THE MONTFORTIAN FAMILY
The Montfortian dynamism is very relevant in today’s context for the building up a Just Society. In the process of building up a Just Society we are committed to facilitating for each person a greater sense of purpose in life and an increased commitment to the least among us.
MONTFORT BROTHERS OF ST. GABRIEL
The Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel linked their foundation to St. Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716) in France. The first Brothers were associated with the founder, St. Louis Marie, and assisted him in his missionary preaching in the western part of France. In the course of his mission in those parts of France St. Louis Marie de Montfort established charitable schools for needy children. He entrusted this work to the early followers, from whom the group grew to be later known as the Brothers of St. Gabriel.
The Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel arrived in Singapore at the end of 1936. They took over the running of Holy Innocent English School (later on known as Montfort School) in 1937 at the invitation of the late Bishop Deval. The mission in Singapore grew and flourishes and today we have the Montfort Junior and Secondary Schools; the Boys’ Town, which include the Boys’ Town Home, the Assumption Vocational Institute and the Assumption English School; and the St. Gabriel’s Primary and Secondary Schools. Today there are no longer any Brothers directly teaching in the school but the spirit of the founder continues among the many lay personnel of the schools and institution. The St. Gabriel’s Foundation established in 2001 constituting of lay members and Brothers now governs the schools and institution in the spirit of the founder St. Louis Marie de Montfort as emulated by the early founding Brothers.
The Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel arrived in Johor Bahru in 1955 and took over the St. Joseph’s Schools. In 1957 they took over the Serendah Boys Home for some two years and thereafter started the Montfort Boys’ Town in 1959 in Shah Alam. Today the Brothers in Malaysia are mainly engaged in running institutions for the needy youths. They run the Montfort Boys Town in Shah Alam, the Montfort Youth Training Centre in Sabah and the Montfort Youth Centre in Melaka. Those institutions cater to those youths who have dropped out of school, and provide them with vocational skills training and character formation.
For news on the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel, go to:
http://www.stgabrielinst.org
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One's vocation cannot be understood from a distance. Most people think that they are not called to be a priest, brother, or sister; and yet, they have never visited a convent or monastery or seminary. When Jesus called the Apostles, he said, "Come after Me" and "Follow Me".