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ISSUE # 88
May 2007
http://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/
61 Golf View Drive, Little Egg Harbor, NJ 08087; 609-294-2148;
vtpoisella@yahoo.com
24 Prestwick Court, Poughkeepsie NY 12603; 845 454 1393;
richard.foy@verizon.net
65 Muirfield Court, Poughkeepsie NY 12603; 845 454 6116;
gusnolan@aol.com
476 La Playa, Edgewater, FL 32141; 386-426-6349;
jkammer1@cfl.rr.com
1013 Hollywood Avenue, Des Plaines IL 60016; 847-824-1073;
RJDB@comcast.net

▲

click on email address to send email

▲
▼click on correspondent or topic to go to that item
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Correspondents
George Bagnell '57
Joan Brady
John Brady '57
William Buckley '60
Pat Fazzari '55
Br Charles Filiatrault '55
Rich Foy '45
Jim Gargan '59
Br Hank Hammer '75
Br Joachim Heng '62
Br John Herrmann '59
David Kammer '42
Br Frank Klug '44
Manny Lopez '68
John Miller '57
Gus Nolan '48
John O'Connell '58
John Scileppi '68
Bill Shannon '58
Rich Shaw '58
Frank Sutton '59
Topics

Marist Family Laity Service
Committee
MaristsAll 20 years
Thirteenth Annual Family
Spirituality Weekend
Br. Joachim Heng '63
John Heng 61
Esopus Gathering
Photo Album in MaristsAll Website
Plaudits for MaristsAll
Links to the Marist World
Future communications
Investing in MaristsAll
In Memoriam
Br. Simeon Ouellet '45
Br. Matthew Snowden '48
Br Bernard Ruth '58





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2/18
John Willcox '57
Gene Zirkel '53
Patricia Zirkel



Donald "Ted" Gray

Archive Excerpts
by
Br Paul Ambrose
Judy Kammer
Martin Lang '47
Don Edwards '57
Br Patrick Magee '43
Don Schmidt '53


MARISTS ALL
1987-2007

Twenty years ago a publication was born. With an address list
seemingly kept together with duct tape, mail arrived to members of the
Marist Family, Near and Far: “This note is coming to you from David
Kammer. I hope the note will soon become a newsletter, quarterly
perhaps. Most of us appreciate the province newsletters, whether we
hear about the content indirectly, or get a copy through friends in
community, or are fortunate enough to be on a province mailing list. I
feel that we would be equally happy about a wider ranging
newsletter…. We would like to mail a newsletter to every Marist
community in the U.S. and to every U.S. address where there is a
Marist at heart.”
Our readers today, still bound by a Marist Spirit - sometimes
palpable, other times elusive - share a unique relationship. Four times
a year more than five hundred men and women either sit before their
computers to read the latest issue or scramble to tear open the printed
copy delivered once again through regular mail. Whether currently a
Little Brother of Mary who has recreated his life of vows, or was once
called to that life years ago and subsequently listened to a Voice that
allowed a change of direction, or was connected to the Marist Brothers
in some special way, the reader shares a bond of commitment to the
Marist way of life in the Roman Catholic tradition.
Readers hail from every continent and every walk of life. They
read in earnest the varied mini biographies, anecdotes, memories, and
yes, obituaries written by and about people they have known or may
not know. One is filled with awe after reading through each issue
about how providentially we are connected in such a strangely
wonderful way.
My first impulse in attempting to celebrate this unique
publication was to reprint many of the most stimulating earlier
contributions. And to a lesser extent, we will do that. But through a
website kept alive by the dedication of Richard Foy, previous issues
await the next reader to peruse those contributions by chronology or
by author. Redundancy is not our mission! (Editor)

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6/21/2021
Newsletter # 81
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/newsletters/newsletter88.html
3/18
From DAVID KAMMER (’42): “There are really no ex-
Marists.” Recently in perusing past issues of Marists All I found that
quote attributed to Mike O’Shea by Rich Jambor in our #43, February
1998 issue. I really believe that short line holds the root of the
creation and duration of Marists All. Within it is the Marist Spirit that
we shared in and that was fostered by multiple common experiences in
Christian fraternal living. That Marist Spirit has affected the depth of
where we are today. In an amazing way all becomes vivid again when
together we have occasion to sing “Salve Regina.”
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From GUS NOLAN (’48): It seems fitting that this May 2007
issue of Marists All contain a number of historical notes since it marks
the twentieth anniversary of the first issue. In December ‘86, at a
gathering of the Poughkeepsie GMC, David Kammer proposed to those
present the idea of a newsletter that would be wider ranging than the
one coming from the Marist Provinces. “We propose to share news
about all of us that we may rejoice with one another and be concerned
about the distressed." What a venture Marists All has been!
This is the 88th issue, most of which have been ten pages in
length - with no paid advertising. Over the years more than 430
individuals have contributed written pieces to it, and 225 have
contributed financially at least once, and many, more than once.
Written contributions have come from a wide range of individuals,
including Marist Brothers, former Brothers, friends of the Marist world,
and wives and families of deceased members. The overwhelming
response in these accounts is the tremendous effect the “Spirit of
Champagnat” had on everyone. The dedication of so many to
education and to service of those in need is impressive.
One of the greatest accidental benefits has been the re-uniting
of old friends who had lost contact with one another for a number of
reasons: different vocational paths, educational pursuits, job
opportunities, family commitments - just to mention a few. The
reunions have been the occasion of genuine joy in meeting again and
in offering all kinds of help and support in times of need. The
newsletter has also brought updates and news on things in the Marist
world and on the happenings in the lives of the more than five hundred
recipients of each issue.
But none of this would have happened were it not for the
dedication of David and Judy Kammer who edited each issue in the
early years. They then drove from Harwinton, CT to Marist College,
Poughkeepsie, NY to get printed copies, bring them home, stuff and
“kabonk” them (stamp the return address), and mail each with a first
class stamp. A laborious and dedicated operation - reduced greatly by
other helpful hands and now by e-mail. The creation of a Marists All
web site by Richard Foy in December 2000 was a great technological
step forward. Enhancements later by John Noone have made it possible
to get to earlier issues and various kinds of data.
Each issue brings a fresh account of something new in the lives
of so many. One example might be the wonderful experience a small
group of us had each week during February and March this year,



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meeting to discuss a current religious or theological issue. Meeting in
the winter home of Richard and Barbara LaPietra in Florida, Marty Lang
and I and sometimes joined by - Kevin and Donna Carolan. Ray and
Jean Morrissey, David and Judy Kammer, Anne Lang and Liz - we
discussed for over an hour such topics as: Science and Religion,
Understanding the Gospels (selections of Mark and John), The Question
of Miracles, and the meaning of “The Will of God.” I think we all
profited by the meetings and hope to renew this effort in winter 2008.
The inter-connectedness of Marists All was surely the bond that
brought this group together, for which I am especially grateful.
I hope and pray that Vince Poisella will be able to maintain his
energies to mirror the great work of David Kammer as he serves as
“Editor-in-chief” of Marists All.

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Thirteenth Annual Marist Family Spirituality Weekend

From JOHN SCILEPPI (’68): There is still time to let us know if
you are willing and able to join us at Marist College from July 13
through July 15, 2007 for our Marist Family Spirituality Weekend. To
register for the weekend, send a $25 deposit to Maurice Bibeau at 2
Van Wert Place, Hyde Park, NY 12538. For additional information,
contact me at
John.Scileppi@Marist.edu
. Thank you.
From GENE ZIRKEL (‘53): On Friday, July 13th, 2007,
preceding the annual get-together at Marist College, there will be a
“Day of Prayer” starting at 11:00 am. Anyone interested in joining us
should kindly contact Pat or Gene Zirkel as soon as possible at
pzirkel@optonline.net
or
genezirk@optonline.net
or at (631) 669
0273 .
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Links with the Marist World
(Other than the Internet links below, please mark your
calendars for September 8, 2007, for the annual “link” with the Greater
Marist Community to be held at Mt. St. Michael Academy in the Bronx.
Share the joy and excitement of reconnecting, and catch up with those
with whom you have shared so much in the past at the annual picnic.
Ed.)
www.maristlaity.org
- for those who want to know about the Marists
and Marist Spirituality (Christine Colomban, web master at
LayMaristGA@aol.com
www.champagnat.org
- the Marist Brothers International website
www.maristbr.com
- the new U.S. Marist Brothers website
www.maristretreathouse.com
- Esopus retreat house

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6/21/2021
Newsletter # 81
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/newsletters/newsletter88.html
5/18
The Phenomenon of the Esopus Gathering
From JOHN O’CONNELL (’58): Just returned home to Maine
after our fifth annual OB/bWAT "Gathering" in Esopus, as usual
renewed/refreshed and amazed about what being together with each
other once again means to us Marist Brothers/brothers -something
transcendent about it all, for sure. To think that our OB/bWAT network
has grown to include now about 165 of us (so far...still looking!) who
were in training together sometime during those '54-62 years,
including thirty-three others who have gone on before us. It all began
rather humbly with eleven of us coming together at various times
during 2003 to spend time with Bill Reffelt during the last several
months of his life (RIP, September '03).
This year, seven in “our group” were there: George Bagnell, Pat
Fazzari, Vin Poisella, Bill Shannon, Richie Shaw, Russ Therriault, and
myself. Six of us traveled over to the Poughkeepsie train station to
welcome illustrious NYC physician, Dr. Pat Fazzari. Richie Shaw had
opted for the small-b brotherhood at the end of postulant year, so he
and Pat hadn't been with each other in just about 50 years. Neat, eh?
For the first time we had representation from two groups ahead
of us, once- outstanding student-athlete, Ray Landry ('56). The big-B
Brothers from this group just celebrated their 50th Jubilee.
Congratulations to Brendan Brennan, Tom Coyne, Felix Elardo, Steve
Kappes, and Vincent Moriarity. And we had Tom Hourican (’60) from
two groups behind us.
Pat O'Neil ('57) was a "first timer" this April, connecting with his
group's "regulars" John Brady and John Wilcox, and two-timer Leo
Byron, all of us missing Don Edwards, RIP last September, who graced
us, literally, with his presence at our '05 & '06 Gatherings and shared
his struggle with prostate cancer; just as our '58 group missed Bernie
Ortuoste, with us for the first three Gatherings, but who also went on
before us last year, RIP in July.
Frank Sutton ('59) was able to get down from Vermont for a
couple of days and connected with Bill Dougherty, Jim Gargan, and Br.
John Herrmann. Br. Don Nugent was able to get away enough to join us
a couple of times, and we sure remember his partner in running the
Esopus retreat/summer camp operations, Br. Joe Di Benedetto, who
also went on before us last year, RIP in March.
Don is assisted now by two lay volunteers, one of whom (talk
about full cycle) is Pat McMahon's son. Pat ('60) had spent five years
on the Esopus property '56-61 and had passed on several years ago.
Jim Friel ('52), who taught with Dom "Mike" Apostoli, Vinnie
Hall, and me, along with Br. George Fontana, at Central in Lawrence
during our first year out in '62-63, and who was the last one of us to
have had any contact with Vinnie Hall (RIP, February '01), has been
with us now for four Gatherings in a row, as has Jerry Byrne (’60).


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6/18
It is difficult to capture for everyone the spirit of these
Gatherings of "old men/geezers" or of doing justice to the richness of
our many conversations and discussions.
Our 6th annual Esopus Gathering will once again be the end of
the week following Easter Sunday, March 23rd, 2008. Join us
whenever you can from Wednesday PM through Sunday AM, March
26th-30th, the Good Lord willing...and if it works for Br. Don! Come be
with us, as we once were.
An addendum: Our long-distance travelers got home safely.
Russ Therriault left Sunday afternoon out of La Guardia despite a
cancelled flight, a re-booking, and some hours of layover in Atlanta,
before getting into Pensacola and home twelve hours later. Richie
Shaw did some family visiting for a day or so and got out of Islip and
back to San Diego without a hitch. (
obbwat@aol.com
)
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Plaudits for Marists All from the Esopus Gatherers
John “Oke” O’Connell (’58): The impetus for our annual
“gathering” in Esopus of “Big B” and “small b” brothers began in 2003,
and the huge internet connection between and among those of us with
training roots in the ’54 -‘62 years in Esopus, Tyngsboro, and
Poughkeepsie is traceable back to the vision of us as Marists All,
whether serving others “in” or “out”. Thanks for twenty years of
persistently maintaining the interrelatedness of us all, Marist
B/brothers once and for always.
Pat Fazzari (’58): The “Marist continuum” is a force we are
just beginning to appreciate; it informs us more than we know.
Frank Sutton (’59): I look forward to receiving Marists All and
am impressed by the good that the brothers (Brothers) continue to do.
The association I had with the Marists had been extremely positive,
and the means of “keeping in touch” spreads the news.
Leo Byron (’57) (
leo20v@verizon.net
): Marist years, great
years, building years that have lasted to this day. The Esopus
gatherings are joyful meetings of old friends that keep that special
something feeling alive and warm.
John Wilcox (’57): It is as if we were all back in 1956-61.
Marist is so much a part of who I am, and I can tell that this is true for
everyone else here. You can never leave.
Rich Shaw (’58): Twenty years of Marists All! Seems like one
year and a hundred years at the same time. Thanks to all for the
Marist Spirit, which for me is the source of strength and joy and ability
to deal with all the challenges of life.


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7/18
Br. John Herrmann (’59): The time spent together has been
the greatest. Thank you for all of the sharing, but in particular, the
caring; you all will never be forgotten.
Jerry Byrne (’60): I found Marists All by pure happenstance in
2001 while trying to connect with an old friend from my Marist training
years. I received an email from Dave Kammer saying I might be
interested in Marists All. Wow! A whole sense of history was opened
to me. I found old friends from years past and now look forward to
each new issue. What a wonderful thing we have in Marists All.
George Bagnell (’58): Getting together after 45 to 50 years is
a beautiful, exhilarating experience that has helped me to reconnect
with my brothers, giving me a fantastic experience of loving and caring
camaraderie.
Bill Shannon (’58): Every issue of Marists All returns me to a
very meaningful segment of my life, a period during which I was
fortunate enough to make a deep and meaningful connection to a
caring and dedicated group of men. Each time I receive a new issue it
reconnects me to people I lived and worked with. It is wonderful to
see how many of these people are still reaching out to others in so
many different ways. Thank you for this spiritual tonic that you
provide to all of us.

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From BR. JOACHIM HENG ’62: I promised to write a short
story about myself. I must say that writing is not one of my strong
points, yet here is a brief account of my story since I was in
Poughkeepsie.
After making my first vows in Tyngsboro in August of 1963 with
a group of 16 young Brothers, I went to Marist College, Poughkeepsie,
for three years and was granted a BA degree. My major field was
physics. Vatican II was in session, so we learned a lot of new ideas.
My three years at Marist College were very enriching and helpful. After
my college studies, I returned to Malaysia and taught in Catholic High
School, Petaling Jaya (near Kuala Lumpur) for ten years. I had a six-
month break in 1973 to attend the Centre Champagnat course in
Rome; there were five or six American Marists: Luke Driscoll and Kevin
Moran are names I still remember vaguely. From 1977 to1979 I was in
Hong Kong teaching in St. Francis Xavier School; I also helped out in
the novitiate.
In mid-1979 I was elected and appointed the provincial. I
carried this heavy duty for ten years until the end of 1989. No doubt, it
was with the help of God and Mary that I got through the job. But I
never really got out of provincial administrative work, for I continue to
be in the Provincial Council until now.




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In 1994 I went to teach in Catholic High School, Sibu, Sarawak,
East Malaysia. In 1996 I was appointed principal of the school and
headed that school for ten years. At the end of 2005, due to my poor
health, I retired from the job.
Since January 2006, I have been in Melaka, Malaysia; I now
help out in the local parish, and I am still on the Provincial Council.
Note: Melaka, or Malacca, is a historical city. It was one of the first
cities in the Far East visited and occupied by Europeans. The
Portuguese came here in 1511, and St. Francis Xavier first visited
Malacca in 1545.
My brother, Br. John Heng (’61), has been a missionary in
Zambia for many years. His email address is
chibmarist@zamtel.zm
or
lumarist@zamtel.zm
. I do not have the postal or email address of John
Lek. He works on the mainland of China, but he does not communicate
with us, and we are told not to communicate with him. I am sure you
know the reason. I hope my story and the above information are of
some use to you. Once again, many thanks for sending me the Marists
All. (#251 Jolan Gajah Bernag, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia,
joaheng@tm.net.my
)
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From PATRICIA ZIRKEL:
The Marist Family consists of five
branches: four vowed congregations and the laity associated with each
of these groups. These laity groups strive to live the spirituality and
participate in the mission of each of the Marist congregations. Recently
there has been an effort among the different lay groups to open
channels of communication, explore common interests, and examine
how the groups might help one another in the future. Called the Marist
Family Laity Service Committee, the committee consists of Ann Brown,
Christine Colomban, Kathryn Jenkins, Angela Laesch, Claire Leonard,
Elizabeth Roszkowski, Bob Spruce, Gene Zirkel and Patricia Zirkel.
The purpose of the committee is to foster communication and
collaboration through the sharing of resources and ideas among all
Marist laity groups. This sharing will facilitate a greater understanding
and living of Marist spirituality and further the work of Mary. Among
the tasks of the new committee are a website, the formulating of a
Marist spirituality for laity, and the planning of a third National Laity
Conference.

For more information, and to see pictures of the group, go to
www.maristlaity.org
, and select “Marist Family Laity Service
Committee.” (472 Village Oaks Lane, Babylon, NY 11702; 631-669-
0273;
pzirkel@optonline.net
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From JOHN BRADY (’57): Since I haven’t written in a while, I
thought I’d share some thoughts and updates. I finally retired in June
of ’06 after some 45 years as an active educator, the last thirty-two


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years as a guidance director/counselor. I worked on the high school
level, then middle school for fifteen years and finally with fourth and
fifth graders for the last three years. Apprehensive at first about
working with such young students, I can say that I came to absolutely
love it.
Since retiring I’ve been really busy. Don’t know how I had time
to work. My wife Joan and I have had a great time traveling and
catching up on projects that require both of our effort full-time. We
traveled to Ireland last September, visited Joan’s mom in California in
October (she’s ninety-two and living on her own), and went to Florida
in February and again to California in March. We’re planning a trip to
Italy for September. It’s so nice after all the years of schedules and job
responsibilities to be able to plan ahead to do things and not be bound
by calendar restrictions. It’s also a blessing to be able to do all these
things while we both enjoy good health.
Our son John, who has Down syndrome, has been in a group
home now since September of 2001. He is in a really good situation
and like his brother Matt, has moved out and is on his own. What a
relief knowing that he is well cared for, is happy, and has his own life.
This is what you hope for as a parent with all of your children.
I had the pleasure over the weekend of April 13-14 to join the
OB/bWAT gathering in Esopus. It’s a great experience. The
atmosphere of trust and support and encouragement that exists at the
gathering is an example of Marist spirit in action. Our Marist
background formed each of us, and our lives have exhibited that spirit
in so many different ways, no matter what path we took. As we shared
and socialized, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the goodness and
spirituality of everyone and their concern for each other. That is the
real ongoing motivation for OB/bWAT.
A word about Marists All: what a service to everyone who
receives it and reads it. It helps to bind us together. It reinforces our
Marist Spirit. It allows each of us to see what others have and are
experiencing. What a gift! (
JEJPBrady@aol.com
)
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From JOAN BRADY: After listening to “the quiet man” grouse
about how his letter to Marists All (and his life) wasn’t very dramatic, I
asked if I could add a wifely post-script (or as he called it—my “two-
cents worth”) to Marists All. For the past thirty-four years I have lived
with a man whose strength lies not in saying who he is but in being
who he is—a man who has, over the years, quietly and greatly
influenced kids and teachers, family and friends—and doesn’t even
realize his impact. He is a man of integrity and is Marist-driven -- and
I believe I’ve become a Marist, too!

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6/21/2021
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https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/newsletters/newsletter88.html
10/18
From JOHN (David Joseph) MILLER (‘57): WHAT A CHRIST
FILLED DAY it was when I discovered Marists All. In the early 60’s,
when I returned to Wheeling, WV from Marist College, I immediately
felt a void in my life. I really didn’t want to leave, but it was apparent
to some that I was lacking many academic qualifications that were
needed at that time-- my emphasis of study in high school was
business education and when my calling was made known, it was felt I
would be as asset to the Order. How I ended up with a major in biology
is still a mystery and by now has been forgotten.

Even though I returned to where Marist Brothers were
teaching, I was determined to pursue my education and continue my
calling to ministry as a lay member of the Church. It would not be until
March of 2006, with the help of the Internet, that I made contact with
the vocation director of the Order who made me aware of Marists All
and the contact information that was available. It was then that almost
fifty years of absence turned into a renewal with those I loved and had
been praying for on a daily basis.
Immediately, I started reading back issues of Marists All and
with the help of David Kammer (a West Virginian, I might add) learned
of a guy named “Oke” and his endeavor to locate as many
Brothers/brothers as possible. I would learn that this person was John
O’Connell, a member of the class of ‘58 at Tyngsboro. My first e-mail to
John was met with an immediate response, and my name was listed
with the others who had been found. My next endeavor was to make
contact, via e-mail, with as many from the group of ’57 as possible. I
received less response than I had hoped, but the end result today is
almost daily contact with David Kammer, Oke, Lawrence Whartenby,
and Don Mulcare.
If you refer to past issues of our newsletter, you will find articles
I was encouraged to write about my personal life and faith journey:
life events and struggles, leaving the Catholic Church, serving God’s
children as a United Methodist pastor, and my starvation of being
without the Body and Blood of Christ on a daily basis.

In one of the
last issues of our newsletter, I was happy to report that after the
elimination of some unnecessary “red tape,” I had returned HOME and
I am now involved in lay ministry for my parish. There is no hesitation
in exclaiming that my return to the Catholic Church was the plan of
God from the very beginning, but fostered in large part by the
influence of Marists All, OB/bWAT, and the B/brothers who encouraged
me in my effort.
However, another CHRIST FILLED DAY resulted through the
efforts of OB/bWAT and Marists All. As a result of much e-mail, last
August I received a note from Larry Whartenby that his son and family
lived in Pittsburgh. He and Lois were planning to come there in
December for the birth of yet another grandchild. It was then that
plans were made that we would meet, God willing, on December 30, at
a designated location for our own personal reunion. That DAY finally
arrived and after a drive of only about one hour, Larry and I embraced


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11/18
in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel: TALK ABOUT A WARM
EXCHANGE OF THE MARIST SPIRIT!
As I hold in my hands Issue #87 of Marists All, I extend prayers
and personal gratitude to David Kammer, Vin Poisella. Richard Foy, Gus
Nolan, and now Rob Schmidt, for their combined twenty years of
reuniting us as “B/b’s” through our publication. I also want to express
the same prayers and gratitude to John O’Connell (Oke) for all that he
does to keep us up to date with the latest happenings in our lives.
Whether we are “big B or small b B/brothers,” there is no
doubt that God and our Mother Mary are proud of the unity and Marist
Spirit that have continued to flourish since the beginning with St.
Marcellin Champagnat through the efforts of Marists All and OB/bWAT.
LAUDETOR JESUS CHRISTUS! ET MARIA MATER EJUS!
(
brojohn2538@comcast.net
)
<<=== back to index

From MANNY LOPEZ (’63): After reading this last issue of
Marists All, I am inspired to write a few lines in commemoration of its
twentieth anniversary. In the past few years I’ve been led to think
upon my Marist roots and how it all came to be. When I look back, I
think of only one thing: in the tender years of my youth God chose to
call this young man of Puerto Rican descent to become a Marist
Brother. To me it was a chance of a lifetime. You hear God’s voice and
you choose to respond, no matter the outcome; but it was too bad I
didn’t continue. I would have had a host of memories of the young
kids I taught or tutored, and I would have seen them grow and become
young men and women of substance. At this time, when mortality
beckons, I am in a mad rush to make up for the mistakes of my youth.
But one thing has become clear. For at least six years of my life, my
experiences were worthwhile and so was my life. Everything else pales
in comparison. So, in honor of our twenty years together and in honor
of Marists All, I say “ad multos annos,” and may the love of God and
His Blessed Mother shine on us all! (1453 Shore Parkway, Brooklyn,
New York 11214-6329, 718-373-3482,
mannylopezutopia@yahoo.com
)
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From WILLIAM BUCKLEY (’80): I highly recommend that any
of us who have the chance to visit the area surrounding Lyons in
France should consider a stop at Notre Dame de l'Hermitage. Even if
you have only part of a day, it's worth the time, if only to visit the
chapel where you'll find the reliquary with the remains of Father
Champagnat and the tomb of Brother François. The Brothers at the
Hermitage are exceptionally welcoming and most happy to receive you.
With the help of Michael Flanigan, who is on the staff of the
Generalate in Rome, I was able to reserve a room at the Hermitage for
the three days that straddle the New Year holiday. I had presumed the
Brothers would provide me a comfortable room with meals in the
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lived in the residence with the Brothers, took all my meals with them,
and became part of the community of thirteen Brothers. This even
included the festivities for New Year's Eve. Their hospitality was
extraordinary, and I could not have been more at ease. I think all of us
would be very impressed by their love for the Founder and would find
his spirit very alive in the house. One of the Brothers was most willing
and happy to take me on a driving tour to LaValla and Marlhes and
several of the sites that we all know from stories of Father
Champagnat. When it was time to take leave for Paris, they asked me
"when are you coming back?" This can be the perfect retreat, even if
you have time only to stop for an hour or two at the visitors' center
and to pray in the chapel. (432 Park Avenue South, New York, NY
10016; 212-725-9630;
wbuckley@garbarini-scher.com
)
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In Memoriam
From BR. HANK HAMMER (’75): Br. Matthew Snowden (’48)
died on Sunday, April 22. Matty was born on January 3, 1929, and
entered the Marist Brothers Novitiate in 1947. He professed first vows
in 1948 and completed the scholasticate in 1953. His first teaching
assignment was at St. Mary’s High School in Manhasset followed by
assignments at Central Catholic High School in Wheeling and Mt. St.
Michael Academy before going to second novitiate in 1964. After
second novitiate, Matty studied at the Alexian Brothers School of
Nursing in Chicago. As a nurse, Matty ministered at the Marist
Brothers infirmary in Tyngsboro and St. Clare’s Hospital in New York
City. Matty retired to Champagnat Hall in 1997. At his funeral on April
25 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in the Bronx, Brother Nicholas Caffrey
remembered Matty as a man who had a spirit of doing things for other
people. Nick commented that the whole idea of becoming a nurse was
his way of offering help to other people. (
hankhammer@hotmail.com
)
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From JOHN O’CONNELL (’58): With a heavy heart, I need to
inform you that Br. Bernie Ruth, from our ’58 “group,” has gone on
before us. Br. Bernie was from Landshut, Germany, joining us for
college in Poughkeepsie in 1959. Thanks to Br. Vinnie Benedict, I was
able to connect with Bernie just last spring. He had been struggling
with diabetes down in Miami, having just had both his legs amputated,
but he was his usual up-beat self. I can’t picture him without a smile
on his face. Can anybody?
From GENE ZIRKEL: Brother Bernie has gone to heaven. I
never think of Bernie as a “holy” man. But good, yes. Always smiling.
Always glad to see people. And good people go to heaven. Bernie lived
in community. At times it is wonderful, as most families are. At times it
is not so wonderful, as most families experience. In the more than
thirty years I knew him, I never heard him complain about anyone he
lived with. That’s goodness!


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St. Bernie lost both feet to diabetes. He remained upbeat about
his recovery, his prostheses, his healing, and his rehab. He did speak
often about how good the Brothers were in helping him.
He loved a party. Now he celebrates with Jesus, the Cana party-
thrower, who brought seven large jugs of good wine to the celebration.
Now they dance together.
I don’t know if you have ever been at a Jewish wedding. We
have been privileged to watch the male guests dance, to watch them
hoist the bridegroom seated upon his chair up in the air, and to watch
them dance wildly around the room with him. I cannot picture Jesus
standing by in a corner while this was going on. No, I see him as one of
the strong young men holding the chair on high, laughing, dancing
exuberantly. St. Bernie can dance once again, and I picture Jesus
inviting him to join in the fun.
From JIM GARGAN (’59): I remember how our brother Bernie
Ruth always got a kick out of the English idiom, "Hurry up down!" It’s
funny how things stay with you. When we were new scholastics, he
also liked to kibbitz with us and pretended that he was from Brooklyn.
Some of us fell for it. (
garganlaw@msn.com
)
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From BR. CHARLES FILIATRAULT (’55): Br. Simeon Ouellet
(’45), formerly known as Br. Simeon Arthur, died suddenly at our 136
th
Street community in Miami on the night of Saturday, February 17
th
.
Simeon was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts on September 4, 1928
and received the Marist habit on July 26, 1945. After obtaining a BA
degree at the then Marian College in Poughkeepsie, Simeon was
assigned to teach at St. Joseph High School in Lowell,
Massachusetts. His assignment in Lowell was followed by assignments
to St. Ann’s Academy and St. Helena High School.

Other assignments
included the tailor shop in Esopus, Central Catholic High School in
Wheeling, Cardinal Hayes High School, Marist High School in Chicago,
Mt. St. Michael Academy, Kobe, Japan, and Christopher Columbus High
School in Miami.

After many years of faithful ministry, Simeon retired
to the 136th Street community in Miami where he became an active
member of St. John Neumann parish. He was well known to many
parishioners in his role as Eucharistic minister. (
frankfil@bellsouth.net
)
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From DAVID KAMMER (’42): Donald "Ted" Gray ('63) died in
Brownsville, Texas, on Wednesday, April 18th at the age of 62 after a
battle with stomach cancer. Ted left the Marist Brothers from St.
Joseph's Academy after teaching there for five years. He taught
emotionally disturbed children in Austin, Texas, for one year and then
returned to St. Joseph's to be teacher, athletic director, and coach. In
1977 Ted took employment as a federal probation/parole officer from
which he retired at age 57 in 2001. Ted and his wife Rosario have one



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daughter, Katrina, a graduate of St. Joseph's. The Gray home is at 85
Westchester Circle, Brownsville, Texas, 78521-4055.
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From FRANK KLUG: The following letter appeared in the
Brownsville Herald concerning Ted Gray: (
fmsaug@rgv.rr.com
)
I am compelled to write how my hero and former
coach, Ted Gray, had a major influence on my life. Coach Gray had a
profound effect on my life; he introduced the concept of strength
conditioning to me at a very early age. During the early 1970’s
weight training was not a very popular concept, as there were many
myths: for one, you would become muscle-bound, weights would
slow you down, and you would be labeled dumb. Coach Gray was an
innovator and way ahead of his time. He introduced the concept that
strength conditioning would ultimately create a greater athlete.
I will never forget the first day I saw Coach Gray. He was a
giant of a man, I being a seventh-grader at the time. I was told by
my peers that he was the head football coach of the Mighty
Bloodhounds. It took me months to build up enough courage to
approach him and ask if I could play football. At the time I weighed
105 pounds. His response was that I needed to lift weights. Coach
invited me to the field house, and my life has never been the same.
Who would think that this seventh-grader would one day become a
national champion, set state records and open a gym in Brownsville?
As a direct result of Coach Gray’s teachings, my life and the lives of
many young men and women l have trained have been changed
dramatically.
To Coach Gray, thank you! I will never forget the impact you
had on my life. It was very difficult to say goodbye, but I know you
are in a better place. Your memory will remain with me forever. (Tito
Mata Jr., Brownsville)
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Marists All Website:
http://academic2.marist.edu/foy/marists all/
Those of our readers who access Marists All through our website
have already perused past issues or the list of past writers. They have
sought contact information for those on our mailing list or have read an
obituary or eulogy from a recently deceased member of our group.
Others of our readers may not have access to cyberspace or have
merely relied on the printed copies sent to their home addresses four
times a year. Rich Foy, our web master, has expanded a section of
that website under the menu category “Photo Album.” This section
contains group photos of Marist Brothers over the years, including the
investiture photo of the group of ’57, the group celebrating their 50
th
anniversary this year. In a correspondence from David Kammer to
John O’Connell, David wrote: “This is the 50
th
anniversary of the


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group! Can that be? Six of those in the picture are officially
celebrating their Golden Jubilee this year as Marists: Nick Caffrey,
George Fontana, Kevin Handibode, Pat Hogan, Bill Lambert, and Fabian
Mayor. And of course, Ron Pochintesta, John Ruel, and Captain Tim
Dooley made it all the way. (And more recently, Bernard Ruth)
Congratulations to all. Owen Lafferty and Charley Collins became
priests. I’m sure all the others have some claim to fame! Too bad we
don’t know about all of that.”(Ed.) (Webmeister's note: To get to the photo
album, open the MaristsAll website, , click on the left hand drop-down menu item called
"Home". Then click on "Photo Album" and then "Group Photos" )

<<=== back to index


From RICH FOY (’45): I would like to share with you a
heartening experience. I was recently asked to be honorary coach of
the Marist College women’s team, which at this point is 20-4 and 14-0
in the league. Two of their losses were to Duke and Maryland when
each team was ranked #1 in the country. The honorary coach has
important duties. First of all, he/she must be well dressed. I managed
to scrounge out gray slacks, blue blazer and gray turtleneck – the
latter being my expression of rebellion, as the coach instructed me to
wear shirt and tie. Second duty is to sit on the bench and hand the
coach a clipboard at each time out. Sitting on the bench was easy,
although I was in full view of the 2200 fans present. For the first four
timeouts I grabbed the board and moved near the coach, who didn’t
want the clipboard. For the fifth time I figured he didn’t want it; he
called for it, and one of the regular coaches got it for him. Drat!
Another highlight of being honorary coach is you get to go into
the locker room to hear the coaches’ instructions before, at half time,
and after the game. For those of you with overly keen imaginations,
the ‘locker room’ is a small anteroom off the main women’s lockers. It
was just big enough to fit the thirteen players, four coaches, manager,
and trainer…and me. It was fun to hear the coaches using jargon that
wasn’t in vogue when I was on the Marist varsity in 1947-1950. I was
worried that if the women lost, I would be exiled from the McCann
Center for a year. After the game I was told that the only honorary
coaches who coached a loss were Dennis and Marilyn Murray. So I
would have been in good company.
If the women win one of their last four games, they win the
league and are guaranteed a trip to either the NCAA tournament or the
NIT. (The rest is history: they made the NCAA tournament to the
Sweet Sixteen… Ed.)
<<=== back to index

From the MaristsAll Archives
There is a treasure hidden within the history of the eighty-
seven issues preceding this special anniversary. Whether you read this
makeshift tome from beginning to end, or scan isolated contributions,


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or read all the entries from a single person, you will find yourself
entranced by the content, the tone, and the Marist Spirit underlying the
words. Here are a few I picked out, from those among us and those
who have gone before us. Go to our website and spend a rainy day
going back to those we once knew in a time and place that are so very
special. (Ed.)
From MARTY LANG ('47): All these years I have received
my copy of the Marist newsletter for which I am very grateful. I
read it, line for line, with interest, but slowly the new,
unfamiliar names replace the old ones, and the friends of old
are found more often in the necrology than in the new
foundations begun since we left. The idea of the newsletter is
great, a tender thread that could continue to hold us in the
bond of caring. Losing contact is still painful, and I guess as
long as that is the case, the bonds are still there. (August
1987, #2)
From BR. PAUL AMBROSE: Thanks for the copy of the
publication on Marists and former Marists. I believe it is not only
a very worthwhile idea but also one that will be productive for
good to present and previous Marists. I do not care for any title
that will pretend to say who is Marist now or previously. It is a
matter of the heart more than of any physical or legal bond.
(December 1987, #3)
From JUDY KAMMER: For some time I have wanted to
say how I have enjoyed the GMC picnics at the Mount. I have
attended many of them, meeting many fine men and women. I
have been particularly impressed how most have continued in
service-oriented fields. Especially deserving of great admiration
are some who have been lovingly heroic in caring for elderly,
incapacitated parents in their homes over extended periods of
time. I remember their stories, those of Marty Lang and Jack
Duggan and Bob Reynolds and those of their wives.
And I also want to say that there is something special
about the many fine Marist Brothers I have met. Over the past
25 years it has been my good fortune to experience Marist
simplicity, charity, and warm hospitality in all my Marist
encounters. I will never forget Jude Driscoll and Berky and Minn
and Joe Abe and the retired monks who were in Tyngsboro and
Cold Spring in earlier years. I have been welcomed by the
Brothers in Poughkeepsie, in Esopus, in Lawrence, in Bayonne,
in Chicago, in Wheeling, in Augusta, as well as in Spain, in
Belgium, at the Generalate in Rome, and especially at the
Hermitage in France. I am sure that I could speak for the
feminine element associated with the Greater Marist Community
in saying that we are grateful to the Brothers for their pleasant
acceptance of us and for their genuine kindness toward us.
(February 1994, #26)


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From DONALD (Chris Matthew) EDWARDS ('57): I was
surprised at my reaction to the first newsletters. Talk about
mixed emotions; sort of like dealing with a lifetime of unfinished
business! Really enlightening to realize that I spent twelve
years of my life with so many wonderful people, and yet I
hardly knew them. Then their voices popped up off the print in
the newsletter. It was neat finding out what had happened to so
many wonderful guys over the years. So many have done so
well! (February 1988, #4)
From BR. PATRICK EUGENE MAGEE ('43): You have
done a wonderful service for the Brothers through the well-
published Marists All. I have enjoyed reading it from cover to
cover. Every time it arrives I duplicate sufficient copies so that
each member of the community has his own copy for quiet and
leisurely reading. I have been impressed by the good
accomplished by so many in the spirit of Champagnat. The
story written by Brother Bob McGovern from the Philippines was
most informative and praiseworthy. (May 1997, #39)
From DON (Damian Eugene) SCHMIDT (’53): The years
have passed and copy after copy of Marists All has arrived and
been read from cover to cover. Guilt has mounted for not
having written to contribute to this wonderful vehicle of God’s
grace. To hear what God has wrought through each person who
has written is truly awe-inspiring. As I write, I am attending the
Marist Institute of Spirituality at Marist College for the first
time. To see and hear former colleagues - confreres – is a very
special treat. I also had the privilege of attending the
canonization of St. Marcellin Champagnat in Rome last year.
Both occasions impressed upon me the importance of that
thread of Marist Spirit that binds us all together. Even though
the years have separated us, a single encounter brings floods of
memories of our shared past and reconnects.
A visit to the Esopus cemetery has given me a chance to
renew contact with old teachers, companions, and, yes, even a
student. I marvel at the memories that ensue walking down
each row of headstones. Thoughts and fond memories of saintly
men who were so instrumental in my formation and have aided
me in my four decades of teaching, spring forth, along with
prayers of gratitude for exemplifying the true Marist Spirit of
doing good quietly. (September 2000, #56)
<<=== back to index

Thank you!
We owe much to our “investors” who have contributed funding
for our continued publication. Over the years, when the coffers became
dangerously low, checks would appear, as if by an angel, and funds for
one or two more issues would become possible. After our appeal last


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issue, the following stepped forward. We owe them a deep gratitude
for their help: Jerry Byrne, Ron Diss, Rich Foy, John-Paul Frank, Pat
Gallagher, Sr. Mary Groves, Brendan Haggerty, Marty Harte, Dennis
Hartnett, Richard Holena, Pat Keilty, John King, Art Lavigne, Joe
Mastropolo, Br. John McDonnell, Paul Maloney, John Reynolds, Rob
Schmid, Steve Sheridan, Greg Skrzypek, Robert Toole.) Notes from
some of these contributors follow:
From MARTY (Patrick Martin) HARTE (’48): Thanks for your
generous efforts and for that of the team in keeping us aware of our
roots, friends, and “family-spirited” brotherhood. I’m so proud to be
part of this Marist family. Keep the presses rolling. I’m sure we all
look forward to each issue, uplifting as each one is. God bless you
and the “family” who do so much to keep us united in one spirit.
From ARTIE LAVIGNE and ANNE MARIE: Thank you to all
involved in this very special twenty years of connections.
From SR. MARY GROVES, O.P.: Thank you so much for
continuing to send me the Marists All newsletter. I look forward to
reading each issue. In fact, I pass it along to some of my Dominican
Sisters who also worked with the Marist Brothers, mainly at Lourdes
High School in Poughkeepsie.
From BR. JOHN MCDONNELL: Thank you for the faithful
production of Marists All these many years. May Our Lord’s peace be
yours!
For future issues, please continue to send your written
contributions to Vince Poisella at the email address or mailing address
listed in the heading. Also, from this point on, those who wish to send
a monetary contribution should do so by sending it directly to Gus
Nolan, payable to him, with a note on the check that the contribution is
for Marists All. He will now be taking over these responsibilities from
David Kammer. It is with a grateful heart that we accept your
assistance in continuing this work in manifesting our Marist Spirit.
(Ed.)
Saint Marcellin Champagnat: pray for us!
Mary, our Good Mother: pray for us!
Let us remember: to pray for each other.



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