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Moving Generalate.

With the expanding Congregation, Edmund wanted a more central headquarters.

By 1825, Dr. Murray in Dublin had finished the Pro-Cathedral and wanted to address the education of the poor more directly. There was no Catholic school on the Northside. The Diocese organised the money collections when Edmund made it clear he would move the Generalate to Dublin. Mr. Bryan Bolger, an architect, discreetly went looking for a site.

A school at 42, Jervis Street was opened in the meantime.

The Sisters of Charity in Gardiner Street, Dublin, were having great difficulties at this time in running their school. Edmund sent Br. Duggan to lecture the nuns on teaching methods in the evenings. On Saturdays, he gave demonstrations on methods. This worked so well that the nuns' teaching problems were resolved.

New Generalate & O Connell's School founded.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bolger found and leased in trust for Edmund a property in North Richmond Place. The new Generalate and a school were to be built on the site. Edmund moved the Generalate to Hanover Street in Dublin.

Daniel O Connell voted £1500 from funds he had access to to the project.

In June 1828, O Connell marched through Dublin to North Richmond Place to meet Brother Edmund and the Brothers to lay the foundation stone. 100,000 people were in attendance. O Connell saw that the education given by the brothers would be both Catholic and Irish in its tone.

In August 1828, His Grace, Dr. Murray, laid the first stone for the monastery.

A very serious money problem arose. The diocesan funding had run into difficulties. 2,773 Masses were offered for the success of the venture. Some Irish money came in. A lot of collecting went on in England.

There was another problem with the water supply. Normally, a charitable institution was provided with free water from Dublin Corporation, but this facility was refused on this occasion. The fee demanded was so high that the Brothers couldn't consider it. So the Brothers dug their own well on the grounds and the water proved to be better than the Corporations (The well is still in existence today, though not used). In 1831, O Connell's School and the monastery were opened. Jervis Street closed down.

First General Chapter.

In 1828, Br. Edmund, at nearly 70 years of age, became very ill.

By 1829, he had recovered and called the First General Chapter for April, particularly to draw up the set of regulations appropriate for the Congregation, which was required by the Pope from 1823.

Br. Edmund was President of the Chapter. Opposition to the Founder arose. While some matters were resolved, the tension that developed was so great that on 1st. May 1829, Edmund resigned as Superior General. The Brothers asked him to withdraw the resignation and he finally agreed.

Requests to start new foundations were postponed due to lack of resources. They came from America, Canada and Drogheda.

The Chapter ended on the 4th. of May. Because it overran the Easter holidays, the schools were still closed. As a result, the Brothers took no summer holidays that year and taught in the schools straight through to Christmas so that they would not suffer in reputation and would have no complaints from the parents!

About this time in Ireland, Catholic Emancipation was in the process of being granted. Part of the Act was to be a suppression of Religious Orders, which was of grave concern to the Chapter.

Second General Chapter.

A second General Chapter had to be called in December 1831.

Br. Rice resigned as his period of tenure was up. He was re-elected Superior General. A new novitiate was to be established. The finances were reviewed and put in better order. The Common Rules and the Rules of Office were to be printed. Matters that needed Papal ratification were drawn up.

The Chapter dissolved on the 29th. January 1832.

There was now a secure constitutional basis for the Congregation.

From Rome, a reform of the original Brief was obtained.