The Brothers of the Holy Infancy, Buffalo, New York (1855)

CONGREGATION OF THE BROTHERS OF THE HOLY INFANCY AND YOUTH OF JESUS

Founded in the United States in 1855

The congregation of the brothers of the Holy Infancy and Youth of Jesus was founded by the saintly Bishop Timon, and is devoted to spiritual and corporal works of mercy, caring for, teaching, and training destitute, homeless, and wayward boys. The brotherhood dates its inception from January 25, 1855. Mr. John Harris, who became the first member of the community, took in religion the names John Anselm. He was born in the county of Kerry, Ireland, and came to this country while a young man, arriving in Buffalo in 1849. The building of the cathedral being commenced two years later, he generously gave his time and service gratis about the cathedral during the four years of its erection, when the bishop appreciating his services and perceiving so much piety in this good man, invited him to live in his own residence where it was decided that he should become the first member of the congregation the bishop hoped to establish in the near future.

The bishop purchased some property (ten acres) at Lancaster, N. Y., where a protectory was opened, and sent Brother John Anselm with thirteen orphan boys. The stay at Lancaster, however, was short, the bishop having purchased more suitable property, the present site, comprising about three hundred acres of land at West Seneca, the present Lackawanna, N. Y., joining Buffalo. Brother John and his little family of boys, with three other brothers who had joined them, were transferred from Lancaster, N. Y., to St. Joseph s Orphan Asylum for a short time until a commodious brick building had been erected, and for a time known as St. John’s Monastery. A chart having been obtained from the State calling for a protectory, the name was changed to St. John s Protectory, and the story of toil, struggle, and success of St. John s Protectory for an existence in its early days befittingly epitomizes also the labors and trials of the pioneer members of the little community, for like many beginnings of religious orders, the early members endured untold privations and trials which they heroically and cheerfully bore for the love of God and the salvation of the souls of the little ones committed to their care.

A fitting tribute was paid to these good brothers in the following words by their co-laborer, Rev. F. Kelly, on the occasion of the Rt. Rev. Mgr. Baker’s silver jubilee: “A most important factor in the history of St. John’s Protectory is the brothers of the Holy Infancy and Youth of Jesus. They have been with the institution since its inception, and have labored night and day, in rain and shine, heat and cold often-times in hunger to make God’s work successful. Though few in numbers, for self-sacrifice they resemble the saints one reads of in the history of the early church. Besides doing the outside work of the institution in order to provide for their boys, they for a long time dug the graves of Holy Cross cemetery, and no work was too mean or laborious for them in the noble cause they had espoused, and St. John’s Protectory owes them a debt which God alone is rich enough to pay.”

In the year 1882, under the administration of Rt. Rev. Mgr. Baker, St. John s Protectory assumed a more brilliant and prosperous aspect. This zealous priest, a most devout client of the Mother of God, placed under her protection and guidance the arduous work entrusted to him. His confidence in our Blessed Lady of Victory, under whose glorious title he dedicated his institution, was not left without its reward; for the Rt. Rev. Monsignor lives to see his works crowned with success, and to see within the walls of his institution over one thousand homeless orphan boys, sheltered, clothed, and well cared for.

The Catholic Church in the United States of America, Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X (Three Volumes), Volume I: The Religious Communities of Men (New York: The Catholic Editing Co., 1914), 171-172.