brother brousseau was born in north beach, san francisco as one of six children. on august 14, 1920 brousseau entered the juniorate of the de la salle christian brothers (brothers of the christian schools), a religious institute of teachers in the roman catholic church. he was accepted into the christian brothers novitiate on 31 july 1923 and advanced to the scholasticate on the campus of st. mary's college in moraga, california in 1924.