Celebration of 50 Years of Religious Profession at Tullow, Co Carlow, Ireland on August 15, 1955.

Retirement as Principal of St. Patrick’s College, Blacktown in July 2005 – A contribution to Catholic education in Australia that began at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Waterloo in 1952.

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John Paul II College, Marayong

In our last issue we wrote of the schools in the western and south western suburbs of Sydney. Please accept the writer’s apology for the failure to include the record of the Patrician Brothers involvement in the establishment and conduct of John Paul II High School at Marayong, a suburb and parish adjacent to Blacktown, during the period 1977 to 1990.

‘In 1977 under Provincial, Brother Patrick Lovegrove, the Patrician Brothers guaranteed their involvement in the development of a new High School in the parish of Marayong. It was agreed in 1978 that a Patrician Brother would be Principal of a senior coeducational High School. The Presentation Sisters and the Holy Family Sisters promised staffing for the School.

‘In February 1981 the school opened with 177 Year 11 students, 76 boys and 101 girls.

‘The first Principal was Brother Stephen Aitken of the Patrician Brothers, Sister Irene Solo of the Holy Family Sisters being the first Deputy, supported by Sister Louise Wyer of the Presentation Sisters, Father Geoffrey Plant of the Franciscan Friars and Brother Stephen Sweetman of the Patrician Bothers. There were 11 other teachers and ancillary staff appointed. (Photo: The pioneer staff of 1981. Patricians Stephen Aitken - principal - and Stephen Sweetman present.)

‘Brother Stephen Aitken continued as Principal to 1987 followed by Brother Peter Ryan from 1988 to 1990. In 1991 the Brothers had to withdraw from John Paul II due to lack of Brothers.’

The above information appears on the Patrician website, www.patricianbrothers.com - our thanks to Brother Stephen Sweetman.

A Voyage of Discovery

When the writer issued the first THE GREEN SASH in January 1994 it was viewed by some with a degree of scepticism. Common sense mixed with more than a touch of lunacy drove the writer. He was strongly of the opinion it was essential that we have a journal to bind us together. How else could we advise of our events and, more importantly, instill a sense of pride of being a Patrician alumnus?


With Kevin Hilferty’s advice and editorial expertise the writer approached his task with renewed enthusiasm.

In the early years the journal lacked direction. The writer relied upon extracts from “The Freeman’s Journal” for historical articles until the then Provincial archivist Brother Malachy Corbett (RIP) suggested a search for the Brothers’ first dwelling in Redfern. He suggested it was on Cleveland Street somewhere between Chalmers and Pitt Streets and bore the name “Mountrath”. Mind you, Brother Malachy was well aware that the Cleveland Street address was not the first of the Brothers’ dwelling places in Redfern. He had just given the writer a clue and then awaited the result of the research. This led to the writer finding a number of dwellings at Redfern in which the Brothers were housed from 1886 until 1905 when St Patrick’s Monastery was blessed and opened by Francis Cardinal Moran at 109-111 George Street, Redfern.

‘The search for Mountrath’ was published in April 1997. The dwelling Brother Malachy had referred to was 269 Cleveland Street one block east of the location Brother Malachy had suggested. The house now bears the number 245. Originally, Cleveland Street was numbered from east to west; it now numbers from the opposite direction. However it was not their first dwelling place in Redfern. The ‘Sand’s Directories’ record Brother Ignacio [Ignatius Price], the householder, at 38 [now 46] Redfern Street from 1886-1891and 21 Pitt Street in 1893. Brother Ignatius Price is identified to 269 Cleveland Street in the 1894 edition. It is interesting to note that the first entry under ‘The Patrician Brothers’ occurred in 1897 at 67 George Street when Brother Stanislaus Bergin was Superior of the Redfern Community. 
 
Other information flowed from this search. The ‘Sand’s Directories’ evidenced Redfern Community’s absence from Redfern from some date immediately prior to October 1891 to some date prior to October 1892. The 1892 Ecclesiastical Directory for the Archdiocese of Sydney held in the Catholic Archives at St. Mary’s Cathedral showed the Patrician Brothers at St. Charles Villa, Ryde, but a Patrician Community at Redfern did not appear that year.  The writer premised that Redfern Community had been at Ryde during this period.
 
Similarly, the Brothers did not appear in the ‘Sand’s Directories’ at Redfern in 1895 and 1896. This indicated to the writer that Redfern Community was again at Ryde from probably some date in 1894 to at least November 1895. The writer has found no confirmation of the second premise, but it was a time of difficulty for the Congregation and the writer is convinced of the presence of Redfern Community at Ryde during that time. There could be no other explanation for the Community’s non-appearance in the ‘Sand’s Directories’.

To the reader this may seem to contradict the Brothers being at 269 Cleveland Street in 1894 but it must be remembered that the entries in the ‘Sand’s Directories’ closed in the October prior to the year of issue. So, though the address was correct in October 1893 the Brothers may have left that address anytime thereafter. Only continuity at a particular address would confirm the dweller throughout the year. This did not occur. The Brothers did not appear at the address or any other in Redfern until 1897. Therefore it was highly probable they were at Ryde until January 1896. This exercise stimulated the writer’s interest in the history of the Patrician Brothers in Australia.

Following the passing of Brother Malachy Corbett in 1999, Brother Mark Ryan was appointed Provincial archivist. Brother Mark allowed the writer to view the writings of the Provincial historian, Brother Paul O’Connor (RIP).

The writings not only contained the history; they also held clues of further information relevant to it.
 
Perhaps the most startling to the writer was Brother Paul O’Connor’s extract from the Redfern Annals:

“The Community has been residing in Ryde where they paid one pound per week each for clothes and maintenance. This is the first council meeting held after returning to Redfern. The community consists of four Brothers viz. Brothers Ignatius Price, Bernard Ryan, John Lee and Bernard O‘Toole, Brother Ignatius Price being Local Superior as well as Head Superior for all the Branch Houses in Australia.  [dated]  21st August 1892.

The writer’s premise of the Redfern Community’s residing at Ryde in 1891-1892 had credence. Following Brother Ignatius’ appointment as Head Superior in 1891 it seems his presence was required at Ryde. In the writer’s opinion this was the reason for the first absence from Redfern. Brother Ignatius, also being Superior of Redfern, simply took his community with him.

Following the creation of the Province in October 1893 and Brother Ignatius’ consequent appointment as Provincial assisted by his Councillors, all Superiors, Brothers Stanislaus Bergin (Bathurst), Jerome McAuley (Goulburn), Eugene Ryan (Armidale) and Andrew Dwyer (Ryde)  remarkable changes occurred.

In January 1894, Brother Stanislaus Bergin was transferred to Ryde Community, Brother Andrew Dwyer was relieved as Superior at Ryde but remained a member of that Community. Brother Eugene Ryan was transferred to Redfern Community. Brother Ignatius Price transferred to Ryde Community but, it seems, remained Superior of Redfern Community until the month of March when Brother Jerome McAuley was transferred to Redfern Community as its Superior. Had history repeated itself? Did Redfern Community come to Ryde with Brother Ignatius Price as had happened in 1891-1892?
 
In the writer’s opinion, Redfern Community was transferred to Ryde circa January 1894. It is clear from the list of appointments [again the work of Brother Paul O’Connor] that the Provincial, Brother Ignatius Price, had surrounded himself with his Provincial Councillors and, as a consequence, it seems the Redfern Community stayed at Ryde with its Superior, Brother Jerome McAuley. 
 
Following Brother Ignatius’ resignation as Provincial in 1894, on date unstated but probably prior to the month of July, a period that could only be described as an ‘interregnum’ occurred.  It is highly probable the relocation of Redfern Community to Ryde in 1894 was countermanded only following the arrival of Brother Alphonsus Delaney, with plenary powers, on November 2, 1895. This would explain Redfern Community’s non-appearance in the Sand’s Directories issued in 1895 and 1896 which were compiled in October 1894 and October 1895. 
 
Another clue from Brother Paul O’Connor’s history provided evidence relevant to identifying those Brothers in Australia in January 1892. It was this simple sentence:
            
‘In January 1892 all the Brothers in Australia (twenty-four of them) attended the first annual retreat at Holy Cross College.’
 
But the writer was intrigued by the words ‘all the Brothers in Australia’. Why include ‘in Australia’. To the writer it appeared to be a code. Did it infer that some Brothers were absent from the Province? Further the comment ‘twenty-four of them’ seemed to issue the challenge, “It is for you to identify who they were.” 
The writer identified the names of 28 Brothers in the 1892 appointment listing. However the five Brothers shown immediately below have to be omitted, viz.

The number is now 23. Who then was the 24th? The writer is of the opinion it was Brother Mathew McGrath, a novice who arrived on the SS Parramatta on January 1, 1890. He was at Dubbo at the end of 1891. It is believed he attended the retreat but did not renew his vows.

Two matters were resolved by the above. Firstly Brother Bernard O’Toole could not have been at the opening of the Forest Lodge school in January 1892. The writer believes Brother James Ryan [the then most junior Brother of Redfern Community] was the assistant to Brother Bernard Ryan at Forest Lodge until the arrival of Brother Bernard O’Toole in April to become the most junior Brother of Redfern Community.
           
The second relates to the ‘mystery’ trip of Brothers Dominic O’Neill and Brother Fintan O’Neill to Ireland at the end of October 1891 returning on the SS Ophir as mentioned above. This return to NSW for only 30 days before again sailing for Ireland aboard the SS Oruba on May 21, 1892 is not mentioned in the history.

The following report in ‘The Freeman’s Journal on July 9, 1892, shown immediately below, drew the writer’s attention to the absence from the Province of the Brothers O’Neill:
Three Patrician Brothers arrived on the SS Ophir and two left for Ireland by the SS Oruba. The Brothers who have left Sydney are delegates to the General Chapter of the Order to be held this year in the Head house, Mountrath, Queen’s County, [Co. Laois] Ireland..

Outward passenger manifests are only available from 1898. But it is recorded that the Brothers O’Neill left NSW as delegates to the General Chapter in 1892.

The writer has found no other record of Brothers Dominic and Fintan O’Neill’s sailing to Ireland which had to occur immediately after the funeral of Father Edmund Athy at Ryde in October 1891 – Brother Fintan O’Neill is recorded as being in attendance at the funeral. The SS Ophir took six weeks to complete the voyage, other vessels seven or more. It seems that Brother Paul O’Connor was unaware of their absence and subsequent return with Brother Bernard O’Toole. In fact Brother Paul O’Connor recorded the following on page 4 of his document:

 Brother Fintan O’Neill. Went back to India about the end of 1891. Returned 1901.
Died at Ryde1932, aged 75 years.

The above indicates Brother Paul O’Connor had some evidence of the departure of Brother Fintan O’Neill from the province in 1891. But it poses a further question? Did Brother Fintan O’Neill previously serve in the India province? No. Therefore, should not India read Ireland?

The Congregational Archivist, Brother Linus Walker, advised the writer that Brother Fintan proceeded to India following the General Chapter which concluded in 1893 returning to Australia in 1901.

Brother Paul O’Connor’s history had set the writer on a voyage of discovery. Through the medium of The Green Sash the reader has journeyed with him.

The Australian Brothers

In our last issue we listed those Brothers who entered the Congregation in our own land from 1885-1938. We continue with the record. There is an eight year gap partly caused, no doubt, by World War II, before further entrants arrived at Wahroonga in 1947. But like a re-invigorated vine the harvest over the following years was plentiful. Eighty-nine postulants entered the Congregation in NSW from 1947-1979. This period could be regarded as the ‘golden years’ of the Patrician Brothers in the Province. The numbers of young men who entered the Juniorate/Novitiate in the Province during those years has surprised the writer. A broadsheet of 24 pages was needed to enter the record of all the Brothers in the Province during the period 1883-1930 (48 years). The record for the years 1931-2005 (75 years) requires a further 52 pages and is a work in progress. Some make only a brief appearance in the record, there are others who, after a number of years, had a second calling in life, also those called early in life to their eternal reward; and those who laboured faithfully for 50 or more years until they, too, were called.

The task of detailing the appointments of the Brothers over the past 75 years in this journal sadly is not practical. It would take several issues so to do.

To give some idea of the task involved in preparing this record the first pages of the 1931-2005 listings are included. The period 1883-1930 contained 100 names, 1931-2005 contains 176. That does not mean there are 276 names, some 26 Brothers overlap the periods. The total number is 250. 

However, we detail the record up to 1967 of those Brothers who joined the Congregation in Australia and served in the Inner Sydney schools together with the alumni of Redfern and Forest Lodge who joined the Congregation but served elsewhere. We also include the record of those called to their eternal reward.  

In the listing the Australian Brothers are identified in the column headed “Arrived’ by the year only, e.g. ‘1931E’, ‘E’ indicating year of entry. Where a further year immediately follows, such is the year of First Profession. Those shown with D/M/Y, e.g. ‘00/00/1931’ identify those from Ireland.

1947

Brother Celestine Mulhall. Alumnus of Ryde, first appears as a Novice at Wahroonga in 1947, Redfern at Waterloo 1949, Granville September 1949-1951, Redfern at Waterloo 1952-1954, Fairfield 1955-1960, Sefton 1961-1964, Ryde 1965-1969, Granville 1970-1974, Fairfield 1975-1992. Brother Celestine was called to his eternal reward in his 64th year on October 3, 1992

Brother Benedict Olsen. Alumnus of Redfern, first appears as a Novice at Wahroonga in 1947, Ryde 1949-March 1951, Granville March 1951-1953, Blacktown 1954-1959, Ryde 1960-1962, 1963 not recorded, Ryde 1964-1967.

Brother Kevin Samuel. First appears as Novice at Wahroonga in 1947, Granville 1949-1952, Fairfield 1953-1954, Ryde 1955, Blacktown 1956-1958, Forest Lodge 1959-1960, 1961 not recorded, Ryde 1962-1965, Wahroonga 1966, Granville 1967.

1949

Brother Augustine Grealy. Alumnus of Ryde, first appears as a Novice at Wahroonga in 1949-1953, Forest Lodge to May 1964, Granville from May 1954-1960, Forest Lodge 1961-1967.

Brother Baptist John Stenning. Alumnus of Forest Lodge, first appears as a Novice at Wahroonga in May 1949-1950, Redfern at Waterloo 1951-1952, Redfern 1953, Ryde 1954, Forest Lodge May 1954- 1955, Wahroonga 1956-1962, Fairfield 1963-1964. He left the Order in 1965 owing and in later years accepted the accountancy position at Christian Brothers, Lewisham. John Stenning was called to his eternal reward in his 64th year on September 11, 1992.

Brother Patrick Lovegrove.  Alumnus of Forest Lodge. Although Brother Paul O’Connor in his writings records Brother Patrick as entering in 1949 he first appears in the appointment listings as a Novice at Wahroonga in 1950, Redfern at Waterloo 1952-1953, Redfern 1954, Blacktown 1955-1956, Redfern at Waterloo 1957-1959, Ryde 1960-1962, Blacktown 1963-1965, Ryde 1966-1967.

1958

Brother Dominic Coates.  Alumnus of Granville, entered the Novitiate at Wahroonga in 1958, taking First Vows in 1959 and first appears in the appointments listing  at Blacktown in May 1959-1961, Liverpool 1962-1968, Narellan 1969-1971, Wahroonga 1972, Narellan 1973, delegate to General Chapter 1974, Wahroonga 1974-1978. Brother Dominic was called to his eternal reward in his 37th year on July 12, 1978.

Brother Philip Mulhall. Alumnus of Blacktown, first appears at Fairfield May 1959-1960, Redfern at Waterloo 1960-1961, Forest Lodge 1962, Granville 1963-1966, Ryde 1967. 

Brother Martin Shaddock. First appears Redfern at Waterloo 1962, Redfern 1963, Sefton 1964, Blacktown 1965-1967.

1961

Brother Gabriel McCluskie. Alumnus of Forest Lodge, first appears at Wahroonga 1961, Ryde 1963, Fairfield 1964-1967.

1962

Brother Francis Shaddock. First appears as a Novice at Wahroonga 1962, Liverpool 1965, Forest Lodge 1966-1967.
 
1963

Brother Raymund Eves.  Alumnus of Forest Lodge, first appears at Narellan 1963, Granville 1965-1967.

1966

Brother Anthony O’Connor. Alumnus of Granville, first appears as a Novice at Wahroonga in 1966-1968, Fairfield 1969-1970, Ryde 1971, Ryde at Macquarie University 1972, Wahroonga at Ryde 1973, Ryde 1974-1977, Aitape, Papua New Guinea 1978-1987. Brother Anthony O’Connor was called to his eternal reward in his 39th year on July 18, 1987.

1970

Brother Peter Ryan.  Alumnus of Forest Lodge. Currently at Aitape, Papua New Guinea.

The Life was not Meant to be Easy

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What was the address of the first dwelling place of the Patrician Community in Redfern?
1. 269 Cleveland Street
2. 245 Cleveland Street
3. 38 Redfern Street

PLEASE TICK YOUR SELECTION/S AND COMPLETE THE DETAILS ON THE REVERSE.

The result will be announced at the Luncheon and will be published in the January 2006 issue of THE GREEN SASH.



$25.00 PER PERSON. Drinks will be to your own account.
The bar will be open immediately following the Mass.

When forwarding your reservations please provide the CHRISTIAN and SURNAME of the members
of your party. Spouses, etc. are invited to join with us. Remember, bookings are essential.
 
We look forward to the company of our Patrons, Father John Knight and Father Colin Fowler, O.P, together with the Provincial, Brother Aengus Kavanagh and fellow Patrician Brothers as guests of the Alumni.
Entry to the Auditorium will be available from 11.30am.

If you can afford to do so, please donate to our Guessing Competition.
Your support is deeply appreciated.

MAKE CHEQUE PAYABLE TO: Patrician Brothers’ Alumni. 
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POST TO: Kevin Scott, 34 Ferguson St., Forestville, 2087

If you do not have a cheque account you may deposit cash direct to our account number
2102 1001 6639 at any Branch of the Commonwealth Bank
 THEN POST THE RECEIPTED BANK DEPOSIT BUTT
TOGETHER WITH THE COMPLETED FORM BELOW
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