The Seal of the Institute: I have received a number of requests for information about the Seal of our Institute. An interesting and scholarly paper was written by Br. Henry for the Institute Bulletin in January 1957, No. 148. At that time, the Bulletin was only published in French. The article has now been translated so you can read it in full. What follows is a summary of the article.

The earliest seal we have dates from 1704. It is actually two fragments from a letter which show St. Joseph with a pilgrim's staff in his left hand, leading the Child Jesus. The upper fragment bears the inscription "Live Jesus."

A manuscript from 1711 includes a monogram I H S surmounted by a cross with rays surrounded by the inscription "Brothers of the Christian Schools."

The Rules and Constitutions of the Brothers of the Christian Schools approved by Pope Benedict XIII were printed in Rouen in 1726. One of the last pages bears a rectangular seal. It is surrounded by the inscription "The Brothers of the Christian Schools" and shows Saint Joseph, with a lily in his hand, leading the Child Jesus. An oval seal in red wax of similar design was used by the Superior General, in the same year, on a document which is also signed by seven other Brothers.


In the General Chapter of 1751, the minutes indicate that the seal of the Institute "will in the future be a Star in shining silver, on a shield of blue, with this motto, Signum Fidei." In 1784, Br. Agathon, the then-Superior General, posted a notice in the house of St-Yon to which he "appended the Seal of the Institute." Thus the Seal of the Institute took a form which has lasted, with some variation, to the present day.

By 1924 the seal had taken on a form which is easily recognized in the drawing at the right.

The only significant change came in 1952. Regarding the Tercentenary year, the Circular of January 6, 1952 announced that the motto Indivisa manent (Let us remain always united) would be added to the Seal of the Institute. Four years later, the General Chapter of 1956 requested "the return to our traditional arms with the single motto Signum Fidei".

Since then, the Seal of the Institute has appeared in slightly different forms, but has remained basically the same. A slight variation seems to have been which points in the star were highlighted. In the 1924 and 1952 versions, the shading of the star follows a lighting perspective that would place the light source at the top left of the star, thus shading the lower right side. In the version to the right, the shading simply alternates position.

Beginning with the preparation of the 43rd General Chapter, the seal was colorized, using the older shading of the star. With the digital age, we now actually see "a Star in shining silver, on a shield of blue, with this motto, Signum Fidei" as described by the General Chapter of 1751.