Life of the Brothers

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 18 (October 2009)

A film called The Quiet Man was produced in 1952, directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne as the quiet man. The film has aged well. If there was ever a quiet man in real life, it was Brother Pius. He was rarely known to shout or even raise his voice. 

He was born on the 21st January 1911 in Crotta, County Kerry, Ireland, a lovely part of that lovely County. Large families were the norm at the time and Patrick, his baptismal name, was the seventh child of a family of six boys and four girls. He attended the local primary school and is remembered as a quiet, industrious boy. He came from a small hurling area in a predominantly football county. He loved the game and was skilled at it. This may have been a pointer to his future prowess at badminton. 

When he was fourteen years old, the school was visited by Brother Anselm, a recruiter for the De La Salle Brothers. In response to his appeal for volunteers, young Patrick offered himself and was accepted. So it was that, on the 25th August 1925, he set off for Castletown, County Laois, to begin his Lasallian formation journey. It was his first journey on a train and every time that the train swished under a bridge he would jump from his seat, to the great amusement of his companions.

His year of spiritual formation in the Novitiate began in the summer of 1927. He made the Novitiate seriously and fervently and it stood to him for the rest of his life. There followed two years of studies and then the decision to volunteer for the missions, to what was then called the Far East.

One of his companions relates: “Brother Pius and I started on our first missionary journey together in October 1930. We were accompanied by Brothers Mark O’Connor and Gilbert McKenna who were returning to the East after a short holiday in Ireland”. A trip through London and France brought them to Marseilles where they boarded a ship for Rangoon, Burma.

An unpleasant surprise awaited them on board when they were informed by the steward that they would not be able to use their cabin during the day because it was to be occupied by a hive of bees! These belonged to Brother Gilbert McKenna who was taking them to the Lasallian orphanage in Twante. It was dangerous to use the cabin during the day so they were obliged to spend all the time on deck. One of Brother Pius’ companions continues: “we could retire to our bunks after the bees had retired for the night but had to be out again by daybreak. We discovered that bees are early risers and a few stings can be more effective than any alarm clock!” Patience began to wear thin and there were veiled threats as to what might happen to the bees and their owner. Fortunately Rangoon was reached without mishap.

On arriving in Burma, Brother Pius was assigned to teach in the large and renowned St Paul’s Institution in Rangoon. He was given a class in the middle school. He mentioned later that he was very nervous when first introduced to his pupils. Most of them were Indian Sikhs, big burly fellows sporting turbans and even beards. Fortunately they were quite well behaved and before long he was completely at home with them.

One of the Brothers in the Community at the time was able to sum up Brother Pius rather well. “He was outstanding for his religious spirit, his cheerfulness, his fondness for the rosary and his devotedness to his class. He was rather shy and reticent”. A German Brother in the Community had this to say: “I remember how he helped me with my preparation for class, and how it was he who organized our games and our walks. During the summer vacation he never wasted a moment of time allotted for study. He was a most pleasant confrere at recreation”.

The pleasant and even tenor of Brother Pius’ life in Burma came to an end in 1937 when he was transferred to Malaya and assigned to the Community of St Xavier’s Institution, Penang. He had become very attached to Burma and regretted leaving it. One reason for the transfer was probably the threat of TB and when in Penang he was put on a stringent diet of raw eggs. Things were moving along nicely until the swift Japanese invasion and occupation of the country in December 1941. The school buildings were commandeered by the occupying power and the Brothers’ Community had to seek refuge in the Novitiate house, some miles away, in Pulau Tikus.

The Brothers could no longer teach school. Their time was occupied mainly trying to get enough to eat by cultivating every square yard of the property and by fishing in the nearby sea. It so happened that there was a sizable amount of black and white cloth meant for robes and shirts. As it was feared that the Japanese would seize on this supply it was decided to cut it all up. Brother Pius was nominated assistant tailor and he was kept busy sewing all the cut- up cloth. The health of all the Brothers deteriorated during the war years and, with a TB history, Brother Pius’ condition in particular was worrying. Nevertheless he was able to continue his teaching duties when school reopened after the war.

In 1948 he was appointed sub-director of the flourishing St Michael’s Institution, Ipoh. The school was bursting at the seams with 1144 pupils and a staff of 7 Brothers and 22 lay teachers. Those lay teachers remember Brother Pius as quiet, somewhat shy, very much liked by his pupils and fond of games. Under the direction of the Director, Brother Denis Hyland, the school was extended and numbered 1700 pupils by 1952.

Then, in 1955, Brother Pius was appointed Director of St Michael’s. The younger teachers in particular took to his style, sharing his interests and enthusiasms. These included games of all kinds, swimming, scouting, air cadets and St John’s Ambulance Brigade. The boys developed an astonishing enthusiasm for every kind of game and activity. Every student had to join a school-uniformed group and most were involved in some sport or other. Indeed Brother Pius’ name is linked with great successes in swimming and badminton right up to national levels. He himself was a keen swimmer and badminton player.

He was generous by nature and inclination and some took advantage of this to borrow money from him rather too freely. He often helped pupils in financial difficulties. His kindness also tempted some pupils to get up to pranks or to create disciplinary trouble. It was then that the “Pius System” was invoked. When he felt that a boy had overstepped the mark, the boy was called into the Principal’s Office. Brother Pius would switch on the public address system and give a few good whacks to the errant boy, the echoes of the whacks reverberating around the school. This somewhat innovative method of dealing with youthful offenders eventually got into the newspapers and was called the “Pius System”! In these circumstances the younger teachers would say something like “the whole town is talking about your new idea”, knowing that this would please him.

One of his students at the time recalls: “An exceptionally composed man of few words, Brother Pius is someone I fondly remember. Once a boy was reading a comic, placing it behind his textbook when the teacher was teaching. Brother Pius, during his rounds, saw this. He calmly walked towards the boy from behind and closed the boys’ eyes with both his hands. The boy, thinking the hands belonged to his friend, slapped them. He looked back…and never played that trick again”.

In those years most of the Brothers would make their annual Retreat in the country house on Penang Hill. On one famous occasion Brother Pius appeared clothed in a span-new white robe. One day a Brother was shaving upstairs. Task completed, he threw the basin of dirty water out the window. Brother Pius happened to be passing below and received a dousing, new robe and all. For years afterwards he could not be convinced that it was all an accident.

Towards the end of 1960, after having serving the normal two terms, Brother Pius was given a rousing send-off, complete with fife and drum. He had steered St Michael’s through hard and good times and could now take a deserved rest back in his home country.

After his holiday with his beloved family in Ireland he was asked to return to Burma, once again to St. Paul’s Rangoon. However, in 1963, he was asked to take charge of a new school in Taunggyi. He welcomed the appointment since he had been very fond of Burma and its people from his early years there. But just as things were taking shape a semi-communist group seized the reins of power in a 1963 coup. Brother Pius and six recently arrived Brothers were ordered to leave the country. On April 1st 1965, all mission schools were confiscated and nationalized. The Brothers were forbidden to teach and foreign Priests, Brothers and Sisters told to leave the country. It was a second and final sad farewell to Burma for Brother Pius.

Hong Kong provided the refuge and he arrived there on the 1st June 1964 and was assigned to teach Form 4 in La Salle College. It was the Community custom of the time to go for weekly launch picnics during the summer vacation. Brother Pius proved to be an excellent chef. Once he was approached by a party from another launch attracted by the aroma of sizzling steaks done in the open on the rocks! He was asked if he would be kind enough to let them have his recipe. 

Just at that time, a new Lasallian school situated close to the border with mainland China was being built and after one year in La Salle College Brother Pius was posted as one of the four pioneers of the new school and community. The other three Brothers were Felix Sheehan (Director), Hubert Pilz and Paul O’Connell. To this day the four ‘Houses’ of the school are called after them. Brother Pius was to remain at De La Salle Secondary School, New Territories, for the next fifteen years, entering fully into the life of the community and school.

The Brothers managed to create a warm family atmosphere in the school. Most of the students were farmers’ sons, many came to school on bicycles and for nearly all it was a first encounter with white-robed missionary teachers. Besides teaching English and Religion, Brother Pius as usual promoted games and sports, and was the advisor of the Red Cross Unit.

Signs of ill health began to appear in the 70’s. He had never been very robust and was diagnosed with diabetes in 1973. He rallied and tried to carry on as usual but it was a strain and his ills were compounded by a stroke which affected his speech. Nevertheless he felt strong enough to pay a last visit to St Michael’s, his old school in Ipoh, Malaysia, and spent three months there. There was a regular stream of visitors to see him. A Brother who was there at the time recalls that he “wept as I led him to the plane on his departure, realizing it would be his last sight of Ipoh where he had been so happy”.

In 1979, the Brothers in Hong Kong decided it would be best for Brother Pius to take home leave followed by retirement in Castletown. They knew of his deep affection for his family and he spent the best part of a year in his brother’s house which was the old family abode. While there, he celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his taking the religious habit and Mass was said in the house.

In 1980 he was transferred to Miguel House nursing home in Castletown where he received every attention. By this time he was largely confined to a wheelchair. He remained his usual quiet and cheerful self but spoke little because of the effects of the stroke. At the end of the year his condition deteriorated and he had to be hospitalized but soon returned to Miguel House where he died on January 16th 1981. He was sixty-nine years of age.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 19 (November 2009)

William Curran was born in Barretstown, near Fethard, in County Tipperary, Ireland, on the 20th January 1915. He received his early education at his local Primary school. A recruiter for the Brothers must have arrived because we next see young William joining the Juniorate in Castletown when he was about fourteen or fifteen. On the 7th September 1931 he entered the Novitiate and took the Habit on the 8th December of the same year. After the Novitiate he completed another year of study while remaining in Castletown.

In those years, young Brothers were asked to volunteer for the missions, especially to the Far East. In the spring of 1933 Brother Cronan, together with nine other volunteers, were assembled in Castletown for a send-off ceremony. They were escorted by a senior Brother to London and eventually to Marseilles where they boarded a large passenger boat bound for the East.

On arrival in Penang, Malaysia, Brother Cronan was posted to St George’s Taiping. He was 18 years old and was asked to teach in the higher classes. At the time it was customary for the Brother or teacher to teach all subjects in his class. For one so young and inexperienced this must have been a major challenge. Fortunately Brother Cronan was blessed with a happy disposition and he got on with the work. Just as he was growing to like Taiping and his students he was told he was needed in Hong Kong and arrived there in February 1934.

His new posting was to St Joseph’s College, already well established and respected after nearly sixty years existence. The contrast with peaceful Taiping was evident since his new community and school was situated cheek by jowl with the rapidly developing commercial centre of Hong Kong. All in all he was to serve three terms in Hong Kong and it was there he would end his days. This first stint was to last until 1937 and he was put teaching Class 6, the equivalent of Form 1. 

It so happened that St. Joseph’s was celebrating its Diamond Jubilee in 1935 so that Brother Cronan’s early interest in scouting and games was appreciated.

His next assignment was to St. Joseph’s Institution, Singapore, under the Director, Brother Stephen Buckley. The school had no less than 18 Brothers on the staff. Then in 1941, he was transferred to St Xavier’s Institution, Penang, which had been founded in 1852. For a while all went well following a well established pattern in both school and community. The events of the 8th December 1941 were to change all that, with the bombing of Penang and Singapore and other towns and cities. Japanese forces also made their first landings on the same day and by the 17th December Penang was invaded and occupied. After some time, schools were reopened but the medium of instruction switched from English to Japanese. Brother Cronan was transferred to St Patrick’s Community Singapore, to a house that was reputed to be haunted! During the day The Brothers were allowed to teach in a government school through the medium of Japanese. In the evenings they attended further classes to deepen their command of the language.

Then came the fateful decision by the Bishop, persuaded by the Japanese authorities, to leave with a sizable portion of the Catholic population for a camp in Malaysia, supposedly for better safety and security. Many Catholic religious and Catholic families were transferred hundreds of miles to a jungle clearing in Bahau, Negri Sembilan. The Japanese had painted a rosy picture of this camp. In reality the picture was bleak and living conditions barely good enough to survive.

Brother Cronan was one of those jungle inhabitants. He himself leaves us this none too happy description of life in the jungle in an article he wrote for his local newspaper back home in Ireland: “With axe and saw, pick and spade, we sweated and strove from dawn to dusk, felling the trees, rolling the giant trunks together and filling the place with bonfires and smoke. Day and night the fires raged until the dense jungle became a charred wilderness. Houses had to be erected, roads constructed, bridges built, water supply attended to and sanitary and hygienic conditions established and a ceaseless struggle waged against typhoid, dysentery and the deadly malaria. In spite of all efforts, malaria prevailed and wrought havoc among the settlers. Three hundred perished within a year.”

When it came to division of labour, he undertook to lead a team to deal with the problem of mosquitoes, the “Mosquito Brigade” as it were. Each morning they set out to spray all the stagnant water they could find. The area that had to be covered was extensive and since stagnant water could lie hidden in the undergrowth the task was well nigh impossible. Every day the war went on between man and nature. Clouds of hungry mosquitoes would descend on the living quarters at sunset, frustrating the team’s best efforts. Most of the inhabitants, including Brother Cronan, got malaria and two Brothers died of the virulent cerebral variety. That so many survived is somewhat of a mystery and perhaps the “Mosquito Brigade” could take some solace from that.

In later life Brother Cronan took on a somewhat plump appearance but when he emerged from the jungle in 1945 he was extremely thin and haggard looking. A year or so later he was allowed home for a long leave that was badly needed. On his return, at the age of thirty-three, he was posted back to St Joseph’s College, Hong Kong. He was to spend ten years there, in the prime of life. Among his students at the time would have been the recently awarded Nobel Laureate, Charles Kao. Apart from regular teaching duties, he became heavily involved in scouting and football. He not only helped the College’s 1st Hong Kong Troop but, in 1951, was appointed by the Governor as the first Scout Commissioner of Victoria, the official name of the city on Hong Kong Island.

In these same years he helped pioneer the setting up of the Hong Kong Sports Association which was to be the organizing and coordinating body for all Inter-School sports competitions. This Association has now grown into a massive body comprising 1,083 schools, catering to 126,812 students and coordinating 36 sports. Brother Cronan himself became the chairman of the Hong Kong Schools Sports Football Competitions, the most popular of all Inter-School sports. Such Inter-School games can be very competitive and rouse the passions at times. Brother Cronan, on more than one occasion, had to mediate in disputes but in the end calm was usually restored. Those ten years in St Joseph’s were perhaps the most exciting and fulfilling in his career.

By contrast his next appointment was back to the relative tranquility of St George’s Institution, Taiping. An interesting scouting event is recorded in one of the Brothers’ publications at the time. “One fine afternoon during Scout Week, Taiping awoke from siesta to see some 200 scouts on bicycles parading round the town. It was the brilliant idea of our new Scouter-in-charge, Brother Cronan, who wanted a show of strength of Scouting in St George’s.” He was determined to fly the scouting flag high.

Three years later, he was appointed headmaster of La Salle School in Petaling Jaya, a growing satellite town of Kuala Lumpur. At first he was in charge of the Primary school and then, in 1962, of the Secondary school as well. It was a challenging task because he had to commute from the city every day. The school was still in its infancy and there were few facilities and little or no money to hand. The school field was not properly turfed and former pupils recall spending PE lessons clearing the field of stones and weeds. Brother Cronan made good progress, wooing parents and well-wishers who would later became a potent force in helping La Salle Petaling Jaya become one of the best schools in the state.

In 1963, Brother Cronan set up a Scout Troop in the school with an enrollment of 80 cubs, 64 scouts, 22 senior scouts and he himself was GSM. After only one year the Troop received an award for collecting the highest amount for the Petaling Jaya Job Week. The Scout troop thrived and many more awards were to come. We know that acorns grow into mighty trees. It can be truly said that the scout acorn that Brother Cronan sowed in La Salle has spread its branches all over Petaling Jaya.

During these years many will remember him as the organizer in chief of interesting programmes for the Brothers who gathered on Penang Hill or the Cameron Highlands for their summer breaks. He seemed to have a natural aptitude for setting up games competitions and, on one memorable occasion, even managed to organize a fancy dress parade. In these ways he played his part in the bonding of the Brothers.

From 1965 to 1969 he was sent to help Brother Robert O’Sullivan in a Lasallian school in Muar, a pretty lonely outpost, far from the excitement and activity he was used to. He therefore much appreciated going to the Brothers’ Community in Malacca for the weekends.

Perhaps these were the most challenging three years of his career and he was therefore overjoyed when he received the news of his transfer back to Hong Kong, to the newly opened school and community of Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) College, Kowloon. Much work had to be done to get the school ready for the first intake in September. When school did open Brother Cronan, in addition to his class-work, took charge of the school prefects. Under his direction they were of great assistance in maintaining good school discipline. Always ready to lend a helping hand, he next took charge of the school library as well as organizing the school Scout Troop and becoming the first scout leader of the 205th Kowloon Scout Group. In 1974, he was also presented with the Chief Scout’s Award by the District Commissioner.

The four pioneer Brothers in the Community were Herman Fenton, Eugene Sharkey, Paul Hackett and Cronan. Brother Herman was Director and he asked Brother Cronan to attend to all that was necessary for furnishing the Community quarters. He took this responsibility seriously and chose durable but elegant furniture. He took particular interest in the chapel and bought beautiful vestments. He always had a deep interest in everything connected with liturgy such as decoration of the altar and looking after the altar servers and this interest stayed with him to the end. In September 1970, Brother Eugene Sharkey was appointed Principal of the College. Brother Cronan was somewhat worried that Eugene took the post too seriously such that his health gave cause for concern. Fortunately things took a turn for the better and Eugene was able to leave hospital and take over the reins.

In 1974 Brother Cronan was transferred to St Joseph’s College where he had first started his teaching career and where he was destined to end his days. He continued to teach and to help out in both scouting and the library.  One student recalls: “Brother Cronan was the librarian and told me I could study and do my homework there after school. The library would not be closed until I had left for home in the evening. Brother Cronan was quite aware of my poor living conditions.” On reaching the age of sixty in 1975 he retired from full-time teaching but taught catechism in Forms 1 and 2 as well as in the parish.

Throughout life he had a warm regard for his pupils and related pleasantly with parents, two very Lasallian characteristics. He took his religious duties seriously and could be relied upon to be at prayer at prescribed times.  His piety was unostentatious and he seemed to be at home in the chapel. He has left a fine example of dedication to the training of youth and of devotion to duty.

Although he had had somewhat indifferent health for some time, his general condition did not raise undue alarm. He had been hospitalized a few times but never for long periods. The Brothers of St Joseph’s were therefore taken aback by the speed of the final days. This is how they were described by the Director, Brother Patrick Tierney:

“On the morning of the 3rd November he was up as usual for Morning Prayer and indeed we remarked afterwards that Brother Cronan seemed to be in stronger voice than usual. Mid morning, however, he was asking to see the doctor, who, when eventually contacted, advised that he be sent to St Paul’s Hospital by ambulance. The ambulance took him off before noon, accompanied by Brother Brendan Dunne. Brother Cronan had to be given oxygen in the ambulance and Brother Brendan said he was failing fast en route. He lapsed into a sort of coma on arrival, was pumped and injected into the heart and placed in the ICU where he lingered for a few hours until about 3.00pm. He did not recognize anybody during that period. The doctor and the Sisters said he could not have suffered much pain.” He had succumbed to a heart attack and died peacefully, fortified with the rites of the Church.

The burial took place on the 5th November in the Catholic cemetery in Happy Valley with many Brothers and friends attending. One Brother noticed that there was a group of students from St Joseph’s College each holding a small bunch of white flowers. They stood for a moment by the grave and then dropped the flowers on the coffin and went away. It was their small but eloquent tribute to a person who had spent his life with such dedication for the benefit of others.

The Brothers of the Lasallian East Asia District had their Holy Week Retreat last 16 to 20 April 2025 in three venues: Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. The theme for this year's retreat was sharing the experience of God as communities rooted in the Gospel. Fr. Kurt Pala MSSC, a Columban missionary in Myanmar, was the facilitator in Malaysia. Br. Alejandro Cerna FSC facilitated the retreat in the Philippines. While Fr. Mark Lopez SJ, a Jesuit missionary in Cambodia.

Members of the Hermanas Guadalupanas De La Salle joined the retreat in the Philippines, while La Salle Sisters joined in Thailand.

Eleven young Brothers from LEAD and two from DILAO renewed their vows during the Easter Eucharistic Celebration across the three venues.

Photos of the Holy Week Retreat may be viewed here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jFG8AUeqXeaFsMq-aFHDtE-IgJSjobhZ?usp=drive_link

We are pleased to welcome and introduce the three new candidates at the La Salle House of Studies Sampran, Thailand.

1. Peter Pramot Niyomtham (18) from Amnaj Charoen Province

I have come to know about the De La Salle Brothers through my older brother. My vocation journey began when I was awarded a scholarship at Miquel House in La Salle Chanthaburi School. My interest in the life of the Brothers led me to decide in joining the La Salle Juniorate in Nakhon Sawan after passing 9th Grade. There I grew up in my faith and learned more about the De La Salle Brothers. Finally I decided to take the next step as Aspirant at the La Salle House of Studies in Samphran.

2. John Baptist Kittikhun Hongnee (19) from Sakon Nakhon Province 

While I was trying to get entrance to different universities after my great 12, my grandmother happened to talk to the mother of Br. Bennedict Chaiwat, FSC. My grandmother learned about the De La Salle Brothers from that particular talk and she encouraged and persuaded me to join the De La Salle Brothers Congregation. I started to studied the history of the Brothers and found that this congregation provides human and Christian education to children especially the poor. Then I realized that might be my religious vocation to teach like my parents who are also teachers for the blind. So, I decided to join the La Salle House of Studies in Samphran.

3. Augustine Radi Sawantungkae (19) from Chiang Mai

I was born, raised and studied on the mountain area without any opportunity to know the De La Salle Brothers. It so happened by chance that I spoke to a Redemptorist priest who was visiting my village. It was through this kind priest that I heard and learned about the educational works of the De La Salle Brothers. I was so interested that I started to studied and fine information about the Brothers. Helping young people, who do not have the opportunities to get good education for their future, is also my dream. So, I decided to join the La Salle House of Studies in Samphran.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 18 (October 2009)

Roland Perrier was born on the 8th November 1916 and baptized the day after. His place of birth was Moose Creek, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His parents were good practicing Catholics of French-Canadian stock and he was very attached to them. Later in life, he never failed to visit his family when the occasion arose.

After normal primary and secondary schooling, he went to work, mainly in clerical posts. Up to then he had never come in contact with the De La Salle Brothers but when he did he had what he described as a “conversion”. “God called me and I answered”, he said simply. This virtue of straightforwardness would remain with him all his life.

He made his Novitiate at Montreal in 1937. He would have been older and more mature than most of his fellow novices but that did not deter him. There followed the studies in the Scholasticate in 1938. One of his mentors at the time said of him: “He was always serious in purpose; it was one of his characteristics”. From 1939 to 1947 he was sent to teach in primary schools in Ottawa. When asked what subjects he taught at that time he replied, “I taught nearly everything”. One subject, however, gave him a distinct advantage. He was accomplished in instrumental music and was able to teach and lead school choirs.

Little did he realize that he was been ‘targeted’ by the superiors for a much wider mission, far from home. In 1947 he was asked to become part of a new Lasallian opening in China, this time in Beijing. In his customary straightforward fashion Brother Gilbert said yes. And so it was that on the 16th November 1947, together with three other Brothers, he arrived in Beijing. The Brothers had bought a house of studies there, called Benildus House. The new residents had a twofold aim: to study the Chinese language and to prepare for a Lasallian school mission in Beijing. Brother Gilbert was diligent in the study of the Chinese language.

All went smoothly at first and one photo shows the Brothers playing in the snow. One of Brother Gilbert’s companions at the time remarked that he “was very diligent in the study of Chinese language”. The honeymoon did not last long as China began to slide rapidly into chaos and social unrest. The communists were soon sweeping all before them and it was clear that they had set their sights on capturing Beijing. All missionaries were in danger and advised to leave and many who were able to move out did so. The Brothers were caught up in the general political and social unrest and reluctantly made preparations to flee. Six of them and one postulant made it to Hong Kong arriving on the 27th December 1948. 

A statement signed by the six Brothers soon after arriving in Hong Kong shows how reluctantly they made this enforced move and their fond hope of returning. The statement reads as follows:

“Providence has actually brought us to a place where we can perfect our knowledge of English, as well as Chinese, as we still hope to return to China one day as the Lord may determine in his hidden designs. Even as we rejoice in our security in Hong Kong, we do not forget China where the Church is undergoing a terrible trial”.

Brother Gilbert, now at the age of thirty-two, was assigned to St Joseph’s College and there he was to remain until his untimely death in 1977, almost 30 years of service. Over twenty of these years were spent teaching English, Religion, Music and French in the College before he was appointed Headmaster of St Joseph’s Primary School in 1971.

At first glance he seemed to be very serious and, in the good sense of the word, he was. His students, however, quickly broke through to the real man, kindly and caring. After class he would often be seen festooned by boys, laughing and joking. These were students he was preparing for public examinations. He managed to create a relaxed but productive atmosphere in class and there were no complaints. He took a deep interest in his pupils and in their studies and had a great influence over them. Later, many of them mentioned his evenness of temper and kindly disposition, an ideal temperament for teaching.

He possessed an extraordinary capacity for work. Besides full time teaching and extra mural lessons in Chinese at the University of Hong Kong, he directed the choir, played the organ, ran the Music Centre, took Catechism class to prepare boys for baptism, was spiritual director of the Legion of Mary and coordinated preparations for liturgical functions. There was more.

Music was a passion. At the time, it was not a strong element in school life and soon Brother Gilbert became the face of music in the school. He trained choirs and entered them in competitions. Every Christmas Eve he would gather a group of boys to sing Christmas Carols in various hospitals. He even brought them into a high security mental hospital where they received a wonderful ovation.

The Hong Kong Schools Music and Speech Association plays a prominent role in the cultural life of the territory. In 1949, soon after his arrival in Hong Kong, Brother Gilbert was appointed its Vice-President and Honorary Treasurer, positions he held to his death. The Association had been founded pre war and one of the founders was Brother Cassian. Since then it has expanded tremendously and schools of any standing in the territory participate in either the speech or music events or in both. This entails catering to thousands of entries for varied competitions in instrumental music, bands, choirs, prose and poetry readings, choral speaking and so on, truly a Herculean task. The following, in part, appeared in the South China Morning Post newspaper on the eve of Brother Gilbert’s funeral:
“Brother Gilbert was well known to generations of students and music-lovers in Hong Kong and was associated with the Festivals and the Association from very early days. His contribution to the work of the Association was beyond measure, and he will be missed by all who knew and worked with him”.

As if all this activity was not enough, he became involved with Church matters as an active participant in the Diocesan Convention of 1969-71. He was also a member of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission and the Diocesan Pastoral Council. He believed in keeping up to date with Church developments and was an avid reader of spiritual books. All this active involvement in school and church affairs involved attending numerous meetings. He never complained about this.

In his community of Brothers, he was not much of a man for small talk or gossip. He would, however, come to life if you brought up some of his favourite topics such as classical music, prayer or liturgy and on these he could discourse forever. He would also take great delight in telling an anecdote. The Brothers appreciated his solid presence, patience and faithful performance of his spiritual and educational duties. With Brother Gilbert, what you saw was what you got. One Brother had these memories:

“I first came to know Brother Gilbert almost seven years ago and during that time I cannot recall sharp words being exchanged between us, even once.
For four years I slept in the room next to him and I never needed an alarm clock as I could always be sure of hearing him at his ‘ablutions’ at 5.30a.m.
He was a man of solid piety, but there was nothing showy or sentimental in the way he led us in the religious exercises”.

St Joseph’s Primary School had existed from the early days but only at Primary 5 and 6 levels. A fully-fledged feeder Primary was established in 1968 consisting of 8 streams per level in two sessions, a large school indeed by any standards. In 1971 the Headmaster, Brother Lawrence Kelly, was reaching retirement. Brother Gilbert was selected for the task and it became his labour of love until his death. No doubt it brought him back in memory to his youthful teaching days in Ottawa.

The school could not have asked for a better Headmaster. Brother Gilbert set to with a will and the school became one of the leading and most sought after in the territory. His enlightened and sensible leadership and avuncular style appealed to staff, students and parents. His encouragement of all round development was particularly welcomed and the school turned out many who were to become notable personages. The Headmaster of the afternoon school and successor to Brother Gilbert, Mr. Y.C.Yung, had this to say:
“I was deeply impressed by his genuine love for children, his constant striving for improvement, his wisdom, his kindness and his humility. What else could we expect from an educationalist?” He introduced one little custom much appreciated by the staff. He would never forget their birthdays, offering them a birthday card and a little gift on the day. He could see things from macro and micro perspectives.

Prayer was the mainstay of his life. Daily meditation, recitation of the divine office, Mass and the rosary were prayed with attention and devotion. He served the Community by making and printing little prayer leaflets containing the references to the prayer of each day. He knew that vocations to the Institute were built on prayer. In a word, prayer was a serious matter, to be taken seriously.

Another subject he took seriously was music. If you stopped by his room for a chat he would, as often as not, be listening to music—classical music. He could sit and listen for hours. The great composers were his diet and he had a soft spot for Bach. The Thanksgiving Mass in the Cathedral in 1975, to mark the centenary of the arrival of the Brothers in Hong Kong, gave scope for some of Brother Gilberts’ liturgical and musical talents. He was in charge of the liturgical and musical proceedings and even of the reception after the Mass. The Choir of St Joseph’s Primary School sang the Mass of St Francis beautifully and Brother Gilbert sang the solo parts.

Brother Gilbert had suffered from a heart condition for some time. He had regular check-ups, however, and his general health gave no cause for alarm. On the 29th August 1977 he arrived back from home leave and complained of pain in the shoulders. The following morning he went back to work in the Primary school but saw his doctor that afternoon and got medication. The pains did not go away and he was persuaded to see the doctor again on Friday 2nd September and again got the all clear. That evening he did not seem unduly perturbed and retired to bed at his usual time.

The following day, Saturday 3rd, he had scheduled a staff meeting in the Primary school, located about two miles from the College. When he did not show up on time the College and Brothers were contacted. Fearing the worst, Brothers Patrick Tierney and Thomas Favier, accompanied by the school clerk John Chan, opened Brother Gilbert’s room door. They discovered him dead in bed. He had died during the night or morning of a massive stroke. His sudden passing came as a great shock to all.

Besides the Brothers, the first visitors to arrive were staff from St Joseph’s Primary School. Funeral arrangements were set in motion. The funeral Mass was celebrated in St Joseph’s Church on the 6th September followed by burial at St Michael’s Cemetery, Happy Valley.

The last word can go to Brother Gilbert himself. When asked in an interview if he had found fulfillment in his life as a Brother, he replied: “I have what I need. I have joy, the consolation that things have turned out well. I have the consolation that I have done the best I can, and the boys have done as well as they can”. Brother Gilbert certainly always gave of his best and he wanted his students to do the same.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 17 (September 2009)

A fine teacher, a bewitching storyteller, an intrepid hiker and collector of plants and flowers, a skilled sportsman, a gardener, a musician, singer, poet, and artist. And all of these skills pretty well self-taught.. Such was Brother Patricius.

He was born on the 1st November 1911 and the place of his birth may hold the key to some traits of his character. Young Patrick hailed from the Glen of Aherlow, one of Ireland’s most scenic, with fertile land and stunning views of not so distant mountains. Such a pleasant prospect was enough to stir the young artistic spirit.

His mother seems to have had a profound influence on him. Years later he wrote a poem entitled “Mum’s Rosary” which helps to capture some of the life and spirituality of family and home. Two of the verses go as follows:

‘She handed down our rosaries
And waved us to our knees,
And Heaven itself drew closer still
Above the wind-stirred trees.

Great was her faith in things divine,
Hell’s fires she did not fear;
For with her hand she touched God’s sky,
He was, she said, so near’.

No doubt his mother was instrumental in his decision to join the Brothers. But so too was his primary school teacher who knew the La Salle Brothers well and recommended Patrick to them. He left home in 1926, first for the Juniorate, then the Novitiate in 1928, followed by the Scholasticate, all located in Castletown, Co Laois, Ireland. The somewhat strict formation process was tempered with picnics, games, swims and farm-work. Patrick’s interest in poetry began in the Juniorate while ‘fooling in the back row composing funny rimes’ about his companions. He found this most entertaining. Later, he would receive a more formal training with the help of fellow poet, Brother Hugh Bates.

The call to the missions came early and in 1931, at the age of twenty, he was on his way in a group of four young Brothers, accompanied by Brother John Lynam. One of the young Brothers was called Hubert O’Leary and he and Patricius were posted to Hong Kong, the former to La Salle College and the latter to St Joseph’s College. Patricius became a good friend of Hubert, not least because ‘he had a lovely voice, and when he sang solo during midnight mass at Christmas, people kept looking back to see who was singing’.

At that time Brothers were frequently moved from one school to another and in 1933 Patricius was transferred to St Xavier’s Institution In Penang. Right from the start in Hong Kong he had displayed fine teaching qualities, including artistic blackboard work. In Penang he also loved to head for the hills and hike and swim. Penang hill in particular attracted him and he reveled in the jungle walks.

In 1937 he was transferred to Singapore, to the newly opened St Patrick’s School in Katong by the sea. He continued to enjoy his teaching as well as swims in the sea before another transfer across the city to the famed St Joseph’s Institution. Since the school was in the heart of the city, there was no shortage of heat, dust and noise. Rumours of a possible Japanese invasion were in full circulation and tension was rising. People wanted to believe that the British Empire could withstand all attacks and that “Fortress Singapore” was impregnable.

Brother Patricius kept a careful diary of events from 1940 to the end of the war. He describes in some detail the military preparations of the British, the daily propaganda through newspapers and radio, the surprise first air attack on Singapore which made short work of British delusions, the Japanese occupation, the decision of the Brothers to follow the Catholic bishop and community to the jungles of Malaya and what transpired there. These diaries were first written up using the title: “Under the Hinomaru” and more recently published in book form with the title: “Jungles are Never Neutral”.  Although in many ways a harrowing tale, Brother Patricius was somehow able to temper danger and death with light and laughter.

During the Japanese occupation of Singapore the work of the Brothers was badly disrupted. Those who were British citizens were interned in Changi Prison for the duration of the war. The others were asked to reopen St Joseph’s but to teach through Japanese which necessitated attending lessons in the afternoons. However, there was little stress on academic education and instead drills, singing Japanese songs and gardening were the order of the day. Then came the Japanese authorities’ persuasion to move the Catholic population to a jungle clearing called Bahau in Malaya and the Bishop’s and Brothers’ decision to go there. 

The jungle settlement had been painted in idyllic terms. A desolate wilderness of uprooted trees, surrounded by jungle, infested by mosquitoes and other pests, was the reality. Nevertheless, the Bishop and Brothers put heart into the weary settlers and they set to with a will, clearing the jungle bit by bit and planting vegetables. Brother Patricius of course put it all into verse. Here is a sample of what was endured:

With axe and parang, midst flame and smoke,
With muscle and brawn and blade,
Thro’ jungle and wood we hacked and hewed,
But the price supreme we paid.
All battered and bent, all tattered and rent,
All grimy and grim yet gay,
We sweated and slogged, we sweltered and sogged,
In the jungles of far Malaya.

The price paid was to their health. Malnutrition brought on dysentery, diarrhoea, beri-beri, tuberculosis etc…and the coffin makers and cemetery workers were kept busy. Two Brothers died of cerebral malaria while the rest emerged from the jungle looking like skeletons. Home leave and a good rest should have been the priority. Instead they focused on the school and the children and did Trojan work to get everything shipshape again. Fortunately, in 1947, the superiors insisted that home leave must be taken and Brother Patricius was at last able to renew acquaintance with his family and with the beautiful glen of Aherlow after an absence of sixteen years. He treasured that visit in his heart.

On his return later in 1947 he was posted to St Francis’ Institution, Malacca, where he served for some seven years. It was love at first sight. One of his students at the time gives us a good picture of the man and his times:
“He taught Scripture, English and Literature in the upper forms and adopted several ingenious methods of teaching never taught at teacher training colleges. His daily Literature lessons were unique, almost like getting a real stage performance, and he was able to rattle off by heart the lines of any of the characters. Brother Patricius was meticulous to the point of utter perfection as far as English Grammar was concerned.

He was a brilliant basketball player and coach and, in spite of his generous proportions, he was ‘Mr Twinkletoes’ on the court. He was also versatile enough to be able to strum a mandolin and on many an occasion he entertained the boarders to a tune or two in his own individual style”.

Brother Patricius’ next assignment was to St John’s Institution, Kuala Lumpur where he taught from 1955 to 1959 before been posted to Kota Kinabalu as headmaster of Sacred Heart Primary School. Never before had he been in charge of a school - and he made sure it never happened again! School administration and especially the bureaucracy entailed drove him up the wall. His heart was in the classroom and he had little patience with “filling forms”. 

He was the first De La Salle Brother to climb to the top of Mount Kinabalu which stands at 13,455 feet. Brother Frederick Lynch and himself made this four to five days trek and climb, staying in rock caves overnight in the freezing cold and in the company of rats that nibbled their ears. Safely back home, Brother Patricius wrote a play for his Primary school boys entitled, “Kinacu, the King of Kinabalu.” It won first prize at the inter –school Drama Festival.

How happy he was early in 1965 to be able to shake off the shackles of administration and return to the classroom, this time in St Joseph’s College, Hong Kong. And it was in Hong Kong that he would see out the rest of his years, thirty-seven in all. Apart from a few years in Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) College Community, he would be attached to St Joseph’s College in the heart of Hong Kong Island.

His final ten years of teaching in St Joseph’s were full of interest and colour. As Brother Patrick Tierney recalls: “He taught English, Religious Studies and PE. His PE lessons were conducted from a chair in the yard! He used to bring his English compositions up to the roof garden in St Joseph’s. He would write STOP after the first paragraph either because the boy had made the wrong kind of mistakes or because he was itching to get at the flowers and plants. He did not have green fingers but the roof garden was his pride and joy. It was somewhat untamed and wild, a reflection perhaps of his personality. He was normally jolly and good-humoured, but if he thought a person or situation had gone too far, he could make his feelings known in no uncertain terms. Fortunately this happened rarely!”

Weekends and long holidays saw Patricius and his old companion of Bahau days, Brother Meldan, heading for the outdoors and tramping the hills and valleys of Hong Kong, on the lookout for unusual flora and fauna. On one walk they came across a dead man hanging from a tree. And of course they had numerous encounters with snakes. 

Patricius was now in the twilight of his teaching career and official retirement came in 1975 when he was sixty-four. He was to have a long retirement of twenty-seven years but had no problem putting his time to good use. Outdoors it would be either hiking or gardening; indoors it would be either artwork or composing poems. He had a passion for Celtic art and design and completed hundreds of sheets of illuminated manuscript of religious texts. The Brothers quietly lamented that such beautiful work was being done on less than quality paper. His magnum opus is entitled ‘Laudate Dominum’- Praise the Lord, a massive, illustrated tome containing the Mass Liturgy, Psalms and Canticles and other religious prayers. At times the hand is shaky but overall it’s a lovely piece of work by a man in his eighties.

He also wrote hundreds of poems at this time of his life, many deeply spiritual, many in praise of nature and several recalling old times. In a nice touch, students from all Lasallian schools in Hong Kong illustrated selected poems as a tribute to the poet and an inspiration to readers. Brother Patricius himself once wrote to a fellow poet: ‘Strange! Strange! How a poem can show a different face when read at different times.’ Poetry lovers will know how to relate to this thought.

As a member of St Joseph’s Community, Patricius was the unofficial guest-master. He was very welcoming and entertaining. As his Director, Brother Alphonsus Breen, recalls: “He had a fund of stories and a great memory for songs and recitations of bygone days and he could render these in fine style to the admiration and appreciation of his audience.”

The Brothers hardly noticed that age was creeping up on him. Apart from some trouble with one leg, he had always enjoyed robust health and loved mountain climbing. It came as somewhat of a shock, therefore, when he suffered two strokes in the year 2000. He soon lost the ability to walk or talk and became bedridden. The old leg complaint came against him and amputation followed. It was sad to see him so helpless, he who always had been so lively. Most of the last two years of his life was spent in the St Joseph’s Home for the Aged, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, in Kowloon. Here he was treated like one of the family.

Brother Patricius died peacefully on the morning of the 8th September and the funeral Mass was held on the 11th. The Mass was celebrated by Fr Patrick Sun, an old boy of St Joseph’s, together with Bishop Joseph Zen and Fr Garaventa, PIME. Students from St Joseph’s College took care of the choir and serving. Brother Thomas Favier welcomed the congregation and Brother Patrick Tierney gave the homily. Brother Patricius was laid to rest in St Michael’s Cemetery, Happy Valley, where a large number of students and friends paid their respects.

We can leave the final words to Brother Thomas Favier who had lived in community with Pat since his arrival in 1985:
‘Brother Pat’s life was long, blessed and fruitful. Those privileged to know him will appreciate his many natural talents, his devotion to God and to Mary, his love of nature, his single-minded dedication to his work and interests, his love of life and his cheerful smiling welcome. Above all we appreciate his ever-present optimism and the respect that was part of his nature. We pray in the language that he loved ‘Go ndeana Dia trocaire ar a anam’.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 16 (August 2009)

Ireland is divided into four provinces namely, Munster, Leinster, Connaught and Ulster. The province of Ulster, in the north, is special in the sense that six of its nine counties are under British jurisdiction. Brother Meldan was born in County Monaghan, one of the three counties in the Republic of Ireland. He remained a staunch Ulster man and Monaghan man all his life.

He was born on the 5th January 1915 in the well-kept, picturesque village of Emyvale, the sixth in a family of seven, six boys and one girl. He was called James Myles at baptism. His mother died when he was three and his father when he was eleven, leaving the eldest brother, Johnny, then twenty-six, to look after the family.

The young James did well at school and he had high regard for his teachers. Nationalist feelings ran high at the time and James was happy to join a local band which played Irish traditional music. He played the flute and it became a constant companion throughout his life.

One day his school had a visit from the McKenna brothers, three of whom were De La Salle Brothers. They opened up the prospect of a career as a teaching Brother. James felt inspired to volunteer and he left home in August 1930 to join the Brothers’ formation school in Castletown, County Laois. He had little interest in games preferring instead to delve into history, politics and mathematics as well as playing the flute at concerts.

On the 13th June 1931, he entered the Novitiate for a year’s training in the spiritual way of life at the end of which he took his first vows, received the religious name of Meldan and then left for Kilmacow for further studies with a view to admission to Teacher Training College.

Suddenly the even tenor of life was broken with the visit of Brother Marcian Cullen who made an urgent appeal for volunteers for the missions. Brother Meldan was one of those who volunteered and was accepted. At the age of eighteen he, together with other missionary volunteers, was on his way to Paris and then Marseilles. He wrote to his family back home: “We had a lovely time in France and were treated very kindly by the Brothers everywhere we went”. He was not to see his family again for another thirteen years. The group boarded a ship on the 24th May 1933. After a long, hot, steamy passage the ship eventually docked at Penang on the 26th June. A few days later Brother Meldan was assigned to Burma and arrived in Rangoon on the 11th July.

In Burma he was first assigned to St Patrick’s High School, Moulmein and he was to do two terms there. Like all young Brothers, Meldan from the first moment was in love with Burma and its people, the land of pagodas and saffron-robed monks. At first all went well but shortly the dreaded TB virus struck and, after medical checks, he was sent to St Peter’s High School, Mandalay. Here the climate was much more conducive, and together with the help of a dozen raw eggs daily, prescribed by the doctor, he gradually shook off the virus. He himself was convinced that it was playing the flute that cured him, as this entailed a lot of deep breathing. He loved the city of Mandalay, with its rich history, and was happy with his teaching duties. The brush with TB, however, made him very conscious of his health and the threat of TB would always be with him.

In 1937 Japan invaded China and in moving westwards Burma felt threatened. Brother Visitor felt that the young Brothers in Burma were at risk. In 1940 Meldan was transferred to Malaysia. He did not like leaving Burma and was not long teaching in his new environment in St Xavier’s Penang when he was found to be suffering again from TB. He had to leave class and was confined to a secluded room for six months.

The Japanese invasion of Malaysia began on the 8th December 1941 and in late November 1942 Meldan moved to St Paul’s Seremban. The school had reopened as a Japanese technical school and Meldan joined the other Brothers in learning Japanese. A competence in the language meant an increase in salary beyond the pitiful living allowance of $80.00 a month. In January 1944 a Japanese headmaster took over and non-Asians were removed from the staff. Five Brothers, including Meldan, had little choice but to join the Singapore Brothers in the jungle settlement at Bahau, some thirty miles away. This would be Meldan’s “home” for the next 20 months.

And what a home it proved to be. Life was tough and food scarce and residents were cut off from news of the outside world. Brother Meldan joined the workforce, growing tobacco, peanuts and pumpkins as well as doing some cooking. But the soil was giving out and there was a poor return for their labour.  Worst of all, a virulent strain of the dreaded malaria struck. 

Brother Philip O’Callaghan wrote: “Every single Brother was laid low with malaria except Meldan. In spite of the tropical heat and hard work he always wore football socks into which he tucked his trousers. Similarly his arms were wrapped in old stockings and he wore a baraclava type covering on his head. Mosquitoes could never penetrate such defences”. As an added precaution he smoked whatever was available, from cigarettes to Indian cheroots. Two Brothers, however, close friends of Brother Meldan, succumbed to the disease and died. They had contracted cerebral malaria. Their deaths greatly upset all the Brothers and Brother Meldan would often recall those tragic events.

When the war ended he was recalled to his Community in Seremban where normal schooling was resumed as quickly as possible. He was allowed a much-appreciated home visit in 1947, his first since 1933, and then he proceeded to University College Dublin where he took an Honours BA in History and Political Theory, his favourite subjects. Following a holiday home he was happy to be on his way once again to Singapore, arriving there in December 1950.

He was given a Pre-University class at the well-known St Joseph’s Institution and was assigned to teach Economics, General Paper and Geography. He taught his charges thoroughly and well. He helped order a whole new arts library, one of the best in Singapore. He was also asked and agreed to teach English in the Teachers’ Training College and did so with much success.

After two years in Singapore Brother Meldan was transferred to St Michael’s Institution, Ipoh. The school was about to open a new sixth form and Brother Meldan was the man for the job. Here he laid the foundations for an excellent tradition. In Ipoh he also found time to indulge one of his favourite hobbies, walking, especially along the banks of the Kinta river which flowed by the school.

Meldan’s call to St Joseph’s College, Hong Kong, took place in 1956 and, apart from a brief interlude in Sabah, he was to stay there for almost thirty years. Again he set about organizing the Form 6 Arts Stream, which was then only in its infancy. This involved a lot of hard work and he was teaching subjects like Economics, Geography, History and Literature practically on his own, an almost impossible workload. After two or three years he opted to teach in the lower forms and made Form 3 in particular his stamping ground.

Meldan was terrific in school. Every lesson was prepared assiduously. Everything was thoroughly researched and written up before entering any class. He insisted on full attention and the students took their cue. Indeed, on his way to class, he could be heard intoning ”In the name of the Father…” before he even reached the door. This was probably to ensure quiet before his actual arrival. He detested bullies. Once he told us how he picked out one such, ‘the biggest fellow sitting at the back of the class,’ and had him on his knees crying for mercy! While the students had a healthy respect for his insistence on discipline, they thrived in the learning atmosphere he created and, not infrequently, succeeded in bringing out his human and humorous side.

For recreation he indulged in his great hobby, walking and collecting orchids along the streams of the Hong Kong and Kowloon hills. He knew the correct botanical name for each one. On occasions he would take a camera to photograph an exotic find. His faithful companion on these hikes was Brother Patricius O’Donovan who had also borne the burden of the heat and the day in the jungle at Bahau.

Throughout much of his life Brother Meldan was plagued with sickness of one kind or another. He would often refer to himself as “a sick man”. He had more or less weathered the TB storm and malaria. But now two new monsters raised their ugly heads in the forms of pernicious anaemia, an enervating ailment, and insomnia, which, he admitted, almost drove him mad. In 1967, a short stint in hot and humid Sabah did not help matters. He returned to Hong Kong in November of the same year, looking as white as a sheet. This was followed by hospitalization, the opening of a hole in his throat, medication and injections for nerves and anaemia.

Sometimes his sickness complaints had a humorous side. There was the occasion of a visit by a priest. When the priest shook his hand and remarked: “Hello Meldan, your hands are lovely and warm”! Back came the response: “They’re warm on the outside but cold inside”!

In retirement he was not at all idle. He kept himself busy checking District records and updating information on the lives of deceased Brothers associated with the District of Penang. He read a lot and gathered a goodly collection of books and Lasallian heritage materials in his room. The Brothers regarded him as their Hong Kong Lasallian archivist.

Although he visited Ireland and home a few times, it was not until June 1985 that he eventually decided to settle into the Holy Family Community in Castletown. Here he improved a lot and enjoyed many years of reasonably good health. One of his Directors at the time, Brother Albert Tierney, had this to say: “Meldan was a great conversationalist, great raconteur. He had an encyclopedic memory for Northern Ireland. Truly he loved his native land”. He was able to visit his family about once a year. He would also recall stories of his youthful days in Burma, the place where he made his final profession in 1938. 

Although keeping reasonably well health-wise, a serious attack of shingles at Easter 1993 greatly weakened him and he admitted it shook him to his foundations. He began to decline after that and by 1995 was confined to a wheelchair and paralysed from the waist down. Brother Patrick Tierney writes: “I visited him twice just before his death. The first visit, about a week before the end, was sad because he was in and out of awareness. But at least he recognized me and spoke a little about Hong Kong. At the second visit a few days before the end, he was unaware of his surroundings.”

He passed away on the 16th August 1995 at Miguel House, Castletown. Brother James Dooley gave the homily and spoke of “a man who deeply loved his family and friends and country, a man of great loyalty to his Institute, and with a deep love of God and his Blessed Mother”. The funeral was large, attended by the Brothers, relatives and a huge contingent of neighbours.

Brother Philip O’Callaghan, an old friend of Meldan, paid tribute to him in a poem entitled ‘Remembering Meldan’:

Death did smile - an incongruous thing!
Yet death did smile!
For here was a soul crossing the Styx
With wealth aplenty and more the while
Leaving behind a legacy - a matrix
Of memories in kindly words, concerns, fidelities – a profile
Insuring death hath lost its sting –
E’en more – more to pay the crossing toll
And jump the queue at heaven’s gate.
For he hath brought through earthly fires – gold
Purified by suffering kindled – prayer intense;
Myrrhed humility – an approaching state
To Godhead, imaged in human experience.

Others had this to say:

“In his best teaching days few equalled him for excellence and perfection in detail; everything was thoroughly researched and written up before entering any class. He always insisted on full attention from the students and in the interests of their survival they soon learned to co-operate”.

“He was very close to nature and adored flowers. His life was a continuous celebration of God’s gifts and he asked during his final illness that there be no crying or mourning at his death, rather merriment and celebration.”
 

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 15 (June 2009)

When we look at a photograph of a youthful Brother Felix, we may note how tall he is, as well as his shock of beautiful, curly hair. In some photos we may also detect a twinkle in his eye, and that would be telling.

He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and given the baptismal name Denis. During his childhood the family moved to Bruff, County Limerick, and it was here he went to school and grew up. The school was run by the De La Salle Brothers. He was the only boy in a family of six and he remained very attached to his family. From an early age he displayed that lovely mix of good humour and seriousness that stayed with him all his life. Oh yes, he could be serious, but he never took himself too seriously. And that trait carried him far.

The Brothers who taught him at school had a great influence on him and he preferred their way of life to that of the priesthood. Shortly after Christmas 1930 he decided to head for the Brothers’ Novitiate in Castletown. The Novitiate at the time was a year of tough spiritual formation. He “survived”, took the Brothers’ Habit on the 1st February 1931, and received the name Brother Felix Lawrence.

A sense of youthful adventure must have been in his bones because soon after the Novitiate, at the age of twenty, he volunteered for the missions in the Far East. His first teaching missionary experience was in Malaysia, first in Taiping and then in Penang, from 1932 to 1936. Teaching all day in the tropical heat was no joke but Felix made the best of it. During school holidays the Brothers would assemble on Penang Hill and Brother Felix was in his element. For recreation he introduced sing-song sessions. He had a good singing voice and a wide repertoire of attractive Irish songs.

Just as he was acclimatizing to the Malaysian setting he was transferred to Hong Kong which was to be the scene of most of his labours for the rest of his life. He arrived at St Joseph’s College on the 8th December 1936 and taught at Matriculation level until war broke out. One of the students at the time was Henry Pang who later became a Brother. He recalls:
“Young Brothers were in the majority and there was enough of them to make two noisy football or basketball teams.” He remembered “their hearty laughter and cheerful way of life” and says this is what first attracted him to the Brothers. Although Brother Felix was not regarded as a sporty type, he was in fact teacher in charge of the College football team at the time, and a good team it was too.

But happy days were soon to end as the dark clouds of war were gathering. The bombs rained down on the 8th December 1941 and by Christmas the Japanese military was in control. They commandeered many schools, including St Joseph’s and La Salle. St Joseph’s, among other things, was used as a military store. Brother Felix and some other Brothers were kindly given refuge for a time by the Jesuit Fathers in Robinson Road.

The Brothers came to the decision that while a few would remain in Hong Kong, the remainder would move to neutral territory where they might also be able to exercise their teaching skills. One migrating group was led by Brother Aimar while Brother Felix and Brother Michael Curtin went together. In January 1942 they decided to head for China via Macau and set sail for Kwong Chao Wan on an extremely crowded ship. Kwong Chao Wan (a French colony from 1898-1943) was often used as a stopover on an escape route for civilians fleeing Hong Kong and trying to make their way to Free China. There the Brothers soon ran out of money and gladly accepted the offer by a friendly Norwegian ship’s captain of free passage to Haiphong, a port on the Gulf of Tonkin in North Vietnam, where they were warmly received by the Vietnamese and French Brothers.

We think Brother Felix might not have been too homesick in Vietnam because he soon met some of his old Hong Kong confreres such as Brothers Honorius, Basilian and Wilfrid. They were working in the large Lasallian school in Taberd, Saigon. Without delay Felix got down to the study of French and reached the enviable standard of being allowed to read the Lives of the Saints in the dining room. But the main work assigned to Felix and his English-speaking companions was to teach the English language to the young Vietnamese Brothers and to the students. There was one potentially dark spot on the horizon for Brother Felix. He was admitted to Saigon hospital for a stomach operation and his stomach never forgot it. It was later discovered that he already had an operation for appendix in the 30’s in Penang. 

The end of war in 1945 brought blessings to many. Brother Felix had not been home to see his family for fourteen years. In 1946 he managed to get on a ship for England and thence to Ireland. He was malaria-ridden, undernourished and pestered with that niggling stomach ailment. His superiors allowed him a good rest at home followed by a degree course at University College Dublin, where he graduated majoring with a B.A. in History.

1949 saw him returning East, doing a short stint in Kuching, East Malaysia, before returning to Hong Kong where he felt most at home. He taught first in St Joseph’s College from 1950 to 1955. One of the students at the time remembers how he always whistled when he walked and had a spring in his step. He brooked no nonsense in class, however. After his term in St Joseph’s he was asked to go to Rome for the second Novitiate. This does not mean that there was a problem with his making of the “first” Novitiate! Rather, it was a sign that the Superiors were preparing him for greater responsibility. Sure enough, soon after his return in 1956, he was assigned as Director of La Salle College, Kowloon, in succession to Brother Patrick Toner.

As the new Director, Brother Felix moved fast. The school at this time was “in exile” in “temporary” wooden huts erected by the British Army. Brother Felix did not let this deter him. He was an energetic headmaster and kept teachers and students on their toes with frequent class visits and checking of exercise books. He introduced a number of changes during his tenure including the wearing of a mandatory student uniform, the establishment of a new prefect system and student council and the giving of spiritual talks during assemblies. Nevertheless, it was his battle with the British Army to secure the release of the original La Salle College building that marked him out. It took years of negotiations, delicate and not so delicate at times, with the matter being brought up regularly in the House of Commons, before Brother Felix could at last take possession of the old school. For this achievement, some people salute the courage, stamina and fighting spirit of the Irishman in him. When he got the bit between his teeth he would not let go too easily.

On the 1st August 1959, the Army finally derequisitioned the building after a ten-year occupation. The official handover took place on the 21st August. What a sight met the eyes of the Brothers! After ten years of military occupation the grand buildings and grounds were in a shambles. Undeterred, Brother Felix set about the rehabilitation work. For a whole year a firm called Hsin Hang did some restoration and a great deal of patchwork. It was all they could do. It was somewhat akin to cosmetic surgery and the building never fully recaptured its pristine beauty and grandeur. The school playfield gave the most trouble. Solidly built concrete Nissen huts had to be pulled down and cement foundations removed. But school morale was high under Brother Felix and spiritual, academic, sporting, musical and scouting activities kept ticking over nicely. Staff and students were simply glad to be “home”.

Brother Felix himself had an interesting “take” on the growth of extra-curricular activities, especially since some thought they hindered academic progress. In his Speech Day address of 1963 he had this to say:
“No wonder a despairing teacher intent on getting his class through the syllabus of studies, opined that the device on our school crest, ‘Fides et Opera’, should be translated ‘fiddles and operas’. Yet all this hubbub not only prevents Jack from becoming a dull boy but gives scope to that initiative, sociability and qualities of leadership that distinguish the La Salle boy”.

Mention of Speech Day calls to mind an interesting episode. Students have an uncanny knack of being able to “read” their headmasters and teachers. It was the custom on Speech Days for the Head Boy or Prefect to request the Guest of Honour for a school holiday. The Guest would invariably look to the Principal for a nod of approval. On one memorable occasion, the Head Boy had the extraordinarily creative idea of asking for two holidays! The Guest looked at Brother Felix who, though flabbergasted, had the graciousness to consent. That Head Boy had certainly “read” his headmaster.

One outstanding trait of Brother Felix was his sympathy for the poor, the needy, the handicapped and all those in straitened circumstances. And so it was that he granted no-cost school quarters to the janitors and no-interest loans to needy teachers. Brother Paul Sun, Superior General of the Disciples of the Sacred Heart, also benefited from Felix’s determination to encourage others. He helped and supported Brother Sun in the setting up of St Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese Primary School in 1958 and later, in 1968, of the St Joseph’s Secondary School. Brother Felix sent Brother Anthony Knoll there to teach and to act as adviser and supervisor for three years until the school was on a firm footing.

Another big venture of Brother Felix in his efforts to help the disadvantaged was the successful opening of a new school in the New Territories, close to the China border. This was De La Salle Secondary School, Fanling, which opened its doors in 1965 for boys who would otherwise have little chance of receiving a quality education. The pioneer Community consisted of Brothers Felix, Paul O’Connell, Hubert Pilz and Pius Kelly. Now Brother Felix was by no means a linguist. However, he was determined to learn Chinese or at least enough to give a speech at the opening of the new school. Brother Henry Pang coached him to perfection. The great day came. Brother Felix started the speech all right, and then, amidst rising expectations, stalled. There was a long silence. Felix then had the presence of mind to bow graciously and sit down to loud applause. When asked later what had happened, he said he had had a total black out! 

Brother Felix ran a good, happy school in Fanling. One old boy often recalls how Brother Felix “saved” him as he had been quite naughty. One day Felix had approached him and told him in no uncertain terms how he would end up if he did not mend his ways. That was the turning point for the boy. After completing two terms as Director of De La Salle Secondary, Felix returned to La Salle College and humbly taught as directed until his retirement in 1981. But he was not yet content to hang up his boots and, at the request of an old boy, offered his services at the Hang Seng College of Commerce. He enjoyed teaching there and helping out with the Debating Society until December 1984.

During all this time and despite indifferent health, Brother Felix never lost that twinkle in his eye or the joy of playing a good practical joke. Brother Patrick Tierney recalls visiting La Salle from St Joseph’s College. Suddenly he heard someone singing a beautiful Irish song. On turning, there was Brother Felix approaching, apparently in good voice, a bit too good he felt. Sure enough, Brother Felix was found to be carrying a small cassette player behind his back!

The old stomach complaint was surfacing more and more. However, Brother Felix was not finished yet. In December 1984 he volunteered to go to help the Vietnamese refugees at the Brothers’ Centre in Oxford. He was surely remembering the war years when he too was a refugee and had been welcomed and given shelter and work in Vietnam. But his health now deteriorated rapidly. Early in the Summer of 1985 he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He received the news with resignation. The Brothers in England gave him unstinted care until he decided to return to the Brothers’ nursing home in Ireland, called Miguel House. This was in December 1986.

For the last six months of his life he suffered much pain. Pain-killers brought temporary relief. His morale was boosted by the number of visitors, letters, cards, telegrams and flowers he received from all over the world, but especially from Hong Kong. Two of his sisters kept vigil at his bedside. One of them, Sister Joseph Marie, writes: 
“I will never forget the care and kindness shown to Felix in Castletown. The constant attention of the nursing sisters to his every need and the devoted care of Brother Pius McCarthy is something we will never forget.
As we said the Rosary, we could see Felix saying the Hail Mary’s with us. He looked around at everyone, as if to thank us, then quietly went to God”.

Brother Henry Pang writes a lovely epitaph for Brother Felix. He recalled the words of Father James Lea, one time Chaplain of La Salle College, who used to occupy a room at the main entrance of the old College. Father Lea said that “very often, people looking for Brother Felix would come up to knock and when he came to the door they would ask him if he were Brother Felix. He would answer simply, ‘I am not. I live down here. But Brother Felix is upstairs’. Brother Henry Pang adds: “If I had to write the epitaph of Brother Felix today, I would simply say, ‘BRO FELIX IS NOT HERE. HE IS UPSTAIRS’.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 14 (May 2009)

For a man so small in stature, Brother Henry packed a big punch. We are fortunate that he left us many first hand accounts of his life and times which makes any attempt at a life sketch that much easier. Here goes.
Brother Henry Pang was born on the 14th April 1920 into a long-established Hakka family in the city of Haifeng, China, where his father was mayor. His father was a man of great compassion and understanding and, though not yet a Catholic, worked closely with the parish priest, Fr Henry Valtorta. 

Brother Henry highlights two aspects of his childhood:
“We were fortunate to inherit a tremendous respect and love for learning. Even more, we valued respect for the individual. I remember my mother repeatedly reminding me that I ought to say thank you for every little favour and service rendered.”

The 1920’s was a time of turmoil in China. In 1929, Brother Henry’s uncle, Peng Pai (彭湃), who had led a peasant movement against the warlords, was executed by the forces of Chiang Kai Shek. His father was also targeted but he managed to make it to Hong Kong with his family. They discovered that Fr Valtorta was now Bishop of Hong Kong. Here is Brother Henry’s account of the family baptism:

“I was baptized by Bishop Valtorta himself, on Christmas Day 1931, in the Hong Kong Cathedral. On that day my father, my elder brother and myself - all three of us - received the name Henry. We were named after the Bishop, who gave us no choice. My mother was named Elizabeth after the Bishop’s mother”! Brother Henry was then eleven years old.

The Brother Director of St Joseph’s College at the time was Matthias Linehan and, on the recommendation of the Bishop, he employed Brother Henry’s father as a teacher of Chinese. 

Both Brothers Henry Pang and Anthony Cheung first attended St. Joseph’s College, which became the seed ground of their vocation.

Brother Henry singles out one teacher in particular as being the main influence in his decision to join the Brothers:
“His son, Anthony Cheung, was going to the Brother’s Novitiate in Penang and he said to me, “How about it. Will you go together with Anthony”? This good man, Benedict Cheung, also helped me secure my father’s permission to leave home. In April 1937 I left for Penang. Since that time I have always been considered as a member of the Cheung family”.

While still in the Juniorate Henry wrote a personal letter to the Bishop of Hong Kong and had this to say: “I am still a junior novice. I am as happy as ever in God’s service and I will try my best to become a good Brother of the Christian Schools so that I may procure God’s glory and the salvation of souls.” Brother Henry joined the Novitiate in September 1939, just as the world was going to war. He spent some five years as a student Brother, prolonged because of the Japanese occupation. He had also to spend quite some time in hospital because of tuberculosis. Together with other Brothers he studied Japanese and for over a year had to teach through this medium. Henry was a good student and later took Japanese as part of his degree. In order to survive the war years he had to do some farming and fishing, tapioca and maize supplementing the meagre ration of rice.

The Japanese surrender in 1945 brought a huge sigh of relief and the Brothers were immediately sent to reopen various schools. Brother Henry was sent to St George’s School, Taiping, Malaysia. He recalls: “ I spent nine very happy years of my life in St George’s School, and even now any news, article or photo of the school awakens happy memories of those activity-filled days of 1945-54”. It was in Taiping that he learned good schoolmanship from three excellent headmasters, Brothers Denis Hyland, Casimir L’Angelier and Alban Rozario.

Those were hectic days. Each teacher had 42 periods a week. There were no free periods. Brother Henry proved to be a conscientious and capable teacher. In addition to the regular subjects, he taught Latin and Mandarin. In his limited free time he started to study Mandarin seriously, fitting in an hour’s tuition every afternoon. In general he promoted Chinese culture in the school, preparing items for the annual concerts. He also promoted scouting and this was to be a lifelong interest.

His busy and fulfilling life in Taiping came to an end in 1954 when he was recalled to Hong Kong in view of starting La Salle Primary School in Kowloon. He proved to be the right choice. After detailed preparations, La Salle Primary opened its doors on the 2nd September 1957, with 425 students in 10 classes. Brother Henry was to be the school’s guiding light until his retirement in 1984 when there were 36 classes in two sessions. Even before the opening of the school he had equipped himself with a degree from London University, taking Mandarin and Classical Japanese.

He worked hard for excellence, supervising school extensions and conversions. The library was a little beauty and fully utilized while the carpeted room called “Storyland” was his pride and joy. A football field, swimming pool and hall were also built and well used. The school orchestra and cub scouts were always supported. He shaped his teachers into responsible and conscientious educators. As to academics, here is a sharing from an old boy:
“In 1960, La Salle Primary secured 2 Grantham scholarships and 25 Government scholarships out of 150, a sixth of the total. That made Brother Henry the envy of all school headmasters and parents alike, so much so that it was jokingly remarked that he had a hand in setting the questions and marking the papers. The record was never broken”.

Of all the outstanding alumni of La Salle Primary School, perhaps the towering figure of Bruce Lee stands out. The 11 year old was a dynamo from the start. “He was quite a bundle,” said Brother Henry. “To get him to learn it was necessary to totally work off his energy. So as soon as he walked into the classroom I would have him cleaning the blackboard, opening the windows, fetching the registers and running messages. He was quite a boy. He left a deep impression on me.”

Brother Henry had a good understanding of children and he knew that they loved animals, fish and birds. So he built an Indoor Aquarium, an Open Air Aviary and a miniature Zoo in the school. These and many other innovative projects made the children feel their school was their second home. Perhaps that is why Brother Henry did not see himself as a disciplinarian. “I would rather have children learn through love and respect than the rod and fear. Students should be encouraged and allowed to excel. It is important that they are not made to feel inferior in any way. In the long run in life it is confidence that matters, not how much you know. The only complaint from parents, teachers and janitors was that I never punished anybody and allowed the children too much freedom and liberty – I was spoiling them.”

The 1960’s, however, were by no means a bed of roses for Brother Henry. In June 1966 there was a fierce downpour and the school’s granite retaining wall collapsed. Six people were killed and sixteen were injured. An inquest into the incident returned a verdict of accidental death. The verdict may have been a relief for Brother Henry but there is little doubt that the incident affected him deeply. Around the same time, six of his relatives in China fell victim to the atrocities of the cultural revolution. It was not a time for feet of clay.

By the 1970’s Brother Henry was something of a respected public figure with a growing number of professional commitments. He was involved in the organizing of several seminars to help teachers become more socially aware, to relate the classroom to life. He himself was invited as guest speaker at many educational functions. Meanwhile, in La Salle Primary itself, the annual Christmas concerts ran for 3 nights to packed houses. In these ways the profile of the school was further raised. It was not surprising that Brother Henry himself had become an institution.

Recognition from abroad was not lacking. The Board of Trustees of De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines, awarded him the “Signum Fidei” Medal at the Commencement Exercise on 17th June 1979. This award is conferred by the University on individuals who have accomplished outstanding work in their respective fields of endeavour. The citation, etched on a bronze plaque, was read at the Conferment Ceremony and called Brother Henry Pang a Beloved Headmaster, Educational Innovator, Dedicated Religious Teacher.

Brother Henry was a firm believer in school foreign exchange programmes. One such was to Japan, to “the Beavers of Ichikawa”, a football team of young boys. The underlining motive was to promote mutual understanding and work towards world peace. Here is an excerpt from Brother Henry’s account of one trip to Ichakawa which took place in April 1981, composed of 37 boys and 14 adults: “The three and a half hour journey to Tokyo was peaceful and uneventful except that, at the request of an American tour leader, we went to one section of the jumbo and sang to a group of about 100 travel-weary and homesick American tourists heading home to Texas. We started off with several folk songs like ‘The cuckoo and Cockles and Mussels’, but when we suddenly switched to a number of Japanese songs like ‘Haru-ga-kita, Fujisan and Sakura’, all the Japanese passengers suddenly woke up and began to clap. Some got so enthusiastic that they joined in vociferously. This impromptu concert on the plane will always be remembered by these little fellows as a great and unique experience.” Unique indeed. It is almost unimaginable for something like this to happen today!

When it came to his own recollections in the tranquility of retirement, Brother Henry had this to say: “In all my 50 years I have yet to come across a bad boy. I have had students ranging from slow or average to bright and brilliant and lots of geniuses. For all of them, I believe in laying as deep and broad a foundation as possible, not looking at the boy today but the man tomorrow.”

Early on the morning of 6th September 1982 he received a phone call from his native city of Haifeng telling him that his mother, now ninety-one, was very ill. Taking the Blessed Sacrament with him, he caught the first flight to Guangzhou and after a six hours dash by car was at her bedside. She could not talk but showed her delight especially when told about the Blessed Sacrament. She lived for another 3 days. Brother Henry often spoke movingly of this trip to see his dying mother.

Retirement from formal school responsibility arrived in 1984. Streams of visitors came to visit him and he joked, told stories and enjoyed conversation. He also remained faithful to his duties as spiritual director of the Mother of our Redeemer Praesidium. He always possessed a deep devotion to the Mother of God.

He now found time to indulge in a life-long aspiration, water-colours and calligraphy. He tells us:
“Ever since I began to scrawl as a child, I have always wanted to write, and at some stage to take up Calligraphy as a form of Art.
I thank God that after retirement I still find myself usefully and enjoyably self-employed with calligraphy and water-colour painting. I have now reached the stage when my work has become financially worthwhile. I am happy so far as I have been able to do something to help relieve the poor and needy and support worthy causes.
My calligraphy always carries some inspiring message. So despite my dwindling strength I can still wield this gentle instrument in the cause of justice, peace and love”.

The “worthy causes’ mentioned above covered the globe. Lasallian projects for the poor and needy in India, the Philippines, Vietnam and Africa were special beneficiaries. 

Signs that all was not well health-wise, however, had been evident for some time. Already he was suffering from ankylosing-spondylitis and his stoop had become quite pronounced. He walked with a cane in the manner of an ancient Chinese philosopher. He was soon affectionately dubbed Commissioner Pang! Apart from spondylitis, he was now afflicted by diabetes and psoriasis and a weakening of the heart. Hospitalisations increased in frequency and seriousness and when discharged he was in a wheelchair most of the time. In his 1992 Christmas message he writes: ‘The end of 1991 and early 1992 nearly saw the end of me. I received the Last Sacrament twice and survived two heart attacks’. Members of his Legion of Mary group visited him in hospital.
‘He could hardly recognize us and his voice was feeble. His words were: ”Study hard and be a good student”. These last words really touched us’.

On the 1st May 1993 he underwent high-risk heart surgery. Although he came through the ordeal, there were complications and he remained critically ill. A second heart attack as well as renal failure on the 22nd brought about the end and he passed away in St Teresa’s Hospital. The funeral Mass was held in St Teresa’s Church on the 27th and the church was packed to capacity. He was laid to rest in the Brothers burial plot in Happy Valley.

Thousands of boys passed through Brother Henry’s hands, some of whom, like the kung- fu star Bruce Lee, became famous. Yet he somehow could remember the names and faces and even special traits of almost every one of his students - an astounding feat of memory.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 13 (April 2009)

Brother John, also known as Celba John, was born on March 3rd 1886 in Ballick, Moyler, Co Laois, Ireland. Two of his relatives also joined the Order. They were called Brothers Finian and Alban Lynam. 

Brother John joined the Brothers at Castletown on the 17th March 1902 as a junior novice and received the holy habit on 29th July 1902. After the spiritual formation of the novitiate he began his further studies.

However, in 1904, at the age of 18, he was asked to leave his native shores and was sent to New York. For the next 7 years he tested his teaching skills in New York, in particular in St Brigid’s School. Then, in 1911, he was asked to move again, this time to Manila in the Philippines. He was to be one of the pioneer group to open the first Lasallian school there, called De La Salle College which, in time, became De La Salle University.

Brother John was only 25 years old when he landed in the Philippines. Apart from a short interlude in Malaysia, he was to spend the next 24 years teaching and helping Filipino youth in various roles.

He adopted a relatively relaxed atmosphere in class in order to bring out the best in his pupils. A puckish sense of humour was a great asset. With a straight face he would crack jokes and have the whole class in stitches. As is often the case with a born storyteller, his listeners often wondered if he was joking or telling the truth. On the one hand he explained trigonometry, solid geometry and advanced algebra admirably well while on the other hand he brought Literature to life. 

Soon after the establishment of De La Salle College, and in keeping with his abiding interest in sports, he started the first basketball team. To this day the College basketball team is one of the best in the country. In 1924 he was a founding member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the Philippines. Later he organized the Philippine Amateur Athletic Association and was Chairman of the Football Committee.

In 1927 he became the Director of the College and worked wonders for the morale of the staff and students. Perhaps his most memorable achievement was the ability to place his Commerce graduates in various business and commercial firms. He worked tirelessly and successfully to place his charges in good professional positions. When asked how he did it he would quietly wave off any personal credit but did admit he had many friends.
He also helped in the organization of the College Alumni Association, something the members never forgot. They were to welcome him back with open arms for the golden jubilee of the College.

In 1931 Brother John was asked to be Director of St Paul’s Institution, Seremban, Malaysia. He began the process of shaping the school quadrangle into a fine set of modern buildings. But the call of the Philippines was still strong and he was allowed to return in 1933.
In 1936 the Brothers’ superiors however, in their wisdom, saw fit to move Brother John again. This time he was to take over first as Sub-Director and teacher of Class 1 and then, in 1937, as Director of St Joseph’s College, Hong Kong. It was to be an eventful move as he would remain as Director throughout the war years.

For the first few years all went well, Brother John possessing a steady mind and hand. His correspondence with the Bishop for September 1941 contains this interesting piece: “We shall be glad to make St Joseph’s College available as a distributing centre for the American Red Cross in its efforts to assist the poor of the Colony with uncooked wheat and rice.” Shortly, however, the territory would be thrown into chaos with the advent of war.

The war years were a difficult time for the Brothers. Since both St Joseph’s and La Salle Colleges were taken over by the Japanese no teaching could take place. In addition, one of the Brothers who volunteered his services to the Red Cross was killed when the ambulance he was driving was hit by an exploding shell. It was decided that all the Brothers, except for three, would transfer to Lasallian schools in Vietnam. They were lucky to be able to find transport. The three who remained in Hong Kong were Brothers John, Paul O’Connell and Martin Kelleher and their role was to maintain a claim on their two schools. These three Brothers, being Irish nationals, would not be interned.

Brother John had a collection of stamps and it so happened that the Japanese officer in charge of the area had a similar interest. Brother John presented him with his collection of stamps. Because of this kind gesture the Brothers were spared harsh treatment. Moreover, across the road from St Joseph’s was Clementi School which had been transformed into a Japanese school. The Japanese headmaster and Brother John became friends. By all accounts Brother John’s personality effected a calming influence, something much appreciated especially in wartime. It was remarked, however, that he lost a good deal of weight during the occupation.

After the war ended in 1945, Brother John and his two companions set about restoring the school buildings to something approaching normal from a hospital and Japanese administrative offices. Much of the furniture and equipment had either been looted or destroyed. The Government could not offer much help. Many schools could not even get enough paper to print their exams. It was Brother John’s task also to find the former teachers who were still alive and living in Hong Kong and to recruit new teachers. Large numbers of pupils were applying to enter school, most of whom had lost out on their schooling during the war. Added to this was the influx of families from mainland China fleeing the Communist advance. Despite the difficulties, Brother John’s response was: “Even though we have to start from scratch, we are starting right in, with vim.”

Brother John also called on the services of a young Portuguese old boy, Enrico Rosario. Mr. Rosario was able to use his business contacts to supply the College with materials for teaching. He spent the rest of his working life as a much appreciated school secretary. He retired at the age of 70.

Brother John was happy to hand over the responsibilities of Director and Principal to Brother Raphael Egan in 1949, but for the next eleven years he continued to take an active role in teaching. He was particularly active in teaching religion and English dictation in the lower forms. He would correct all these dictation scripts conscientiously before distribution. The value of Dictation has its critics but Brother John’s students certainly developed an excellent listening ear.

The alumni of Manila had not forgotten and Brother John was able to visit in 1949 and again in 1961. In his 1949 visit the De La Salle Alumni Association President presented him with a pocket watch which he kept faithfully until his death. In the 1961 visit for the golden jubilee of the College his sprightly step had slowed and his eyes had dimmed but, as one spectator put it, “his sunny charm was still potent”. He was allowed to remain in Manila in retirement, in the city and among the students he loved so well.

In his later years Brother John suffered from a heart condition. He never slept in a bed but in an easy-chair. Unfortunately he had a fall from which he never really recovered. To heal a broken femur he underwent traction for three months at San Juan de Dios Hospital. Complications set in and grew more acute with the weeks. He faded away slowly and died on the 16th April 1964. In later years his remains were laid to rest in the grounds of what is now the Brothers Novitiate in Lipa, the Philippines.

Brother John had slipped quietly from this world but his passing did not go unnoticed, especially by his beloved old boys. The following appeared, in part, in the Manila Chronicle and Philippines Herald soon after the news of his death:

“Although he specialized in Mathematics, Brother John belonged to that breed of pedagogical titans who taught every subject well. He commanded the respect and affection of his students. We all felt close enough to him to disclose youthful intimacies, but nobody dared take liberties with him. Brother John was never known to have raised either his voice or his hand to deter or punish mischief. On one occasion he noticed a student copying from his neighbor on the left. He approached the student and softly whispered in his ear: ’If you must copy for survival, I suggest you copy from the other side because the fellow you’re copying from is as way off the mark as you are!’

A commanding personality in the classroom, he would nevertheless flush a healthy pink at the mere sight of his name in the papers.”

A friend who was with him when he died was particularly impressed by Brother John’s “resignation to the will of God”.

And so passed a man of pleasant temperament, refined, gentle and dignified in manner, as well as a natural storyteller.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 12 (March 2009)

Brother Paul was born into a well off family in the province of Jehol, (熱河), (in modern day Inner Mongolia). He was strongly influenced from early childhood by the piety of his father and grandfather. As a young man he studied in a seminary. Later, having graduated from Fu Jen University (輔仁大學), he decided to devote his life to education.

Brother Paul was not a De La Salle Brother. Yet, to the Brothers, he was a true Lasallian in all but name. It came as no surprise that he was made an affiliated member of their Institute.

A man of unusual charm, culture and spirituality, he had been closely associated with the Brothers in Hong Kong since his first arrival there from China in 1949. Eight years previously he had been appointed Superior-General of a diocesan Society of Brothers which operated schools in northern China. They were called the Society of the Disciples of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

This Society had been founded by Bishop Janssens in 1911 in the province of Jehol in the north-east which at that time was situated in inner Manchuria.   The Bishop had chosen St John Baptist de La Salle as the principal Patron of the Society. After each religious exercise the invocation “St John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us”, was said. The Brothers ran a number of primary and secondary schools but one by one they had to close as the Communist net tightened. In 1947, the Brothers were compelled to leave their diocese for Beijing where they opened a primary school but that too was taken over by the Communists in 1953.

Meanwhile, in 1949, Brother Paul and some of the Brothers managed to get to Hong Kong. Some of them, including Brother Paul, were given accommodation by the De La Salle Brothers in Kowloon, while others went to Indonesia and opened a Chinese middle school there. Brother Paul thought it best to merge his Society with that of the De La Salle Brothers and he himself spent 2 years at the Brothers’ Novitiate in England. The church authorities in Rome, however, decided that Brother Paul should retain his post of Superior General as well as the separate identity of his society while at the same time working closely with the De La Salle Brothers in Hong Kong. 

In 1956, while planning to open a school in Hong Kong, Brother Paul began to teach Religion and Mandarin in La Salle Primary School, Kowloon. Here are the recollections of one of his students: “More popularly known as Brother Sun, he never failed to strike us as a very kind and patient teacher. He had a strong physique, quite typical of Northern Chinese. Though strong and tall, he exuded passion and love for teaching, and was approachable at all times”.

With the encouragement, help and support of the De La Salle Brothers, as well as through his own personal charm, hard work and doggedness, Brother Paul succeeded in establishing St Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese School, first the Primary section in 1958, and later, in 1968, the Secondary section. The De La Salle Brothers have St Joseph as Patron of their Institute. Brother Paul and his Society also had a very special devotion to St Joseph and so the school was named after him. There were 300 pupils on opening day, but, with the building of the secondary school, numbers shot up to 3,000 pupils. Brother Paul personally managed both schools.

The De La Salle Brothers not only gave Brother Paul moral support, but allowed some of their own Brothers to teach and help in the administration of St Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese School. Chief among these was Brother Anthony Knoll who helped the English department in particular. It was normal to see Brother Anthony marking pupils’ scripts day after day. He and Brother Paul became soul-mates and, together with some teachers, they would hike the hills of Kowloon at every opportunity. Brother Henry Pang was also a valiant supporter and, in the earlier years, would help with the registration of new pupils.

The St Joseph Anglo-Chinese Schools flourished. Brother Paul never advertised his schools. His own magnanimous and dynamic personality was advertisement enough. He worked quietly and tirelessly to make the schools earn a good name. He also gathered together a band of loyal, hardworking teachers and, together, they set the schools on a prosperous course.

There was accommodation in the school for Brother Paul and he resided there until his death. He was a familiar sight to the staff and students as he greeted them each morning near the school entrance. He became a fatherly figure, reassuring and benign and in many ways taught them more by example than by word.

Brother Paul was unceasing in his expressions of gratitude for the help he had received from the De La Salle Brothers. Even after his schools were up and running, he would unfailingly visit La Salle College or St Joseph’s College every weekend, invariably bearing gifts. For nearly all practical purposes he was one with them in devotion to St La Salle and he joined in their prayers, retreats and major functions.

His wonderful attachment and good example was recognized when, to his great delight, he was affiliated to the Institute by the then Superior General, Brother Charles Henry. Brother Charles was making a visit to Hong Kong as part of his programme of visitations to the Brothers in Asia and could therefore perform the ceremony in person. The ceremony took place on the 5th March, 1972.

As the years began to take their toll, the effects of spondylitis and arthritis began to show. Brother Paul had to use a neck brace. There was severe curvature of the spine and of the fingers. Still he soldiered on, fulfilling his educational mission, never giving way to or looking for pity.

Eventually ill health compelled him to take to his bed. He was cared for by friends and by Father Philip Chao. He would receive visitors graciously and enquire after Brothers, staff and students.

Brother Paul’s death at the age of 78, while not unexpected, was greeted with a genuine outpouring of grief. Many who had been close to him felt they had been in the presence of a saint.

It came as no surprise that his funeral was a big one. At a packed requiem Mass in St Teresa’s Church, presided over by Bishop John Baptist Wu, Brother Henry Pang had this to say in the homily: “With his passing, we have lost an exemplary religious, an outstanding educator and, dare I say, a saint. He was one of nature’s gentlemen. He was a man of God, with a vision and a mission. Today his mission is accomplished. May you, Brother Paul, realize your vision also, as our Lord opens his arms to receive and welcome you”.

Brother Paul was laid to rest in Cheung Sha Wan Catholic Cemetery, Kowloon.

He was not a De La Salle Brother but he was a true Lasallian, a model of the spirit of faith, of zeal, of community union, faithful to the Lasallian ideal of the Christian education of youth. To this he had devoted his whole life, all that he had and all that he was.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 10 (January 2009)

There are many “bits of heaven” dotting the land and seascapes of County Donegal, Ireland. Among them is an area called the Rosses. It was here, in the townland of Mullaghderg, that James Patrick Sharkey was born on the 25th February 1926. He was the eldest in a family of eleven, six brothers and five sisters.

One reason for the natural beauty of the Rosses is its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. James was often happily out in the boats with the fisherfolk. He was to retain a lasting love of the sea and it is little wonder one of his favourite songs was “Shoals of Herring.”

If the call of the sea was strong, so too was the call to serve God. At the age of fourteen, James answered that call and headed for De La Salle Monastery, Castletown, County Laois, far from home and from the sea. There he spent two years in study and in preparation for a life of educational service with the De La Salle Brothers. He then entered the Novitiate and, as a sign of serious intent, took the habit on the 7th September 1942. He was also given his new religious name, Brother Eugene.
 
The Novitiate was a year for spiritual formation but before its completion there was yet another call, this time for volunteers for the missions. Brother Eugene volunteered and was sent first to a house of studies in Mallow, County Cork, where he successfully completed the school certificate examination in 1947. This was also the year that his mother died, rather suddenly, at the age of forty. It was a bad blow for her large family but they retained her strong faith and determination to face and cope with adversity.

The next phase of life was to attend a Teachers’ Training College in Strawberry Hill, London. But prior to that, Brother Eugene was sent for exposure and experience to schools for young delinquents which the Brothers ran in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Eugene was posted to Scotland in the summer of 1945. There he had to balance freedom with responsibility, something he had already learned from his upbringing.

In September 1947 he headed south for St Mary’s Training College,Strawberry Hill, London, to begin the two-year teachers’ training course. Many of his classmates were already army veterans of the Second World War. The excellent staff, the diverse mix of students and the balanced curriculum helped to produce teachers of exceptional maturity and competence. Brother Eugene completed the course in the summer of 1947, was allowed home for a holiday with his family, and by September was ready to leave by boat for Singapore. Brothers Edmund Matthews, Alban Lynam, Theodore Quigley and Macartan Flanagan were in the same group, while Brother Herman Fenton was the elder statesman.

The troopship “Dilwarra” left from Southhampton and reached Singapore on the 9th October 1947. While awaiting his assignment, Brother Eugene taught for a few months in St Anthony’s Primary school and was then, in January 1948, posted to St Michael’s Institution, Ipoh, Malaysia.

All through his four years in Ipoh he taught three secondary 3 classes, three classes of English and religion in his own class of 3A. It soon became apparent that he taught thoroughly and systematically. He worked hard and expected his students to do likewise. They did.

However, it was probably on the sports field that Eugene left the greatest impression. Evening after evening he was on the field in shirt and shorts while his athletes warmed up. They then ran around the field with Eugene at their heels. There was no place for laggards. The school team won all before them for a few years. Brother Eugene never bragged about this and if the topic were raised he would just state the facts. He himself was not a great gamesman, apart from playing the occasional games of football or badminton. He did, however, play a tough game of tennis, with commendable power-passing shots.

After having completed four years in Ipoh, Brother Eugene was transferred to La Salle College, Kowloon, Hong Kong, arriving there on the 27th July 1953.  He was to spend the rest of his life in Hong Kong. In 1949, La Salle College had been requisitioned by the British army for use as a military hospital. The College was “in exile” in Perth Street, in somewhat makeshift circumstances, and would not be de-requisitioned until 1959. The Director at the time was Brother Patrick Toner, followed by Brother Felix Sheehan.

Eugene was asked to take English and Religion in the public exam classes of Form 5 and for the next sixteen years made Form 5A his own. His teaching method for English Composition was perhaps unique. This is how one of his students puts it: “We were each allowed to make a mistake once and then 5 or 10 marks, depending on the seriousness of the error, would be knocked off from our total. However, if the same or even a similar mistake should recur, irrespective of its position in the essay, Brother Eugene would stop there and then and accord zero marks for that piece of work. After tasting the bitterness of getting what Brother called ‘Nought’, we would exchange our essays among ourselves to weed out mistakes before handing them in”. Brother Eugene’s tactics paid off in the long run, as his former pupils will testify to this day.

He could appear somewhat stern and spoke only when necessary. His classroom was always the most silent. Pupils tended to keep a respectful distance. Yet, here is a nice piece from one of his students at the time:

“I came to know Brother Eugene in my final year at La Salle. He was my form master. For years, of course, he was ‘Gum Sing’, or Man from Venus, on account of his stern appearance and quiet manner. No one dared mess with him, in or out of class. To our surprise, however, he turned out to be quite amiable, with a nice sense of humour. 
That year we had excellent public exam results.”                                   

Outside the classroom Brother Eugene helped coach the athletes after school hours and he also assisted with the boarders. But perhaps he is chiefly remembered for setting up a boxing club and coaching, most successfully, boys who had never been in the ring before. There was a family tradition for boxing and Eugene’s brothers did well at amateur level. 

One of his brothers, Pa, went on to compete in the 1956 Olympics and came away with a bronze medal.

It must have been this association with boxing that led to all kinds of rumours that swirled among the boys, by far the most dramatic being that Eugene, as a youth, had killed a lad when boxing and that that was the reason for his joining the Brothers! 

The year 1969 brought a big change to Eugene’s life. He was transferred, as Vice Principal, to a newly opened Lasallian school called Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) College and in September of the same year became its Principal, succeeding Brother Herman Fenton. Brother Eugene was to be Principal for the next 21 years.

He proved to be a fine Principal, with clear objectives and targets. He treated his teachers and office staff as responsible adults but always kept the welfare of the pupils as his primary focus. His inherent sense of fair play, his firmness when required, and his insistence on good order and discipline, inspired confidence and co-operation. He saw no reason why the school should not excel and excel it did. 

In Chan Sui Ki the boys line up in the playground every day before going to class. Brother Eugene had only to appear on the staircase for complete silence to descend. As one Brother in the community put it, “he had the imperative fluid in the eye.” The students readily accepted his approach to school life and thrived under it.

A short message for the 1976 issue of the school magazine nicely illustrates the mindset of Brother Eugene at this time:
‘Let us climb ever upwards and reach out beyond the narrow confines of our own self-centredness to find our happiness and our true selves in service to all, thereby fulfilling our destiny as men made in the image and likeness of God.” Such was his vision for the boys of Chan Sui Ki.

When Brother Eugene reached retiring age in 1991 he could look back with no small pride on forty-four years of unbroken service, the final twenty-one of which were as Principal of Chan Sui Ki. He had kept his hand to the plough, working steadfastly and assiduously in the Lord’s vineyard. Never one to parade his virtues, it was clear that the Lasallian spirit of Faith and Zeal was his guiding light. In community among his Brothers, this spirit was evident as much in what he did not say as in what he did. To them he was a faithful companion on life’s journey, a fine community man and a man of wise counsel. He was never known to lift his voice in anger. 

One Brother recalls how in company, ever the strong silent man, he would signal disagreement with the flow of argument by a smile or rub the side of his nose with his index finger, no word spoken. However, in one to one situations he could be uncharacteristically voluble.

Although Brother Eugene appeared to be a strong silent man, he had his share of health problems. Sinus was a constant irritation and required nose surgery and he had a minor heart attack in 1971. But it took another 20 years for the real villain to emerge, in the form of throat cancer. Eugene had been a pretty heavy smoker, which may have contributed to the condition. In 1992 he was put on radiation treatment followed by “heroic” surgery which involved grafting in an 8 hour long operation. There was a slow recovery but he was in pain for many months and then the cancer caught up again. He was back in hospital a couple of times before the final haul, looking for cooling drinks for his throat. When the doctor broke the news of the end to him, he bore it with much peace and equanimity.

A great personal consolation was the visit of his brother Fred, to whom he was much attached, together with his wife Eileen, from Australia. They stayed a couple of weeks, visiting him every day. In many ways it was a sad encounter but their presence and encouragement was much appreciated by Eugene.

The end came suddenly on the morning of the 16th of March 1994. The parish church was crowded at the funeral Mass which was celebrated by an old friend, Fr. Patrick O Regan, S.V.D. In his homily, Brother Francis O’Rourke spoke of Eugene as “a deeply spiritual man whose strong faith was nurtured in the Christian atmosphere of his home in Donegal. His piety was not so much something he taught but something one caught from his gentleness, his silence, his very bearing. He never complained. He saw in all things the will of God and accepted it as such.” These traits were very close to that of the Founder, St La Salle.

One Brother, who knew Eugene well, wrote:
“I remember a Brother who was loyal and dependable, tolerant and uncritical of others. 
As teacher and headmaster, he was consistent and confident in his approach and had the esteem and respect of all. He took his final illness calmly and died with a dignity befitting his lifestyle.”

After his funeral one of his 1961 past students said: ‘I remember Brother Eugene as a man of justice.’  

What more can be said!

By Xavier Apostol (Santuario Ministry Coordinator)

On 26 January 2025, the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools marked the 300th anniversary of the Bull of Approbation with a grand celebration at the Santuario de La Salle. The Mass, presided over by His Excellency Most Rev. Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, was a momentous occasion for the Lasallian community and the broader Catholic Church.

Over 80 members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) attended the event, making it a significant gathering of the country’s religious leaders. The two Filipino Cardinals, Jose Cardinal Advincula and Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, were also in attendance, further highlighting the importance of the occasion.

A special moment during the Mass came when Br. Jose Mari Jimenez FSC, Brother Visitor, presented the bishops with a unique and meaningful gift: a wooden pectoral cross crafted from a used classroom chair from La Salle Lipa. This symbolic gesture celebrated the Institute’s deep-rooted commitment to education and the service of the Church, touching upon the Lasallian mission to provide quality education to the youth.

The 300th anniversary not only commemorated the rich history of the Institute but also reinforced the ongoing mission of the De La Salle Brothers, as they continue to serve the Filipino people through education and faith.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 6 (September 2008)

“A soldier held a revolver to my head, all the time repeating the same word which I did not understand until the translator came up. The word was, ‘Ingrisu-ka’!
 ‘Are you English’? ‘No’.
 ‘Are you a soldier’? ‘No’.
When the soldier grabbed me, he had caught my profession crucifix which was entangled in my pyjamas top. He examined it closely, let it drop gently and said, ’Kasorikku-ka?’ which I took to mean, ‘Are you a Catholic’? ‘Yes,’ I replied. He pushed me away but kept me covered with his gun.”

So Brother James wrote about the experience that was to leave an indelible mark on him for the rest of his life, namely, his arrest and imprisonment by the Japanese occupying forces in Malaysia. After this first encounter Brother James determined to learn Japanese!  Indeed he would later learn many other languages associated with his life and work. The passage also reveals his gift for the dramatic, a gift that never left him.

Brother James was born in County Laois, Ireland, on the 30th August 1915 and received the name Michael in baptism. Fifteen years later he became an aspirant to the De La Salle Brothers, began his Novitiate in September 1931 and took his first vows a year later. When he received the habit of the Brothers, and in keeping with the times, he was given a new religious name, Brother James. He was fortunate to have an inspiring English language and literature teacher when pursuing his studies. Brother James retained an enthusiasm for language and literature for the rest of his life.  After these initial studies and formation he volunteered for the missions.

In the summer of 1934, at the age of nineteen, he set out for the missions in the Far East. It would be 12 years before he saw home again. His first posting was to St Joseph’s, Singapore, for his first teaching assignment. Those were the days of wearing heavy black robes in sapping heat and with no air-conditioning.  Three years later he was transferred to St John’s Kuala Lumpur and then on the 10th January 1939, to St George’s Taiping in Malaysia. He was already displaying fine teaching qualities, including his gift for holding the attention of the students. He also began learning the Malay language.

In the Chinese language Taiping connotes “peace”. Little did the Brothers and the town inhabitants realise how soon their peace would be shattered. As was the custom, the Brothers went to a bungalow in the Taiping hills for their Christmas break. On New Year’s Eve, Japanese soldiers arrived on the hills and came banging at the door of the Brother’s bungalow. Brother James opened the door to the revolver-wielding soldier described above. The Brothers were all arrested as spies and “escorted” downhill, hands tied behind their backs, during the night. They were taken to a school playing field not far from their own school and tied to the rugby goalposts. 

The cross questioning began. A Japanese officer approached the Brothers, bowed three times most respectfully and said something in Japanese. Later they learned he had said “You will be shot to death as spies tomorrow morning”. They could well believe it since executions had already begun.

Fortunately another officer approached and, thinking that the Brothers were priests, ordered them to be cut free and jailed instead. It was a close shave. For the next few years the Brothers endured a not so merry-go-round of imprisonment and house arrest before liberation at the end of the war.  Brother James, however, was at pains to point out that they came across a number of Japanese officers and soldiers who did their best to make life more tolerable for the prisoners.

He was sent on home leave in 1946 and we can only guess at the joy all round. Then it was off to Rome to follow a course aimed at strengthening his spiritual and Lasallian formation. The Brothers called this course a Second Novitiate. Here, as might be expected, he brushed up on his French and Italian. On his return to the East in 1948 he was appointed Director of aspirants to the De La Salle Brothers. The location was Penang, Malaysia, and he was to serve there for the next fourteen years. He left a deep impression on his young charges who remember him, not only for his spiritual qualities but also for his sense of humour and more especially for his story-telling flair. He could keep them spellbound with first-hand war stories. Another feature of his time there was the presence of dogs. They accompanied the Brothers everywhere, even to prayer! Obviously James appreciated the therapeutic value of animals to institutional life long before it became recognized.

 It was at this time that Brother James’ writing abilities came into focus. He loved to write and kept up a large correspondence. His typewriter was seldom silent. He was now asked to produce and become the first editor of a quarterly magazine called “The Crusader” which contained short stories, general knowledge, a pen-pal section and information about our Lasallian world. The magazine proved very popular with teachers and students in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Brother James was editor from 1949 to 1955 and again from 1957 to 1961 and copies reached 8,000 readers. The name of the magazine was later changed to “The Young Lasallian”.

In 1962 Brother James was sent to De La Salle University, Manila and took out a Masters degree in Journalism. Upon completion he was posted as Director and Principal of St Joseph’s College, Hong Kong, arriving on the 17th January 1964. He was then 49 years old, at his peak as it were. He was succeeding Brother Brendan Dunne who had been associated with the school since 1932. Brother Brendan‘s avuncular style was not an easy act to follow but if Brother James was considered a lightweight in comparison he soon set about dispelling the myth. He prodded and cajoled the staff and students until they came around and the school went from strength to strength. He encouraged a wide range of extra curricular activities. He kept the school community regularly informed by circular and produced what may be considered the school’s first Student Handbook, laying a strong emphasis on discipline and politeness. 

One aspect of discipline that Brother James focused on was the lining up of students before going to class. He insisted that form teachers lead the students back to their classrooms in an orderly manner. This was considered quite an ‘innovation’ at the time and it took time to implement but eventually caught on.

During his term as Principal the Communist inspired riots of 1967 broke out. It was a tense time for all. Mao Tse Tung’s little red book had become the left-wing bible. Crowds of slogan chanting rioters marched daily to Government house, quite close to the College. Schools in Hong Kong were also targeted and students were encouraged to start their own ‘Cultural Revolution’ in and outside the schools. Brother James and his staff managed to keep the College going without undue disturbance. A couple of articles attacking the school and its policies were published in one of the communist daily papers and a few small bombs, some fake, were planted near the school. Nothing came of it.

At that time in St Joseph’s, the house was full of Brothers, about 14 in all. Whenever there was a social, the Brothers would try to get Brother James to sing. He had quite a sweet voice. One of his favourite party pieces was ‘Abdul the Bulbul Ameer ‘which he rendered in suitably dramatic fashion. Another of his favourites was the ‘Scottish Soldier’.

The 1960s and 70s witnessed a big growth in the Hong Kong Lasallian mission. There were sufficient Brothers to lead the way. Plans for new schools began to take shape with Brother James much in support. He saw the need for a feeder Primary and so was born St Joseph’s Primary School which opened its doors in 1968, much to the delight of parents. St Joseph’s Primary was soon to become one of the most popular Primary schools in Hong Kong.

Brother James was also actively involved in the negotiations with the Chan family in preparation for a new Lasallian secondary school in Kowloon. Negotiations were successfully concluded and Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) College opened its doors in 1969. He also accepted an offer to sponsor a new College in Chaiwan, in the east of Hong Kong island, to cater mainly for children of a working class area. Despite challenges and the pains of fund-raising, he persevered. The school opened in 1971 and was called Chong Gene Hang College in memory of its chief benefactor. Brother James was always on the go.

Having completed the canonical six years as Director and Principal, he was transferred to La Salle College in Kowloon in January 1970, returning to the ranks as a regular teacher. Despite the lapse of many years he had not lost his touch and his English lessons to the senior classes were so interesting his students would not miss them for anything. He always tried to follow the Lasallian motto of being firm but kind in class. He also found time to become the Spiritual Director of one of the Legion of Mary praesidium in the school, Our Lady of Fatima. To add to his portfolio, he grasped every opportunity to study Chinese (Cantonese) and could make himself quite well understood in this difficult language.

In 1977, while still happily teaching in La Salle College, he was invited to Rome by the Superior General to take charge of SECOLI for the next six years. SECOLI was the fund raising and dispensing arm of the Institute, channeling funds to deserving Lasallian third world projects, especially to Asia and Africa. For Brother James this required a vast correspondence, much travel and cool judgement. In Rome he also took the opportunity to hone his Italian and French language skills.

His term of six years with SECOLI ended in 1983 and he decided to return to Ireland with a special portfolio to promote the missions. He was based in the Provincialate community in Dublin. Over the next nine years he did regular rounds of the schools giving inspirational talks and slide shows on the missions. His first hand experiences coupled with his gift for story telling made for compelling presentations and the students responded most generously with their contributions.

At the age of seventy-seven he took official retirement, first in Kildare and then in Downpatrick for his remaining years. He was still interested in news of the schools East and West, still kept up a big correspondence and enjoyed welcoming friends and visitors to the house. Anyone from Hong Kong would be greeted with a few sentences in Cantonese. He had strong family ties and really looked forward to his annual home leave. Although his health was gradually deteriorating he was reluctant to part from his beloved community in Downpatrick. Eventually the Brothers and his family helped him reach the decision to retire to the Brother’s nursing home in Castletown. It was a matter of weeks before the end.

Brother James passed away at Castletown on the 29th July 2001, just a few weeks short of his 86th birthday. Since it was holiday time, quite a number of Brothers were on home leave from the East and they all attended the funeral. Brother Patrick Collier delivered a fine eulogy. After Communion, a nephew of brother James, John Sheeran, sang “The End of a Perfect Day”. Brother James was then laid to rest to the strains of the traditional “Salve Regina”, a fitting finale for one who loved the Mother of God.
 

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 5 (August 2008)

Brother Casimir holds the distinction of having been the longest serving Brother in La Salle College. He spent his entire teaching career there. He must also hold the distinction for the number and variety of posts he occupied, a somewhat breathtaking list as follows: teacher, prefect of boarders, sports-master, violinist in school orchestra, harmonica player, spiritual director of Mother of our Redeemer praesidium, editor of the school magazine, designer of school magazine covers, honorary president of the old boys’ association, oral examiner for French in the Hong Kong General Certificate of Education examination, deputy principal, Director and Principal of the school.

He was born in a troublesome year, 1914, which saw the outbreak of World War I, and in a troubled spot, Czechoslovakia. The exact place of birth was Svolenska-Slatina. In later years he would be unable to visit his family and place of birth because of political developments and would have to resort to long and taxing negotiations in order to obtain temporary or emergency travel documents.  At one stage, even the Vatican tried to help by issuing brother Casimir with an emergency travel document. 

We do not know the initial influences, but, at the age of 14 we find him heading for Lembecq, Belgium, to begin his training to become a De La Salle Brother. He proved to be a bright boy, a leader in his class. He also had a good singing voice and was often asked to sing solo at the chapel services. From Belgium he was transferred to Dover, England, to continue his studies. He had a gift for languages, becoming particularly fluent in English and French. Later in life he would take out a degree in French from the University of London. It amused him to be sometimes mistaken for a Frenchman!

Brother Casimir arrived in La Salle College, Hong Kong, on a crisp December day 1933, the 18th to be exact. Brother Michael Curtin met him when the boat arrived “and surely never alighted on these shores a more delightful vision.” Brother Michael was struck by his youthful appearance and vigour. The school had just emerged from her cocoon of bamboo scaffolding and Brother Casimir immediately fell in love with the “majestic dome.”

At first sight Brother Casimir appeared pretty stern. Yet his smile could light up a room. He was strict in class without being rigid and expected his students to perform to the best of their abilities. The lines of Oliver Goldsmith come to mind:
“Yet he was kind, and if severe in aught,
The love he bore to learning was at fault.”
He was a born teacher, giving a clear exposition whatever the topic. He taught Religion and French and English at all levels but perhaps he is best remembered for his teaching of Geography. He wrote and had published “A First Geography” textbook intended to stimulate young pupils in Hong Kong. His masterpiece was a map of Hong Kong made from Ordnance Survey maps with all the exact contours cut out in fretwork. It graced a wall of the school library for years.

The pleasant routine of life was rudely shaken at 8.00am on the 8th December 1941 when Japanese planes bombed the nearby airport. When it was realized that this was not an air-raid practice but the real thing, the Brothers gathered the pupils together, told them that the scheduled examinations were postponed indefinitely and to go home. Kowloon was overrun within a matter of days. The Japanese put up their national flag and the red-cross flag on the Dome and La Salle College became a Japanese military hospital for the duration of the War.

The Brothers sought refuge in Vietnam and on the 1st March 1942, Brother Aimar led a group of eight there, Brother Casimir among them. The Brothers in Vietnam graciously welcomed and took care of this band of ‘exiles’. Brother Casimir himself was able to teach French to the young Brothers both in Nhathrang and Dalat. At the same time he followed events closely in Hong Kong. On the 1st May 1946 he managed to get a place on a Dakota and returned to Hong Kong. Together with Brother Cassian, they spared no efforts to get La Salle College up and running again. He also took charge of the Boarding Department until the end of 1947 when he requested leave for University studies and a visit to his family whom he had not seen for 15 years. The visit was disagreeably eventful because, while there, a communist uprising took place and Brother Casimir had to escape with the help of a friend.

Ireland gave him refuge while he studied for and took out an honours degree in French at London University (1948-1951) He then returned to La Salle to exercise his talent for teaching, for conducting extra-curricular activities and for school administration until his untimely death in 1977. He never missed or wanted to miss a lesson. He marked the students’ exercise books and gave all the basic drills in English and French with meticulous care. Most of his energy was spent in building up a solid Form 6. He taught French at different levels and specialized in Advanced Geography. The students treasured his notes and would refer to them even at University level. 

There were other arrows to his bow. Although no great sportsman himself, he did a stint as an enthusiastic Sports-master, and the sports results did not suffer. A more amenable post, perhaps, was that of Editor of the College Magazine, ‘The Lasallite’. He remained Editor of the magazine for nine years. Since he had artistic tastes, the beautiful covers of ‘The Lasallite’ were designed by him. He played the violin for relaxation and also in the school orchestra and was instrumental in the formation of the first Harmonica Band in the school. On Christmas Eve, and being good at harmonics, he would accompany the young carol-singers on their visit to the hospitals. In keeping with his personality, all these activities were performed without fanfare.

In 1965 he was appointed Director and Principal of La Salle College and steered the ship capably and wisely. He was straightforward in his dealings with staff and students and had a good listening ear, listening attentively and understandingly to all. Nothing was too small to merit his attention. He was on good terms with government officers of the Education Department, with the Catholic Church authorities and with parents and old boys. Nothing of earthshaking consequence took place in the College during his reign and this must have pleased him for he was not much for fanfare.

This is what his Head Prefect at the time had to say:
“While he was feared by the boys, he was actually very tolerant of a student’s omissions unless he went over the top. Then no amount of pleading from teachers and parents would save the boy from Brother Casimir’s wrath! I learned in my senior years to find Brother Casimir a very warm and caring headmaster.”

Another of his students recalls:
“The stern voice, the rolling R’s in French class, the smile, the twinkle in the eye and much, much, more made him the   wonderful teacher he was to me. Brother Casimir in my heart forever.”

One special interest was the La Salle College Old Boys’ Association which he helped to revive after the War. He encouraged the old boys to join the Association and to take an active part in helping the school. He was aided in this by possessing a marvelous memory for faces and facts. Another special interest was the Scouts and he would attend their functions if at all possible.

In his final Message as Principal to the editors of the school magazine, ‘The Lasallite’ ,1970-1971, he reflected a little on his life as follows:
“I feel my heart filled with gratitude and praise to God whose loving providence has gently led me to these shores where I seem to have struck deep roots. In perspective, I can truthfully say that the thirty eight years of my association with La Salle have been the best and happiest years of my life.”

When he was about to step down as Principal, he was entertained to dinner by the staff. Brother Michael Curtin, a senior member of staff, spoke on their behalf, and told a witty story.
“Recently a young student returned home with a very bad Report; all the teachers blamed him for laziness. The father wanted to impress this fact on the boy’s mind so he said ‘Who is the laziest person in your school?’ The boy said he didn’t know. So the father went on ‘While all the others are working at their tasks, who is it who remains idly seated at his desk?’ The boy scratched his head for some time, then answered ‘The Headmaster’. Now, perhaps there are Headmasters like that, but the Headmaster of La Salle is something more.”

He stayed in office for six years and then, in typical modest and humble fashion, continued in the rank of teacher. He never sought any privileges because he was the former Director. His words at the 1969 Speech Day reveal his vision of a proper Lasallian education, an education “in which the head and the heart, knowledge and wisdom, culture and character walk side by side in perfect harmony, not omitting manners and morals.” These words may be read as a good summary of the man himself.

On his retirement as Principal, the school scout troop presented him with an embroidered silk painting, famous in Chinese art, called ‘The Hundred Birds’. The birds represent the numerous students who passed through Brother Casimir’s hands. The painting still holds a place of honour in the Brothers’ dining room. 

As the Director of the Brothers’ Community he was kind, humble and cheerful. Basically he was a simple man without a trace of vanity. Although he shouldered a very heavy load at all times, he seemed to find time to listen to all who approached him with their problems. He was well liked by his Brothers for he was courteous and friendly and fulfilled Cardinal Newman’s ideal of a gentleman as “one who never inflicts pain.” He was evidently convinced that one cannot love God without loving others.

To all who knew him, it was clear that his virtues came from a deep, personal faith in God and devotion to Our Lady. Even at the busiest time of his life, he never wanted to miss a religious exercise in the Church or Chapel where he would be deeply absorbed. His love for Our Lady was shown by the many years he served as Spiritual Director of “Mother of Our Redeemer” Praesidium. 

Generally speaking, Brother Casimir was a serious minded-man and yet there were times when he would ‘unwind’ as it were. Occasionally, when there was a social evening, he would be happy and enjoy a glass of wine. At that time, in the old school, there was a fine billiards table in the Brothers’ residence and he would look forward to playing against other Brothers, and often enough beat them too. On these social occasions he would be a genial host and everybody would be at ease.

Came Whitsun 1977, he was looking forward to the end of the school year and busy making arrangements for his home leave. Forms 5 and 6 had already been dismissed for public exams and the rest of the school would be having exams in a few weeks. On Whit Monday, 9th May, he went to conduct the Oral Examination in French for the Hong Kong G.C.E.

Brother Casimir had never paid too much attention to his health or diet. He tended to neglect his blood pressure and yet he seemed to be in reasonably good shape. But all was not as it seemed. The end was to come quickly. On the evening of the 9th May he went to bed early, telling a Brother that he had an upset stomach. Next morning he was in the Chapel for the morning prayers and served the Community Mass. He taught class all day.

His Director at the time, Brother Raphael Egan, describes what unfolded:
“I met Brother Casimir in the corridor on his way to the bathroom about 2.30pm and made the routine greeting “How are you?” He said, “not well,” and when I looked at him he was ashen and perspiring. Realising he was unwell, I accompanied him back to his room. I phoned the doctor and he arrived about 3.10pm. Brother Casimir was chatting away with the doctor and nurse when he got another massive attack. He was dead within minutes.”

Many old boy priests concelebrated the funeral Mass in St Teresa’s Church, which was filled to capacity with staff, students, parents, old boys and friends. Brother Casimir got a big “send off.” He had gone to the master he always served. The words of the school song he loved to sing comes to mind:
“She would have us ever minding
That above is our true home.”

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 4 (June 2008)

A Born Leader

Brother Raphael Egan was a big man, a larger than life figure. He was born on 3rd December 1918 in County Laois, Ireland, and was baptized Patrick Joseph. He came from a devoted Catholic family of nine children, five girls and four boys. All his five sisters became nuns, while two of the boys joined the La Salle Brothers. Two of his uncles and two of his cousins were also La Salle Brothers. This must be something of a record, even for the Ireland of his day, with its large families and strong practice of the Catholic faith.

Brother Raphael left for the Brothers’ Juniorate in Castletown, County Laois, on 17th August 1932. Here he showed early signs of practical piety and spiritual good sense. Following his Novitiate, he went directly to Faithlegg, County Waterford, for two years of Scholasticate. In 1939, he did his teacher training course in De La Salle College, Waterford. Two years later, he was assigned to teach in a Lasallian school in Ardee, County Louth. After teaching there for four years, he was sent to Dublin to study for a university degree while still attached to Ardee during holiday periods. 

His superiors must have observed a missionary streak in Brother Raphael or else he himself must have received the call because in October 1947 we find him arriving at La Salle College, Hong Kong. His arrival was a godsend. At the time Hong Kong was trying to recover from the war years. Though conditions were far from satisfactory, Brother Raphael taught the matriculation class, worked hard, put new spirit into his students, and achieved unprecedented success in public examinations.

In the words of Brother Raphael himself: “ It was tough going but the pupils who were all about 20 years old, studied like fury realizing how much they missed during the war years. I thought at the time that my standard of teaching was good but after only two years I was appointed Principal of St. Joseph’s College. This sudden promotion made me have second thoughts as it has been said that if one can’t teach well, it’s better promote him to Principalship.”
And so it came to pass that, at the relatively tender age of 31, Brother Raphael became a very youthful Director and Principal of St. Joseph’s College and soon began to make his mark. With Brother Brendan Dunne as his right-hand man, he put St. Joseph’s back on an even keel after the ravages of the war years. He set about refurnishing and reorganizing, recruiting better teachers and encouraging the students to make up for the four years of education they had missed during the war. The staff and students considered him a born headmaster and a great educator. 
As with many teachers and Headmasters, he had a nickname, “Red-faced Kwan Kung.” Kwan Kung was one of the three blood brothers in the Chinese epic ‘The Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ and was always depicted with a very red complexion. As it turned out, the nickname was not bad for Kwan Kung was reputed to be full of courage and righteousness, not at all a bad fellow.
Moreover, at this time he extended care and hospitality to the missionary Brothers and priests who had been expelled from Mainland China. He provided shelter and support for these servants of God. Indeed, throughout his life he continued to give generously to those in need.

After nine years of dedicated service at the helm of St Joseph’s, Brother Raphael was entrusted with a new challenge. He left behind a school with an enviable reputation as one of the best in Hong Kong. The new challenge was to pioneer the Brothers’ first venture in Sabah, Malaysia. He was to spend the next thirteen years building up the Lasallian schools in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. Many of the students at the time he took over were not up to standard and the schools somewhat rundown. Through hard work and determination Raphael changed things round and these schools became leading institutions in the State. 

As a Brother there at the time recalls: “He was a big strong man and I was later to realize he was big and strong also in mind, in heart, in vision. He was the boss, made the decisions, results were achieved and nobody was unduly worried how they were achieved. He was generous and people found it easy to relate with him.” He saw the need for boarding facilities and put up a boarding department to accommodate 60 boys. He would often join them at manual labour and always lead them in night prayers. He did Trojan work in these schools and is still gratefully remembered by staff and students. 
Hong Kong came calling again in 1971. After being absent from La Salle College for 14 years, Brother Raphael returned in 1971. He was to be Principal for the following 12 years. As he took over the reins, we read the following in the school magazine: ”Students of Biblical Knowledge will recall Christ asking his disciples on their return from John the Baptist ‘What went ye out to see? A reed shaken by the wind?’ Our new Headmaster, as you gaze on his 6 foot massive frame, certainly does not look like a broken reed.” In the event he was to need all the strength of mind and body he could muster. 

During his tenure, he made lots of innovations. In 1975, he turned the old Prefect’s Board, which helped the administration to oversee student affairs, into the Student Association, which represented student welfare. He established the Guidance Centre and the Religious Centre and introduced Computer Studies into the curriculum. He also allowed the old boys to use the schools’ sports facilities on Sundays. 

He himself took charge of two praesidia of the Legion of Mary and rarely missed the weekly meetings. Before the Legion meetings he would go to a flower stall to buy flowers for Our Lady’s altar. The stall owner’s curiosity eventually got the better of her and she said to Brother Raphael that he must love his wife very much and that she must be a beautiful woman. Brother Raphael said she was the most beautiful in the world!

In the midst of all his responsibilities, one more was added in 1979 when he was appointed Auxiliary Visitor to oversee the Lasallian mission in Hong Kong. He held this post until 1988. Brother Raphael’s style was to trust the Supervisors and Principals to do their work without undue interference. The Brothers joked that he would give you enough rope to hang yourself!
In fact he had a distinctive sense of humour. Sometimes his quips and jokes would be left hanging in the air and the penny would only drop later. One Brother recalls how he was invited by Brother Raphael to be Guest of Honour at a school Swimming Gala. Before he realized what was happening, Brother Raphael had introduced him to the spectators as a champion swimmer, almost able to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. The Brother concerned could hardly swim a stroke! Perhaps this is poetic (or Principals’) license!

Brother Raphael’s most memorable and daring undertaking was his proposal to demolish the original La Salle College building and build a new one. He had come to the conclusion that the old school, despite its majestic dome, was functionally inadequate. He put forward his proposal and left it to the Brothers to decide. In discussing the question, the Brothers were acutely aware that the old school held fond memories for the old boys. After much debate on the pros and cons the decision to go ahead was made. 

From there on, Brother Raphael oversaw the project with determination and clarity of vision while leaving the day to day detail to the architect and to Brothers Alphonsus Chee and Thomas Lavin who saw to everything splendidly. Work began in 1977 with over 50 lorries carting away the earth and a multitude of workers on site. On Friday, 8th June 1979, the Brothers took possession of the new La Salle College. The whole building is centrally air-conditioned, a much appreciated facility not only because of the summer heat but because, at the time, the airport was just down the road and the noise could be horrendous.  Sports facilities include a 50 metre swimming pool, a 6-lane 400 metre track, an indoor gymnasium and a full-size astro-turf soccer pitch. “In building this school we had in mind not 1979, but the year 2000” said Brother Raphael.

Bishop (later Cardinal) John Baptist Wu performed the official blessing on 6th January 1982. Then on the 19th February, the Governor, Sir Murray Mac Lehose, officially opened the new College.

In 1984, Brother Raphael reached mandatory retirement age and duly passed the baton to Brother Alphonsus Chee. However he remained the Director of the Brothers, the Supervisor of the College and took on the added responsibility of Supervisorship of La Salle Primary School. During these years he helped an untold number of people in need and his hospitality was legendary. He kept up a very large correspondence with personal friends as well as with old boys. The President of the Old Boys’ Chapter of Toronto, Peter Leung, recalls Brother Raphael’s final message:  “He told us not to look back over our shoulders but to look forward, be prepared for the future, integrate into the local society. Seeds from a tree are not created to grow back into its root, but to disperse, to adapt and to multiply.”

  All augured well until cancer raised its ugly head. At the end of September 1988, he underwent a major operation lasting over 7 hours. This marked his two-year personal battle with pain and suffering. He lost his physical strength and appetite. His spirit, however, was strong. Brother Henry Pang said, "He is very cheerful and bears his sufferings very bravely, trying his best not to show it and sometimes even venturing into my art room in order to crack a joke. He is full of faith and very prayerful, making regular trips to the chapel when he can walk."

Brother Raphael, accompanied by his cousin and confidante Mary Egan, returned to Ireland in 1990. He visited many of his relatives, in between repeated bouts of fever and hospitalization. Although he was thousands of miles away, his heart was with Hong Kong. He told his family, "If I feel alright, I want to return next month to Hong Kong which has 85% of me, of my heart and soul."

It was not to be. On 23rd July 1990, he was again hospitalized. On 24th July 1990, at 04:20, the great man left for heaven. The funeral Mass was held on the 26th July with Brother Patrick Tierney delivering the homily and in the presence of many friends and relations. Burial took place immediately afterwards in the Brothers’ graveyard in Castletown.
 
A student of Brother Raphael paid this personal tribute: “I miss Brother Raphael as a good friend, a great mentor and a most competent administrator. I can still feel Brother Raphael supervising us up there and, using his invisible hands to guide us along.”

At a commemorative Mass held in St Teresa’s Church, Kowloon, Brother Michael Jacques in his homily gave an overview: “He lies buried thousands of miles from his beloved Hong Kong but his spirit and example must remain to animate and to inspire us all. May his memory ever remain fresh and vivid, stimulating all of us to ever greater things, always to do ‘something more’ for the Lord in the service of our fellow-men.”

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 3 (May 2008)

Among all our dedicated and distinguished Brothers there is one whose outstanding vision and determination helped to set a solid foundation for the future development of the Hong Kong Lasallian family. To him, difficulty was a source of inspiration. 

The Brother Assistant Superior General, Michael Jacques, in his speech at the Hong Kong Centenary Celebration Dinner, told the guests:

“ I am sure you would like to join me in expressing our very deep debt of gratitude to all those Brothers who down the years and up to the present time have toiled here in Hong Kong…Each of you will retain individual memories of your beloved tutors, some of whom have made such a tremendous impact. I would like to mention one name, that of the late Brother Aimar, whose contribution to St. Joseph’s and the creation of La Salle College, Kowloon, have been such significant landmarks in the history of the past century. He is representative of a tribe of completely dedicated men to whom we are so indebted and whose spirit should fire us all to emulate their noble example.” 

Born in 1873 of the sturdy stock of the Cevennes folk, France, Brother Aimar received his professional training at the Brothers' Central Normal College of Paris. At one time he held a record of 52 years as a Missionary Teacher in the Far East. 

His first Eastern assignment was to St. Joseph's Institution in Singapore, in 1892. His teaching skills and versatility were soon recognized so that, early in 1901, a Commercial Class was opened and confided to Brother Aimar. He worked so hard that in less than a year his pupils attained such proficiency in Book-keeping, Shorthand and Typewriting as to merit the highest praise from the inspectors. Un¬der his guidance the boys won many highly prized contests, in particular that of the Queen’s Scholarship. Such high profile awards helped make St. Joseph's Institution one of the foremost educational establishments in Singapore.

 On July 5th 1909, however, he was transferred as Acting Director of St. Xavier's Institution in Penang. In 1910, he was instrumental in acquiring a large piece of land across the road from the school which was developed into a beautiful sports-field. As he was to repeat later, he did this despite the fact that funds were very tight, obviously realizing the value of space for a school. In any case he contributed greatly to the general redevelopment of the school.
After a term in Moulmein, Burma, he was sent to Hong Kong and it was in Hong Kong that Brother Aimar’s many talents were unleashed. 

In 1914, he was made Director of St Joseph’s College after the sudden death of Brother Peter Close, who survived his appointment as Director only one month and who died on the 30th April. Brother Aimar arrived in Hong Kong on the 21st May and assumed management of the College, then at Robinson Road. The location held a commanding view of the famous Hong Kong harbour. Under his leadership the College grew in size and fame. Eight new airy and bright classrooms were soon added and a new building was later put up. A student at the time, who later became a prominent benefactor of the school, remembered Brother Aimar as “a bearded, amiable and efficient headmaster.” The Brother Visitor at the time, Brother James Byrne, in a letter to the Bishop in 1916, shows his confidence in Brother Aimar’s abilities: “I desire to give your Lordship my best assurances that Brother Aimar will continue to guide the destinies of the College with untiring zeal, prudence and devotedness and that he will work in perfect harmony with the Mission.”

By 1917 he had built twelve additional classrooms, secured from the Government for the College the use of a playground at Happy Valley, purchased a country house for the Brothers and acquired a large building on Chatham Road for a branch Junior School. Brother Aimar worked quietly but efficiently.

Disaster struck in 1918 when the tremors from an earthquake whose epicenter was in Shantou, China, damaged the College building. After a government inspection, some of the school structures were declared unsafe. It was also considered unsafe to remain in occupation of the building. This was quite a big blow to the Brothers since the school building on Robinson Road was a good one and indeed a landmark in the territory. But disaster for Brother Aimar seemed always to be a source of inspiration. He began to search for pastures new. It seems he saw opportunity in the crisis. He was well aware of the pressure of the ever-increasing demand for admission and the necessity of returning the Robinson Road campus to the Catholic Mission, and therefore set about finding a new building, which could meet all up-to-date requirements, though his financial resources were very limited.

Thanks to the help he obtained from Father L. Robert, Procurator of the Paris Foreign Mission as well as to his own unflinching courage and determination in the face of all financial difficulties, the acquisition of Club Germania on Kennedy Road was made possible in 1918. At the time, the Club was mortgaged to the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank. Most of the day and the boarding students as well as the Brothers moved there quickly. 

Brother Aimar knew that the German Club would not in itself provide sufficient accommodation for a school of 600 pupils and he immediately set himself the task of expansion. There was little or no money but he asserted that the money could and must be found and found it was. With the help of the Lasallian schools in Singapore and Penang and a Government building grant, the North Block (1921) and the West Block (1925) were erected. If the North Block was intended for classrooms, the West Block was for facilities. The first floor of the West Block took up the school hall, the second floor housed the physics and chemistry laboratories and the top floor was reserved for the school chapel capable of accommodating all the Catholic students. These two blocks still exist and, in the year 2000, were declared historical monuments.

At the official opening of the West Block on 23rd October 1925 by the Governor, Sir R.E.Stubbs, Brother Aimar gave a speech which was recorded by the daily South China Mail newspaper. The speech gives an interesting insight, not only into how money was raised for the construction but also into Brother Aimar’s frame of mind at the time. Here is an excerpt:
“Rightly conceived, education is a means of brightening life, of making the world a better place to live in. To accomplish this task, the body and mind of the child must be trained. We all know that it is an admirable thing to have a sound body; it is an even better thing to have a sound mind; but infinitely better than either is to have character. Character is the decisive factor in the life of individuals.” Governor Stubbs also noted that the formation of character was a feature of the administration of Brother Aimar and his staff.

The year 1925 is also remembered as the year of the general strike and the colony faced a very severe economic crisis. Gradually, all schools, apart from St Joseph’s, closed. At the end of June Brother Aimar received an urgent appeal from the Government for student volunteers to keep the postal service running. Brother Aimar asked Brother Cassian to take charge and the boys did trojan work until the strike was over.

Besides overseeing the physical developments of the College, Brother Aimar found time to actively support student activities such as the building up of the scout troop formed in 1913, the formation of a St John Ambulance Brigade in 1927 and supporting the various sports teams. 

Brother Aimar must have been a very busy man around this time because besides dealing with St Joseph’s he was also engaged in the search for a junior branch school in Kowloon. The immediate intention was to spare the younger boys the trouble of crossing the harbour daily. Eventually, he was able to purchase a building on Chatham Road and opened the branch school there on 5th September 1917. This step was received with great favour, especially by those of Portuguese descent who had moved to Kowloon.

After securing a solid foundation for St. Joseph’s College, Brother Aimar now turned his attention to a much more daring project, his “opus magnum.”

As early as 1924, and anticipating the growth of Kowloon, he began to look for a suitable site for a new secondary school there. From the experience of struggling to find enough space and classrooms to accommodate students at St. Joseph’s College, he was determined to acquire a larger piece of land for the new school. He was also aware that the Chatham Road school building was not suitable for extended development. And so, as early as April 1924, we find him writing to Governor Sir Cecil Clementi: “The removal of the school in Chatham Road to new quarters should be expedited for the sake of both boys and staff. The premises are not suitable and the playground accommodation is not good”.

He roamed the hills of Kowloon in search of a suitable site and negotiated with the Government officials for years. He put his eye on a hilly site north of Boundary Street, in leased- land- from- China territory, and in 1926 even got the Governor to accompany him to have a look at his proposed 10 acre school site. If the Governor thought that Brother Aimar was asking for too much, he kept his counsel. There were some who considered the choice of location ill advised, even foolish, but Brother Aimar would have none of it. On the 23rd April 1928, he finally obtained 10 acres of land at public auction for HK$120,000 (about 28 cents per square foot) and began designing and building a new school which he named after St John Baptist de La Salle. He also managed to purchase 3 more acres of land nearby which would in time house La Salle Primary School.

Brother Aimar did not waste time. Contracts were drawn up, the contract awarded and the architects appointed. Site formation began and the foundation stone was laid on 5th November 1930. Brother Cassian Brigant witnessed all these developments and notes: “Work went forward without pause for more than a year under the constant supervision of Brother Director, Brother Aimar. Whenever he had a moment free, he was there to inspect the work, and in this way prevented several mistakes.” Brother Aimar thought big and big is what he got. The dogged and intrepid Frenchman had persevered to the end and produced a veritable monument. He was the first Principal of La Salle College when it opened its doors in December 1931, though the official opening was not until1932. At the opening ceremony he had praise for the students:
“Nothing has been spared to make their school life as pleasant as possible. The boys appreciate what has been done for them and give us entire satisfaction.”

 Brother Aimar remained Principal until the Japanese soldiers forced the Brothers to leave the College in 1942.To this day many old boys swap fond memories of their days under the “Dome”, the crowning glory of Brother Aimar’s school.
 
It is not too surprising that, after all this hectic work over a number of years, Brother Aimar began to show signs of ill health and for that reason was told by his superiors to take a rest in his home country. And so he set sail for France in April1933 and returned in December, relaxed and refreshed. He did not return alone. He brought with him a special gift, a new recruit in the person of Brother Casimir Husarik who was to remain attached to the College for the rest of his life. 

Brother Aimar was now able to enjoy some of the fruits of his labour as he guided the new College through some of its bumper years both academically and in sports. At the 1938 Prize-Giving Day one of the prize recipients recalls: “Our Grand Old Man (Brother Aimar), receiving the guests, gave a dignified touch to everything”. Indeed, although he was quick of mind and in initiating action, he himself never seemed to be in a rush and approached everything with dignified calm.

He was soon to need all the calm he could muster because news of the outbreak of war in Europe had an immediate impact. The British authorities had been eyeing La Salle College for some time as a possible resource building. On the 3rd January 1939 the army encircled it with barbed wire, observation posts, barriers and grills and four watchtowers and it became an internment camp, initially for German nationals, termed “enemy aliens”. This development was a bitter pill for Brother Aimar to swallow, a cruel and unexpected blow. It looked like the beginning of the end but he decided to make maximum use of the adjacent plot of land and house he had purchased in 1928 and set up temporary classrooms. There, school resumed in a bi-sessional format. By 1940 the College was back in the possession of the Brothers and normal school operations commenced in September. It was to be the last ‘normal’ school year before Japanese occupation.

The Japanese attacked on the 8th December 1941 and Brother Aimar announced to the whole school already assembled for the Christmas examinations that these would be postponed indefinitely and that the boys were to return home immediately. Who would have thought that this would be Brother Aimar’s last school announcement! By the 13th December the Japanese had overrun practically the whole of Kowloon. For a while the College catered to both British and Japanese wounded but gradually the Japanese noose tightened and they took complete control of the College. On January 17th the Brothers were told they would have to leave and they sought and found refuge in an apartment through the good offices of the parish priest. 

They left practically everything behind. The Japanese had promised Brother Aimar to seal off the chapel, the sacristy and the main office. However, there was little doubt in the minds of the Brothers that all the registers and files would be destroyed. Brother Aimar, whose face was by now lined with sadness and worry, realized there was little the Brothers could do in the circumstances and decided to head for Indo-China (Vietnam). On the 1st March 1942 he led a group of 10 Brothers and set out for Haiphong. For some it would be a journey of no return. It would be an understatement to say that Brother Aimar left Hong Kong with a heavy heart.

He spent his last days in Vietnam. The Brothers there treated him lovingly and, according to Brothers Michael Curtin and Felix Sheehan, “went out of their way to make his last days happy. He had every medical attention and medical care”. Exactly 15 years after the laying of the Foundation Stone of La Salle College, on 5th November 1945, he passed away at Nhatrang, Vietnam, at the age of 72. He was buried in the small cemetery on the site of the Brothers' Formation House at Nhatrang. 

Back in Hong Kong a solemn service was held at St Teresa’s Church on the 5th November 1946 with a sung Mass celebrated by an old friend, Fr Spada.

La Salle College celebrated its silver jubilee in 1957 and did not forget its founder. The Silver Jubilee commemorative publication pays this tribute: “Out of the welter of words and rejoicings in this Jubilee Year, the figure of Brother Aimar is an abiding memory. Only those whose good fortune was to serve under him in the early days of the College can understand the magnitude of the pioneer work he achieved. Prayer, energetic labour and boundless patience were his armoury.”

The Brothers and old boys of La Salle wanted to mark Bro Aimar’s immense contribution to the school with a substantial sculpture. On the 13th June 1962 they took the opportunity of the visit of the Superior General, Brother Nicet Joseph, who unveiled a bronze bust of Brother Aimar placed in one of the courtyards of the school. This bust was paid for and presented to the school by the La Salle Old Boys’ Association. 

The story was not complete. There seemed to be a general wish to have Brother Aimar’s remains brought back to Hong Kong. The services of Brother Michael Jacques, Assistant Superior General, were enlisted. The Brothers of Vietnam and their old boys did all in their power to break through official red tape. In December 1966, Brother Aimar’s remains were exhumed and personally carried to Hong Kong by Brother Michael. After Mass and funeral rites, the remains were placed in a silver casket and inserted in a granite niche under the bust. The inscription read: Si Monumentum Requiris Circumspice! If you seek his monument, look around you.

At the Re-internment of the mortal remains of Brother Aimar, Brother Michael said in part: “Today, Brother Aimar comes home to us, to this creation of his dreams, to this fine monument to the memory of a truly great man. If a man’s achievements are the measure of his soul, then St Joseph’s on the island and, above all, La Salle here in Kowloon, must mark him out not only as a great servant of God but an outstanding educator as well and one of the great citizens of his time.
What distinguished him in a special way was the extraordinary affection and loyalty he was able to generate among his pupils and among all who came to know him.”

But there was a final twist to the tale. In 1978, with the demolition of the old school building, Brother Aimar’s remains were moved to the Brothers’ vault in St Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley. And there they rest to this day. 
Brother Aimar, as founder, had given gave to La Salle a tone and a tradition. His role in the Lasallian Mission in Hong Kong was summarized by Mr. J.P. Braga, a prominent old boy of St. Joseph’s College, as follows:

‘Retiring and unassuming, Brother Aimar never impresses one with the outward appearance of a financial genius. Nevertheless, he may be likened, metaphorically, to a unit of “silent service”.’

Brother Patrick Tierney composed the following poem in memory of Brother Aimar: 

A Man of Vision

Not for him the shining brilliance
of stoked fire spewing out
red -hot sparks of burning ash.

Not for him the garish show
of vulgar ostentation flaunting
its loud strutting display.

Not for him the cut or dash
the dazzle and razzmatazz
of glamour showbiz.

I contemplate his portrait;
the enigmatic, still aura
of dignified love,

the eyes calmly inviting,
kindling the flame of learning,
lighting up the soul.

Here was a man
who saw the divine
in the heart of a child.

Originally published on The Gateway Issue No. 2 (April 2008)

Daniel O’Connell is a towering figure in Irish history. In our Lasallian world, we have our own Daniel O’Connell, more familiarly known as Brother Paul, and who, at least in some respects, was also a towering figure. 

Brother Paul was born in 1889 in Vicarstown, County Laois, Ireland. He took the Brother’s Habit in 1905 and was sent on the missions to Hong Kong in 1907. He was assigned to teach in St. Joseph’s College, then at Robinson Road, Glenealy, at the tender age of 18. Apart from a short interlude between 1921-1922, when he was transferred to Singapore and Malaysia, he was to spend all of his extraordinarily long missionary life in Hong Kong. He professed his final vows there in 1918.

When Brother Paul arrived in 1907, Hong Kong was a comparatively small city. The Chinese Kingdom was still under the control of the Empress Dowager, Cixi. Four years later Brother Paul witnessed the birth of the Chinese Republic. He was to live under 12 colonial governors of Hong Kong (from Lugard to MacLehose), 7 Catholic Bishops (Pozzoni, Raimondi, Valtorta, Bianchi, Hsu, Lei, Wu): 9 Popes (Leo, Pius X, Benedict, Pius XI, Pius XIII, John, Paul, John Paul I, John Paul II) and 6 monarchs of the British Empire (Victoria, Ed¬ward XII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth).

From 1907 to 1921, Brother Paul taught at St. Joseph’s College. Among his many other duties he was the Sports-master, with particular responsibility for coaching the footballers. In 1918 an earthquake damaged a large part of the school campus and the Brothers were forced to move out. The Brothers were fortunately able to purchase Club Germania at Kennedy Road and they planned to move the school there. Before the new school premises was ready to accommodate all classes, Brother Paul was assigned to take care of the remaining classes at the Robinson Road campus, in somewhat trying conditions.

Even at this early stage, Brother Paul had become an intrepid hiker. He knew Hong Kong so well that he could take you from one point to another by the shortest route, regardless of valley and hill, stream or jungle. He could walk for hours on end through the forestry paths as well as on the mountains.

Another area of expertise was the auditing of accounts. He would present the audit accounts meticulously correct and handsomely set out in a judicious usage of black and red ruling.

Between 1921 and 1923 Brother Paul was assigned to Singapore and Malaysia but somehow he always hankered after Hong Kong and his superiors decided to accede to his wish. In 1923, when he returned from Malaysia, he was given a new assignment. He became the Headmaster of St. Joseph’s College Branch School at Chatham Road, Kowloon. For years afterwards he maintained he had no idea why the Superiors decided that he was the man for the job. But decide they did. The Branch School had been opened on 5th September 1917 to cater to the boys, many of Portuguese descent, who were now living in Kowloon. It was also meant to relieve the junior boys having to commute across the harbour every day. It was the reverse for Brother Paul of course and we presume he traveled by ferry or “wala-wala”, a small motor boat which made a sound similar to its local nickname.

The students of the branch school were, in time, to form the nucleus for La Salle College which opened its doors in 1932. Most of the students were transferred to La Salle and Brother Paul followed them.

Among his many responsibilities, and at various times, Brother Paul took on the role of Prefect of Boarders. The boarders came from such places as Indochina (Vietnam), Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Burma, Indonesia and some of them from as far as Mexico. Their parents wanted them to get a good grounding in English, a ‘must’ for would-be traders in the Far East. It was Brother Paul’s task to mould these heterogeneous elements into something like a miniature United Nations. Brother Michael Curtin mentions that, as boarding prefect, “Brother Paul was very understanding but very firm on discipline.” Since the number of boarders rose to as high as 250 he probably needed to take a firm stand. At 6 foot 3 and ramrod straight he was not to be trifled with.

He was reassigned to St. Joseph’s College from 1935 to 1945. During the war, only three Brothers remained in Hong Kong, namely Brothers John Lynam, Martin Kelleher and Paul. They managed to survive and quickly resumed their work when the war was over. The old boys of the College moved quickly also and held a reunion in 1946 at which Brother Paul was present. He received a great welcome and after the singing of “He’s a jolly good fellow” he was forced to say a few words. It was obvious that he was deeply moved, for about 80% of those present had been his pupils. With some humour, Brother Paul remarked that while he was privileged to have had many of those present under him in class, he hoped he would be able to make a better job of the younger generation than he did with the old! The old boys responded by singing some Irish songs for him.

Brother Paul continued to serve St. Joseph’s and La Salle College until his retirement in 1965. He was usually followed by his faithful shepherd dog, even into the classroom. The dog was big but very tame and friendly. During this period of his life, he tramped the hills and valleys of Hong Kong, taking a keen interest in its flora and fauna and taking copious notes. He was usually accompanied by other Brothers but if none was available he would set out himself.

One Brother recalls a first meeting in the early 60’s. “Brother Paul was an imposing figure, even to a ‘know all’ youth of twenty four. He carried his knowledge and wisdom lightly, however, and I was happy in his company, especially when he was in the mood for a song. I remember wondering and admiring how he could continue to teach catechism even into old age. I also liked to see him with the pipe, and, like many pipe smokers, the pipe seemed to be more for company than for smoking.”

Many tales are told of Brother Paul as a teacher. One of his old boys of the class of 1935, now living in London, says that ‘he was a very, very, strict teacher’. He was also a strict disciplinarian. The old boy recalls how he told a Mexican boy several time to have his hair cut. For whatever reason, the boy did not do so. One morning after morning prayers, Brother Paul called this boy out, took a pair of scissors and cut the boy’s hair himself! One wonders what would happen if a teacher did this today!

After retirement he spent his remaining years residing in the country bungalow of the Brothers adjacent to De La Salle Secondary School, Fanling which is close to the mainland China border. The countryside environment suited him to the ground. He taught religion in some classes and occupied himself in the garden and in the study of the flora of Hong Kong which was his hobby. He started with cataloguing the blooms that graced the extensive garden surrounding the Brothers’ bungalow. In fact he had plans for publishing a book on the Trees, Shrubs and Flowers of Hong Kong and was in contact with a local publisher. As a lover of nature, he also loved animals, dogs in particular, and he had a dog in tow even from the early days. He christened one of his dogs “wu lei”, or ‘fox’ in Chinese. The Brothers took much delight listening to Paul ‘talking’ to the dog which showed every sign of understanding.

He never lost his love for his native land and every St Patrick’s Day he would hoist the flag of the Irish Republic in the garden. Local British officials seemed mildly amused and turned a blind eye to this expression of patriotic fervour. On celebratory occasions, Paul’s favourite patriotic song was ‘God Save Ireland’ complete with rousing chorus.

He usually enjoyed excellent health. However, in the late 70’s he had to endure a severe operation. On recovery he continued to live on happily in Fanling amidst the flowers and the trees he loved so well. Things seemed to be moving nicely and in 1979 the editors of La Salle College Magazine were happy to congratulate him on completing 90 years and wished him “Cheung Meng Pak Sui”, life to a hundred years. Despite his advanced age, he went on home leave in the summer of 1979 and returned in mid October, apparently in good health and spirits. He fell ill, however, and had to be hospitalized and, despite hopes for his recovery, passed away peacefully on 6th November 1979 at St. Teresa’s Hospital, Kowloon.   

Human dignity was less talked about in the 1910s than it is now. Yet those who had the privilege of knowing Brother Paul could see in him an expression of respect for personal human dignity such as is seldom met with in our more prosperous but more feverish age. In his youth in Ireland and in early manhood in Hong Kong, he learnt a grave courtesy that never seemed affected and never inhibited his sense of humour. With the passing years the world has largely lost this gracious gift; but Brother Paul, a man of strong character, refused to jettison what was good from the past.

The memory of Brother Paul is enshrined in the hearts of his old pupils of St. Joseph's, La Salle College and De La Salle Secondary School who will not forget his untiring efforts. His genial personality will ever be remembered by those he taught and colleagues who worked with him. His insistence on order, hard work and vigorous exercise inspired generations of students. One of his favourite axioms was ‘esto vir’ (be a man)) and he himself gave a fine example of manly virtues to his students. This ‘grand old man’ leaves behind the kindest of memories of courtesy and devotion to duty.

Here is a poem written in his honour by Brother Patricius O’Donovan who knew him well.

Requiescat In Pace
The Lord had willed the hour of parting!
From our midst Paul’s soul had gone,
Bearing myriad years of merit,
Mead of duties nobly done;
He had gone with prayers and blessings,
At his loving Master’s call,
To his heavenly home – goal of his longings,
Where pure joys can never pall.

The Orient sun had just arisen,
And our cities hummed again,                     
Lion Rock looked clear and crimsoned,               
And all its multi-mountained chain;             
Well known haunts he’d loved and cherished,
Oft traversed with practised art,
Seeking Nature’s hidden treasures,
With roving eye and throbbing heart.

Over seventy years of labour,
Always faithful – ever true,
An achievement unsurpassed, 
Only meted out to few;
For God’s honour, for his neighbour,
Always zealous for God’s claim,
Never fearing in the struggle,                  
Never faltering in the strain.

Originally published in The Gateway Issue No. 1 (March 2008)

Joseph Dunne was born in Camp, County Kerry, Ireland on 2nd July 1914, right at the start of World War 1. The little town is located beside a bay which opens out to the vast Atlantic ocean. The hinterland is dotted with lovely hills and valleys. Joseph was the fifth in a family of eight boys and one girl. The family grew up on a farm.

He attended the local primary school at a turbulent time in Irish history. He retained vivid memories of the reign of the Black and Tans and later the Civil War when violence and terror stalked the land. When a recruiter for the De La Salle Brothers visited the school, Joseph volunteered and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 1928, he joined the De La Salle Brothers and took the Habit in September 1930 followed by the Novitiate year. The following year he was sent to England to further his studies and it was there that he volunteered for the missions. In 1932 a group of six young Brothers and three mission returnees set out for the East from Marseilles. Among them were Brother Cassian Brigant and Brother Felix Sheehan, with both of whom he would later share community in Hong Kong.

On arrival in Penang, Brendan was first posted to St Xavier’s Institution but within months was heading for St Joseph’s College, Hong Kong. He was 19 years old. His first teaching term in Hong Kong was from 1933 to 1936 and Brother Matthias Linehan was the Director, a man for whom he had a high regard. It was a heady time, for the College was celebrating its Diamond Jubilee. Already, two prominent aspects of Brother Brendan’s lifestyle were emerging: a determination to make his lessons in class both interesting and understandable, and a love of hiking.

From 1936 to 1941, Brother Brendan was back in Malaysia and taught in St. John’s Institution, Kuala Lumpur and in St. Xavier’s Institution, Penang. One Brother summed him up as a teacher at this time:
“His students revered him. He put such sparkle into his lessons. He had that twinkle, that almost mischievous smile that put the pupils in a mood to respond. And when he got the right answer he expressed his delight with an expression in Chinese, English or French. He was almost continental in his gestures and facial expressions and could add mimicry that would do justice to Marcel Marceau”.

Brendan was still in Penang when the Japanese invasion took place 8th December 1941. As with many Brothers, he was now not allowed to teach which he found frustrating. He along with a number of other Brothers decided to try their luck living in a jungle camp at Bahau, known as the ‘Fuji Go’. He was a tower of strength in the camp. With his pipe, his black hat, his tall muscular body, his repertoire of stories, his mimicry and unfailing good humour, his company was a tonic in the depressing circumstances. Living and suffering, surviving and dying were commonplace for the next two years. Like most of the others, Brendan succumbed to malaria attacks but bounced back each time, perhaps because he was now thirty and in his prime.

After surviving the War, a holiday home was the order of the day and much appreciated by his family. He had not been home for thirteen years. By October 1947 he was back East, this time as a member of the teaching staff at St. Joseph’s College, Hong Kong. In 1949 he was appointed Vice Principal with Brother Raphael Egan as Principal. They formed a wonderful partnership and worked very well together to put St. Joseph’s back on a firm post-war footing. The Communist take-over in China had resulted in a flood of refugees whose offspring swelled the school population. Many of these students were living from hand to mouth and it was on these that Brother Brendan lavished his care and compassion.

He taught a full day despite his administrative commitments. He was thorough, dedicated and demanding but also considerate, kind and understanding. Many of his old pupils remember how he used to stress the importance of writing a correct sentence and paragraph. If you could write a correct sentence you could write a correct paragraph and thence a correct composition. He would spend a whole lesson teaching just a few sentences. He seemed to know all the common mistakes in English made by Chinese boys. He hammered home the grammar basics. No wonder it was difficult not to get credits or distinctions in his class.

One of his pupils, who would later become a teacher in the College, stresses brother Brendan’s unlimited patience. He would talk with you about your mistakes for hours on end. He would make you write one fine copy after another until the piece was perfect. It was difficult to win against him in regard to patience, argument or anything else, so that in the end you simply had to submit! 

He was also spiritual director of the Star of the Sea Legion of Mary Praesidium, never missing the weekly meeting. In addition he would instruct boys who wished to become Catholics.

One of his pupils at the time, Charles Kao, was to become the Nobel Laureate for Physics, often regarded as ‘the father of fibre optics’. On a recent visit to his alma mater, Charles recalled how Brother Brendan had a formula whenever he wanted to motivate his students to study hard. He would ‘request’ them to have certain answers ready for him the following day. And “if you fail to answer my question correctly, I shall send you to Queen Mary with my left fist!” Now, Queen Mary is a government hospital! He always followed this threat with a mischievous smile while he shadow-boxed with left and right jabs. Needless to say, nobody was ever sent to Queen Mary in such circumstances.

When Brother Raphael was transferred to Sabah in 1957 Brother Brendan succeeded him as Principal. Excellent academic standards were maintained and the spiritual life of the school was not overlooked. Brother Peter Phelan was with him at the time and says: “During my ten years in community with him I never knew him to use corporal punishment of any kind. He was well liked by the teachers, and even more by the non-academic staff.” Indeed, he had a prodigious memory for the names of his past pupils and former teachers and had a fund of anecdotes connected with them.

If he had any weakness it was erring on the side of kindness. Teachers would sometimes complain that he treated the naughty boys too leniently. When they were sent to see him in his office, he would sit them down, smoke his pipe, have a chat and give them sweets. No wonder they returned to class, all smiles! Perhaps this was Brendan’s way of letting teachers know that they should find a better way of dealing with naughty students than sending them to see the Headmaster.

As Principal of a leading school in the territory, he embarked on an ambitious project of redevelopment and upgrading. In 1961 the original school building (called the Club Germania) facing Kennedy Road was demolished and a splendid new wing erected within 2 years. In addition a new school hall was erected on the east wing. At the time St Joseph’s was the envy of many schools because it could boast of two school halls. Governor Sir Robert Black and Superior General Brother Nicet Joseph officiated at the opening of the new school building and Bishop Bianchi performed the blessing. Brother Nicet paid a special tribute to two stalwarts in the history of St Joseph’s, Bishop Raimondi and Brother Aimar. The new wing remains a monument to Brother Brendan’s careful planning and supervision. The top floor became the residence for the Brothers.

Brother Alphonsus Breen, who joined the St Joseph’s community in 1962 recalled: “He was easy to live with, gave us ample freedom and rarely interfered. Ever even-tempered, he never allowed himself to be upset by persons or events. He was sympathetic to the pupils, especially those who got into trouble, and took a personal interest in the poor boy”.

In 1964, having completed his term as Principal and Director he went on home leave after which he was posted to La Salle Secondary School, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Here he teamed up again with Brother Raphael Egan until 1966 when he was appointed Director and Principal. Circumstances were very different to those in Hong Kong but Brendan settled in and grew very attached to the students, many of whom were relatively poor. He had particular time for the boarders and spent much time chatting with or counseling them. After his death one of them had this to say: “For us, the boarders, his attentive ears provided the solace for young troubled minds at times”. On the school front, he provided facilities for the newly opened sixth form classes and before his term expired he admitted the first batch of girls into Form 6. On the community front he had a three-storey community residence built for the Brothers

In 1969 he was back in Hong Kong, at first as a teacher in La Salle College, but two years later he was appointed the first Principal of Chong Gene Hang College on Hong Kong Island. The school is located in a resettlement and industrial area and it was the first secondary school there.  He had to commute every day from St Joseph’s College to Chong Gene Hang, but there was no complaint. At once Brother Brendan got down to business, recruited a young staff and set about creating a warm and homely school climate. He spent eight years in this post and the school soon developed a spirit and identity of its own with a strong sense of belonging among staff and students. Since the school lacked sports facilities, he encouraged cross country running with the result that the school was soon grabbing headlines.  Brother Brendan’s generosity and largeness of heart was much appreciated by both the school and the local community.

At a Speech Day for the school in 1974, we get a glimpse of Brother Brendan’s thinking in relation to the school. Addressing the boys directly he said: “Well then, for your own good and for the reputation of the entire school, make sure you behave responsibly, and make it easier for the other boys to behave well too. Always remember you carry the reputation of the school with you wherever you go. You are the School!”

In 1979 he reached retiring age and bade farewell to a school he loved and set fair to flourish. Retirement saw him giving a hand to unemployed youth at Benburb Base, a Lasallian Centre in London and to a private Catholic school in Sabah. He had a calming effect on these young people undergoing hardship or trial and, if he felt it was justified, would move heaven and earth to help them.

In 1981, he was to return to his second home, St. Joseph’s College Hong Kong, where he would live out his final years, keeping in touch with old boys of St Joseph’s and Chong Gene Hang, entertaining visitors and deepening his spiritual life, especially through prayer and a study of the Scriptures. There were no frills in his spiritual diet. The Mass, meditation, the rosary and the Legion of Mary were the mainstays. He was still devoted to hiking and to smoking his pipe. After a good workout on a hot and humid afternoon, he would return dripping with perspiration and enjoy a smoke and a bottle of beer. Other hobbies included doing the daily newspaper cryptic crossword. It was beyond most of us but to Brendan it was a breeze.

“During these years he traveled a lot, visiting relatives in England, Ireland and Australia” writes Brother Thomas Favier. He kept in touch with former students and figured prominently at annual reunions. At a recent dinner and dance the Guest of Honour, a leading government official, spoke of how Brendan, back in the 1950’s, put him on his feet when things were low for him. As the official resumed his seat midst much applause, Brendan drifted by, gave him a swish of his serviette, and said:” ’You talk a lot of nonsense!’.” His memory for the names and work of old boys was phenomenal.

In the ordinary day to day events of life, Brother Brendan meant many things to many people. To many he was simply a friend, a good friend, because if Brendan became your friend you were a friend for life. To others he was a counselor, gifted with insight and understanding and lending a discerning ear to those who confided in him. To still others he was a rock and a refuge in times of trouble or distress. Brendan, puffing his pipe, usually had a calming effect on people undergoing trials. And he would help them in every possible way.

Some two years before his death he was in hospital for cystectomy. He took some time to adjust but the main trouble came from a weakening of the heart. As he needed more and more care, Brothers Alphonsus Breen and Thomas Favier saw to his daily needs. They arranged for nursing help, doctor’s visits, room-cleaning and made sure he was settled for sleep every night.

The story of Brother Brendan’s last few days and hours is easily told. For some days he had slowed down a lot and was eating little. Yet, on the evening of the 6th March 1998, a first Friday, he managed to make his way as usual to St Joseph’s Church, for Mass and first Friday devotions. That night, some time after 10 o’clock, Brother Alphonsus went to look in on Brendan and see if he was settled for the night. He found him lying quietly on the floor and, sensing that there was no time to lose, he called an ambulance and a doctor. Brother Brendan, however, passed away peacefully before the ambulance arrived.

The funeral mass was held on the 18th March in Christ the King Chapel with Bishop John Tong as chief celebrant. There was a large attendance of former staff and students, government officials and religious. St Joseph’s College scouts provided a guard of honour. Present too were two nieces, Kathleen and Mary, from Australia as well as Mary’s husband. Brother Patrick Tierney gave the homily. Brother Brendan was laid to rest in the De La Salle Brothers’ plot in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Happy Valley.

Brother Philip Callaghan, a companion of the pre-war and war years, wrote a poem tribute, one verse of which goes as follows:

“There will be a void, not a voiceless void;
Vibrant voices shall recall your legend
Speaking praise of your friendliness and loyalty;
How you evangelized relaying the truth;
Were counselor and guide for bewildered youth”.

Or this one from Brother Patricius;

“Yours was no lingering demise
Nor slow drift to decay
Death flung its portals sudden wide
As you sped from Life away
You folded up like to a flower
At evening’s dimming light
You turned from Time’s darkling hours
And bade the world good night
You went upon your pilgrim path
And gave to death the nod
Then star-ward sped from our dark sphere
Into the arms of God

At the back of Brother Brendan’s memorial card is a touching tribute from one of his former students entitled “I will remember”. It goes:

You had a way with things
The class will never forget you
Neither will I.

On 25-26 November 2024, Singapore witnessed an exciting development: the first Becoming Brothers vocation evening, marking a significant step in revitalizing local interest in the De La Salle Brothers’ life and mission. This inspiring gathering brought together four passionate participants, all of whom were young professionals keen to learn more about the path of brotherhood.

The event kicked off with warm camaraderie as participants joined the Brothers and members of the Signum Fidei for a relaxed social gathering and dinner. The atmosphere was alive with conversations, laughter, and a sense of shared purpose. Following this, an opening prayer service set the tone for the night, transitioning into an engaging discussion on the Declaration, facilitated by Br. Kelvin with the Signum Fidei group. This session gave participants a glimpse into how the Brothers work alongside their lay partners to advance their shared mission.

One of the evening’s highlights was the personal dyads, where participants paired up with Brothers to exchange stories and share personal experiences. This intimate setting allowed participants to hear firsthand the journeys, challenges, and deep-rooted faith that define the life of a Brother. The night wrapped up with a screening of the powerful film Father Stu, followed by a reflective night prayer that deepened the sense of community and introspection.

The following day, participants dove into two key sessions. Br. Luke led the first session, providing a comprehensive introduction to the history, charism, and mission of the De La Salle Brothers as well as a glimpse of his life as a Brother. This was followed by Br. Carlo’s session on discernment and the stages involved in becoming a Brother, offering practical insights for those considering this path. The program concluded with a heartfelt closing prayer and a shared meal, giving participants a final chance to reflect on their experiences and connect with one another.

The Brothers are hopeful that this revitalized Becoming Brothers initiative will ignite a renewed interest in vocations and foster a supportive community for young men discerning their paths. This event marks the beginning of what they hope will be a sustained effort to inspire and guide future generations in Singapore.

The sense of hope and unity felt during this gathering sets a promising tone for what lies ahead, sparking conversations and connections that could lead to a stronger, more vibrant vocation culture.
 

By Br. Luke Thatsaworn Nonthiboot FSC

As part of St. Joseph’s Institution Junior (SJIJ) Careers for primary 6 students on 17 October 17 2024, I was invited to share about the Lasallian family and the De La Salle Brothers. The session was held for the whole cohort of primary 6 students in the school hall.  The boys were interested and curious to more know about the De La Salle Brothers and Lasallian Family around the world.  Amidst the enthusiasm, I had to share briefly the Founder’s life and the Brothers in the different schools in Singapore. They were also interested to know about the Brothers and schools in Thailand. The quiz that was held after drew a rousing response with Lasallian souvenirs that were handed out.  Many wanted to know about the life of a Brother as well as about Thailand.  The biggest surprise was that they were happy to see a Brother coming back to SJIJ and giving him a warm welcome and applause. Thank you and see you next year!

This October, five Brothers Communities in LEAD hosted inspiring Brothers Live-In Programs, welcoming young men from Hong Kong and the Philippines to experience community life for five days. We pray for an increase in Lasallian Vocations, especially among the Brothers. 

HK: St. Joseph's College Brothers Community
9-13 October 2024

PH: De La Salle Brothers Bacolod Community
9-13 October 2024

PH: De La Salle Brothers Ozamiz Community
9-13 October 2024

PH: Lasallian Formation Center
16-20 October 2024

PH: De La Salle Lipa - Brothers Community
16-20 October 2024

If you know a young man interested in the Brothers’ way of life, contact br.jeano@delasalle.ph.

#YesBro #LasallianVocations

From the De La Salle Brothers of Malaysia Facebook page

The De La Salle Brothers of Malaysia organized a series of inspiring sessions for the student leaders and Catholic students of SMK St. Francis Institution on 14-15 October 2024. Led by Brothers Carlo (SG), Collin (SG), Jeano (PH), and Mico (MY), the sessions focused on the life of St. John Baptist de La Salle and deepened the students’ understanding of Lasallian identity.

On Day 1, the Catholic students participated in a session centered around Vocation. The Brothers shared their personal vocation journeys, offering reflections on faith and service, alongside the inspiring life of St. John Baptist de La Salle. The session sparked meaningful and thought-provoking conversations, encouraging students to explore their own sense of purpose and calling.

A heartfelt thank you to Mr. Lee and the school administrators of SFI for warmly welcoming us and making this visit possible.

Stay tuned for more photos of the other sessions!

#FSCvocations #BecomingBrothers

By Raphael Chua (4th year BS Industrial Engineering Student; Contact of the De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines)

Having entered the Brothers Live in Program (BLIP), I had the unique opportunity to immerse myself in a transformative experience that helped me reinforce my faith, service, and communion with the help of De La Salle Brothers. This is a program where we have discussions and learnings that can spark a passion for social justice. Most importantly, it is where the teachings of St. John Baptist de La Salle feel ever present. 

From the moment I first arrived, the Brothers were all welcoming, and I immediately had a sense of belonging to the community. Initially, I had misconceptions about the Brothers being strict but it was quite the opposite. They cracked all sorts of jokes, shared their journey, and were genuinely supportive of whatever challenges we were facing in our lives. Living alongside the Brothers allowed me to witness firsthand their dedication to education and service.

Our day starts with a communal prayer, and during this time, I reflect on the blessings in my life and the opportunities that lie ahead. During the evenings, there were informal gatherings in the common area just so everyone could catch up on their day. We share our triumphs and frustrations throughout the day. The sessions that we have helped me learn more about the brothers' vocation. What struck me the most in one of our sessions was Brother Kino telling us that vocation is not just a calling but also responding to the call. It talks about recognizing our purpose and taking the necessary actions to fulfill it. 

To any young man considering joining BLIP, I advise you to join the program to have an opportunity to discover your potential and have the opportunity to awaken for a higher purpose. You will live and breathe the Lasallian traditions and carry them forward to the world. 

The bonds that I have formed throughout my journey will last a lifetime. It made me into a more thoughtful individual ready to face the challenges of the world, exemplifying our core values of faith, service, and communion. 

#YesBro #FSCvocations

By Marcus Miguel Cuaton (2nd year BS Computer Science student; Aspirant of the De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines)

Psychosocial Development is the process of one’s personality and social skills actively developed from infancy through adulthood. Erik Erikson, a household name in the study of Psychology, would develop the theory of the stages of Psychosocial Development. He believed that experiencing a psychosocial crisis or conflict from each stage would pave the way for an individual to experience development for better or worse. Dr. Jaymee Pantaleon, the guest speaker of the learning session, introduced this topic to us and gave her input about this theory, especially in the context of the Aspirancy Program.

The theory describes Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development where each stage would cover the supposed psychosocial crisis, important events of one’s life, and what an individual can learn from each conflict they face. The introduction of concepts such as Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt and Identity vs. Confusion can help form an aspect of one’s Psychosocial Development. Unfortunately, we ended our learning session at the fourth stage and will be continuing the discussion at a later date.

In the case of being an aspirant, learning Psychosocial Development is quite crucial, as all of us are taking our own journey in order to follow the path of being a Brother or to pursue something else down the line. This journey that we take requires important decisions to be made—decisions that involve one’s mental process. Through learning about Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development, we can be able to discern as we make these decisions.

#YesBro #FSCvocations

By Jose Miguel Villegas (2nd Year BS Legal Management Student; Aspirant of the De La Salle Brothers of the Philippines)

Questions answered, curiosities quenched, and new paths illuminated — these were the shared experiences of the young men who participated in the Becoming Brothers Manila event.

The National Lasallian Vocations Team of De La Salle Philippines, in partnership with the Lasallian Vocations Team of De La Salle University, hosted the Becoming Brothers last 28 September at the Jose Pardo AFSC Hall. Around 17 De La Salle Brothers and three postulants shared their vocation stories with curious students and young professionals. Unique in its own way, the journey of the invited De La Salle Brothers from schools in Luzon has inspired those present to reflect and seek their own mission — their vocation. Many questions were raised, but the frequent concern of participants was whether becoming a De La Salle Brother would force them to leave their profession. In one of the tables, Br. John David Ong FSC, Director of the Lasallian Formation Center, shared that one can still practice his profession as a De La Salle Brother. He continues to explain that one’s current work is a vocation that can be adopted and practiced in ways aligned with the ministries of a Lasalle Brother.

As the event concludes, the community of De La Salle Brothers in Manila and the entire Philippines remains hopeful. They hope that the theme of the event, 'Seeking One's Vocation,' will continue to resonate with the audience, inspiring them to consider the invitation to serve a life similar to that of the founder, St. John Baptist de la Salle.

#YesBro #FSCvocations

From 18-24 September 2024, Br. JJ Jimenez FSC had the second phase of his canonical visit to the Sector of Thailand, this time visiting the Communities in Chanthaburi and Nakhonsawan. Apart from visiting the Brothers, he also took time to meet with the partners and young people in our schools.

During his visit to La Salle School Chanthaburi, Br. JJ joined the opening ceremony of the school Youth Office and the Chanthaburi Rak Nu Camp project. While in La Salle School Nakhonsawan, he met with administrators and teachers--including Filipino teachers part of the school's faculty--as well as members of the La Salle Youth Group.

By Br. Luke Thatsaworn Nonthiboot FSC

Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore from 11-13 September 2024 was a time of great joy and thanksgiving for the Roman Catholics of sunny Singapore. It has been 38 years since Pope St. John Paul II visited Singapore on 20 November 1986. It fulfilled the theme of his visit and brought the “Unity and hope” for the local Catholic faith and mission.

11 September 2024, he arrived in Singapore from Dili, Timor-Leste with Vatican staff and officials to be greeted by a thousand Catholics at the airport. He held a private meeting with the members of the Society of Jesus at the St. Francis Xavier Retreat Centre in the evening of the same day.

On the following morning, he received an official welcome  by the President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before a guard of honour parade at Parliament House. At about 10:30 am, he headed for the  National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Cultural Centre theater for a meeting with "authorities, civil society and diplomatic corps." Mr. Tharman and Pope Francis both delivered speeches at the state address at NUS. Pope Francis praised the city-state's inclusive and harmonious policies amid a highly diverse multicultural and multireligious society. At the same time, he cautioned that meritocracy may lead some to be marginalised for which the state could be mindful of.

In the afternoon at about 4:30 pm, he arrived at the National Stadium to celebrate Holy Mass with 50,000 Catholics and more viewing the livestream of the Mass. He made a tour around the stadium pitch to greet people before Mass started, with many children brought to him for his blessing. His homily praised the gleaming architecture of the state and he reminded the congregation of the importance of love behind the impressive buildings he saw in Singapore. He alluded to the migrant workers that have built the city and that care must be taken for their welfare.

His final day 13 September 2024, morning, he celebrated a private Mass with the priests and religious followed by a visit to a group of elderly people at St. Theresa’s Home.

For the last event of his visit, he held an inter-religious dialogue with youths at Catholic Junior College before leaving Singapore. He appeared particularly re-energised when he interacted with the youth with their questions and   praised the inter-religious dialogue with youths of different religions, the close collaboration of the different religious leaders in Singapore including the positive policy of the government in this aspect as a model for others to emulate.