| Father Gabriel Deshayes (left) | Father Jean-Marie de la Mennais (right) | |
| Born: | December 6, 1767 | September 8, 1780 |
| At: | Beignon, France | St-Malo, France |
| Ordained: | March 4, 1792 | February 25, 1804 |
| Death: | December 28, 1841 | December 26, 1860 |
On June 16, 1819, Gabriel Deshayes, pastor at Auray and vicar general of Vannes, and Jean-Marie de Lamennais, vicar of Saint-Brieuc, two Catholic priests in France, established the Daughters of Providence and the Brothers of Christian Instruction. Formally recognized by the Catholic Church in 1890, this organization dedicated itself to promoting education among the working class in France and, eventually, across the world.
They vowed to carry the message of the gospel and the rudiments of knowledge to every child in need throughout the region and received Catholic papal approval in 1890. The congregation of the Brothers of Christian Instruction grew, soon extending their mission into Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, Spain, England, Canada, and the United States.