The Brothers of Charity have just taken a new step towards the fulfilment of their mission among the underprivileged in the world. By opening new headquarters on the American continent, more specifically in Washington DC, they want to cooperate actively with several national and international organisations.
The Brothers of Charity is an NGO in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN. Through the International Institute Canon Triest, they are also involved with the Catholic University of America (Washington). To set up new headquarters in Washington was therefore an obvious decision. This residence will also be the operating base for the activities of the Brothers of Charity in Brazil, Canada, Peru, and the United States.
26 August 2002 was a joyful at the International Noviciate at Sint-Marie-Aalter (Belgium). On that particular day some twenty young men declared that they were willing to consecrate the rest of their lives to God henceforth. They made that declaration in the course of an impressive oblation ceremony. Present at the ceremony were novices from The Philippines, India, Indonesia, Burundi, Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Lesotho, Rwanda, and South Africa. Since the group consisted of Brother with no less than 10 different nationalities, we can safely say that our noviciate is an international noviciate.
Background
At the start of the 19th century, a great many Congregations were founded by parish priests who wanted to gather together a few devout young ladies under the patronage of St Vincent de Paul in order to dispense charity in their parish: assisting the poor and the sick, and teaching working-class children. Rules of life were eagerly copied and provided with some personal devotional practices of the respective founders according to their preference and knowledge.
Peter Joseph Triest was one such parish priests,
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