Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel

Its roots go back to Louis de Montfort, who opened a few schools for poor children in La Rochelle, France, in about 1711.

As Louis de Monfort traveled about giving missions, he was often accompanied by brothers, whom he called to assist in his work.

During the eighteenth century the life of the Community of the Holy Spirit (the Company of Mary) was centered at Saint-Laurent, where there were about fifty priests and thirty-five brothers.

In 1853 the imperial decree of Napoleon III conferred on the Congregation the title of Brothers of Christian Instruction of Saint Gabriel.

They have also established educational institutions in Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Mauritius, Spain, Italy and France.