Number 27                                                                                                Sts. Peter & Paul, 2004

Karunai II lam in Coonoor is a concrete expression of our option for the poor, the recurring theme of our General Chapters. Brother Patrick Palatty, manager of the project on behalf of the Coonoor Community, has sent some photos and information about the blessing of new extensions to this outreach project.

The foundation of the project was laid in 1998 and blessed on 21 March, 1999. Initially Karunai II lam was designed to cater to twenty homeless and abandoned men and women housed in a single building. The inmates, rejected from their homes, were reduced to the state of beggars and exposed to the inclement weather conditions. As more people sought admission to Karunai II lam it was decided to extend the facilities, particularly a separate wing for the women. The present extension can accommodate twenty persons and thus 40 persons can now be sheltered in the Illam.

The blessing and inauguration took place on 21 March, 2004, by happy coincidence, the fourth anniversary of that original opening in 1999. The photo here shows the pleasant location of the new building, to the front of the original which can be seen a little lower down at the rear. ,

Elsewhere in this edition you will find news of Jubilees, both of Brothers and of some of our Institutions. You will also find information about the sudden death of Brother Joseph Crowley in May. The General Chapter which begins soon is also a feature in  this issue.

I looked up my very first editorial in the Newsletter of November 1998, issued just after Jerome and I had taken up office. I was interested to see what I had written there and whether it had any relevance now, five and a half years later. It was an Advent editorial and, as would be expected, was about preparing body, heart and mind for the coming of  Jesus.

Yes, it certainly has meaning for me now as we enter the final phase of preparation for the General Chapter. The body, I guess will be ready enough, and the mind has been engaged for some time with Chapter matters. But there is a readiness of heart also with Chapters. The heart needs to be ready to embrace all those who make up the Chapter, to embrace new ideas and perceptions, and to embrace change and diversity and different perspectives.

This General Chapter will be a time when we can take a clear, tough and honest look at ourselves and be open to the conversion of heart (the 'metanoien' of St. John's Gospel) which enables us to leave behind what is self-deceptive or unworthy in motivation, in life and in ministry.

St. Patrick' s 'Confessio' has this to say, "...And there also the Lord opened my senses to my unbelief, so that, late in the day, I might remember my many sins; and might turn to the Lord with all my heart ... who has kept safe watch over me before I ever knew Him".

Please pray for the Chapter, pray for its members as they travel, and pray especially for the clarity of vision which is needed to map the way ahead for our Congregation. You are very welcome to write to the Chapter and you can do that by addressing mail to:

Patrician Brothers General Chapter
P.O. Box 7167
Eldoret
KENYA

Very quickly, very unexpectedly, Joe Crowley died in Sydney on 19 May,2004.

I had shaken his hand as he left for school on 18 May, and as I myself  was leaving for the airport to fly back to Ireland.

By the time I reached Newbridge, Joe was dead from a massive haemhorrage in a major artery. He was just 62 years old.

Quite a number of Joe's family made it to Sydney for the funeral on 26 May and were well looked after by our Brothers there.

On 11 June, a Memorial Mass in Mullinahone, Tipperary, gave the rest of his family and the Brothers in Ireland, an opportunity to remember this kind, prayerful community man.

Go to further webpage
 

Bosco Mulhare	Fidelis O'Connell	Bernard Bulfin

These are our Golden Jubilarians for 2004. All were professed on 15 August, 1954, at Mt St Jospeh's Tullow, Ireland.  Because of the General Chapter schedule they will be celebrating this special event on Sunday 4 July  all together in Sydney.

We have received a DVD covering the splendid Golden Jubilee celebrations at St. Michael's Academy in Adyar, 
Chennai, India. At this stage we don't have the technology to ex1ract photos from DVD to publish here, but we did 
enjoy looking at the events that were held. Congratulations.

St. Patrick's Primary at Galway, Ireland. A Jubilee Mass was celebrated on 1 March in the Cathedral at Galway 
for the Golden Jubilee of our school there. A good gathering of all involved, afterwards enjoyed a dinner together. 
Celebrations for ex-staff continue as well as other events. Well done, St. Pat's!

Liverpool, Australia. The 14 May, 2004 saw celebrations in the huge church at Liverpool for the Golden Jubilee of 
All Saint's Boys High. Known until recently as Patrician Brothers, Liverpool, the school was established by us in 
1954 in very basic conditions--the fll"St classes were in an old faml shed. A very large crowd attended the mass and 
celebrations afterwards.

Golden Jubilee Mass at Liverpool, Sydney. Front row: Brothers Joe Crowley, Joe Guidera,  John Verhoeven and Domenic Xuereb	Golden Jubilee celebrations at St Patrick's, Galway. Br Noel Cunningham (Principal), Bishop James McLoughlin, and Br James O'Rourke (Provincial)

Tom Gorman of the Delany House (Tullow) Community died peacefully at the Riverdale Nursing Home in Ballon on 31 May, 2004. His death followed within days of his brother, Bill, at his home in Erril, Co. Laois. Our deepest sympathies to all the Gorman family and friends on this double loss in so short a time.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Chapter begins on Sunday 25 July at the Novitiate, Kamagut, Kenya. Please pray for us on that day especially. 
The Chapter will conclude on Sunday 15 August. The new General Administration is expected to take over round 
1 November or whatever variant of that is set by Chapter.

Jerome flew out from Ireland on 18 June to assist in preparations in Kenya. Philip flies out Monday 28 June for the 
same purpose.