The beginnings in America
On 20 March, 1889, the French Brothers Joseph Silvano, Victor Rolland, Denis Pionchon and Camillus Poncet arrive in Uruguay following the request of the Bishop of Montevideo, Bishop Innocent Yéreguy and at the instance of Mr Ferdinand Dumoulin, in order to attend the needs of education and evangelization of the children and youth. In Argentina, the presence of the Brothers responds to the desire of the Congregation to open, at beginning of the XX century, new educational and pastoral field. In Argentina, the first place of foundation was Tandil in 1908 (Buenos Aires Province).
The creation of a Province
In 1923 it is constituted, Uruguay and Argentina, as a single Province, being its first Provincial Brother Joseph Sylvain Ponce; and in 1963 they separated forming two Provinces: Saint Joseph (Uruguay) and Our Lady of Luján (Argentina). Besides, in 1963, the Congregation, from Uruguay, is established in Brazil (Marau RS) with a vocational and missionary perspective.
An answer before the needs
The identity of the Province is formed with the mark of our charism that the French, Spanish and Italian Brothers stamped in our culture from the River Plate, together with the Uruguayan and Argentinian Brothers, coming from rural and urban areas. In 1905 it is the first religious profession of the first Uruguayan Brother, Wenceslas Verjeiro. The first foundations in Uruguay were in 1889 the Holy Family School of Aguada; in 1891 the School in Saint Joseph and in 1892 in Salto. In 1908 it is created the Novitiate in Saint Lucy of Canelones. The identity of the Brother of the Holy Family, in our countries, is fruit of a meeting of cultures. Several houses were opened at the beginning by request of Bishops and Parish Priests, which later on were closed (Capurro, J. Vera, Rocha, La Unión…) and others which were transferred to the respective Dioceses (Santa Rosa, Azul, Casilda…)
The process of inculturation of the charism has been carried out in our countries from the beginning. It is worthy to highlight the vast contribution of the Brothers to the Uruguayan culture, from the beginnings of the foundation, with the creation of text books for the children of all the schools in the country (History, Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic, Religion, Accountancy…) Some Brothers have to be mentioned regarding this work, among them Brother Damascene (HD), Brother Peter Martin, Brother Gachet, Brother Damien…
On 13 December 1963 the first Brothers (Manuel Arroyo, Guido Lumini and Julio Folladosa) arrived in Marau (state of Rio Grande do Sul) – Brazil, coming from Uruguay. In March 1964 they opened the Gabriel Taborin School in this city. Later, in 1967, they moved to the nearby village of Vila Maria.
The life and witness of the Brothers are inserted in a culture which values the human dimension, family ties and popular religiosity. But, at the same time, in a culture which is increasingly secularised, subject to the “fragmentation of social and human spaces”, to the “disintegration of the social fabric and to the systematic confrontation of groups and sectors of society.
Facing the new times
In 2011 Uruguay and Argentina are joined together again with the name of Our Lady of Hope. The name “Our Lady of Hope”, indicates the deep motivation that animates us in our mission and charism in this continent and Church of hope. It welcomes the pastoral practice and the orientation that our Pastors have assumed for the Latin American Church in the different moments.
The XXXVII General Chapter of 2013 asked to study the possibility to join the Vice-Province Our Lady Aparecida of Brazil with the Province Our Lady of Hope (Uruguay and Argentina).
Some steps have been taking for approaching and in 2016 the union of both Provinces was requested to the General Council, which gave its approval. This union was effective with the appointment of the new Provincial Council for the three countries: Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil, from 14 November 2016.
The Brothers gathered in Assembly in Paso Fundo (Brazil) on 11-13 January decided to keep the name of Province Our Lady of Hope for the new Provincial reality.
The way of the charism and shared mission
The mission of the Brothers is developed in a context of great religious diversity. In front of the loss of the sense of life, which is also noticed in our culture, the Provincial Community feels the call to be an agent of humanization, of inculturation of the charism and to create authentic relationships which help the people to be aware of their value and dignity inspired in the “coming down of Jesus at Nazareth together with Mary and Joseph”.
The charism and the shared mission have given us the opportunity to create new realities: the Nazarene Fraternities (1993); the Holy Family Association (manages the Schools of Argentina); the Cooperatives (Minas, Canelones, Saint Joseph); the attempts of insertion in new ambiences no traditional (Community of Saint Mary of Catamarca, 1994, and the School Our Lady of Hope in Saint Lucy, Tucumán 2011) and the relocation of some Communities.
The Brothers lived in growing co-responsibility with the laity, so in educational, pastoral and management ambiences as well sharing the spirituality, particularly with the Nazarene Fraternities. Together they form the Sa-Fa Family.
News from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil
The Province is living a period of deepening and inculturation of consecrated life and of spirituality of the FSF, as well as administrative reorganization. The Brothers live the mission in collaboration with the lay people in the Christian education, the youth pastoral and vocations, the missionary and solidary animation.
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 2022 – 2025
Provincial: Br. Edgardo Bruzzoni
1st Councillor: Br. Ernani Welter
2nd Councillor: Br. Mamerto Sánchez
3rd Councillor: Br. José Javier González
4th Councillor: Br. Juan Carlos León
COMMUNITIES AND MISSION WORKS
Uruguay
1. Montevideo –Aguada. (1889): “Colegio Sagrada Familia”. Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary. Pastoral Work. University Hostel.
2. San José de Mayo. (1891): “Colegio y liceo Sagrada Familia”. Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary. Pastoral Work.
3. Salto (1893): “Colegio y liceo Sagrada Familia”. Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary. Pastoral Work.
4. Montevideo – Pocitos. (1930): “Colegio y liceo San Juan Bautista”. Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary. Pastoral Work.
5. Minas (1931): “Colegio y liceo San José”. Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary. Education in regime of cooperative.
6. Progreso (1976): “Escuela San José”
7. Canelones (1988): “Liceo Guadalupe”. Initial level. CAIF Attention to families.
8. Piedras Blancas. (2001): Casa Taborin: Pastoral Activities and “Camps”.
9. Solymar (1985): Spirituality Center “Tamié”.
10. Campanero ( 1983):Pastoral Activities and “Camps”.
Argentina
11. Tandil (1908): “Colegio San José”. Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary and Intermediate. Pastoral Work
12. Córdoba-Villa Sagrada Familia. (1929): House for Meetings.
13. Córdoba- Las Rosas (1947): “Colegio Sagrada Familia- Institución Escuti”. Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary. Pastoral Work. Retreat House. Province Headquarters.
14. Buenos Aires. (1953): “Colegio Sagrada Familia”. Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary. Pastoral Work. Education. Pastoral activities.
15. Córdoba. (1959): “Colegio Gabriel Taborin”: Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary. Pastoral Work.
16. Santa María- (1994): Missionary Community. Activity of teaching in public schools; catechesis and animation in the chapels
17. Bell Ville. (1967): “Colegio San José”. Educación. Acción Pastoral.
18. Santa Lucía. (2012): “Colegio María de la Esperanza”. Educación. Acción pastoral.
Brasil
19. Marau (1964): “Escola Gabriel Taborin”. Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary. FABE – College with Degree, Technological and Extension courses.
20. Itapiranga (1966): Formation House (Aspirancy).The Brothers help the “Colegio Sagrada Família”, which is running in our own house with Secondary Education. They participate in the parish animation and encourage the sacramental catechesis.
21. Brasilia (1967): “Centro Educacional Sagrada Família”. Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary Education.
22. Passo Fundo. (1976): Formation House. Welcoming of groups for courses, retreats, recollection days.
23. Ibema (1982): Welcoming house for vocational discernment. “Colegio Sagrada Família”: Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary Education.
