GIUSEPPINI DEL BELGIO. — They were founded at Crommont in Flanders in 1817 by Canon C. van Crombrugge (1798–1865). Initially intended for primary education, the Giuseppini later also devoted themselves to commercial education and, after 1850, added literary instruction in Greek and Latin.
Further foundations followed at Melle and Leuven. They received the decree of praise in 1863 and in 1897 became a clerical Congregation with simple vows. The constitutions were definitively approved in 1930. After the First World War, the Institute opened houses in missionary territories: in 1924 in Brazil and in 1929 in Kasai (Belgian Congo).
At present, the Giuseppini have 8 houses, of which 2 are in England, with 200 members.
BIBL.: C. Pieraerts and A. Desmet, Vie et œuvres du chanoine C. van Crombrugge, Brussels 1937. Silverio Mattei