Netherlands
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- Huijbergen 1852 - present
- Breda 1890 - present
- Oosterhout 1895 - 2004
- Bergen op Zoom (1901 - 2001)
- Hulst (1906 - 1986)
- Amsterdam (1926 - 1975)
- Haaren (1927 - 1993)
- Ossendrecht (1931 - 2001)
- Amstelveen (1954 - 1989)
- Groesbeek en Nijmegen (1961 - 1996)
- Hellevoetsluis (1964-1969), Middelburg (1970-1978) and Sint Willebrord (1970-1985)
Top ↑Huijbergen 1852 - present
After having made a beginning with the Brothers of Oudenbosch the Bishop of Breda - Mgr. J. v. Hooydonk - founded our Congregation on 25th September 1854.
Huijbergen 1856, the orphanage at the right
This beginning was a rather difficult one. More than one brother died at an early age.
But under the guidance of a priest as representative of the Bishop and in close cooperation with some qualified laymen from 1852 an orphanage and a boarding-school came into being in and about the Monastery of the Wilhelmites which in the course of the years grew into an impressive and respected educational centre, ‘Ste.Marie’. Here many priests of the diocese of Breda also here got their initial education.
Huijbergen Entrance of the institute Ste. Mary in the thirties
In 1934 a separate noviciate - Alverno - was built for the formation of our novices.
In 1941 the brothers were forced to leave Huijbergen. After the hasty retreat of the German army at the end of the Second World War (1944) only the burnt out and demolished ruins of the complex remained. With the help of many others the apostolic work spread over various locations could be continued notwithstanding many difficulties.
Within a period of ten years, however, again with the help of others a totally new complex was built up which until 1988 formed an important place and part in the lives of hundreds and hundreds of students. Both the boarding-school for primary education and the boarding-school for secondary education (together called “Ste.Marie) were renowned far and wide.
Huijbergen 1944 Monastery of the Wilhelmites destroyed
In 1990 the community of the brothers left the building along the Staartsestraat and moved to a totally newly built motherhouse at the Boomstraat.
From 1999 the seat of the General Council has been settled in the previous rectory opposite Ste. Marie.
Huijbergen Entrance to the new boarding school of Ste. Mary
Top ↑Breda 1890 - present
The first attempt to establish a new foundation in Breda (1866 - 1876) was a failure. But since 1890 in close cooperation with the “Vincentiusvereniging” an orphanage, a house for foster children and several elementary schools spread across the town of Breda, came into being.
The brothers who worked in these institutions lived in the communities of the Karrestraat (1890 - 1960) and the one at the Dieststraat (1905 - 1959).
Breda St. Francis training-school for teachers
In 1916 the community of our training-school for teachers - founded in 1901 - was added. In later years the brothers also developed primary and secondary schools of special education for mentally handicapped children. For the brothers who worked in the field of this special education the community of ‘St. Jansklooster’ was founded (1953 - 1989). A social welfare centre, education for mobile families and extra-curricular work (sports, music and drama) among the young also formed part of the activities of the brothers.
The promotion of secondary education was brought about in two schools which after a number of years merged into a comprehensive school “Markenhage”. After more than one hundred years our trainingschool for teachers (PABO) become part of the University “Avans”.
Breda Brothers house 'Roland Holststraat'
In 1960 the building of the community of the Karrestraat urgently needed replacement; this new building got its place at Roland Holststraat (1960 - present).
Top ↑Oosterhout 1895 - 2004)
Also in the beginning (1895-1926) there was a close cooperation with the “Vincentiusvereniging” in Oosterhout .
Oosterhout1895 Brothers house at the 'Arendstraat'
Till 1958 this happened from the community along the Arendstraat. Not only did they get into the charge of several elementary schools, but they also took care of the religious teaching for children at government schools and cared for the orphans. They took the initiative of founding a library for common people and participated in various forms of work among the youth, such as sports, drama and singing-choirs. In later years also education for mentally handicapped children got ample attention.
In 1958 the community moved to Huize Limburgstraat where it remained till 2004.
In the beginning of the fifties the municipalities of Oosterhout, Geertruidenberg and Raamsdonksveer worked together with the congregation and founded the Mgr Frenckencollege for higher advanced secondary education. In the mean time the Congregation had enough qualified members for this field of education. The Dongemond college in Raamsdonksveer originated from of the Mgr. Frenckencollege.
Oosterhout Brothers house from 1958 until 2004
Top ↑Bergen op Zoom (1901 - 2001)
Also in Bergen op Zoom attention could be paid to the orphanage and catholic education at various schools in close cooperation with the “Vincentiusvereniging”. Students not only came from the town but also from the wide surroundings. In 1902 the training school for teachers was founded in Bergen op Zoom too. Some hundreds of Belgian refugees found shelter in the town during the First World War. Since 1934 extra attention was paid to special education for mentally handicapped children. The number of elementary schools expanded gradually in the course of the years.
In 1941 - at the beginning of the Second World War - the General Council was forced to move from Huijbergen to Bergen op Zoom and settled in the Hoogstraat. There the administrative centre of the School Board was founded. In November 1977 the General Council moved back to Huijbergen and got its office at Ste. Marie. In 1978 the community of Bergen op Zoom moved into a new building at Pegasuslaan; this place was left in 2001.
The office of the School Board got a building of its own and merged with others into a new administrative centre for numerous schools.
Bergen op Zoom 1960 Br. Majella our tailor
Top ↑Hulst (1906 - 1986)
Thanks to a contribution of the catholic community the congregation could start with the elementary Willibrordusschool along Lange Bellingstraat in 1907. During the First World War some hundreds of Belgian refugees got temporary shelter in our school buildings. In 1939 we also initiated a school for special education. During tens of years our brothers were active in the work among the youth outside the school (sports, boy’s choirs and circus) and various organisations and welfare institutions. In 1956 the field of education was extended with the Clemensschool for secondary education. In 1986 the Congregation felt obliged to close the community in Hulst.
Hulst Special school St. John
Hulst 1968, Secondary school St. Clemens
Top ↑Amsterdam (1926 - 1975)
During a period of nearly fifty years our brothers worked at various elementary schools in the “Vredesparish” in Amsterdam-South.
Amsterdam 1928, Brothers house Hillegaertstraat
In 1926 they started with the primary school St.Cornelis, soon followed by St. Francis- and Theodorus schools for primary education. Sports activities, boys’-choirs (St.Matthew’s Passion), attention for children with speech-impediments and holiday-camps gave a special dimension to our apostolic work. During the Second World War the brothers temporarily lived in a dwelling at Dijsselhofplantsoen.
Amsterdam 1965 Brother and boys marching
At the end of the sixties a fourth primary-school - St.Michel’s-school - was opened in Amsterdam-Buitenveldert. In 1975 the communities of Amsterdam and Amstelveen merged.
Top ↑Haaren (1927 - 1993)
At the invitation of the parish-priest Van den Broek the brothers began their work at the local elementary-school in 1927. Outside school the brothers were active in welfare work, scouting and a youth-circus. Their life and work inspired many young men to the priesthood and religious life. In 1993 the last three brothers left Haaren.
Haaren 1950, The community Brs. Adelbertus, Gervatius, Lodewijk, Leontius, Constantinus, Henricus
Top ↑Ossendrecht (1931 - 2001)
In the Volksabdij “Onze Lieve Vrouw ter Duinen” the brothers have - at intervals - participated in a number of different activities.
Ossendrecht 1936, a place to sleep for the boys
During the difficult years of the thirties work-camps for unemployed young people were organized. (This group also got the attention from our brothers in Ginneken in 1939)
During the Second World War a number of brothers and our novices found shelter in Ossendrecht when there was no place for them in Huijbergen. In 1958 the brothers took responsibility for the boarding-school for students of the technical school. From 1981 till 2001 they lived in an open community and were in charge of a meditation-centre.
Ossendrecht, The central part of the abbey
Top ↑Amstelveen (1954 - 1989)
Invited by the local parish community three brothers started their work at the parish-school St.Antonis, at first (1949) from the community in Amsterdam, but later (1954) from the newly built local brotherhouse. The Carmel-school soon followed. In 1950 the brothers started the first secondary school for catholic education, the Jan Philip Roothaan. Situated in the neighbourhood of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport the community offered opportunity to spend the night for the coming and going missionaries.
Outside the schools much attention was paid to the young, sportsclubs and choirs. From 1980 a brother was headmaster at a local school in Ouderkerk a/d Amstel. In 1989 the brothers had to withdraw from Amstelveen.
Amstelveen, house of the brothers 1954-1989
Typical Dutch landscape in the neighbourhood of Amstelveen (Wilnis)
Top ↑Groesbeek en Nijmegen (1961 - 1996)
At the request of the foundation “Helpende Handen” the brothers were asked to work as youth-leaders and teachers for physically and mentally handicapped students. At last it was made possible to make use of special facilities at “Werkenrode” for this purpose.
Groesbeek Werkenrode 1963
Groesbeek Werkenrode new
In Nijmegen a second community was opened in 1962 which focussed first of all on primary education (St.Michaelschool) and work among the young (drumband and walking). Soon all kind of activities were initiated from the community. Moreover the house also functioned as a home for our brother-students at the university. In 1996 the brothers left Nijmegen.
Nijmegen House and St. Michael school
Top ↑Hellevoetsluis (1964-1969), Middelburg (1970-1978) and Sint Willebrord (1970-1985)
Extra needs in the pastoral field in quite distinctive regions led to new initiatives. In small communities consisting of members of the same congregation (Hellevoetsluis) or of members from various cooperating congregations (HUMO) attempts were made to comply with these needs. Notwithstanding the creative dedication these communities - unfortunately - did not last long.
Middelburg 1970, Primary school
