The Holy See gave its consent to the Congregation of St Joseph to merge with the Brothers of Charity on 9 July 2003.
From 14 until 19 December 2003, the Brothers of the Congregation of St Joseph (Sri Lanka, Batticaloa) were in Ja-Ela, near Colombo, where Brother René Stockman, Superior General of the Brothers of Charity, was present too to hold conferences on the spirituality of the Brothers of Charity. The Brothers of Charity from Sri Lanka and the Provincial Superior, Brother Bavo Van Dingenen, attended the conferences too.
Those conferences were part of the preparations for the integration of the Congregation of St Joseph in that of the Brothers of Charity. The Holy See gave its consent to the Congregation of St Joseph to merge with the Brothers of Charity on 9 July 2003.
In April 2004, those preparations will come to an end with a final series of conferences and negotiations, which will be followed by a ceremony that will take place at Batticaloa Cathedral on 26 April 2004. That will be the day on which the 21 Brothers will join the Congregation of the Brothers of Charity definitively.
The Congregation of the Brothers of St Joseph was founded in Jaffna in 1864. They are involved mostly in education. They have convents in Batticaloa, Hatton, Trincomalee, Jaffna, and Kalmunai. They will continue to fulfil their traditional apostolate.
The Brothers of Charity have been active in Sri Lanka since 1989. They are involved in the care of mentally handicapped children and adults in Ja-Ela, Tudella, and Negombo.
Both congregations see this process as a true challenge. They wish to continue to promote the vocation of Brother and to proclaim the Gospel and the love of God in the world.
For more information about the Brothers of Charity and their spirit visit http://www.brothersofcharity.org/en/
For more information about the origins of the Congregation of St. Joseph visit http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08269a.htm (scroll to near the end of the story)
