April                                                                                                                         2005

Contents

Br Hilary Deering RIP
Brother Colm O'Connell
First Professions in Kenya
Rejoice in Hope
God Works in Mysterious Ways
New Delany Window
Fethard Memorials
Province '62 & Flag '08

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Bro. Hilary Deering
1919 - 2005

BROTHER Hilary Joseph Deering who died on Friday, January 21, at Queen of Angels Hospital, Los Angeles, California, was a native of Ballybit, Rathvilly, and was older brother of Councillor Micheal  Deering, current chairman of Carlow County Council.

Brother Hilary (85) had lived in LA since 1948 when he was one of six Patrician Brothers invited by the late Cardinal McEntyre to teach in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Born on July 9, 1919 into a farming family Joseph Deering was the seventh of ten children of Patrick and Mary Deering. He was edu-cated at Rathvilly National School before, at the age 12, transferring to the Patrician Brothers School in Tullow.

On reaching the age of 16 he left the family farm and joined the Patrician Brothers boarding school at Mount Wolseley, Tullow.

In 1938 he made his reli-gious vows with the Patrician  Brothers,  having taken the name Brother Hilary in religion Upon graduation from Mount Wolseley, Hilary attended University College Galway, from where he graduated with a degree in mathemat-ics and science. Two years  later he took his degree in higher education.

He taught in the Patrician Brothers School in Galway city and at the Order's College in Ballyfin, Co Laois.

Then came the invitation from the Los Angeles Archdiocese where Brother Hilary went  to become Principal of the Boys High School in Santa Monica. During that time he taught many prominent young stu-dents. One of his more seri-ous students was the famous actor, Robert Wagner.

While teaching at the Boys’ High School, Hilary worked on his Masters degree from UCLA, on com-pletion of which he taught at Mount St Mary's College.
He served on the Diocesan Board of Education under Cardinal McEntyre and Cardinal Timothy Manning.

After several years he became the principal of Pater Noster High School on San Fernando Road.
It was a great source of satisfaction to Hilary that he helped many families achieve higher education.  Viewed as  a man of visionary ideas for education, Hilary Deering saw educa-tion as the gateway to suc-cess and was a man, who gave his life for the success of others.

St Bernard's Church, LA was Brother Hilary's spiri-tual home. Monsignor Pat McNulty, who studied at St Patrick's College, Carlow, was his spiritual advisor. Daily Mass was a must for Hilary and Monsignor McNulty made the Mass a reality for a man who was deeply and fully committed to the religious life.

Hilary had greatly enjoyed coming home to Rathvilly over the years when he renewed many friendships. He had a great dedication to the Rathvilly, Tullow areas.

The concelebrated funer-al Mass for Brother Hilary was celebrated at St. Bernards. Chief concelebrant was Hilary’s brother, Monsignor Mark Deering, Waco, Texas. 
      
Bishop Gerald Wilkerson, Auxiliary Bishop, Los Angeles, who represented Cardinal Roger Mahoney, presided at the Mass. Burial took place in the cemetery  of the Holy Cross, Culver City, California.
 
To coincide with the funeral Mass in the US, a special Mass of remem-brance was celebrated in St Patrick's Church, Rathvilly on Wednesday night at 7pm, The chief    concelebrant was Fr Paddy Dowling; first cousin of Brother Hilary. The attendance included family and friends of Brother Hilary as well as Patrician Brothers and officials and mem-bers of Carlow County Council.

Brother Hilary is survived by his Brothers Monsignor Mark, LP (Laz), Baltimore, Maryland and Micheal, as well as his nephews in Ireland and England. Nephews and nieces include Mr Pat Deering, Ballyoliver, Rathvilly who is vice chairman of Carlow County Board of the GAA, Mrs Mary Kane (Swords, Co Dublin), Mrs Brigid Saruwatari (Bourlum Wood, Carlow) and Miss Elizabeth Deering junior Ballybit, Rathvitly). He is also survived by his sisters-in-law Mrs Elizabeth Deering (Ballybit) and Mrs Mildred Deering (Baltimore).

Prayer Request

Please remember in your prayers
Bro. Fergus Osborne
who is recovering at home in Delany House
after a recent illness and
Bro. David Byrne
recovering in University Hospital, Galway,
having been knocked down by a car while out cycling.

One of the best known membes of the Patrician Order to pass through Newbridge over the years was back in the town for a flying visit last week. Bro. Colm O’Connell, a Cork-born Brother, who spent some time teaching in Newbridge during the 1970’s dropped in to visit some friends on his way back from the World Cross Country Championships in San Ettienne in France.

Brother Colm, a gregarious and warm hearted character, has been teaching in an area of Kenya called Iten for many years. When he first arrived in Africa in 1976 becoming involved in the school’s sporting activities helped him settle into his new home. Although a devout soccer fan, Bro Colm found himself coaching the athletics team taking over from a man called Peter Foster, brother of the renowned British runner Brendan. Peter’s enthusiasm for athletics infected all who came into contact with him including Bro Colm.

Sport has always played a major part in the educational ethos of the Patrician Brothers. It is regarded as an excellent method of moulding, discip-lining and entertaining young minds and bodies. From the beginning Bro Colm watched and learned from experts. He already had experience of the basics but needed guidance regarding the technical aspects of training. He gradually discovered how to build the athletes up over a three to four month period, how to build an athlete’s personal technique and how to motivate them better.

By the time the 1988 Olympics in Seoul came around ten of his students were on the national team. Last year he spoke at a symposium in Glasgow which attempted to discover why is it that Kenya a relatively small area of the globe should produce such incredible athletes. The researchers studied such things as physiology, culture, diet, history, genetics and location and Bro Colm attended to present his side of the story as coach to many of the coun-try’s Olympians.

Today Bro Colm works with college students in an effort to bring HIV and Aids awareness to the campus. 700 Aids related deaths occur in Kenya each day. It is an epidemic threatening the county’s very survival. Bro Colm has devel-oped an Education for life course com-prising life skills, leadership and health education.

There are 500 young women and 300 young men training to be teachers at the college. They come from all parts of Kenya and it is hoped the education they receive will filter out to each town and village. Education regarding HIV Aids is integrated into the curriculum through “carrier subjects” like home science, biology and agriculture. Myths and taboos are debunked through workshops where the students interact with counsellors, doctors and teachers Ingrained attitudes are attacked and education on behaviour and lifestyle are brought to the fore. There is even HIV and Aids testing and counselling for the students themselves.

The effectiveness of the project is tested in 15 local schools that the col-lege uses for teacher training purposes, In these schools the four thousand pupils, all of whom are either affected or infected by HIV Aids can be educat-ed in Aids awareness and prevention-. There is a window of opportunity with primary school children between the ages of four and twelve.

By the time they are four years old it will become apparent whether or not they have been infected by their parents at birth. There is then a period of eight years before they become sexually active or start abusing drugs when edu-cation can influence the rest of their lives.

Bro Colm uses a Department of Health and Education programme used in schools here in Ireland to educate on diet and lifestyle and lately the Kenyan government seeing the efficacy of the system is showing interest in his work. He returns to Kenya in a fortnight where his daunting task will continue but Bro Colm like all men of vision seems not to be discouraged by the task ahead of him.

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First Professions in Kenya

Geoffrey Alusa, Emmanuel Achola and Daniel Owidhi following their First Profession on 10th December, 2004

Presenting gift of sheep to Bishop Korir Bishop Korir with Brothers Edward, Daniel & Emmanuel

Outside St Monica's Church, Moi Barracks

From the time it became my responsibility to explain to Kenyan novices all material contained in Constitutions  and Chapter Documents , ‘Rejoice in Hope’ has been for me a vast source of spiritual comfort and help.

At first it appeared that the language used was too lofty and ornate.  Unusual and new words such as ‘Breakthrough’, ‘Patriarchy’, ‘Brokenness’, ‘Charism’, ‘Putdowns’, ‘Paradigm’, ‘Holistic’ bewildered and intimidated me as I would find it extremely challenging to clarify all the intricacies and nuances involved for those whose first language was not English.  Gradually I came to really love teasing out all the aspirations and reflective thoughts contained in one sentence or phrase with the class.  At one time I had strongly advocated that the language be simplified.  Having studied each chapter many times in preparation, I quietly altered my opinion.  Why destroy, by changing, something, which to me, was ideal. To alter anything would somehow dilute the message that is being conveyed. I was also advised that I take ‘Rejoice in Hope’ as a guide.  What a truly magnificent guide it is and with God’s help will be for many years yet.

From the last exhortation given by our revered Founder, quoted in the synopsis of his life, ‘Love God and live together in peace and charity’ through the following pages there are many profound statements on Prayer and Spirituality, Community, Apostolate and Vocation/Formation:

‘Our prayer is primarily God’s work in us.’   
   
‘Community then becomes the backdrop for meaningful prayer and a springboard for service and selfless ministry’.

‘Like the founding Patricians we will step forward in faith, with the courage of our convictions and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit’.

‘We are convinced that religious life will continue into the future, though we are unsure about the form it will take’.

These are just a few of my own special quotations from the book but others will surely have their own particular selections.

In class, as we delved through all the various exhortations and challenges set forth in each section, we became aware of the complete sense of diligence and dedication with which the presentation of all the documents must have been approached.  I always emphasised that, not only every sentence and phrase, but each single word was thoroughly examined and discussed before being accepted for inclusion. 

We owe our sincere gratitude to the members of the General Chapter 1992 who painstakingly, and with such thoroughness, prepared the various sections of this magnificent booklet.  May our Congregation derive practical benefit from its pages in the years ahead.

A new window was recently installed in Tullow Church in honour of our Founder and in commemoration of the bicentenary of the church which was built by Daniel Delany. The centre panel honours the Founder, left panel Brigidine Sisters and right panel Patrician Brothers.

The window was designed by George Walsh, Dublin.

The main celebration of the church bicentenary will be presided over by Cardinal Connell, retired Archbishop of Dublin, on Sunday October 9th. The window is being financed by the Patricians and Brigidines.

 

Fethard Memorials

It was recently decided to do some work on the memorials to our Brothers who are buried in Fethard, Co. Tipperary. 

From being cleaned by sandblasting over a long period the names of the seven Brothers buried in front of the parish church were almost obliterated so we had a black polished granite plaque attached to the main memorial and another on the base with the words PATRICIAN BROTHERS as can be seen from the photographs. 

The memorial and its surrounds were cleaned.  We also replaced the headstone to Bro. James Foley in the parish cemetery with a low-maintenance polished granite memorial. The work was carried out by Costigan Memorials, Cahir, Co. Tipperary.

The Patrician Brothers worked in Fethard from 1873 to 1993. Pictured are the last three members of the Community: Bro. Paul Duffy R.I.P., Bro. Raymond Forde and Bro. Ultan Mahony.  Members of the ‘Farewell Committee’, Dick Prendergast, Denis Burke and Ernan Britton are pictured with the commemorative plaque.

Last Community	Farewell Committee

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Province '62 & Flag '08

Irish Province Seminar 1962 in Ballyfin Are you in it?     Do you know them?

This is the proposed design of the new Patrician Flag for our Bicentenary celebrations. The colours of the flags of the various countries where Patricians work are incorporated around the cross in the central globe. The main colours of the flag relect the white soutane and green sash of the Patrician religious garb. "Christus in corde omnium" translates to "Christ in the heart of everyone" which comes from the prayer the Breastplate of St Patrick.