Items pulled from the collection due to their legal size are indicated as such with an information sheet called a "Separation Record", which will list where the items originally came from and to which folder they were transferred. Item are also removed from a collection due to physical characteristics. For instance, printed material such as books, pamphlets, prayerbooks, and the like, form their own collection - PBGS. Artifacts such as medals, crucifixes, relics, brothers' habits, commemorative coins, and plaques comprise the OBGS or object collection. There exists one oversized box which contains garments worn by the brothers. The GBGS or graphics collection includes slides, and various sizes of photographs. There exist thousands of these and they are categorized according to an alphabetical listing of houses; smaller (4x6) to larger (8x10) size photos; and black & white to color photos. Each photo album is given a folder number. If the album cannot fit into a single folder, it is separated into several folders which are designated as such: GBGS 11/03A, 11/03B, 11/03C and so on. The Brothers had a collection of printing blocks of varying sizes, which they used in newsletters, memos, souvenir booklets, etc. Other graphic items include papal blessings, prints, and drawings, which due to their size have been transferred to an oversized box. Audiovisual material consists of cassette tapes, VCR tapes, records, and movie reels. One lone computer disk constitutes the digital collection of the Brothers, and has been transferred to the Disks #3 collection within the Archives.
Summary: Religious order of men founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico by Brother Mathias Barrett on 19 January 1951. Adhering to the motto "Charity Unlimited", the Brothers of the Good Shepherd devoted themselves to the care of the homeless and poverty striken. They expanded their ministry geographically outside the Albuquerque region to Ohio, Louisiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Canada. At the same time, the Brothers extended their ministry spiritually to care for the mentally and physically handicapped youth.
The Congregation of the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd (CBGS) was founded by Brother Mathias Barrett on January 19, 1951. He was born in Waterford, Ireland on March 17, 1900. As a child he listened to storiesof want and hardship of the elderly, and it sparked his desire to go and help the poor in America. After serving 33 years since the age of 15 in the Order of Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God, Brother Mathias left to pursue his dream. Archbishop Edwin Byrne of Santa Fe, New Mexico, invited him to start his own religious order.
Established in Albuquerque, the Good Shepherd Refuge opened its doors to the homeless and poverty striken. Adhering to the motto "Charity Unlimited", the Brothers of the Good Shepherd expanded outside of the Albuquerque region and traveled to Columbus, Ohio, where St. Martin's Home opened in 1954. Ozanam Inn, New Orleans, Louisiana, followed in 1955. By their tenth anniversary, the Brothers' congregation had grown from seven men and one house to 25 men and six houses. Numerous houses were established in the 60's, among them Camillus House in Florida, Good Shepherd Refuge and Center in Canada, St. John's Hospice in Philadelphia, Good Shepherd Manors in Wakefield and Kansas City, and Mount Aloysius in New Lexington, Ohio.
Beginning with only seven men, the congregation grew to 25 professed brothers in the year 1961, and peaked to 105 in 1987. The number of houses at that time also increased to 26. The Brothers of the Good Shepherd maintained their numbers throughout the 80's and only saw a dramatic decrease in the year 1995, when the total number of professed brothers dropped to 41. The thinning ranks of the Brothers made their ministry much more difficult as they still had over 20 houses which demanded much attention.
Brother Mathias acted as Superior General until the First General Chapter in 1977, where Brother Camillus Harbinson was elected. He served two terms until his sudden death in 1986. At that time Brother Justin Howson was elected to serve a ten year term as Superior General.
Index :
Mathias, Brother, 1900- Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd