-18
7HE IRISH CHRIS;
TAN Brothers

||A| BRO|HERS /
In order to aid him in meeting the |
urgent appeals for brothers, the SUI
perior.general of the Christian Broth
ers of Ireland has decided to establish |
a noyitiate in this country. With the
sanction Of the Holy See and the ap.
probation of His Eminence Cardinal
Farley the novitiate will be located in
the archdiocese Of New York. A house
has been secured for the purpose at
1877 Winyah avenue, New Rochelle,
and the novitiate will be opened on
Sept. 8, the feast of Our Lady's Ma.
tivity.
In the novitiate young men wishing
to consecrate their lives to the work
of Christian education in the congre-
cation will receive the training which
will fit them for their high vocation.
The Institution of the Brothers of
the Christian Schools in Ireland, an
order better known as Irish Christian
Brothers, was founded at Waterford,
Ireland, in 1902, by Edmond 1gnatius
Rice, a merchant Of that city. Mr..
Rice was born at Callan, County Kill
kenny, in 1862, and died at Waterford
in 1874. He was educated at a Cath
olic school in the city of Kilkenny.
At that period a cloud of misery and
ignorance hung over the Catholics of
Ireland. During those unhappy years
it was illegal for a Catholic to edu.
cate his children as Catholics or for
any teacher to undertake such work.
In 1879 Edmond Rice entered the
business house of his uncle, a large
exporter and importer in the city Of
Waterford. After the latter's death
he became sole proprietor of the bust
ness. AS citizen he was distin.
guished for his probity, charity and
pfety. He was an active member of a
society established for the relief Of
the poor of Waterford.
About 1874 and again some years
later, he thought of entering con-
tinental monastery. While he was one
day discussing the matter with a
friend, the sister of Bishop Power, of
Waterford, band of ragged boys
passed by. Pointing to them, Miss
Power exclaimed: what! would you
bury yourself in cell on the CONT
nent rather than devote your wealth
and your life to the spiritual and ma.
terial interests of these poor youths ?"
Her words were an inspiration. He
investigated, and the wretched state
of the Catholic boys of Waterford ex.
cited his pity. Larigan, of his ma
tive diocese of Ossery, and other &C.
clesiastics whom he consulted, ad-
vised him to undertake the mission to
which God was evidently calling him.
Rice settled his worldly affairs and
commenced the work of the Christian
schools. Assisted by two young men
whom he paid for their services he
opened his first school in Waterford
in 1902. In June of that year, Bishop
Hussey of Waterford laid the founda.
ton stone of schoolhouse on site
which he named Mount Sion. The
building was soon ready for occupa-
ton, but Rice's assistants had fed,
and could not be induced to return,
even when offered higher salaries. In
this extremity two young men, at
tracted by the influence of his zeal
and example, offered themselves as
fellow laborers.
The citizens of Waterford built for
them a monastery in 1903. Soon 9th.
er workers gathered around him, and
by 1906 schools were established in
Waterford, Carrick-on-SuF and Dun.
garvan. Bishop Moylan of Cork sum.
moned a meeting of the principal citi-
zens Of Cork, and expressed. to them
a strong desire to procure similar ad-
vantages for that city. Two wealthy
citizens offered to devote their lives
and fortunes to the good work and
the first school was opened in Cork
in 1911. -
In 1920 Pope Plus VII formally
confirmed the new congregation by
the brief LAD pastoralis diignitatis
fastigium). This was the first con.
firmation by the church Of a congre-
cation Of religious men in Ireland.
Brother Rice was unanimously elected
superior-general by the members.