With faith in the resurrection, the Lasallian East Asia District (LEAD) announces the passing of Br. Matthew Bay FSC on 25 January 2023 in Ipoh, Malaysia. He was 76 years old and a De La Salle Brother for 57 years.
RELIGIOUS CONSECRATION
| Juniorate | 1962-1963 (St. Joseph’s, Penang) |
| Postulancy & Novitiate | 1964-1965 (St. Joseph’s, Penang) |
| Habit-Taking | 1964 April 8 (Penang) |
| First Vows | 1965 April 9 (Penang) |
| Perpetual Vows | 1974 December 8 (Penang) |
TOUR OF DUTY
| DATE | ASSIGNMENT | POSITION |
| 1968 | St. Anthony’s School, Teluk Anson, Perak, Malaysia | Teacher |
| 1968-1992 | St. George’s Institution, Taiping, Malaysia | Teacher/Moderator/Staff |
| 1993-2011 | St. Michael’s Institution, Ipoh, Malaysia | Teacher/Moderator/Staff |
| 2011-2023 | St. Michael’s Institution, Ipoh, Malaysia | Retired |
Eternal rest grant unto Matthew, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Excerpt from the Archives:
Br Matthew was posted to SMI-Ipoh in January 1993 from St George’s in Taiping where he had served for more than twenty years. At St George’s, apart from being a superb teacher, he was deeply involved in scouting and photography as well as being a qualified swimming and life saving instructor.
In Ipoh he continued his passion for photography but he opened up to other important interests as well. The one that many may not notice is that he is the man behind the scenes when it comes to OMA projects. He was first to identify the need and could always devise the best way to deal with it: whether it was the lamentable condition of the canteen, the potholes on our roadways, the state of the toilets, or the perpetual confusion arising from the sharing of space and facilities with the primary classes.
The roadways are now beautifully paved. The primary children have their own compound, complete with a artistically designed building, canteen, playing space, and their own exclusive entrance. The toilets have been upgraded to 5-star quality for both boys and ladies. The canteen has been replaced by a modern food court with a choice of quality dishes that are the envy of other schools. The approach to the school is dramatically upgraded with an impressive entrance and covered walkway. The main building has a new roof and a fresh coat of paint. The school office has its own exclusive approach and the OMA secretariat nearby is a gem in its own right.
All of these were made possible thanks to his close rapport with the Board and the OMA, and his ability to do detail planning, negotiate with the contractor for the best terms, but above all to his personal monitoring of work in progress.
Among his other commitments like the photography club and the heritage club, his passion was the literacy class for Form One pupils with learning difficulties, for whom over many years he was able to recruit and train volunteer student tutors from the Sixth Form.
His impact on the face and on the life of SMI will indeed merit a place in the history of the school.
“O God, by whose favor your servant, Brother Matthew, was called to the religious life and who witnessed to the message of salvation by his dedication to Christian education, grant that he may be admitted to your eternal friendship with those who have likewise zealously labored in Your Vineyard. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
