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Tilburg in the middle of the nineteenth century. An industrial town with a lot of poverty. Pastor Joannes Zwijsen was moved by the fate of the growing group of needy people in his parish. Inspired by St. Vincent de Paul, 'father of the poor', he motivated women and men to work enthusiastically from an evangelical perspective on better instruction and education. He brought them together in religious communities. The beginning In 1832 he founded the congregation of the Sisters of Charity (SCMM). They became engaged especially with education and health care. He brought the men religious together in the 'Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy' (1844), better known as the 'Fraters of Tilburg'. Mary received a special place, as with so many of the congregations founded in the 19th century. The indication in the title of Mary as 'Mother of Mercy' points to one of the key words of their spirituality, the word mercy. The care of orphans was the beginning. Soon schools were founded, first in Tiburg, and later in other towns of the province of Brabant and outside. The brothers focused their attention mostly on children and youth in neglected circumstances. Worldwide The 'movement of mercy' started by Zwijsen quickly spread out. The 'Fraters of Tilburg' developed into catholic pioneers of instruction and education. They established themselves in Belgium, Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia, the Netherlands Antilles, Surinam and the United States (California). More than one and a half century after the initiative of the pastor from Tilburg, who later became bishop of Den Bosch and archbishop of Utrecht, about three hundred brothers are working in mercy on a more humane world. The international name of the congregation in short is: 'Brothers CMM' (in full in Latin: Congregatio Fratrum Beatae Mariae Virginis Matris Misericordiae).
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