Here at McClancy, we learn about the Brothers of the Sacred Heart who founded this school and many other schools across the globe. We wouldn’t be here today without one man’s desire to educate the poor: Father André Coindre. With the anniversary of his death approaching, we recognize the great accomplishments of Andre Coindré and how he changed Catholic Education forever.
Father Coindre was born on February 26, 1787, a couple of years before the start of the French Revolution. Having witnessed the revolution first hand in his childhood years, Coindre decided to reform the Catholic Church and become a priest, preaching in Saint-Jean’s Cathedral in Lyon. As a priest, he started the Charterhouse missionaries where he would preach and head diocesan conferences. He would also help Claudine Thévenet found the Ladies of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary whose mission was to help educate young girls. In 1821, Coindre would form the Brothers of the Sacred Heart whose mission was to help educate the young orphan boys left in Lyon after the Reign of Terror. His intentions were noble as he not only wanted to educate them academically, but also spiritually and morally through the Catholic Faith. By 1825, he opened six more schools, each committing themselves to Catholic and academic education for young boys. The institute grew so much that he became superior general and was even invited to establish a seminary in Blois, France. Unfortunately, in Blois, he mysteriously passed away, leaving his brother, François Coindre and later Brother Polycarp, to lead the Brothers.
From here, the Brothers would continue to grow and establish schools. They would move on from Europe to America and establish schools starting in Mobile, Alabama. From there, schools would pop up all over the US and expand into different countries as well. Now, the Brothers continue their mission of helping young individuals develop their moral, intellectual, and religious lives through education.
