EDMUND RICE EDUCATION AUSTRALIA

Edmund Rice Education Australia was established in October 2007. It is the governing body of the schools previously administered by the Christian Brothers. It is the outcome of one of two project groups, the National Planning Committee for Schools Governance (schools) and Shaping our Future Committee Oceania (Brothers’ communities).

As a result of the work of these two groups, the Christian Brothers decided to amalgamate separate Christian Brothers provinces in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to form one Oceania Province for the Brothers focused on the social justice mission of the Christian Brothers.

Separately, Edmund Rice Education Australia was established with the intention of independently governing the implementation of the educational mission of the Christian Brothers in Catholic Education while empowering lay people to become increasingly involved in the leadership of the future educational work of the Brothers.

The opportunity for Edmund Rice Education Australia is to reinforce the distinctive values of Edmund Rice Education in Catholic Education through a national and unified network of schools and educational entities throughout Australia. All schools and educational entities in the Edmund Rice tradition across Australia are unified by a Charter which comprises touchstones giving ideals authentically linked with the Charism of Blessed Edmund Rice and which underpin the ministry in the schools and educational endeavors in Church mission. The touchstones of the Charter are: Inclusive Community, Liberating Education, Justice and Solidarity and Gospel Spirituality.

Edmund Rice Education Australia operates from a national office in St Kilda, Victoria, together with regional support offices in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland.