Blessed Edmund RicePrint Page

The statue of Edmund Rice was erected to celebrate 140 years of service by Parade College to Catholic Education. 

Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice,(1762 – 1844), was a Roman Catholic missionary and educationalist. He was the founder of two religious institutes of religious brothers: the Congregation of the Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers. Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers schools around the world continue to follow the traditions established by Edmund Rice. More than 150 years after his passing, Edmund was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 6 October 1996, earning him the title Blessed Edmund Rice.

Towards the end of 1868, four Christian brothers arrived in Melbourne at the invitation of Bishop Gould. They were Brothers P.A. Treacy, D.F. Bodkin, J.B. Lynch and P.J. Nolan. At the beginning of 1869 they began teaching in a small primary school at the rear of St. Francis’ Church in Lonsdale Street, and they lived in temporary rented quarters in Fitzroy.

Immediately, they began planning for the establishment of a permanent foundation, monastery and school on land they had procured in Victoria Parade, East Melbourne. Their ambitions were realized when, in 1871 (January 29), their fine new college was blessed by Bishop Gould in the presence of the venerable Archbishop Polding who had journeyed from Sydney for the occasion. Thus was founded Parade College, dedicated to Mary Immaculate.

The building was an imposing bluestone structure of three storeys, the design of W.W. Wardell, architect of St. Patrick’s Cathedral Melbourne, and St. Mary’s in Sydney. On the opening day, January 30, over one hundred boys were enrolled and the number increased steadily as accommodation became available. Melbourne’s scattered population at the time was 150,000 of whom 40,000 were Catholic.

As more Brothers arrived from Ireland, the number of boys in attendance increased to the point where, in 1902, during the Headmastership of Br J.B. Nugent, the building was extended to complete the original design. So, it stands today.

Location

Details

Dedication