Reflecting on Our Heritage: A Journey Through Edmund Rice's Legacy

We are deeply saddened by the death of His Holiness, Pope Francis, on Easter Monday and continue to pray for the repose of his gentle soul. Eternal rest grant onto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Welcome back to all members of our CBC community after what I hope was a relaxing and enjoyable break. Term 2 is named the Edmund Term in honour of the Patron Saint of our College, Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice.

On joining this community, staff and students learn the story of how a wealthy Irish merchant dedicated his life and fortune to educating the poor and marginalised. In 1802, he opened a free school for boys living in poverty in Waterford. He later founded the Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers who remain committed to education and social justice on a global scale. The charism of Edmund is at the heart of our work at CBC, figuratively and literally. His values guide us each day, and his presence in the form of a stunning bronze sculpture in the centre of the College Cloisters is a constant reminder of the impact one person can have on the world.

In these school holidays, I travelled to Ireland to visit my extended family and attend the baptism of my beautiful goddaughter, baby Fiadh. The trip also presented a perfect opportunity to visit places of significance to Edmund Rice. With my husband and young son for company, our first port of call was Edmund's birthplace just outside Callan in County Kilkenny. I had seen many photos of the simple cottage that was his childhood home, but being physically present there was a special experience. We also spent time in his memorial chapel, lighting candles at a shrine donated by Cardinal Newman College in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As we left, I noticed Edmund's words engraved on a window, 'Have courage; the good seed will grow up in the children's hearts later on.' What a simple yet important message to those of us who work with and care for young people.

We continued on to Waterford and the Edmund Rice Heritage Centre at Mount Sion, the site of Edmund's first school. The school continues to operate and caters for students from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. In a twist of fate, one of the resident Christian Brothers, Brother Christy, encountered us on his way out for the afternoon. When I mentioned my work at CBC Fremantle, he dropped everything to spend time with us. We were privileged to be shown 'Brother Rice's' bedroom, where Edmund lived and eventually passed away in 1844. Inside this basic room were personal items such as his clothes, cloak, walking stick, and even his razor. I could hardly process what I was seeing. Brother Christy invited me to kneel and pray with him, and I still struggle to describe the intensity of my feelings in those moments. All I can say is that I experienced a profound connection with the history and tradition of our College that will remain with me forever. Afterwards, we made our way to the chapel that serves as Edmund's final resting place to pay our respects. It was surreal to be standing next to where his remains are interred – another powerful experience that will live in my memories.

As we said goodbye to Brother Christy, he requested some photos of our campus, and we exchanged contact details. I look forward to maintaining this friendship as an important connection to the history of our College. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to visit both Callan and Waterford and to share more of the Edmund Rice story with our community.

God Bless.

Georgina Bowler
Director Mission and Identity