Michael Paul Riordan

Brother Michael Paul Riordan, CFC
2nd Superior General of the Congregation of Christian Brothers
In office July 1838 – February 1862
Preceded by	Edmund Ignatius Rice, CFC
Succeeded by	James Aloysius Hoare, CFC
Personal details
Born	Michael Riordan 1789 Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland
Died	February 1862 (aged 72–73) Ireland
Resting place	Christian Brothers Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland

Michael Paul Riordan, CFC (1789 – February 1862) was an early Christian Brother, and the second Superior General of this congregation from July 1838 until his death in 1862. He succeeded Edmund Ignatius Rice, the founder of the Christian Brothers, to this role.

Early life

Riordan was born in Clonmel, County Tipperary in 1789, and unlike many Catholics at the time, was fortunate enough to gain an education at the local school. As a young man he found work in Cork as a counting-house clerk. Having acquired a knowledge of Continental languages, his work sent him on trips to France and Spain.^[1]

Life at the North Monastery

Riordan joined the Christian Brothers in Cork in 1822 as part of the 'North Monastery' community. He spent the next sixteen years in the North Monastery community. He was one of the first brothers who worked down on the Cork quays.^{[citation needed]}

Superior-General

Edmund Rice, by 1838 aged 76 and in poor health, decided to step down from the superior-generalship. He wrote to the different communities calling for a General Chapter to elect a new superior-general. The Chapter, which opened on 24 July 1838, resulted in the election of Br. Paul Riordan as Rice's successor. This election was tightly contested and ultimately resolved in a way that put into question the validity of the voting.^[2]

The first Australian founding

At the request of Bishop John Polding of Sydney, Riordan sent Brothers Stephen Carroll, Peter Scannell and Francis Larkin to establish a community in Australia.^[3] However, despite developing a good reputation amongst the locals, this mission failed in March 1847; the Brothers were not to return to Australia's shores until 1868.^[2]

Expansion of the Educational missions

In contrast, Riordan's tenure as superior-general saw a great expansion of the Brothers' educational structure in Ireland.^[2]

Corporal punishment

Another issue that Riordan had to deal with was that of increasing corporal punishment in the Brothers' schools.

Riordan died in February 1862. Brother James Aloysius Hoare succeeded Riordan as superior-general.

Riordan and Edmund Rice

Riordan is best remembered for his opposition to his congregation's founder, Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice. Several points of contention have been identified as a way of explaining the rivalry that clearly appeared between the two men. Riordan's disdain for Rice was only comparable to fellow North Monastery Brother Joseph Leonard, and he has been described as Rice's "staunchest critic".^[4]

References

1. Normoyle, M.C. (1976). A Tree is Planted: The Life and Times of Edmund Rice. Congregation of Christian Brothers. p. 319.
2. JStor website, Br Michael Paul Riordan Successor of Br Edmund Ignatius Rice, in 1836, as Superior General of the Irish Christian Brothers, article by Gerard McAleer, published in Seanchas Ardmhacha: Journal of the Armagh Diocesan Historical Society, Vol. 23, No. 2 (2011), pp. 138’’
3. "The Irish Christian Brothers' first mission to Sydney, 1843-1847". University of Melbourne website, Minerva Library section. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
4. Keogh, Dáire (1996). Edmund Rice, 1762-1844. Blackrock, Ireland: Four Courts Press. p. 91.

Bibliography

• Dáire Keogh, Edmund Rice, 1762-1844 (Four Courts Press: Blackrock, Ireland, 1996)
• M.C. Normoyle, A Tree is Planted: The Life and Times of Edmund Rice (Congregation of Christian Brothers: n.l., 1976)