The Brothers of the Christian Schools is the official name of the Brothers. In Malta they have always been referred to as 'il-Frers' - Freres in French, meaning brothers. Only in America are they known as 'Christian Brothers'.

St John Baptist de La Salle a priest of Rheims, founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. In the 17th century, moved by the human and spiritual needs of the children of the working class and the poor, he de-dicated himself completely to the formation of school masters, united them in a community and gave them the name of Brothers.

Today the Brothers together with their Lay colleagues work in more than 80 countries for the human and Christian education of about one million children and youths at all levels and from every background.