LEAD Story 440

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.

by Kyle Niño Uy

The National Lasallian Vocations Team (NLVT) visited De La Salle John Bosco College in the past month, bringing a new perspective on the challenges facing the school, whether current or upcoming. The Lasallian family of DLSJBC was more than happy to welcome the De La Salle Brothers and Lasallian Partners of De La Salle Philippines to enlighten not just the students but also those who nurture them in the school setting. This warm visit did not feel like an activity; it felt like a family gathering.

As the primary concern and main focus of the school, the De La Salle Brothers and Partners educated, shared, and connected with students, most notably, the student leaders, ambassadors, the student council, and even contestants, who were invited to spend time and interact with the brothers in sharing viewpoints and insights. Students, with smiling faces, connected real-world struggles with innovative solutions that would not have been brought out if not given the chance to speak for themselves.  The guidance of what feels like home is the best way to connect and apply the virtues that make us truly human.

Moreover, the Brothers and Partners also connected with the teachers and staff of the school; it is one thing for the students to learn, but it is another for them to be in an environment where they can learn. They expounded upon what it is to teach with their experience as both the mentor and the student. This idea of learning being a two-way process is not new, but it is rarely properly executed; with the Brothers and Partners, the teachers were guided on understanding, reflecting, and learning.

The visit may be something from which we can learn lots of things. However, it is when we internalize these lessons that they share that we can apply the greater mission to our daily lives, be it as students or educators. 

With the full embrace of De La Salle John Bosco’s green beating heart, every visit from our fellow De La Salle Brothers and DLSP Partners brings us closer together as a family. The smiles, lessons, and moments we share with them may be short, but they are fulfilling. With more years to come, the Lasallian family of Bislig is excited for more visits and more lessons in the near future.

The St. Joseph’s Institution International School (SJIIS), Petaling Jaya, Malaysia recently supported the establishment of a Computer Laboratory as well as to replenish the library supplies for the boarders of De La Salle Butitin, Nabawan.  The Lasallian family in SJIIS–from dedicated parent volunteers to enthusiastic students across all year levels–came together to engage in fundraising activities.  The effort culminated in last year’s joyful Christmas Bazaar.

In addition to renovation costs, a total of 10 units of desktops, printers and other library supplies have been purchased. The establishment of the Computer Laboratory in De La Salle Butitin's humble hostel will benefit the under-privileged students in Nabawan , providing them access to  educational resources from the cloud.

The Board of Management, staff and boarders of De La Salle Butitin Nabawan extend their utmost appreciation to their fellow Lasallians in SJIIS for their initiatives and efforts in supporting and helping our ministry