Blessed Edmund Rice
Blessed Edmund Rice (born June 1, 1762 AD in Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland; died August 29, 1844 AD in Waterford, Ireland) was an Irish Catholic layman and founder of two religious congregations devoted to the education of the poor — the Congregation of Christian Brothers (also called the Irish Christian Brothers) and the Presentation Brothers. Born into a prosperous Catholic farming family in the Penal Law era, he became a successful businessman, was widowed young, and then gave up everything to devote his life to the free education of poor Catholic boys in Waterford and throughout Ireland. He took religious vows and became Brother Ignatius (hence his formal name Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice). He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 6, 1996. His feast day is May 5.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Edmund Rice
| Blessed Edmund Rice | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | May 05 |
| Profession | Catholic layman (merchant, businessman); founder of the Congregation of Christian Brothers (Irish Christian Brothers) (1802) and Presentation Brothers (1803); religious brother (Brother Ignatius); educator of poor Catholic boys; widower; father (of a disabled daughter) |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Congregation of Christian Brothers (Irish Christian Brothers); Presentation Brothers; Irish Catholic tradition; 19th-century Irish Catholic education |
| Patronage | Ireland; educators; Catholic schools; the Christian Brothers; poor children; Waterford; widowers; those with disabled family members |
| Attributes | Teaching Brother's habit; book (education); cross; May 5 feast; Waterford city; Irish shamrock |
| Birthplace | Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland |
| Death Place | Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died August 29, 1844, at Westcourt, Waterford; he was 82 years old; he had outlived the early years of the Christian Brothers congregations by decades, watching them expand across Ireland and the world; he died in the community he had founded; he was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 6, 1996 |
| Primary Shrine | Westcourt, Waterford, Ireland — his tomb; May 5 feast; JPII beatification October 6 1996; De La Salle College Waterford |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; May 5 feast in Ireland and with the Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Edmund Rice was born June 1, 1762, in Callan, County Kilkenny, into a comfortable Catholic farming family during the Penal Law era. He moved to Waterford as a young man, became a successful merchant, and married happily. His wife died in 1789 following a difficult childbirth, leaving him with a disabled infant daughter.
This tragedy deepened his spiritual life. He increasingly devoted himself to the destitute Catholic boys of Waterford, opening his first free school in 1802. He gave away his wealth, took religious vows, and became Brother Ignatius. In 1820 he received papal recognition for his Congregation of Christian Brothers from Pope Pius VII.
At his death in 1844 the Brothers ran 35 schools in Ireland; their global network would eventually educate millions across the English-speaking world.
He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 6, 1996. His feast day is May 5.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Death location: Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland
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Feast day
May 5
Veneration
Blessed Edmund Rice (1762–1844) was an Irish Catholic merchant-turned-religious-brother who founded the Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers, devoting his fortune and his life to the free education of poor Catholic boys in post-Penal-Law Ireland; beatified John Paul II, October 6, 1996. Feast May 5.
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