Discovering Brotherhood

Each Brother is an open letter from Christ-a message written, not with ink but in the Spirit of the living God, with a faithful human heart to carry it!

Brothers are lay religious, who profess vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They commit themselves to a life of ministry and prayer within the community.
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Timeline of his Life

Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, 1762 - 1844

Brief Timeline of His Life and Legacy

1762 (June 1st) Edmund Rice was born in Callan, Ireland

1779 Edmund Rice went to Waterford, Ireland, to work with his uncle, Michael Rice, who had a ship
chandler's and provisioning store

1785 Edmund met and married Mary Elliott

1789 daughter Mary born, wife Mary Rice died

1802 Edmund Rice, with two others form community in rooms over the Stable School in Waterford, Ireland

1803 Edmund Rice opened his first school and monastery, Mount Sion, in Waterford, Ireland

1820 (September 5th) Apostolic Brief by the Holy See - the Christian Brothers are the first Irish order of men formally approved by a charter from Rome

1838 Edmund Rice resigned as Superior General of the Congregation and retired to Mount Sion, Waterford, Ireland

1844 (August 29th) Edmund Rice died in Waterford, Ireland

1910 the Superior General of the Brothers writes to the Procurator General in Rome about what steps must be taken to begin the official process of having Edmund Rice declared "Venerable"

1906 first permanent community of Brothers in the United States (All Saints School, New York City)

1916 “Iona School” opens in New Rochelle, New York

1919 Brothers purchase 18 acres in Beechmont section of New Rochelle

1920 Iona School moves to Beechmont site

1940 Brothers found Iona College, New Rochelle, New York

1961 Cause for Canonization introduced in the Archdiocese of Dublin, Ireland

1976 possible miracle performed by the intercession of Brother Edmund Rice

1988 tribunal set up in Ireland to investigate the possible miracle of 1976

1993 (April 2nd) Pope John Paul II bestowed the title "Venerable" on Edmund Rice and declared him a
candidate for beatification

1995 Congregation of Saints determines cure to be the work of Edmund Rice and the Holy Father gives his approval to the miracle

1996 (October 6th) 152 years after the death of Edmund Rice, Pope John Paul II beatified Edmund Rice who is now known as Blessed Edmund Rice