Edmund Ignatius Rice

Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice ( born June 1, 1762 Callan, Ireland, † August 29 1844 in Waterford, Ireland) was a Roman Catholic missionary, educator, lay brother and founder of the lay brotherhood Christian Brothers. He first began a successful career in business. After the death of his wife, he devoted himself and his life to education and to the service of the poor.

History

Edmund Rice was born as the fourth son of seven sons, the spouses Robert Rice and Margaret Rice (born Tierney ). The first few years he grew up in the rural surroundings of Callan, County Kilkenny. In the " Moate Lane School ", a so-called tail School, he received his first education. Later he also founded hedge schools for destitute Irish. Edmund Rice was born in the difficult period of the anti - Catholic " Penal Laws " in Ireland and confronted at an early age with the oppression of Catholics. Patrick Grace, a member of the Augustinian monks took over the domestic training of Edmund and his brothers. He received his degree at a school in Kilkenny, thereafter took it over in 1779, his uncle, a merchant, in the doctrine. After a successful apprenticeship, he was responsible in the business of his uncle, Michael Rice for overseeing the loading and shipping of foods that have been transported to the British colonies. After the death of his uncle Edmund Rice took over the business in 1785, the same year he married a young woman, whose name is given as Mary Elliott. Not much is known about the time of marriage. In January 1789 his wife died at or shortly after the birth of her daughter. The circumstances are not known, may have had a previously suffered riding or carriage accident played a role. Edmund Rice was a widower and lived with his delicate, sickly and disabled daughter. Since this event, he devoted himself to prayer and charitable work, which he particularly cared about the poor and the marginalized groups in Waterford.

His vocation

In 1802 he built the first school in Waterford, he realized at once that he could not help fully the part abused children. That's why he decided to sell his business, from the sales amount he paid the teachers and the children received a free education. Soon found the school in Waterford great recognition and due to the increased demand another temporary school in New Street was built in Waterford. The turning point in the life of Edmund Rice's took place with the arrival of Thomas Grosvenor and Patrick Finn, who expressed the desire to live in a religious community with Edmund Rice. On 1 June 1802, the expansion and construction of the school began in the New Street and on 7 June 1803, the school was blessed with the name " Mount Sion ". The attached residential wing was completed on 1 May 1804 and blessed by the Bishop of Waterford. All these structural and pedagogical activities were illegal according to the spirit of the Irish authorities, so the builder and founder of these schools was initially no financial support. Only under the emphasis of influential friends and the Bishop of Waterford was able to gain the recognition and school license.

Founding of the order

In 1808, the religious community consisted of seven employees who were under the patronage of the bishop, on the model of Nano Nagle, founder of the " Presentation Sisters", called at first " Presentation Brothers". Thus, it was in Ireland, the first male lay brotherhood, called to episcopal right to life. With an exemplary training and youth succeeded the brotherhood high recognition to obtain, other diocesan bishops now religious men sent to Waterford. This produced but also have different areas of responsibility and the extension to the whole of Ireland. This expansion eventually required the approval in 1820 by Pope Pius VII, Edmund Ignatius Rice Thus was elected as the first Superior General of the lay Order. From that moment the lay brotherhood " Christian Brothers" ( Christian Brothers ) was called.

Retirement

At the age of seventy-six years, Rice returned from Dublin to Waterford, in the residential building at the School Mount Sion back. He presented his position as General Superior available and on July 24, 1838 followed in Brother Michael Paul Riordan. His deteriorating health soon tied in to a wheelchair, his disease progressed and he thought Christmas 1841 no longer survive. He was now constantly on the sick bed and was cared for until his death on August 29, 1844 by a nurse.

Beatification

In 1911, rose the first requests for canonization. But not until 1957 was introduced for the beatification through the intercession of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, the future Pope Paul VI. , Dublin in the process. 1976 Commission recommended the archbishop of Dublin, the beatification of Edmund Rice and sent the collected documents to Rome.

On April 2, 1993 Pope John Paul II declared as Venerable Rice and accepted the arguments put forward events from the year 1976 as a miracle. This miracle was a healing of the sick: A seriously ill man who was dying, said to have been cured by the imposition of a relic of Edmund Rice. On October 6, 1996 Edmund Ignatius Rice was beatified.

Honors

In honor of the Founder, but in a particular way in memory of his charity work several schools and colleges in Ireland and other countries have been named after him. It also public buildings were provided with his name:

• The bridge leading into Waterford over the River Suir, bears the name " Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice Bridge"
• In Callan, his birthplace wurde1951 erected a memorial and a street named " Edmund Ignatius Rice Street".
• In Waterford at the School Mount Sion the Rice Chapel was built.