Can you imagine what it would be like if it were a crime for children to go school? That was the law in Ireland when Edmund Rice, who was born in 1762, grew up. Edmund’s parents wanted their seven sons to have a good education and were taught in secret!
When he was 18, Edmund began working with his uncle, a wealthy businessman in Waterford. When his uncle died, he took over as head of the company.
Married to Mary Elliot, in 1789 he experienced her tragic death soon after she gave birth to their daughter. Deeply saddened by her loss, Edmund entered a time of mourning and he began to contemplate the next direction he should take in life.
He thought about leaving everything behind and joining a monastery. However, one day, as he was talking about his vocation and his future with a friend, a ragged group of poor boys walked by on the street. Inspired by the sight, his friend exclaimed: "What! Would you bury yourself in a cell on the continent rather than devote your wealth and your life to the spiritual and material interest of these poor youths?"
He sold his business in 1802 and opened a school for poor boys in a converted stable. He took on the mission of improving the lives of poor children through education. He founded his first school in Waterford, Ireland in 1802 and immersed himself fully in this mission.
