Gratitude ~ Passion Hope

Number 40

Gratitude ~ Passion Gratitude ~ Passion HopeHope

PATRICIAN INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTERDECEMBER 2020

PATRICIAN INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER

The Christ is With Us!Let us Rejoice and be Glad!

The Christ is With Us!Let us Rejoice and be Glad!

DECEMBER 2020PATRICIAN INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER

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Dear Brothers and friends,

This year were find ourselves experiencing the mystery of Christ’s birth against the threatening backdrop of a pandemic, the likes of which humanity has not witnessed in over a century. Four Patricians – three in India, one in Kenya - contracted Co-vid-19 but thankfully recovered. I am immensely grateful to Community Leaders who keep our most vulnerable Brothers safe and immensely proud of Brothers in various administrative roles who try their utmost to protect the livelihoods of our employees and organise food relief. They are potent signs of solidarity within and beyond ourselves.A very much prized value within in our Patrician family is capacity for cultivating a global outlook. Our cultural diversity and geographic spread are graces for being ‘Brothers without borders’. In his October 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis urges nations to be ‘Neighbours without borders’, so as to dispel “The dark clouds over a closed world’ and nurture hearts ‘Open to the whole world’. Our Pope unashamedly pro-vokes humanity with the example of the Good Samaritan. It was a ‘stranger and nobody’, who freely, gener-ously and at considerable personal cost, unhesitatingly suspended his personal journey and agenda. These days vigilance is required of us, lest the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our respective nations erodes our commitment or narrows our perspective. For millions of people around the world, Christmas 2020 and New Year 2021 will difficult, if not altogether bleak due to the separations, suffering, death and economic loss caused by the Corona virus. No continent has been spared and complete release from the scourge is a long way off. Overcoming its social, economic and spiritual effects is slow, uneven and unfair for many nations. Perhaps because of this, our experience of 2020 Advent ‘waiting’ may include a simmering, underlying impatience with God’s ways even as we sing with customary fervour the traditional carol ‘O come, O come Emmanuel’. Tracey Horan, a Sister of Providence who works among asylum seekers wrote compellingly:

Often in religious contexts we romanticise waiting and paint it as a saint-making practice in patience and virtue. We imagine Mary the mother of Jesus sitting quietly in her house, rubbing her pregnant belly and pondering God’s plan for her, with a shiny ring of light around her head. We don’t think about the morning sickness, the swollen ankles or the fatigue. Those images don’t look quite as nice on Christmas cards. And yet for most of us, the waiting for post-COVID-19 life and a new start in 2021 feels much more like the latter. (Global Sisters’ Report, December 2020)

Sister’s striking images led me to consider afresh the next line in the above much loved Advent carol: ‘And ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here’. How seldom have I previously registered the gravitas of the words ‘ransom, mourn, captive and exile’! It is unreasonable to expect people who experience captiv-ity or exile to calmly sit and await ransom. The responses of captives trapped by the effects of the pandemic – fear, illness, death, insecurity, hunger, abuse or condemned to mournful exile by stigma, unemployment, eviction or isolation will range from visceral anger to unrelenting despair. These will be realities of the ‘new normal’ for many months to come. To what extent are we ready to see ‘Christ in all Hearts’ and engage with anyone diminished by the pandemic? Moreover, since each of us is a ‘work in progress’, it is worthwhile ask-ing ‘What holds us individually captive and despite technological connectivity, condemns us to lonely exile from one another? The Good Samaritan chose to sideline the potent, restrictive boundaries of culture, ethnicity, status, blood relationship, religious divide and individualism. He saw only his neighbour’s need and without delay, crossed over those borders in solidarity. We aspire to live as Brothers without borders precisely because God is dwell-ing among us (Emmanuel) and longs for us to know it, feel it and share that Good News. May Christmas recharge our joy, resilience and union of Hearts and Minds. Be well and safe throughout the coming year. In brotherhood, Cover photo from https://pixabay.com

DECEMBER 2020

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Our Jubilarians for 2021BERCHMANS ATHAKKAD

6023rd Dec., 1961

PETER RYAN

5021st Feb., 1971

PHILIP SHEPLER

505th Sept., 1971

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

- Hebrews 6:10

Brother Cormac Commins R.I.P.It was with a terrible sense of shock and loss that we heard the news of the death of Br Cormac Commins some time over the night of the 21st/22nd of December at New-bridge. His 81st birth-day would have been on the 23rd.

Cormac’s recent health seems to have been strong enough to cope with the purchasing of a new Patrician house in Newbridge with the sale of the old monastery and with the necessary transferring of belongings from one house to the other. At the time of writing the cause of death is unknown.

Martin Noel Commins was born on the 23rd December, 1939, to Margaret and Martin Commins of Galway. He made his First Profession as a Patrician on the 15th August, 1956.Cormac has done it all within the Patrician Congregation: teacher, Junior Assistant Master, pioneer Headmaster (Finglas), twice Provincial of the Irish-Kenyan Prov-ince, Deputy Congregation Leader, and Congregation

Leader (1992 - 1998).Of course this is hardly scratching the surface in relation to the contribution Cormac has made to the Patrician Congregation and to Catholic education in Ireland. A comprehensive account of his life, ministry, and legacies, is sure to follow in due course.May this exemplary Patrician reap the rewards of a life lived for others, a life which has been a blessing for so many. Rest in peace, Cormac, in the arms of our loving God. And, thank you. Video Tribute: https://youtu.be/R3jHaqN58Vc p

Br Cormac (right) with Brothers Fidelis and Angelus in 1969 at Finglas. Cormac was 30 and pioneer Headmaster.


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The plan formed at the 2019 Ghana meeting of the Extended Council for Congregation Leader (CL) and the Deputy Congregation Leader (DCL) to spend several months in Kenya was scuppered by Covid-19. Br Peter Ryan arrived in Nairobi from India on December 12, intend-ing to join the Formation Team until July 16. Br George Xavier was due to arrive in May to also assist in formation and be joined later by the other members of the CLT for our annual in-person meeting. However, all were forced to remain at home. The 2020 silver lining was that Peter was able to work alongside Novitiate Formators Brs Felim Ryan and John Mwangi until September. The extra time also gave oppor-tunity to participate in meetings of the Region Leadership Team and the Formation Committee. Fortunately too, Br John Mwangi was able to commence his Formation studies at the Chemchemi Centre, Nairobi – albeit online so far. The rigorous year-long course incorporates several features of the renowned St Anselm’s Leadership Programme in Rome. Meanwhile, DCL Br George Xavier was busy in the Ben-galuru formation house. He reported: “Those who minis-ter in the formation house particularly in the Novitiate will

Congregation Leadership Team (CLT) Activity - by Br Peter Ryan

agree with me that Novitiate is like a place under permanent locked down. The staff and the Novices are always indoors without much interaction with the outside world. Though life is not online in the Novitiate, it is a life of silence, prayer, work and learning. The only person who saw the outside world was the Socius who procured food for hungry Novices and staff. I was busy with two classes per day. One for the novices and the other for the Postulants. Since lock-down has lowered the shutters of many ecclesiastical insti-tutions in Bengaluru, I stayed indoors preparing for more classes and future topics. Lockdown time also was good for doing physical exercise which kept the unwanted fat and weight under check.

CLT member Nicholas Harsas is Principal of Holy Spirit Primary School, Carnes Hill, Sydney. About 2020 he says “Education continued throughout the pandemic, providing continuity of learning for the students as best we can. Even when most people had the opportunity to work from home during the intense weeks of remote learning, my colleagues on staff willingly chose to come into school to support me, collaborate, plan ahead and to be a support for the students who were attending (except for those on various rounds of isolation!!).” p

First Professions in Kenya

Brother Placido Kaburu, Kenyan Region Leader, wrote to Br Peter Ryan:Greetings from Eldoret. Today [8th December] is a big day for us here in Kenya as we welcome three young men: Br. Thomas Aquinas Marumbi Manali from Kimatuni Parish Bungoma Diocese, Br. Justine Mochache Onsare from Queen of Apostlas Nyakegogi Parish, Kisii Diocese and Br. Joseph Muendo James from Our Lady of Cana Utangwe Parish, Machakos Diocese in our Patrician family. We would like to thank

you very much for your support which has enabled these young men to reach this far. We ask you to put them in your prays during this auspicious occasion of professing their first vows. Unfortunately, due to Corona Pandemic, this occasion is only for Patrician Brothers. No invited guests except the Mass celebrant. We also had our men who are in their Temporary Vows renewing their commitment with us yesterday; 4 in Meru and 8 in Eldoret. Keep them also in your prayers. p

Justine Mochache Onsare fsp, Thomas Marumbu Manali fsp, Joseph Muendo Jome fsp

DECEMBER 2020

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This is the third chapter covering the his-tories of Patrician novitiates across the Congregation. We have covered Ireland and India, now for Australia.The first Patrician professions of non-Irishmen in the British colony of New South Wales took place in 1889 just six years after Dominick and Fintan O’Neill (not related) arrived in Sydney on Tues-day the 6th March, 1883. There are several aspects to this that need to be mentioned: because they are interesting.Of the first three non-Irishmen to be pro-fessed in 1889 two were Australian-born and one was born in England: Anthony Vial, who made his Temporary Profes-sion on Wednesday the 19th June, 1889; Aloysius O’Leary, on Tuesday the 2nd June, 1889; and the Englishman Cuth-bert Corbishley on Saturday the 20th July, 1889.You might be asking, if their profession dates were so close to each other then why didn’t they make their Temporary Profes-sion together on the same day? The reason is because they did not complete their no-vitiate together: Vial’s novitiate took place in Goulburn, O’Reilly’s in Bathurst, and Corbishley’s in Dubbo. And in 1889 these country New South Wales towns were some distance from each other … and still are today.In the early years of Patrician training/formation (pos-tulancy and novitiate) an aspirant completed his for-mation in the Patrician house he entered on day one. There was no central novitiate where all the novices gathered together as one. It took some years, well into the 1890s, before each Province had a central novitiate.These Temporary Professions of Vial, O’Leary, and Corbishley, broke new ground in Patrician formation: they were the first Patricians to make their Tempo-rary Profession (what we call today First Profession), before this all professions, whether in Ireland or India, were for life. From 1889 when a man made his Tempo-rary Profession he vowed Poverty, Chas-tity, and Obedience, for three years. After those three years if he wished to continue

Patrician Novitiates 1808 to 2020 - Australia

as a Patrician he took his vows for life: Perpetual/Final Profession. (Today vows are usually renewed annually for a pe-riod of at least five years before Final Profession.)You may have guessed it: these sig-nificant changes took place because in 1888 the Patricians gained Temporary Papal Approbation and things started to change. But we will not go into that here.Of the three ‘89ers only one persevered to Final Profession: Cuthbert Corbish-ley, he died a Patrician in 1921 at the age of sixty-seven. Anthony Vial chose an-other path, we know not what path, and Aloysius O’Leary died a Patrician less than twelve months after he made his profession. There was not another First

Profession of an New South Welsh-man until 1897, and he was the first New South Welshman to make his Final Profession as a Patrician: Alphonsus Eviston.That is quite a long introduction into the history of the Patrician novitiate in New South Wales. In short it is stating that as in Ireland and India it took some years before there was a

central novitiate where everyone went to train for at least twelve months, post

postulancy, to be a Patrician.The records indicate that while Anthony Vial made his Temporary Profession in 1889 he actually began his association with the Brothers in October of 1884 at Goulburn the very same year the Brothers arrived at Goulburn. So the Brothers wasted no time in accepting the locals for Patrician ministry.

Perhaps present at the three professions mentioned above was the Congrega-tion’s first Superior General (now Con-gregation Leader): Br Alphonsus Delany. Yes, just one e, and isn’t it appropri-ate it should be a Delany - and another Alphonsus. He arrived in New South Wales in May 1889 for an eighteen-month visit and this visit and his three-and-a-half year visit starting in 1895 very much shaped Patrician history in the colony, but we cannot go into that here.

We presume this to be the very first photo of a group of Australian novices: Croagh

Patrick, 1924, Laurence Davies, Ignatius Barrett, and

Vincent Fordham.

Br Alphonsus Delany


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Patrician Novitiates 1808 to 2020 - Australia (cont.)

The Brothers had been in Orange since 1890 before purchasing Croagh Patrick living in cramped accommodation in March Street.For over twelve years Croagh Patrick was the central novitiate, but for very unfortunate reasons, which we cannot go into here, the Brothers vacated Croagh Patrick in December 1927. The search began again for place to call our novitiate. In 1929 a large house was purchased in the well-heeled Sydney suburb of Wahroonga. However, it was not until 1936 that Wahroonga had its first First Professions.Over the next twenty-seven years (1936 – 1963) twenty-six made

their First Profession from Wahroonga. In May 1963 the novitiate was moved to the country town of Narel-lan sixty-five kilometres south-east of Sydney’s CBD.Over the next seventeen years (1963 – 1980) forty young men completed their novitiate at Narellan, the first Raymund Eves and Chrysostom Quinn, the last Michael Luff. And, of course, while forty young men completed their novitiate quite a few others chose an-other path along the way – around fourteen others. There were two groups of eight novices, one in 1970 and the other in 1975. Br Dominic Coates was novice master during these years.After 1980 the novitiate “moved” back to Wahroonga for 1986 and then to Fairfield for 1990 and a bit of 1991, and finally back to Narellan in 1993 with Br Nicholas Harsas. There has not been a novice nor novitiate since.

One of his main goals during his 1889 visit was to es-tablish a central novitiate, this was one of the catalysts for establishing Holy Cross College at Ryde. He did have his eye on a property just down the road from Holy Cross at Rydalmere but this venture did not carry through. Despite his efforts no central novitiate was established during his years in Australia. From 1901 several central novitiate attempts were made at Holy Cross, Redfern, and Bathurst, but these were all very short-lived. Despite these tenuous efforts two more Australians – Queenslanders in fact – joined the ranks: the Hannigan brothers.Some stability came in 1914 with the purchase of a large house at the country New South Wales town of Orange for £4600 and included fifty acres of land. The house became known as Croagh Patrick, named after Croagh (hill) Patrick in County Mayo, Ireland.

The Brothers bought Croagh Patrick in 1914 and remained until 1927. The building still stands today. It remains a place of learning.

Novices and Brothers of the Wahroonga house, 1959 Novices of Narellan, 1970

DECEMBER 2020

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Patrician Novitiates 1808 to 2020 - Australia (cont.)

You might be able to “guess” who was the first Aus-tralian-born novice master. Yes, it was Alphonsus Eviston. He was appointed novice master in 1915 at Croagh Patrick. He was, at the same time, principal of the Brothers’ primary school on Byng Street. Al-phonsus was also the first Australian to make his Final Profession (1901), to be a community leader (Orange, 1906 – 1908), to be on the Provincial Council (1919 – 1925), and the first Australian to attend a General Chapter (1919). He was again novice master at Wah-roonga from 1947 to 1950 mentoring such Patricians as Brothers Celestine Mulhall, Benedict Olsen, and Patrick Lovegrove. Brother Patrick says of Alphonsus that he was a gentle, spiritual, and prayerful man.

Novice masters to follow were Aloysius Hannigan (A), Serenus Quann (I), Joseph Tierney (A), Malachy Corbett (I), DeSales Gilbert (I), Domenic Coates (A), Peter Ryan (A), and Len Blahut (A).From 1884 to 2020 132 young men passed through the Patrician novitiate system in Australia, some in various locations around country New South Wales, some in Ryde or Redfern, some in Orange, others in Wahroonga, Narellan, and Fairfield. There were also juniors and postulants, but that is another story.The novitiate story for Papua New Guinea will appear next year. From the first PNG novitiate in 1987 to 2020 there have been thirty-two novices. p

The Miraculous Little Statue of MarySome years ago, we are not too sure how many years ago, but more than several, a little white and blue statue of Mary appeared out of nowhere in front of the grave headstone of Br Macartan Ryan at the Field of Mars, Ryde. And, it is still there!

Despite wind, and we get some strong winds at Ryde; despite hail, hail as large as large green peas; despite the possibility of dogs being walked and fetching the statue; and someone taking a fancy to the statue and fetching it for themselves; despite all the possibilities of the little, fragile statue being damaged or taken, it still holds its post in front of Macartan.

It is not blue-tacked, taped, weighted, or glued to the spot, but it does have a few pebbles around its base to secure it just a tad. But a toddler’s sneeze could dislodge it. So, how has it survived these several years without being toppled and without any apparent damage? No, it has never been seen to move of its own accord, nor are there any signs of blood seeping from its eyes or chest. It is just that after several years it is still there.

Did some members of the Ryan family from Ireland visit the Macartan’s grave and place the statue there? Or did someone also unknown place the statue for all the Brothers buried at the Field of Mars? Macartan’s headstone is the sixth headstone of eleven: right in the middle.

It seems that like most miraculous things there are more questions than answers.May the little statue of Mary hold its ground for many years to come. p

The Novitiate at Narellan, NSW, as it was in the early 1970s. Here you can see the main house at the centre with the brick Chapel adjacent and behind the Chapel the novitiate wing. The white building towards the top dated back to the late 1800s. Today Magdalene College stands on the site. Some of original buildings are still used by the school.


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California News

Renewal of VowsBr. Thomas Weldon renewed his vows during the Vespers on Friday 9th October in the Novitiate chapel. The community’s tradition of having a re-newal mass was not possible this year due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Br. Joseph Anoop received the vows and Br. Aquinas Cassin and Br. Philip Shepler signed as witnesses. Below is Br. Thomas’ report on his scholasticate year:Over the past several months I participated in two graduate level classes in theology and spiritual-ity through Catholic Distance University (CDU). CDU began in 1983 as the Catholic Home Study Institute, later in 1996 changing to CDU as the school expanded to include a Master of Arts in Theology program. It now serves students in all 50 states of the United States and in 60 countries around the world.

The first course I took, a basic course in the history of Catholic theology, covered the entire history of theology in the Church. This included not only Catholic Church history but developments in the Protestant and other branches as well. The second class was on the history and development of the sacraments. This included doing a short paper on the experience of a rite within the Church that was not our own. This was somewhat limited by Covid restrictions, forcing many to watch a chosen rite online. In my case I chose the Syro-Malabar rite, which is from India, as I had visited such a church during my time there and have on several occasions attended a Syro-Malabar church in Los Angeles.

Both courses were eight weeks in length and involved an intense commitment to studying up to five hours per day. This is not a program for people with already have busy schedules. They consisted of a series of lectures, as well as online examinations, papers, and graded text-based communication and participation in discussions between students and with the professor.

Online distance learning can be highly challenging for some due to the compression of the time daily required and the volume of material to be covered. But for those who are up to the commitment, be it with CDU or another online university, a commitment to it during these times can be a rich and spiritually rewarding experience. p

New Aspirant

The Brothers in California welcomed Stephen Reyes as an aspirant in July. He has been discerning with the community and decided to live in the novi-tiate to closely experience the Patrician brotherhood. He grew up in Los An-geles and graduated from Bishop Amat Memorial High School. Moving to New York, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy with a minor in Information Technology from St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights. His encounter with Franciscan Brothers at the college inspired him to become a Brother. Desiring to be closer to his parents and extended family, Stephen moved back to Southern California. Presently he works as a histotechnician at Neogeonomics Laboratories in Orange County. He works night shifts and joins the community for meals, morning prayers, vespers, and compline. Please keep him in your prayers as he discerns his vocation to Patrician brotherhood more closely in the coming years. p

L-R: Br Aquinas Cassin, Br Thomas Weldon, Br Philip Shepler, Br Joseph Anoop

DECEMBER 2020

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California News (cont.)

The Retreat Senior Apartments Update Affiliate Dr. Ronald Knowles reports:

After eleven long years working with the apartment project, the units may finally be ready for occupancy by the end of November. The Brothers evaluated four developers and their financial arrangements. A ground lease was signed with Midway Capital Partners in 2015. A project that may have taken one month ten years ago, now takes three to four months to complete at three times the cost.After many delays, ground was broken in late 2019. Winter rain and numerous regulations stalled the project dur-ing 2020. It seemed that just as people would be allowed to move in, another delay occurred. The Edison Electric Company was late in making final connections due to Covid restrictions in California. The elevators needed a final inspection, and this caused a three-week delay in September. The California Code of Regulations (CCR) are designed to comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. There are specific ADA inspectors for construction projects in Orange County. As an example: To meet ADA guidelines, bathroom sinks should not be mounted higher than 34 inches from the floor, and they should have a knee clearance of 27 inches high, 30 inches wide, and 11 to 25 inches deep. The apartment project had 12 of 88 apartments designed to be ADA compliant, but a new inspector wanted ALL of the units to be able to convert to ADA specifications. This complication now seems to be resolved.

>> Continued next page. <<

Midway City Campus Landscaping PlanIn conjunction with the construction of the senior apartments in the backyard, several much-needed renovations in the novitiate campus were also completed. The chapel and sunroom roofs were newly installed. The exterior of historic hacienda building, and all the buildings were painted anew that matches the senior apartment color. All these projects were made possible by the careful financial planning by Br. Aquinas and Br. Philip over the years and by the careful vetting and selection of contractors by our affiliates Louis Podesta and Ronald Knowles. The next major item is the landscaping of the campus which is a spiritual home of many prayer groups. Here is a designer’s concept drawing of the plan under consideration based on Brothers’ inputs. p

Looking south at the apartments at the rear of the Brothers’ property, that land once the Brothers’ and gophers’ playing fields.. The building to the left is the novitiate Chapel.

Thank you to the Brothers and to Dr Knowles and Mr Stephen Reyes for these updates. And if you haven’t been there before: https://brothersofstpatrick.com

https://brothersofstpatrick.com


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The Retreat Senior Apartments: Project CompletedThe Retreat – “It Would Make a Lovely Monastery!”1

For what seems a few decades the Brothers at the St Patrick’s Novitiate, Midway City, Los Angeles, have been striving to bring into being a building project on their property which would provide a long-term source of income for the Patrician community.

That project is now very close to completion and hope-fully will soon be open for inspection.

The website of “The Retreat at Midway City” states: The Retreat at Midway City is the new apartment com-munity in the heart of Orange County, California for active seniors aged 62+. Offering lock-leave-and-live simplicity and a boutique resort lifestyle, apartment homes include studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom plans …

You can see from the photos and video (https://youtu.be/zIO4jm7Ar0A)2 that it is built in the Hacineda/Spanish

1 This was a statement often made by a famous Brother when he saw a house he liked.

2 Please note that while the photographs are professionally taken the video is Patrician made and is not meant for public viewing.

stye which reflects the history of the area as well as the Ha-cienda style of the main house of the Patrician Novitiate precinct.

Blood, sweat, and tears, have been poured into this project, and at times it seemed that they were trying to make bricks without straw. The very high tower of lever arch folders - twin towers in fact – clear evidence of the meetings, cor-respondence, and legal and financial headaches, which have had to transpire to get the job done.

The Patrician forces pushing the project along have been Brothers Aquinas Cassin, Philip Shepler, and Patrician Affiliates Dr Ronn Knowles and Mr Lou Podesta. We congratulate them, and all those offered a help-ing hand and mind along the long way, for their vision and perseverance.

Now, where do we apply?

Photos provided by David DiRienzo, Managing Director, Retreat Senior Living

https://youtu.be/zIO4jm7Ar0A

https://youtu.be/zIO4jm7Ar0A

DECEMBER 2020

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My Covid-19 Experience - Br Ramesh Amalanathan

It is quite unfortunate that I have bagged the dubious title of becom-ing the first Patrician Brother to havecontracted the coronavirus in India, and am not sure if such a dis-tinction chases me among the Patri-cian fraternity all over the world.

I tested positive for the infamous Covid-19 on the 28th of August. Ever since, I have been through the rigors of testing and quarantine, and have recovered very well by the abundant grace of the Lord. Today, I am fit as a fiddle and have resumed my duties.

The journey, however, has been one worth penning. Bogged down with the question as to how I had con-tracted the deadly virus despite following all precau-tions, baffles me the most even today. Having gone with Bro. Arokiaraj to pay due respects and condolenc-es to his bereaving family members, who had lost his father on the 23rd of August, Br. Thomas and I had met the brothers at Patrick Nilayam, the family members of Br. Arokiaraj, my ailing parents as well as the broth-ers at Dindigul before we returned to our residence in Chennai.

The morning of 26th August was as normal as any oth-er day. I had resumed work in full swing and had meet-ings with a few parents. As the day progressed, I felt a severe backache and the following day it was accom-panied by a bad headache. Attributing it to the strain of the journey, I treated myself to a significant amount of rest. On the 27th of August, I was with the rest of the Brothers as we hosted a birthday meal for our dear par-ish priest, Fr. Jacob. I bounced back to work on Friday the 28th of August.

All seemed normal, yet something within me was stir-ring me to take the Covid-19 test (RT-PCR). When I shared my anxiety with Br. Thomas, he promptly ar-ranged for the testing to be done at St. Michael’s Infir-mary. We both gave our samples through the swab test. As we waited, the terrible news arrived. I was declared COVID positive while Bro. Thomas came through clean.

The result sent shivers down the spine not only to me but also to the brothers with whom I was in contact all through! Despite staying near the community members, it is quite puzzling to know how the virus had

singled me out to be its victim. I am ever grateful to God for shield-ing the Brothers of the Community from the vicious virus.

Almost immediately my quarantine period began. I shut myself in isola-

tion and marked my calendar as day 1 of quarantine began. My numero uno question: How did I....? Why me....? Is this real? ... As my mind raced and paced and struggled to grapple with my condition, the Chennai Corporation authorities got wind of the news and came knocking on the door to verify the lack of information they had on my health condition. I provided them with sufficient details and assured them that I was taking treatment at a private medical facility. The frequent phone calls from them made me also to feel so weird about the condition that I was in.

Having placed my faith in His care, I began a journey...a unique journey...spending my time alone. My immedi-ate needs such as food and other essentials were metic-ulously taken care of by the brothers in the residence. All deliveries were transacted with the utmost care and rinsed in the hope that ‘We shall overcome someday’.

On the third day of my quarantine, I underwent a CT scan of my chest at the nearby Fortis Malar Hospital.

My scan report came clean and the Oximeter read-ing stood at 99% (SPO2). All other vital parameters were in such pristine condition that it made the doctors even doubt the initial test report! Nevertheless, I was advised home quarantine as was the case for asymp-tomatic cases.

Relieved and filled with gratitude to the One who saw me through in my isolated hour, I returned to the resi-dence... only to fall on my knees and thank God for the miracle He had already begun doing in me.

Br Ramesh is the Principal of St Patrick’s Higher Secondary School, Adyar, a suburb of south Chennai. At the time of the publication of this newsletter he is the third Patrician to contract covid, all three members of our India-Ghana Province.


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My Covid-19 Experience (cont.)

Brothers, I fall short of words to explain to you the un-speakable joy that filled my heart. My hope rose, and I was confident that I will walk out victoriously after completing the quarantine period.

My days were spent reading, watching web series, and taking plenty of rest. My mornings and evenings were spent in prayers on the terrace when no one accesses. On day 11, I was scheduled for another test.

The test report was still positive for COVID, but the viral load (CT values) had come down drastically and the doctor assured that it would turn negative within four days.

I ran the last leg of quarantine in greater dependency on God. My heart ran out more for the less privileged and the less fortunate. As my focus shifted from off myself, it seemed the healing came even faster! On day 16 of my quarantine, my test results turned negative. There wasn’t a hint of a health complication through-out the recovering period.

This virus indeed is exhibiting different symptoms to different people and I wonder if that is why it is called ‘novel coronavirus’ and by the fact that none of whom I was in touch with to date has contracted the virus, authenticates its ‘novel’ in nature.

The happy atmosphere in the residence was back again. Throughout the days of my isolation, the com-munity brothers showed their love, empathy, and sup-port through phone calls. Every day I was asked what

I would like to eat. It was as though, I was the apple of their eye!My nightmare may be over. But the stigma attached to COVID -19 sufferers makes one feel like having jumped out of the freezer into the frying pan! The embarrassment of being seen as ‘unclean’, if not told explicitly, there are the expressions that seemingly scream, ‘stay away from me’, ‘don’t touch this’, ‘ask him to be there only’…etc. are all evils greater than the coronavirus itself. If not for bravery like that of St. Francis of Assisi, who knowing full well he can be consumed, yet willingly nursed and tended to the lep-rosy patients and succumbed to the disease later, then at the least extend sympathy and let these warriors be.Having trodden this path, I know that such humiliation scars deeper than the lash.Some people, like me, contract the coronavirus that has no symptoms, others can be highly contagious and pose real danger. It is hard to draw definite lessons from anecdotal evidence. Statistically, the chances of infection via fomites might be low, but it’s still a pos-sibility. So... hail the mask, the social distancing, and the washing of hands to blunt the spread of the disease. Commit yourself to best-practice routines that keep the odds in your favor.Above all... trust wholeheartedly in the Lord who has power over all things. You will never be disappointed.The world has withstood the worst times in the past. Let us hope and pray that this too will pass away. p

Delany Academy, Dormaa, & CovidIn the September issue of the India-Gha-na bulletin is a report on the affects of the covid virus on the senior class of Delany Academy College at Dormaa, Ghana. The photo shows Brothers Thomas, Patrick, and Antony, with the graduating class of 2020. A student reports:

... students who once camped at school then came from home. Our temperatureswere recorded daily and protocols were duly observed. As a measure to control the

situation, we were divided into two classes. Due to the harmful effects of the disease, classes were held for four hours. Our contact with one another at school was minimized. Our method of learning also varied a little. Under no circumstances were students or the staff allowed to go to class without masks.Our final examination was also postponed owing to the disease.... p

DECEMBER 2020

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The Delany Foundation is one of the legacies of the bicentennial celebrations in 2008. It is Sydney-based and a registered not-for-profit charity which aims to improve the human and spiritual condition of young people in those areas where the Patricians have mis-sions especially Kenya, Papua New Guinea, and Ghana.Over 2020 there have been several fundraising activities involving the Patrician-linked colleges in Sydney: Holy Cross College, Ryde; All Saints College, Liverpool; Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown; Delany College, Granville; and Patrician Brothers College, Fairfield. These activities include such events as can-collecting, beard shaving, cafe coffees, and the Patrician Golf Day. The golf day, organised by Patrician Brothers, Fairfield, was held on the 9th October. It raised over $14,000.At the moment the Brothers’ missions in Kenya are the principal beneficiaries of the Delany Foundation. The Brothers administer four schools in the Eldoret area, both primary and secondary, three of the four school are co-educational. The Brothers also have projects in the Kenyan capital Nairobi assisting homeless chil-dren. Schools in Kenya do not receive government financial support.Three of the four schools are well-established but still need assistance with maintenance and the paying of staff wages. The Brothers most recent school, Saint Pat-rick’s Boys High School, Kabongo, is still being built. With students enrolling the school needs another dormi-tory and the beds to go into it. It needs classrooms and toilet facilities. Etc.The Delany Foundation aims to raise at least $40,000 to make these projects possible. Donations can be made via its website: http://www.delanyfoundation.org.au/index.htmlYou can also Twitter:https://twitter.com/delanyfound?lang=enYou can also YouTube a video:https://youtu.be/RXygZ9lqmOoYou can read the latest AGM report:https://www.dropbox.com/s/setndv1760pa1pu/Dela-ny%20Foundation%20Report%201020.pdf?dl=0Thank you to the Delany Foundation board - Brothers Paul O’Keeffe, Aengus Kavanagh, Domenic Xuereb, and Thomas Rice; and Mr Peter Wade, Dr Michael Krawec, Dr Zachariah Duke, Mr Patrick Elliott, and Mrs Nita Faga - for the many hours they donate to the foun-dation in all sorts of ways. And thank you to all those who have made donations - some very substantial - over the years.p

Delany Foundation 2020

Part of the golf day gathering.

Teachers donating their beards at Holy Cross

Hot beverages at Blacktown Pats

A can-do attitude at Fairfield Pats

http://www.delanyfoundation.org.au/index.html

http://twitter.com/delanyfound?lang=en

https://youtu.be/RXygZ9lqmOo

https://www.dropbox.com/s/setndv1760pa1pu/Delany%20Foundation%20Report%201020.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/setndv1760pa1pu/Delany%20Foundation%20Report%201020.pdf?dl=0


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As all our readers know the Brothers have been based in Papua New Guinea since 1968, yes fifty-four years in January 2021. The first pioneers were Brothers Charles Barry and Gabriel McCluskie. “first pioneers” because much pioneering took place over many years to come. Anyone who knows something of the story knows what is meant.

Most of us know something about the Brothers in Aitape and the Brothers in Nuku/Walamu and perhaps the Brothers in Laingim and maybe even the Brothers in Wewak. But what do you know about the Brothers in Lumi? Yes, Lumi. All these places are in the Sepik River region, the provinces once known as the West Sepik (Aitape, Walamu, Laingim) and East Sepik (We-wak). Do you know which province Lumi is in? It's Sundaun Province which was once the West Sepik.

Lumi is just over the hills from the coastal town of Aitape. About fifty kilometres (30 miles) nearly due south as the cassawory flies. You can actually Google Earth it: “Lumi, Papua New Guinea." The deforested area you see to the rightish is the school area and the large deforested area above is the airstip and “town”.

The Patricians Br Charles Barry and David Sullivan were invited to administer the school from 1989 to 1992 in an attempt to bring harmony and academic im-provement to the school which was pretty run down. But let’s allow Br Charles himself to tell the story.

Concern was expressed in both mission and govern-ment circles about the poor state of the government agency high school at Lumi where not only were their results abysmal but morale was very low. Visiting an-thropologists maintained that the Wapi people (generic

Patricians in Lumi?

name for people of the area) were still at the hunting and gathering stage of development, as opposed to the Nukus who were good gardeners and more industrious generally. As previously mentioned a World Health re-port (U.N.) in the 60s listed Lumi babies as the world’s smallest. The lack of protein in their diet and the prev-alence of malaria were the culprits.

In an unusual move, Brothers Charles Barry and Da-vid Sullivan, mission personnel, took over the admin-istration of the government school and got an extraor-

dinarily good reception. The Wapis were by far the biggest Catholic group in the diocese but there were other Christian adherents also in the area.

Even though the land had been leased and paid for by the gov-ernment, one major village group held the school to ransom and insisted that their “big man”

be chairman of the Board of Governors. He forbade gravel to be taken from the local river and would not allow the students to wash in it. He had to be handled with care and apart from being the village sorcerer, he had charisma and many wives. [Photo: Lumi school crest.]

Low morale among staff and students was a major concern and this was a result of lax administration and a lack of commitment by some senior staff. Having set some short term and long term goals and getting great support from the local mission and the government, as well as from Patrician sources, attitudes began to change and visible signs of progress began to appear.

Brothers Charles Barry & David Sullivan in the 80s

DECEMBER 2020

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At that time all PNG schools had a one-and-a-half hour work parade daily and the efficacy and organ-isation of which were a great indication of the spirit within a school and we got on top of that quite quickly.

Br David and Sr Rosella MFIC were responsible for much of the rapid progress that was becoming very evident and the self-esteem of the students was greatly enhanced as they felt empowered. Social, cultural, re-ligious and sporting events were organised within the school and local villagers were welcome in. In the past no outsiders could come in, even for medical treat-ment, unless for a very special reason.

Being a government agency school, Charles was on a contract wage for four years (1989-92) which was five times what he would get in a mission school. The extra cash was channeled towards formation and the project on Bishop’s Hill .

As mentioned previously the relatively dense popula-tion of the Lumi had major medical problems and the majority of children suffered from anaemia, due to protein deficiency, which often caused lethargy. The usual tropical ailments like scabies, ulcers, respiratory diseases and of course malaria, also took their toll. We had local nurses come in to train the staff and the school girls in the administration of medication, which mainly came free from Australia.

For years Lumi high school had filled one of the bottom three places in the country out of eighty odd high schools. After two years we had reached the top fifty and continued rising each year. Self-belief, motivation, confidence and a good dose of affirmation are the essential ingredients to extract the best from children.

Personally my four years behind the Torricelli range at Lumi were the most fulfilling of all my missionary endeavours. The camaraderie among staff, stu-dents, other missionaries and villagers was something special. Events else-where among the Patrician group precluded our staying longer in Lumi and the local extended community gave us a wonderful send off.

This is an extract from an eight-page PNG history written by Brother Charles himself. The full version can be downloaded for a while (350kb):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pp9nhlwlww0hj48/Charles%20Barry%20PNG%20History.pdf?dl=0

Br Charles has also written a book on his PNG reminiscences you might like to read (41Mb):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz3cllljxmkutxe/Barry%20PNG%20Sto-ries%20Reminiscences.pdf?dl=0 p

Patricians in Lumi? (cont.)

Lumi High - Politicians speaking and Charles (second from left) listening.

A school uniform was introduced to help with morale.



https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz3cllljxmkutxe/Barry%20PNG%20Stories%20Reminiscences.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz3cllljxmkutxe/Barry%20PNG%20Stories%20Reminiscences.pdf?dl=0


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This story/recipe has been contributed by Br Paul O’Keeffe who is no stranger indeed to the way of life in Papua New Guinea with a total of ten years minster-ing in the country as school teacher (1976 - 1981) and Novice Director (2007 - 2010).Paul made his First Profession in 1972 and in 1976 found himself as English Co-ordinator at St Ignatius High School, Aitape, West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. This was a Year 7 to 10 co-ed boarding school. In Patrician community with him were Broth-ers Charles Barry, Gerard Bulfin, and Michael Vella.It was all so new to him then and his letters home were many pages with many details.You might like to try this way of cooking your meat during the Christmas break, you will certainly work up an appetite or be far too tired to eat anything by the time the meal is ready.

I wonder how many of you have heard of the word “mumu”? It’s a Pidgin English word and it is used to describe a method of cooking for a very large num-ber of people. At St Ignatius High School Aitape, in my first stint teaching there, from time to time we had mumus usually to celebrate a special event. I hope the description and the pictures help you understand what was involved. Much work goes into a mumu and this makes the feasting even better.A hole is the first thing to be dug. In many ways it re-sembles a matmat (grave) as it is very deep. Once the hole is ready, stage two is set in motion. This involved heading to a river that for us was the Yalingi at Pes some 1-hour drive away. Our task when we got there was to collect as many large river stones as we could without damaging the truck. The stones had to be the type that could withstand the fire they were thrown into to heat them. Once they got back to the school a huge bonfire was erected to ‘cook’ the stones. When the fire burnt down the stones had to be taken out and put into the prepared hole.

In the meantime the girls were tasked with preparing the food by wrapping kaukau (sweet potato), taro and yams and any other root vegetables we could find in banana leaves. Other food parcels containing abus (meat such as pig or chicken) were also prepared and ready to be placed in the mumu pit.

Once the stones had been placed in the pit the food parcels (enough to feed some 400 plus students and staff) were also placed in the pit and finally covered

A Blast from the Past (1978): The Way of the Mumu - by Br Paul O’Keeffe (PL - Aus & PNG)

with hessian bags and kappa (tin) and then covered in dirt and left for quite a few hours to cook.

This all sounds fairly simple doesn’t it? Well, not re-ally as it took most of the day to organise although I seem to remember heading to Pes the day before for rocks meaning they were on hand the next morning.

I must say it was always good to take part in this type of activity and the students really loved it because they knew that at the end of it all there was a feast of food waiting. This army marched on it’s stomach I can tell you. p

Mr Frank Evans (centre), principal of the school at this time (1978), and Br Gerard Bulfin (right) overseeing the ‘burying’ of the abus packages in the matmat. Now they wait.

The girls prepare the leaves to wrap the meat in and the boys down at the Yalingu River collecting suitable stones.

DECEMBER 2020

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I vividly remember 2015. It was a wonderful year after I had settled in Nairobi. After joining Kwetu Home of Peace as among the staff, my focus was to at least transform the youth especially the former street boys. Remember after my Diploma graduation, it looked like I had nothing productive to do in communities. I was living in Kapsoya, working in the Eldoret Children Department as a Volunteer Children Officer (VCO). Many thanks to Brothers James Onunda and Placido Kaburu who agreed to transfer me to Riruta commu-nity.Long before, like any other new Nairobian, I had a mistaken perception about the street children. I saw them like bandits, pick-pocketers, thieves and associ-ates of any city evils. The game started and when the car wash project was established with the intention of uniting the former ‘rehabilities,’ a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. We took the boys through pe-riodical trainings in project management and sustain-ability. I invited people like Dr. Joan Gidhae an entre-preneur among other experts in project management and sustainability. The efforts put in, the investment

Car Wash Project - A Tour De Force - by Br James Nyongesa, Kenya

and time enabled these Mukuru Kayaba slum dwellers to sustain the project to date.As we talk today, the car wash is still in operation. The beneficiaries have used the earnings to venture into other projects as a source of income. The rate of crime in the slum according to the area chief who has been of great support has gone down. Before, at least three youth were killed through mob injustice or gunned down by the police. Today, the week ends without recording such cases. Rape cases, robbery and commercial sex have reduced by 70%. This is accord-ing to the reports by the area OCS-Officer Command-ing the Station and the Chief.Today, Br. Polycap and I did an impromptu visit and we were astonished with the further progress of the boys. The car wash has supported other projects. You can’t imagine how creative these boys who don’t have enough space can utilize the most unimaginable space they get. We were quite impressed. As Patrician Brothers, we may not be able change the whole world, but we can change the world of one man. p

Car wash in Nairobi in Car wash in Nairobi in 2018

The Chicken project is the car wash twig.

Jacob Nyamae (wearing apron) is now the manager. Considered useless in the society before 2015. He is now married with two children.

The photo shows Br. Polycap holding a chicken as a gift-kurudisha mkono. The wife to Jacob smiling and thanking God.

Seed Funding for the Car Wash came from

The Delany Foundation


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In the Words of Bishop DelanyThe following is an extract from a 1792 letter Bishop Delany sent to his Archbishop John Troy of Dublin. Bishop Delany had the perennial problem of having enough priests for his diocese. His Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin in 1800 had forty-three parishes and forty-two priests so perhaps things were not too desperate. In this letter we see he has been able to procure two priests from Dr/Bishop James Caulfield’s Diocese of Ferns. We see his very sympathetic side as he deals with Mr/Fr Coghlan - clerical titles were next-to-never used dur-ing the Penal years - believing country parish work would be too much for him without a horse. And then we see the hospitable side of Bishop Delany as he invites his Archbishop to spend some restful time with him in Tullow. Troy had at first argued against Delany being made a bishop, but that was only for a moment. Delany quickly gained Troy’s respect and friendship. Troy visited Delany when Delany was on his deathbed. Did Archbishop Troy take up the invitation? We don’t know.

I saw Mr Coghlan last Friday. There were 2 vacancies in the diocese some time ago, but I had procured two of Dr Caulfield’s gentlemen to supply them. Besides, poor Mr Coghlan has got no horse & and it would be impossible for him to serve any of our country parishes on foot. I told him, if he could obtain a horse I would provide him a place. I am really overjoyed to hear of your Grace’s good health for Heaven’ s sake lay yourself out to spend a week with me the ensuring Summer. You’ll find how it will serve you to pass after all the fatigues and of your Winter distressful campaign, some time in a country retreat, quite free from all perplexing cares, all hateful noise & strife, and how happy must you render your host it is not in the power of words to tell. p

Monastery Amusing Memories – GranvilleIn the days before the Brothers were allowed television and personal radios, before the dawning of the digital era, it did happen that when the Brothers did find themselves with a few spare moments they created ways of entertaining themselves often at the expense of their confreres. Of course, some Brothers were more imaginative/mischievous than others and so their antics/exploits live on in the spoken annals of the Congregation. [Photo: Granville monastery.]This annals entry records the setting as the Granville community in the early 1960s. It was early evening and the Brothers had, in the main, settled down to preparing lessons for the next day. One Brother, whom we will call Brother Frank, not his real name, had found his way, with a broom, to the ledge which ran along the length of the monastery between the ground and first floor. Brothers, when so inclined, could easily jump from the balcony of their bedroom onto this ledge. It was in fact quite a security problem, but that’s another story. Brother Frank’s plan was simple but annoying. He would lean over the ledge and with the handle of the broom press the front doorbell and, of course, pull himself back and out of view of the unsuspecting Brother who was kind enough to answer the ring, the Brother expecting someone looking for some food or a small donation or a student who hadn’t returned home from an excursion.How the plan played out is pretty obvious. Yes, by the third false ring the Brothers inside the monastery were becoming annoyed, and suspicious. And then the monastery phone rang. It was a neighbour from across the road: “Brother, there is someone running around on the front ledge of your house. I can’t see who it is, but he seems to be carrying a long stick.” The penny dropped, and they knew it was one of their own: during the series of rings, and with Brothers coming to answer the door, it was noticed that Brother Frank had never appeared. Unaware of the phone call from the neighbour and the Brothers’ gradual awareness of his absence, Brother Frank leaned over the ledge and pressed the bell a fourth time, but this time there was no response. A fifth time, he waited, but again no response. The fun was over. So, he climbed off the ledge onto his bedroom balcony, entered his room, and found, not to his complete surprise, his confreres gathered and moving towards him. No one seemed to be smiling.

If you have a Patrician story for "Monastery Amusing Memories" please send it along even if it doesn’t take place in a monastery: [email protected]. The story needs to be nearly true but names need to be otherwise.p

DECEMBER 2020

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In Case You Were Wondering - Holy Cross CollegeThe 14th September is the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and on that day Holy Cross College, Ryde, celebrates its name day. Holy Cross has two major stages in its early years: when it was located on the southern side of Victoria Road (1891 - 1897) and when it was located on the northern side of Victoria Rd (1898 >> ), just across the road in fact.In an 1898 article of the early history of the college the Cath-olic newspaper The Freeman’s Journal referred to the south-ern college as “the St Charles’ school”. This would have been because the building was known as St Charles’ Villa. But it makes one wonder if the college was then known as St Charles School and that the name Holy Cross College came later such as when the new college building was opened in 1898 across the road.But no. In a December 1891 issue of The Freeman’s Journal the school is referred to as Holy Cross College. So, the name was there from the very beginning in case you were wonder-ing. p The Freeman’s Journal, 5th December, 1891

Nearly the Original Holy Cross CollegeAs reported some years ago (The Breastplate, September, 2012) Holy Cross was originally to be built on the banks of Parramatta River, Dundas, about five kilometres due west of where it stands today. Money was paid, £550 in fact (to-day c.$70,000), but the deal fell through - £400 only was reimbursed.Below you can see the 1889 design for the Dundas version of the college as created by Joseph Ignatius Sheerin and Jack Hennessy who were the architects of many very fine Catholic buildings in Sydney including St Patrick’s Semi-nary, Manly, and St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill. Had it

been built it would have been the finest Patrician building of the 19th century, maybe ever built.Joseph Ignatius Sheerin went on to be the architect of the Holy Cross building which now stands at Ryde on the kerb of Victoria Road. His original design was just as grand as the Dundas version but it had to be whittled back due to financial restraints. But certainly the 1898 Holy Cross Col-lege building remains, arguably, the finest Patrician built edifice in the Congregation. See: https://dictionaryofsydney.org/organisation/sheerin_hennessyhttps://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.


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Patrician BitsIt’s Another OBE! - SydneyWe’ve had a lot of birthdays in the Congregation this year. In fact, by the end of the year there will have been 168 of them! All these annual milestones are significant but some are more significiant than others. Three Brothers cel-ebrated 90 years and more over the year, seventeen Brothers celebrated being in their 80s. One Brother turned 60 in 2020 and another Brother turned 50, and three turned forty. And one Brother turned 21. (You might be interested to know that the average age in the Congregation is around 51.1314532.)The most populated age group in our Congregation are the forty-somethings: there are thirty-three of them. The second least populated, surprisingly, is the sixty-somethings with sixteen members. Then come those who are in their eighth decade of life: as stated there are seventeen who have reached that mile-stone. At the time of writing, the most recent to become an octogenarian is Br Philip Mulhall - Br Benedict Mavelil’s 80th just days away, Br Paul Brennan many months ago. To mark this occasion the Brothers and members of Philip’s fam-ily gathered at Delany Place. Just a small gathering because of covid - there could have been many more: Philip has a very large family - but it’s the thought that counts. It was a bit unclear whether it was a Patrician or Mulhall organised birthday party but it didn’t matter. Thank you to the many who contributed in any way to the event, those who cleaned the facilities, those who provided and cooked the meat, those who provided Phil with his just desserts, thanks to the cake decorator, and thanks to all who were there.Over his sixty-one years as a Patrician Philip has done it all: teacher, principal, ministry in PNG, Provincial, Vicar General, and Superior General. He was the first to obtain a Masters in Psychology (1973); he was a Catholic Education Office consultant for seven years; and he was a trail-blazer in the development and procedures of Professional Standards in New South Wales.So, happy birthday, Phil. So, now we know you are strong (Ps 90:10), but we have always known that. And good news, Isaiah promises you at least another twenty years (65:20), and there is even the possibility of another forty good years (Gen. 6:3).And happy birthday to all who celebrated birthdays this year!p

News of Another “Birthday”You may have noticed on the cover of this newsletter, at the topish left-hand corner, it says “Number 40”.1 Yes, this is the fortieth edition of the Congregation newsletter since the current editor was so installed at the 2010 General Chapter.The first reference to a congregational newsletter that has been found in the General Chapter documents was in 1986 (Choose Life, 3.13). The late Br James Murphy of the Irish Province was for some years the editor-in-chief between the years 1986 and 2010.Each of the Provinces - Ireland, India, and Australia-PNG - have had and still have, in the case of Ireland, newsletters of their own in different shapes, sizes, approaches, and audiences.2 The Australian Province seems to have produced its first Province newsletter in March 1969. Over the years it has had several names: Sidere ..., Ausspel, and The Breastplate. [Image: cover of the first newsletter of the decade about to end.]So, getting back to the “birthday boy”, forty near-consecutive editions is something to be noted. In case you are wondering forty editions translates into approximately 790 pages - the final total depends on the size of this issue. Many would say that reach-ing forty is the beginning of your prime years, may it be so with this newsletter, but that will depend on the next editor-in-chief.A very big thank you to the many Brothers and friends who have contributed words and photos over the years. Your support is primarily what has kept this newsletter going. p

1 Yes, so did the previous newsletter, but that was in error. That newsletter also gave the month as “December”. Did you noticed? The editor was a bit ahead of himself.

2 At the moment the India-Ghana Province has a Patrika bulletin instead of a newsletter. The last edition of the Aus-PNG newsletter The Breast-plate was September 2013.

DECEMBER 2020

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Patrician Bits (cont.)The Brother Patrick Lovegrove Cup - Sydney

As you can tell from the photo this is a cricket “Cup” and it is the second year that the competition has been running.It is played just down the road from Holy Cross on ovals that would be at home in any English village. Note the picket fence. Br Patrick en-joyed the day immensely and at the dinner table that night gave an Alan McGilvray account of the match, his finger substituting for the pencil (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys4gI9371As).

Below we have an extract from the account of the day given in the Blacktown college newsletter. It states that Br Patrick was principal of the college for seventeen years, 1989 to 2005 to give the actual years. And that was after he had been Congregation Leader (1980 - 1986), Aus-PNG Provincial (1968 - 1980), Holy Cross principal (1966 - 1968), Blacktown principal (1963 - 1965), Mt Carmel principal (1957 - 1959), just to mention some highlight features of his CV. How has he fitted all that in? Well, this year he celebrated his seventieth year as a Patrician!

The cricket season started with a bang on Thursday 15 October with the Brother Patrick Lovegrove Cup.

This trophy is fiercely contested between our fellow Patrician school, Holy Cross College Ryde. The trophy honours Brother Patrick Lovegrove who was principal at Blacktown for over 17 years ...

We were very fortunate to have the legendary Brother Pat in attendance to present the trophy at the end of the game. Unfortu-nately, the trophy went home with Ryde.

Many thanks to the school communities of both Patrician Brothers Blacktown and Holy Cross College Ryde for what continues to be a wonderful day of cricket filled with skill and sportsmanship.p

The Boomerang Books - SydneyThe first Congregation Leader of the Patrician Brothers was Br Alphonsus Mi-chael Delany - how serendipitous his family name was “Delany” and spelt with only one “e”. Br Alphonsus visited the Brothers in New South Wales from May 1889 to December 1890, his primary hope was to establish a novitiate. He came close but did not succeed. That history already covered in this newsletter.

When it came time for him to take his leave of the community of Brothers in Bathurst (September 1890) he was given a gift of a three-volume work titled Picturesque Atlas of Australasia published in Sydney in 1886 - 1888. It sold 50,000 copies, the population in Australia at the time being 3.5 million. “The seven hundred engravings on steel and wood contained in the Picturesque At-las were among the finest engravings to be found anywhere in the world at this time.” [Photo: the dedication page found in the front of each volume.]

So, in December 1890 Br Alphonsus left Sydney with his three volumes. One would think/hope that for many months and even years the books travelled to each of the Patrician houses in Ireland where the Brothers could enjoy a virtual tour of the far off continent where so many of their fellow Patricians were car-rying on Bishop Delany’s vision of a Catholic education for all.

At some stage though it was decided by someone that the books should be sold and so in 1975 they came into the possession of Fr P.J. Murphy (1935 - 1975) of Robertstown, Co. Kildare.

Holy Cross College, Ryde, players to the left, Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown, players to the right, Br Patrick in the centre


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I Did Not Know That

It has been written about before that we have Brothers laid to rest in places now far away from any Patrician residences or schools and laid to rest we know not where. Brothers Ambrose Ryan and Lewis Hynes by themselves in country New South Wales towns of Armidale and Goulburn respective-ly. There is Br Germanus Gaffney in the town of the Taj Mahal: Agra where there has never been a Patri-cian establishment. And also from India Br Conleth Downes buried at sea on the way home. And poor young Br Phelim Maher who drowned in the Adyar River, Chennai, his body never recovered. Reported in the last edition of the Irish newsletter was Brother Ligouri Cullinane whom we believe was buried in the Mountrath cemetery with the other Mountrath Brothers but it is not known excatly where he is buried. (What a shame we do not know the burial places of Bishop Delany’s mother Elizabeth - and father and brother - nor Bishop Delany’s saint Mary Dawson.)

Did you know we have two Brothers, two very famous Brothers, buried at Lahore, Pakistan: Brothers Mat-thew Gaynor (d. 1943, he was on a health holiday in Lahore) and Macartan Keegan (d. 1941). The cememtery is named New Cemetery on Church Road, about 18 kilometres (11 miles) southish from St Anthony’s High School as the crow flies.

The school was established in 1892 and the Broth-ers took over in 1911, Br Stanislaus Bergin the first Patrician Principal, there were seventeen Patrician Principals to follow. The Brothers withdrew in 1978.

There have been two Patrician visits to Lahore since our departure: Br Jerome Ellens as Congrega-tion Leader in March 2014 (see Generalate Bulletin #86), the first visit by an Indian Brother; and Br Aengus Kavanagh giving an education seminar in 2003. In 2011, through the fundraising efforts of Br Peter Higgins, $5,000 was donated to the orphange section of St Anthony’s. So there have been contacts since departure.

Next time there’s a Patrician or two in Lahore perhaps they could visit the graves of

Matthew and Macartan ... and send a couple of photos to the Congregation archivist.

Some YouTubes you might like to view:

https://youtu.be/ROqx8KjxSTY https://youtu.be/IFPmPaeWzvshttps://youtu.be/kI5bv_xsSCo

There are others. p

Lahore 1911 Pioneers: Brothers S. Bergin, G. O’Farrell, R. O’Connell, and L. Grincell

The motto of St Anthony’s Higher School Scientia Cum Virtute very much echoing the original motto of The Bish, Galway: Sanctitas Et Scientia

In the same year Fr Murphy gave them as a gift to Colonel and Mrs Kevin O’Brien who were leaving Ireland to live in Australia. They settled at Eucha-reena a very small country town just north of Bathurst on the road to Orange, New South Wales.Br Mark Ryan relates that once Sydney Patrician archivist Br Malachy Cor-bett was an acquaintance of the O’Briens and that it seems that they gave the books to Br Malachy as a gift for the Brothers. They are now safely stored in the archives at Ryde. p

The Boomerang Books (cont.)

DECEMBER 2020

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Patrician Bits (cont.)Field of Mars Prayer Gathering! - SydneyOn the 14th November was held the twelfth (we think) annual gathering of the Brothers at the Field of Mars Cemetery, Ryde, to pray for deceased Brothers, Affiliates, family, and friends of the Brothers. This event has always been hosted by the Brothers of Ryde community. This year the Ryde community consists of Brothers Patrick Lovegrove, Aengus Kavanagh, Mark Ryan, and Stephen Sweetman. Fourteen Sydney Brothers were able to attend, just one absent due to parish commitments. Also attending was Br Philip Mulhall’s sister Marion.There are sixty-three Patricians buried in eight county towns in New South Wales, in two Sydney cemeteries, and one in Aitape, Papua New Guinean. The first, Br Malachy Dwyer, was buried in 1885, the last, Br Bernard Bulfin, in 2018. Fifteen of the sixty-three were Australian born, forty-seven were Irish, and one was Scottish. Of course, many more ministered in Australia as Patri-cians - 242 in all in fact. Several returned to Ireland and spent their final days there (sixteen). And others left the Congregation after a number of years.After the prayer at the Field of Mars all returned to the Ryde monastery - a straight-line distance of 0.88km away - for a light lunch. The Brothers took that opportunity to formally welcome Br Peter Ryan back to Sydney after his covid-affected Visitation of Kenya and Ireland. (In case you are wondering, the covid restrictions in Sydney at the time were no more “than 20 visitors at any one time”.) [Photo below: Brothers gathered at the graves with Philip's sister Marion. And here is a private video we made using the photos taken by Marion on the day: https://youtu.be/QHJ21Kfus0o Thanks, Marion.]p

PNG NewsCurrently in Papua New Guinea we have two Brothers in Aitape, where the Brothers have been since the beginning of 1968, and two Brothers in Walamu. The Brothers first arrived in Walamu - to build a school - at the end of 1977. At the moment the two main thrusts of the Brothers is pastoral ministry and vocations: the Brothers in Aitape, Thomas Boship and Bart Saiworo, vocations; and Ludmer Pindau and Peter Soisi, ministering in the many parishes around Walamu.In a recent report from Br Ludmer he states that during October he spent some time in his home village of Suwau, just across the river from Walamu, where he assisted in a Marian procession held there and where he gave a talk on the Marian Movement in Papua New Guinea. [See photo.]Br Thomas Boship is away from Aitape at the moment giving workshops at Laingim where the Brothers had been for several years with novices and teach-ing in the local primary school. His workshops were on Leadership, Goal-Setting, Eucharistic Ministry, and he ran a retreat for those interested. p

N> The Brothers’ graves at the Field of Mars named so because much of the land in this area was once owned by military men.

The cemetery is close enough to be in the shadow of Holy Cross College’s tower - but not quite.

https://youtu.be/QHJ21Kfus0o


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Patrician Bits (cont.)“Classroom is better than staying at home,” pupils say. - by Br Andrew Egesa, KenyaOn a regular opening day the classroom would be full of rich laughter and hugs. When the pupils in Patrician primary school Kabongo returned to school two months ago, the mood was different. The standard eight and grade four pupils were excited to be back but school was not what it was when it closed in March.They all have to wash their hands after every break.This is a major con-trast from regular school days.The prefects chuckle when asked about noisemakers.With social distancing there’s hardly a list of noisemakers. Wearing masks all day is a most difficult measure but we still have to be cautious. In an ordinary second term the pupils would be looking forward to competitive tournaments with other pupils. They are all still happy despite missing such tournaments and events. In school they are able to focus more and study in an orderly manner not to mention escape from challenges experienced at home. It is quite frustrating to study in a difficult envi-ronment, right?The greatest fear among the pupils is contracting Coronavirus which is yet to be overcome not only in Kenya but also around the globe. Our pupils remain optimistic as they continue to pursue their education endeavours.Let us all pray for our schools and the whole World as we hope that one day a cure for this virus will be found. p

Investiture: Br Nicholas Harsas OAMAfter several months of covid-delay - June to November - Br Nicholas Harsas was presented with his Order of Australia Medal on Thursday the 26th November by the Governor of New South Wales Margaret Joan Beazley, AC, QC. The event took place at Government House on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the shadows of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Attending the investiture with him were his Mother Mrs Margaret Harsas and ex-student Fabio Lai. Nicholas received this award for his services to education and the Cath-olic Church. A full report will be found in the June 2020 newsletter.Because of covid there had to take place several investiture ceremonies to keep the numbers spread. Nicholas’s investiture took place at 4:00pm and involved fourteen recipients of awards, these recipients ranging in ages from their forties to their eighties. People were being acknowl-edged for their contributions to science, community life, caving, educa-tion, fire and rescue, and health services.

Congratulations to Nich-olas on this much-de-served award, just one of several he has received over his twenty-six years as a Patrician.Full version of Nicho-las’s investiture. An abridged version. (Will be deleted by the end of December.) p

Br Nicholas with his Mother Margaret

Br Nicholas with Governor Beazley

https://livestream.com/blive/investitureceremonynovember2020/videos/213865644

https://youtu.be/BtVMvdinC9c

DECEMBER 2020

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Patrician Bits (cont.)Bother Paul Hughes Indian Pioneer

The Annals record:

1875 - In September this year a filiation consisting of three Brothers, viz. Br. Ignatius Price Supe-rior, Br. Paul Hughes and Br. Fintan Parkinson all from Mountrath set out for Madras, India, ....

In 1887 Br Paul left the Patricians and joined the Capuchins in Mussoorie. The Capuchins had been in Mussoorie for some years and had opened St George’s College in 1853 and handed over the school to the Patricians in 1894.

During Paul’s years in Adyar he had been an integral member of the Patrician mis-sion. Following in the footsteps of Brothers Serenus OKelly and John Delaney he trav-elled to distant places (Europe and America) to collect money for the needs of the mis-sion. In 1885, ten days after his return from his fundraising, he was appointed Superior of the Adyar community taking the place of Br Ignatius Price who had been moved t o h e l p with the new mission in New South Wales.

John was a Capuchin for over thirty-eight years ministering mainly in the Mus-soorie district. He died on the 26th June, 1925, and was buried at Mussoorie.

Recently Br Jerome Ellens, Indian Provincial Leader, was visiting the Capuchin monastery at Mussoorie, the monastery sits on the same hill top as the college. During a tour of the monastery he came across the memorial stone of Friar Paul Hughes far removed, it seems, from where he was actually buried.

A Google-assisted translation of the stone reads:

Here, resting in peace, / waiting for the sound of angelic trumpets / Rev. Paul Hughes of Newbridge / of the Order of the Capuchins Minor. This servant from Ireland / after a long and busy life / in the vineyard of the Lord / died in this monastic Order of St Francis / when he reached his 8oth year, / a most blessed and holy life. / He fell asleep in the Lord this day 26th June / A.D. 1925 / Rest in Peace

- See For His Sake (Indian History) by Br Berchmans Athakkad. Photo by Br Jerome Ellens. p

Bursaries for KenyaWe have over several years reported on the sub-stantial financial support of Brigidine Sr Sheelah Mogan OAM of the Brothers’ mission in Kenya. Our Congregation Leader Br Peter Ryan reports that the heart of ninety-two year old Sr Sheelah is still very much in Kenya and that she has “en-couraged Brigidine College, Randwick, to create Perpetual Bursaries for TWO female students of Bishop Delany Memorial Secondary School.”As well as this “Sr Sheelah and two of her former students wish to sponsor the university studies of Ms Mary Kariuku a recent graduate of BDMS

who was nominated by Emmanuel.” Br Emmanuel Achola is the principal of Bishop Delany Memorial Secondary School.Thank you, Sr Sheelah, Brigidine College, Randwick, and friends. p

Sr Sheelah csb

1. Bishop Delany Memorial Secondary School ~ 2. Patrician Primary School

3. Brothers’ residence

1

32


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Our First to their Eternal Rewards

We have just come out of November a month when we make a special effort to remember those who have gone be-fore, those who have laboured in the vineyard and are now reaping their re-wards. So it is an appropriate time to single out, perhaps for the first time, those who were first to die in each of the Provinces and Region in our Congrega-tion. Can you name any?

So, let us begin at the beginning. Whom do you think was the first Patrician to go to his Eternal Reward? It was Br Fintan Crosby (no image) who died on the 2nd September, 1817, at the age of thirty. He is buried at/under the Tullow church, first on the list on the wall plaque beside the church.

Fintan then the first to die a Patrician in Ireland. The first to die outside of Ireland was yet an-other young Patrician. He died in India and he should not have died there at all as he was meant for Australia. Br James Maher (no im-age) was one of eleven fresh-out-of-the-Irish-novitiate Patricians who had been marked for the Australian mission. He left for Aus-tralia in 1884 with the other ten but got no further than India when he had to disembark because he was seriously ill. This was on the 12th August, 1884, he died on the 5th Janu-ary, 1885. He was twenty-two. He is buried at Chennai.

The first Indian-born Patrician to die was Br Austin Smyth in 1910 at the age of sixty-three. He had been a Brother of St Joseph be-fore joing the Patricians in 1888. He is buried at Chennai. The first Indian Patrician to die was Br George Pathinaril on the 21st April, 1964. He had health issues but was commit-ted to his prayer and ministry. He is buried at Chennai. He was forty-four.

It was only forty-one days after the death of Br James Maher that we had our second death outside of Ireland, this was in Aus-tralia. And, tragically yes, another Patrician only at the beginning of his life adventure. Br Malachy Dwyer had only been in the coun-

try a few months when he went for a swim in the Murray River at Albury. He drowned. His body found the next day. He was twenty years of age.The first Australian-born Patrician to die was Br Aloysius O’Leary. Aloysius died on the 9th May, 1890, of tubercu-losis. He was twenty as well. He is bur-

ied at Bathurst. Aloysius was the second Aus-tralian to make his First Profession (1889).In the United States of America the first Pa-trician to go to his Eternal Reward was Irish-born Br Raphael Phelan. He died in 1954 at the age of sixty-eight. Raphael had ministered in Ireland, India, and Australia, before volun-teering for the US. He is buried at Culver City, Los Angeles. The first American Patrician to die was Br Kevin Minihan of San Francisco. Kevin died suddenly at the St Patrick’s Novi-tiate community, Midway City, California, on the 24th October, 2016, at the age of seventy-five.There has been one Patrician death in Papua New Guinea: Br Anthony O’Connor who died at St Ignatius High School, Aitape, of cancer. He was thirty-eight. Anthony had been born and raised in Sydney, attending Patrician Brothers’ College, Fairfield, and volunteered for the PNG mission in 1977 where he found his niche as master teacher and mechanic extraordinaire.Irish born and raised Br Edward McCarthy was the first Patrician to die in Kenya on the 3rd March, 2012. He was seventy-two. Edward ministered in Kenya from 1959 for forty-nine years, forty-two of those as head-master at the Delany Memorial School, Eldo-ret. He was buried beside the monastery at Eldoret.

On the 29th May, 2016, the first Kenyan Brother died: Br Peter Oduor. Peter was only the second Kenyan to make his First Profes-sion as a Patrician.He had been community leader, principal, and Region Leader. He is buried at the Brothers’ property at Kamagut.May their souls and the souls of all the faith-ful departed rest in peace.p


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Patrician Establishments in India

This is a very clear map of India and where the Broth-ers have schools, residences, and formation houses today. (This map does not show Pakistan where the Brothers ministered in the one school from 1911 to 1978. See above.)

The Brothers arrived in India from Ireland in 1875 eight years before Australia. They started in Chen-nai and then in 1893 took over the administration of schools in Coonoor and Mussoorie. It was not until 1934 that the Brothers opened another school (Dehra Dun), and then 1952 before the next (Meerut).

On this map you will find twenty-one schools, two colleges, four houses of formation, and the Provinci-

alate at New Delhi. Not every school has a Brothers’ residence of its own. For example, for the three educa-tional institutes at Chennai there is one residence; the two schools at Mussoorie, one a boarding school and the other a local medium high school, have just the one Brothers’ residence; and so one.

Currently there are ninety-three Brothers in the India-Ghana Province: three are in Ghana, one of those is Gha-naian, and of the other ninety Brothers in India one was born in Ireland. Of course from 1875 till now around eighty-three Irish-born Patricians have ministered in India. Thirty-five of these are buried in Indian and Pakistani soil.p

India has a popula-tion of 1.4 billion.In 2011 80% of the population was Hindu, 14% was Muslim, and 2% was Christian*. The three largest cities are Mumbai (13 million), then Delhi and Bangalore.India is 3 million square km in area;Australia is 7.6 million; Ireland is 69,000 sq.km.* 2% of 1.4 billion is 28,000,000 more than the population of Australia.

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