By Bro. Vincent Barigye FIC
On 5th September 2026, the Brothers of Christian Instruction, Ugandan Province of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, will celebrate a remarkable milestone: One Hundred years of faith, education, evangelisation and service. It is a moment to thank God for the past, celebrate the achievements of the present and look forward with renewed hope to the future.
More than a celebration of the passage of time, this centenary is a story of missionaries who crossed continents, of Ugandan men who embraced the vocation of Brotherhood, of schools and institutions that have formed generations, and of countless young people whose lives have been transformed through education and Christian formation.
From the arrival of the first Canadian Brothers in 1926 to the vibrant Uganda Province of today, the story of the Brothers of Christian Instruction is a story of faith, courage, sacrifice, growth and hope.
Roots of the Congregation and the Call to Uganda
The Congregation of the Brothers of Christian Instruction was founded in France in 1819 by Jean-Marie de la Mennais and Gabriel Deshayes. They were deeply concerned about the situation of children and young people, especially those who lacked access to education, Christian formation and guidance.
Their vision was to provide an education that would form the whole person—the mind, heart, spirit and hands. Education was understood not simply as the acquisition of knowledge but as a means of helping young people discover their dignity, develop their talents and become responsible members of society and of the Church.
The Congregation gradually expanded beyond France, including to Canada. It was from Canada that the first Brothers were eventually sent to Uganda.
On 4 August 1926, the first group of four Canadian Brothers arrived in Uganda: Brother Charles-Jules Poitras, Brother Joachim-Leon, Brother Eugene Paquette and Brother Stanislaus Taillefer. They came as missionaries, but also as educators, builders and witnesses to the Gospel. Their arrival marked the beginning of a mission that would profoundly influence the educational, religious and social life of Uganda.
Their first major responsibility was St. Mary’s College Kisubi, which had earlier been transferred from Lubaga to Kisubi. The White Fathers entrusted the College to the Brothers so that they could devote more attention to their expanding pastoral and evangelising mission. The arrival of the Brothers at Kisubi therefore represented not only a change in administration but the beginning of a new chapter in Catholic education in Uganda.
St. Mary’s College Kisubi became the first great centre of the Brothers’ educational mission in Uganda. At Kisubi, the Brothers developed a tradition of education that combined academic excellence, Christian values, discipline, character formation, service and spiritual growth.
Over the years, Kisubi became one of the most respected educational institutions in Uganda, forming generations of leaders who have served the Church, the country and the wider world.
From Kisubi, the mission of the Brothers gradually expanded to other parts of Uganda and beyond. Today, the Brothers have established communities and ministries in the Archdioceses of Kampala and Mbarara and the Dioceses of Masaka, Kabaale, Hoima, Kasana-Luwero, Lugazi, Nebbi and Lira, while the missionary spirit of the Province has also reached Yambio in South Sudan.
This expansion reflects the willingness of the Brothers to respond wherever the Church and society call them to serve, particularly through education, formation and evangelisation.
A Charism of Holistic Formation
The greatest contribution of the Brothers cannot be measured only by the number of schools established, buildings constructed or students educated. Their deeper contribution lies in the formation of persons.
The charism of the Brothers of Christian Instruction finds expression in a commitment to the holistic formation of young people, especially those most in need of guidance, education and hope. For the Brothers, education has never been understood as the mere transmission of information or preparation for employment. It is concerned with the development of the whole human person.
This holistic approach integrates:
- Faith and learning, recognising that intellectual formation and spiritual growth can enrich one another;
- Spirituality and service, encouraging young people to use their gifts for the good of others;
- Academic formation and character development, preparing responsible and competent citizens;
- Community life and mission, recognising that education takes place within relationships of care, solidarity and shared responsibility;
- Human dignity and Christian values, helping young people to discover their worth as children of God and members of society.
The mission of the Brothers is beautifully captured in their enduring commitment: “To make Christ better known and better loved among the youth through Christian instruction, education and evangelisation.”
This mission has remained the guiding force of the Brothers in Uganda for the last one hundred years.
The goal is therefore not simply to prepare young people for employment or professional success, but to form responsible, competent, compassionate and faith-filled men and women who can contribute positively to society.
The question at the heart of this mission is not only, “What will this young person become?” but also, “What kind of person will this young person become, and how will he or she serve others?”
Educational Achievement and Expansion
Over the past one hundred years, the Brothers of Christian Instruction have made a significant contribution to education in Uganda.
The Brothers’ contribution, goes beyond the establishment of schools. Their educational institutions have sought to combine academic achievement with the formation of values, discipline, responsibility, faith and service.
One of the most significant achievements in recent years has been the establishment and growth of the University of Kisubi (UniK). The University represents the natural development of the Brothers’ long tradition of education and their commitment to responding to the changing needs of society.
Through higher education, the Brothers continue to promote their educational philosophy of forming not only knowledgeable professionals but also responsible leaders committed to integrity, service and social transformation.
The Brothers in Uganda have also made a significant contribution to youth development through sports, recognising that holistic education extends beyond the classroom. The revival of the Lamennais Tournament provides young people and institutions within the Mennaisian family with an opportunity to build friendship, fraternity and shared identity. Through sports, participants develop important values such as discipline, teamwork, perseverance, leadership, respect, resilience and service, reflecting the educational charism of the Brothers
Community Life and Shared Mission
Behind the schools, programmes and institutions lies another essential dimension of the Brothers’ vocation: community life. The Brothers are called not only to work together but to live together as a community united by faith, fraternity and a common mission.
Their community life is itself a witness to the Gospel. In a world often marked by individualism and competition, the Brothers seek to demonstrate that people can live together, share their gifts, support one another and work for a mission greater than individual interests.
Looking to the Future with Hope
As the Brothers celebrate one hundred years in Uganda, the centenary is not only an occasion to ask, “What have we achieved?” It is also an opportunity to ask, “What is God calling us to do in the future?”
The next century will require courage, creativity and faith. The Province will need to continue strengthening the formation of young Brothers and promoting new vocations. It will need to invest in quality and relevant education while remaining especially attentive to young people who are poor, vulnerable or in need of hope and guidance.
The Brothers will also be called to respond to emerging challenges through innovation, technology, research, leadership development, safeguarding, environmental responsibility and stronger partnerships with the Church and society.
The missionary spirit that brought the first Canadian Brothers to Uganda must also continue to inspire the Province to look beyond its present boundaries and respond generously wherever the needs of the young and the Church call.
We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe
One hundred years after the arrival of the first Canadian Brothers, the story of the Brothers of Christian Instruction in Uganda continues.
As the Brothers of Christian Instruction, Uganda Province of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, celebrate this historic centenary, they do so with gratitude for the past and confidence in the future.
They remember the missionaries and pioneers who laid the foundations. They celebrate the faithfulness of God and the achievements of generations of Brothers and their collaborators.
And they believe that the charism entrusted to the Congregation more than two centuries ago—and planted in Uganda one hundred years ago—remains deeply relevant today.
The centenary is therefore not the end of a journey, but the beginning of a new chapter.
One hundred years remembered.
One hundred years celebrated.
A future embraced with faith and hope.
