BISHOP DANIEL DELANY (1747 – 1814)
Bishop Daniel Delany, the founder of the Patrician Brothers was born in Mountrath, Ireland in the year 1747. He lost his father early, and was looked after by his maternal aunt. As the then Ireland was impoverished and lacked basic education facilities, he was sent to France to study. Brilliant in studies and gifted in writing, Daniel became a priest in 1770. Soon he returned to Ireland and was appalled by the utter misery of his countrymen. poverty and illiteracy were widespread in Ireland in those days. He used his Sunday sermons for exhorting the grownups to gradually bring about an awareness among the families that children needed prayer and general education in Latin, French and English.
He brought about tremendous change in his people and is honoured today in Ireland for his contribution to the poor and marginalized. He went on to find two congregations – the Brigidine Sisters and the Brothers of St. Patrick to carry out the apostolate of Education in the eradication of poverty. Two hundred and fifteen years later the Brothers have encompassed the world, so to speak, by making their presence known in Ireland, America, Australia, Kenya, Ghana and India.
In India alone the Brothers administer twenty-two highly reputed educational institutes across the country.