Edmund Rice was an successful and wealthy Irish businessman of the 18th and 19th Century who had a concern for those who were poor and on the edges of society. He believed that education was essential to liberating young people from their circumstances.
Being a Catholic Religious Institute, Christian Brothers dedicate their lives to the service of others, particularly those at the margins of society. They work across the world in areas of education, community engagement, faith formation and social justice.
Being an integral part of the mission of the Catholic Church, EREA continues the tradition established by the Christian Brothers in 1868. Founded in 2007, EREA has become a Public Juridic Person and has operated as a canonical entity since 2013.
In 2007 the Brothers entrusted the mission in education — inherited from Edmund Rice — to a new body: the Australian schools with their governing and administrative structures formed Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA).
The inaugural congress was represented by the community of EREA and Church. They were called to gather, share and exchange their gifts. The congress was about giving life to the charism within our mission as part of Church.
In May 2013, Edmund Rice Education Australia was granted canonical and civil status as a Church and legal body in its own right. A Public Juridic Person (PJP) means that we are recognised as a legal entity within the Catholic Church.
The strategic priorities, grounded in the EREA Vision and Charter, enhance our mission as Catholic schools in the Edmund Rice tradition. They set the strategic agenda for the EREA Board and Executive for 2015-2019 and complement their ongoing governance and leadership responsibilities.
Developed by the Leadership Team of EREA following extensive consultation with Diocesan educational authorities, EREA schools, members of the broader EREA community and other education providers, The Call To Grow presents a vision for growth and sustainability for EREA into the future.
Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders (EREBB) is an International network of Catholic schools educating young people from many different faiths and cultures. In over 20 countries we endeavor to promote global solidarity and offer a transformational education for justice and liberation.
“Were we to know the merit and value of only going from one street to another to serve a neighbour for the love of God, we should prize it more than silver and gold.”
We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia as the traditional owners and custodians of the land of our schools. We are inspired and nurtured by their wisdom, spirituality and experience. We commit ourselves to actively
work alongside them for reconciliation and justice. We pay our respects to the Elders; past, present and future. As we take our next step we remember the first footsteps taken on this sacred land.