Pillars and Features of Catholic Education in Edmund Rice Tradition

Entrance to the Edmund Rice Room at the Ruben Centre.

Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice was an Irish Roman catholic widower and businessman who founded the Congregation of Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers. In 1802, Edmund and seven other men gathered attention of bishops in Ireland and got their support which he used to educate and feed young boys. This could be said to be start of the numerous Christian Brother schools that are spread-out worldwide currently.

In Australian Christian Brothers schools, four touchstones are the nervous system on governance and administration of the learning institutions. The touchstones include:

         i.            Liberating Education

       ii.            Gospel Spirituality

      iii.            Inclusive Community

     iv.            Justice and Solidarity

Edmund Rice Ministries formed an association called Edmund Rice ministries East Africa around 2014 and devised what was to be know as  Pillars and Features of all ministries. The Pillars and Features include:

         i.            Education to Empower- provide holistic development of the persons of the community

       ii.            Compassionate Response- listen wholeheartedly to the less fortunate in society

      iii.            Gospel Living- build the reign of God by living out gospel lives

     iv.            Advocacy-  speak with & for the voiceless

       v.            Inclusive Community- welcome every person regardless of their status

     vi.            Networking- seek collaboration that promotes effective partnership

Ruben Centre continues to live through these pillars and features and they shape all strategic actions within the different projects.  On a recent trip( May 2019)  to Australia  the director and program manager were so impressed by the visibility of the Australian touch stones, that they decided Ruben too must make efforts to make visible our very own pillars and Features.  In 2018 a dedicated room to Edmund Rice was established and now it has been enhanced with art work capturing the six pillars and features by our residence artist Christopher. 

At a recent center meeting key staff was engaged to suggest ideas to Christopher on essential elements of each pillar and since a thousand words can be said with one picture, the room has the equivalent of six thousand words on the walls.

Also some artistic images of Edmund Rice are present and the purpose to remind all staff of the core identity of Ruben Centre and to also help induct new staff and visitors into the vision and mission of this Edmund Rice project.

Be sure to visit the room whenever you visit us.

By: GB

Edit: Frank O’Shea