The Congregation of Presentation Brothers ( Latin : Fratres Presentationis Mariae ; English : "Brothers of the Presentation of Mary"; abbreviated F.P.M.) is an international Catholic congregation of laymen founded in 1802 in Waterford , Ireland , by a local Irish businessman, Edmund Ignatius Rice , now Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice. Presentation Brothers live and work in Ireland, England, USA, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Grenada with about 100 brothers throughout these countries.
31-511: The brothers take three promises— poverty, chastity and obedience —and live together in small groups called "communities". The motto of the congregation was adopted from that of the Jesuits: " Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam " or For the greater glory of god". Brothers bear the initials F.P.M. ( Fratres Presentationis Mariae ). The expressed mission of the Presentation Brothers is to "form Christ in
62-507: A Catholic from receiving an education. Rice received his primary school education from a hedge school . These were illegal schools established by travelling teachers. The laws were relaxed at the time of Rice's childhood and eventually, he attended an academy in Kilkenny. At the age of 17, Rice was apprenticed to his uncle, Michael Rice, in Waterford city. Waterford was one of the busiest ports in
93-572: A Pontifical Institute, Rice could now move brothers between dioceses without having to seek each local bishop's permission. The majority of brothers accepted the new Rule and went on to become the Congregation of Christian Brothers . Today there are Irish Christian Brothers in 17 different countries. Brother Michael Augustine Riordan, and a few of the Cork Brothers decided to remain under the jurisdiction of local diocesan bishop and continued to live by
124-542: A devotion to Saint Teresa of Jesus . He also became involved in charitable works and regularly visited the poor of Waterford providing financial assistance to those in need. In 1798, Rice helped the Presentation Sisters open a convent and school for girls in Waterford. Rice decided to try something similar for young boys. In 1800, he began to teach youngsters at his business premises in Barronstrand Street with
155-414: A liar and be in error in order that the princes might come off with honor, for they could not exalt the princes without degrading Christ—wretched blind sophists that they are. And their poisonous error has spread thus to the whole world until everyone regards these teachings of Christ not as precepts binding on all Christians alike but as mere counsels for the perfect. Dietrich Bonhoeffer argues that
186-483: A public profession to order their lives by the evangelical counsels, and confirmed this by public vows before their competent church authority (the act of religious commitment known as a profession ), are recognised as members of the consecrated life . There are early forms of religious vows in the monastic traditions. The Rule of Saint Benedict (ch. 58.17) indicates that the newly received promise stability, fidelity to monastic life, and obedience. Religious vows in
217-523: A small group of companions. They lived together in the community and began to follow an adaptation of the Presentation Sisters ’ rule. The Holy See had already approved of this Rule when Edmund and his followers began to use their adaptation of it to guide their first steps along the path of religious life. In 1832, the Rule of the Religious Brothers, approved by the pope, was adopted. As Superior General of
248-807: Is a 3 year programme, starting with a first-year certificate followed by a diploma before a final MA year. CLEO is based in Markdye House, Mardyke, Cork. Lecturers are delivered Cork, after school hours during school terms. Each year the CLEO Annual Reunion Lecture is hosted in Mardyke House. The MEd is recognised by the Irish Department of Education, with some 50 graduates being appointed school principal. In 2019 CLEO in partnership with St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth and Alliance for Catholic Education ( University of Notre Dame ), began offering
279-472: Is expected of all Christians as a matter of precept. The further voluntary abstinence from what is in itself lawful is the subject of the counsels, and such abstinence is not in itself meritorious, but only becomes so when it is done for the sake of Christ, and in order to be more free to serve him. The Catholic Encyclopedia article ends with the following summary: To sum up: it is possible to be rich, and married, and held in honour by all men, and yet keep
310-845: The Christian Formation Resource Centre (CFRC) by a number of Catholic religious orders, in 1997 it came solely under the Presentation Brothers , becoming Christian Leadership in Education Office. Since 1992 it has run postgraduate degrees, for primary and secondary schoolteachers validated by the University of Hull . Since the partnership with the University of Hull commenced over 250 teachers have gained Masters in Education, and over 20 have completed doctorates. The MA
341-565: The Early Church , even in Apostolic times, was not that the "counsels" would be neglected or denied, but that they should be exalted into commands of universal obligation, "forbidding to marry" ( 1 Timothy 4:3 ), and imposing poverty as a duty on all. These counsels have been analyzed as a way to keep the world from distracting the soul, on the grounds that the principal good things of this world easily divide themselves into three classes. There are
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#1732854690991372-470: The University of Hull . Since 1995 CLEO has been solely run by the presentation order, and is based in Mardyke House, Cork. The Leadership Education and Formation (L.E.A.F) Project from the Presentation Brothers is based at Mount St. Joseph's, Cork. The Presentation Brothers' Generalate is located at Mount St. Joseph, Blarney Street in Cork , Ireland , originally built as a House of Studies, it has been home to
403-412: The canonical gospels , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect" ( τελειος , teleios ). The Catholic Church interprets this to mean that they are not binding upon all, and hence not necessary conditions to attain eternal life ( heaven ), but that they are " acts of supererogation ", "over and above" the minimum stipulated in the biblical commandments . Catholics who have made
434-559: The Commandments and to enter heaven. Christ's advice is, if we would make sure of everlasting life and desire to conform ourselves perfectly to the Divine will, that we should sell our possessions and give the proceeds to others who are in need, that we should live a life of chastity for the Gospel's sake, and, finally, should not seek honours or commands, but place ourselves under obedience. These are
465-528: The Evangelical Counsels, and the things which are counselled are not set forward so much as good in themselves, as in the light of means to an end and as the surest and quickest way of obtaining everlasting life. In a 1523 essay, Martin Luther criticized the evangelical counsels to be supererogatory , and the two-tiered system to be a sophistic corruption of the teaching of Christ, intended to accommodate
496-544: The Gospel asked what he should do to obtain eternal life, and Jesus told him to "keep the commandments", but when the young man pressed further, Christ told him: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor". It is from this passage that the term "counsel of perfection" comes. Again in the Gospels, Jesus speaks of " eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven", and added "He that can receive it, let him receive it". St. Paul presses home
527-736: The Presentation Rule. They became a Pontifical Institute in 1889. The Presentation Brothers have a particular devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel . In 1876, the first Presentation school outside Ireland opened in England. Like the Irish Christian Brothers, the Presentation Brothers have followed the missionary example of the great Irish missionaries Brendan and Colmcille, responding as they believe Edmund Rice would have, to different needs as they encounter them in different regions and different circumstances. Presentation Brothers College, Cork
558-474: The assistance of some volunteers. The following year, Rice converted some stables on New Street into a makeshift school. His friends and colleagues described it as an act of "mad folly". Two men, Thomas Grosvenor and Patrick Finn, arrived to help. The three men lived in temporary accommodation over the horse stable as they waited for a monastery to be built. In the early days, when Rice first began to attract followers to his way of life, these formed themselves into
589-434: The brothers since 1892. There are about 350 Presentation Brothers living in 22 communities in 7 countries around the world. The congregation is divided into three Provinces: St Mary's College, Vigie, St. Lucia. Poverty, chastity and obedience In Christianity , the three evangelical counsels , or counsels of perfection , are chastity , poverty (or perfect charity ), and obedience . As stated by Jesus in
620-478: The city of Waterford , Ireland in 1802. Edmund Rice was born in the townland of Westcourt near the village of Callan in County Kilkenny on June 1, 1762. His parents, Robert and Margaret Tierney Murphy Rice, were prosperous farmers. The family spoke Irish but would also have spoken English in order to conduct their business affairs. Ireland in 1762, was under British rule and the anti-Catholic Penal Laws prevented
651-401: The duty incumbent on all Christians of keeping free from all sins of the flesh, and of fulfilling the obligations of the married state, if they have taken those obligations upon themselves, but also gives his "counsel" in favor of the unmarried state and of perfect chastity ( celibacy ), on the ground that it is thus more possible to serve God with an undivided allegiance. Indeed, the danger in
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#1732854690991682-451: The evangelical counsels by vows – that is, vows that the superior of the religious institute accepts in the name of the Church — or by other sacred bonds. Apart from the consecrated life, Christians are free to make a private vow to observe one or more of the evangelical counsels; but a private vow does not have the same binding and other effects in church law as a public vow. A young man in
713-477: The form of the three evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience were first made in the twelfth century by Francis of Assisi and his followers, the first of the mendicant orders . These vows are made now by the members of all religious institutes founded subsequently (cf. 1983 Code of Canon Law , can. 573) and constitute the basis of their other regulations of their life and conduct. Members of religious institutes confirm their intention to observe
744-419: The interpretation of the evangelical counsels to be supererogatory acquiesces in what he calls "cheap grace", lowering the standard of Christian teaching: The difference between ourselves and the rich young man is that he was not allowed to solace his regrets by saying: 'Never mind what Jesus says, I can still hold on to my riches, but in a spirit of inner detachment. Despite my inadequacy I can take comfort in
775-457: The riches which make life easy and pleasant, there are the pleasures of the flesh which appeal to the appetites, and, lastly, there are honors and positions of authority which delight the self-love of the individual. These three matters, in themselves often innocent and not forbidden to the devout Christian, may yet, even when no kind of sin is involved, hold back the soul from its true aim and vocation, and delay it from becoming entirely conformed to
806-588: The thought that God has forgiven me my sins and can have fellowship with Christ in faith.' But no, he went away sorrowful. Because he would not obey, he could not believe. In this the young man was quite honest. He went away from Jesus and indeed this honesty had more promise than any apparent communion with Jesus based on disobedience. Christian Leadership in Education Office (CLEO) Christian Leadership in Education Office (CLEO) , provides postgraduate training in education in Cork, Ireland. Originally founded in 1991 as
837-546: The vices of the aristocracy: You are perturbed over Christ's injunction in Matthew 5, 'Do not resist evil, but make friends with your accuser; and if any one should take your coat, let him have your cloak as well.' ... The sophists in the universities have also been perplexed by these texts. ... In order not to make heathen of the princes, they taught that Christ did not demand these things but merely offered them as advice or counsel to those who would be perfect. So Christ had to become
868-441: The will of God. It is, therefore, the object of the three counsels of perfection to free the soul from these hindrances. The love of riches is opposed by the counsel of poverty, the pleasures of the flesh (even the lawful pleasures of holy matrimony) are excluded by the counsel of chastity, while the desire for worldly power and honor is met by the counsel of holy obedience. Abstinence from unlawful indulgence in any of these directions
899-534: The world at the time, second only to Hamburg. Seven years later, Rice's uncle signed the business over to him. A shrewd businessman, Rice invested his growing fortune in land and property. At the age of 25, Rice married Mary Elliot, the daughter of a local businessman. Elliot was killed in a horse riding accident and the baby she was carrying was born with a handicap. The baby was christened Mary and Edmund's step-sister Joan took charge of looking after her. After his wife's death, Rice became more religious and he developed
930-554: The young" and traditionally they have worked to achieve this through education. Today Presentation Brothers work in a wider range of ministries including with the homeless, elderly, disadvantaged youth and the Roma people. In 2007 the Presentation Brothers opened new missions in Slovakia and Nigeria and an advocacy office for the poor in Geneva. The Presentation Brothers were founded by Edmund Rice in
961-600: Was founded in 1878. The main foundations have been: U.S.A. 1843; England 1876; Canada 1910; West Indies 1946; Ghana 1968; Peru 1969; Geneva 2007; Nigeria 2007; Slovakia 2007. From 1991 along with other orders was involved in the Christian Formation Resource Centre (CFRC) in Cork, which developed into the Christian Leadership in Education Office (CLEO) , which since 1993 has delivered postgraduate courses in education, in Cork (and from 1993 to 1996 in Limerick), validated by