As Brother Linus Walker tells it, it was on the 9th of February, 1846, that the Brothers were amazed when they received a letter from America. They were even more amazed when they read the letter and found that a Reverend James Dolan, pastor of Baltimore in the State of Maryland, was asking them to take over an orphanage school for boys in his parish.

The Brothers saw this as a call from God, but they were not sure how they could possibly respond to it: Brothers were far and few between. However the fledgeling communities of Tullow, Mountrath, and Galway, were prepared to tighten their belts even further and to find the necessary Brothers. By late March of 1846 the Brothers were able to tell Father Dolan that they were coming - the Patrician community had taken its first steps to an overseas establishment.

After a few set-backs and a rejection of another American invitation, three Brothers sailed from Liverpool, England, to America on the 12th of August, 1846. By September the three Brothers "were hard at work, seeking to cope with the task of providing a religious, literary, industrial and agricultural education for more than thirty Catholic orphans" (Fire-Tried Gold, Br Linus Walker, page 147).)

Unfortunately the endeavour was not to succeed: the Brothers found that their literary training did not prepare them for the inductrial/agricultural demands of the educational system within the orphanage. The Brothers remained in Baltimore but taught in a literary school where they were soon approached by young men seeking to join them.

Nashville, Tennessee - The Hope

With the apparent consolidation in Baltimore, the Brothers in America decided to take on another school in Nashville. Unfortunately by 1850 it was obvious that the Nashville filiation was not going to succeed. Baltimore remained the only Patrician filiation on America, but only for a few more years despite extra Brothers being sent from Ireland. The Brothers had soon to accept the failure of this first attempt at an American settlement.
 

Here is a map of Baltimore in 1848 showing where the orphanage was situated.  Below is an extract from the archives of the Brothers of the Holy Cross regarding the venture. It seems from the complete text for this entry that the orphanage never did succeed in the form it was originally conceived. (Thank you to one-time Patrician Patrick De Mendoza in the United States who sent us the text, the map, and the illustrations of the ships.)

The Californian Settlement

Travelling along Bolsa Avenue in Midway City (a small enclave in west Orange County) one may notice the sign 'The Brothers of Saint Patrick, Novitiate'. The Brothers' second foundation in the United States was in Santa Monica in 1948. After that another opening was made in Los Angeles.

Ever since their coming to the United States, the Brothers have had as their principal aim the education of youth. More recently, other areas where youth and the poor can be served have involved the Brothers in Campus Ministry, Counselling and Parish Ministry. (Photo: SS George Washington the ship on which the first Brothers, including Br Livinius, travelled to the US.)

Today we see the pressing need to provide our youth with a sound, solid Christian education, and we invite men, preferably in the 20-30 age bracket, to ponder the idea of dedicating their lives to serving God and youth in this calling. We also invite readers of this to join us in fervent prayer to God to send labourers into His vineyard to aid the church and the Brothers in a combined effort to spread the good news. 

Potential candidates coming to us get the feel of this kind of life by following a schedule of daily prayer, study and self-appraisal. Some months after entering, they begin the Novitiate training, which lasts for two years. During this time emphasis is placed on dedication to God and the vows of the consecrated life and of all the requirements of such a life is made. Great emphasis is placed on the role of prayer, on the study of scripture and doctrine, and all the factors necessary for true community living.

Following the two years of the Novitiate, the candidate takes the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience annually for a period of at least five years. Then the Brother takes final vows if he really feels that this is God's will for him. 

During the time of temporary vows, the Brother pursues college courses as needed. He will be expected to obtain bachelor's and master's degrees.

We cordially invite prospective candidates who may be considering giving their lives to God's service and that of youth to look into this mode of life with us. 

We also invite the prayers of all - young and old - to join with us in daily prayer that God will call many labourers into His vineyard to aid us in that most indispensable of works - the education of youth and of aiding the poor. What better way could there be to serve God and country?