ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF AN EDMUND RICE CHRISTIAN BROTHER EDUCATION
The Essential Elements of an Edmund Rice Christian Brother Education calls educational ministry sites and those working in them to :
I . Evangelize Youth within the Mission of the Church . � proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed � permeate the entire curriculum , activities , and all aspects of the educational process with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ
� encourage young people to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ
� provide opportunities for liturgies , retreats , vocation awareness workshops and daily prayer
II . Proclaim and Witness to Catholic Identity . � give priority to religious instruction with opportunities for faith development and theological understanding � participate in the sacramental life of the Church and model a living faith through the use of rituals and symbols � foster devotion to Mary and the communion of saints � ensure that Catholic identity permeates all endeavors : all classes and activities , procedures and policies , services and programs
III .
Stand in Solidarity with those Marginalized by Poverty and Injustice . � promote policies and structures that reflect a climate of compassion for the poor and disadvantaged � include education and advocacy for peace , justice , global awareness and care for the Earth � prepare students to work toward the creation of a just society � encourage ministry experiences that work with and serve the poor and marginalized � support mission areas at home and abroad � establish tuition and scholarship policies that open educational opportunities to the poor and disadvantaged
IV . Foster and Invigorate a Community of Faith .
� provide a disciplined , safe atmosphere in which students are free to grow and take responsibility for their own learning and for the life of the community
� sustain compassionate , respectful relationships among all stakeholders
� be in union with the Church through commitment to service and formation of community
� encourage faculty and staff to give daily witness to their integral role in communal faith formation
� embrace the human condition and welcome God ’ s healing
V . Celebrates the Value and Dignity of Each Person and Nurture the Development of the Whole Person . � promote respect for each individual as created in the image and likeness of God � value the diversity of the human family and seek to reflect diversity among the students , faculty and staff � promote strong programs for personal , professional , and pastoral care � offer extra‐curricular activities and programs that are important to a student ’ s holistic education � strive to provide just remuneration for faculty and staff
VI . Collaborate and Share Responsibility for the Mission . � empower all members of the community to share in the mission � work with parents / guardians who are the primary educators � collaborate with Edmund Rice Christian Brother ministries on local , regional , and international levels � foster a deeper understanding of the vision of Blessed Edmund � promote active participation in governance by boards and diocesan officials
VII . Pursue Excellence in all Endeavors . � promote a strong academic curriculum and cultivate a desire for excellence � develop an educational culture that fosters the growth of the whole person , higher‐order thinking , and life‐long learning
In accord with the mission statement of the Congregation of Christian Brothers , " We commit ourselves to Christian education and to prophetic action on behalf of the materially poor in the confidence that in all our truly human interactions God is transforming us as well as the people we serve .”
BLESSED EDMUND IGNATIUS RICE ( 1762 – 1844 )
The founder of the Christian Brothers of Ireland , Edmund Rice , was born in 1762 , near the town of Callan . He was educated , married , and became a prosperous merchant , landowner and leader of Catholic activities in the city of Waterford . Edmund ’ s wife died tragically , leaving Edmund and their daughter behind . After a number of years , Edmund contemplated life in a monastery on the continent , but a friend with connections to the local bishop encouraged him to look out upon the poor of Waterford and find his mission there , first among the youth of the city ' s neglected poor . The Bishop of Waterford encouraged him to begin a school for poor boys . The parents of these boys refused to send their sons to the existing Protestant school . In 1802 , Edmund began his educational work in a room above a local barn and in 1803 ,
4