Marists All: Issue #87 February 2007
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ISSUE # 87
February 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
Bro. Joseph Belanger '43
Maurice Bibeau '50
Vincent Buonora '68
Bill Doherty '62
Darlene Hall
Chuck Luttrell '68
Rev. Joe Madsen '62
Bro Don Nugent '59
John O'Connell '58
Jack Ryan '60
John Scileppi '68
Topics
Anniversary Alert
Spirituality Weekend
In Memoriam: Bro Conan Vincent
In Memoriam: Adrian Perreault
Esopus Property
Esopus "Gathering" Apr 18-22
In Memoriam: Vincent Hall
Bolivia
MaristsAll in Canada
MaristsAll in Michigan
Websites
Anniversary Alert
The next issue, #88, in May 2007, marks the twentieth year of
publication of Marists All. Our team members have concluded that
Marists All should commemorate this milestone with a special edition to
be sent by regular mail to every one of the 543 on our actual mailing
list. We plan to revisit some features from our past contributors, both
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living and deceased. We plan a larger issue that will not affect our
Web site. But we realize that the printed version will be costly. David
Kammer, our treasurer, has given the team fair warning that the extra
cost of printing and mailing may reduce our coffers considerably. Any
of our readers who would like to ease anxiety are asked to send a
token contribution made out to David Kammer at the above address
with a notation that it is for Marists All. (Thanks to Alex Senes ’64 and
John Reynolds ‘60 for their recent contributions.)
As editor, I make a further request. This issue presents a
wonderful opportunity to join those with whom we share the common
bond of Marist formation and spirituality to write a little summary of
memories and reflections offered in deep gratitude for what we have
gained through our Marist connection. Rob Schmid calls it the
“celebration of our living history.” Many of you in the past have written
a note beginning with the words, “For years now, I’ve been promising
to write something for Marists All….” Fulfill that promise! We heartily
look forward to our next issue in the month of Mary.
Thirteenth Annual Marist Family Spirituality Weekend
From JOHN SCILEPPI (’68): We invite all of our readers to
consider attending a very special weekend at Marist College July 13
through July 15, 2007. The theme of the event is “Our Prayer
Journey.” We are in the process of confirming great speakers – some
old favorites agreeing to offer encore lectures as well as experts well-
known to all of us and presenting for the first time. An addition to the
weekend will be an optional “Day of Prayer” to begin at 11:00 am on
Friday in the Marist College chapel. Gene Zirkel will coordinate this
activity. For all others, the registration will begin at 4:00 pm on that
day. For those who register and deposit before June 1
st
, meals are
$100; single rooms are $160 including meals; double rooms are $305
per couple including meals. After June 1
st
, meals are $110; singles are
$170, and couples are $315. To register, send a $25 deposit to Maurice
(Mo) Bibeau at 2 Van Wert Place, Hyde Park, NY 12538. For additional
information, contact me at
John.Scileppi@Marist.edu
. Thank you.
From REV. JOE MADSEN (’62): Our parish in La Paz, Bolivia, is
Parroquia Divino Maestro, the Parish of the Divine Teacher. It sits on a
plateau above the area of La Paz known as Obrajes. During the 1960’s
the government gave plots of land here to the teachers of the city.
Most of them are retired now, and their children tend to be middle
class. However, we have two areas that are very poor.
At the western extreme of the parish there is a small mountain
that juts up from the plateau. In that region there is a small chapel
that was in a state of total disrepair. With money I brought back with
me from a trip to New York last July, we put a new roof on the chapel,
painted the inside, and bought some benches where people can sit.
We have Mass there every Sunday, along with Sunday school. On
Monday evenings we have Mass for the Aymara ladies who spend all
day Sunday working in the market.
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Dropping down from the plateau at the eastern end of our parish
is an area that is very difficult to reach. When I go there I drive about
five miles, park, and climb. There are no roads, just trails. It takes an
hour to get there and about an hour and a half to get back because it’s
all up hill. There is no chapel or center. I have to admit that very little
has been done for the people there. My conscience is smoothed by the
fact that beginning in January the Missionaries of Charity, Mother
Teresa of Calcutta’s sisters, will be working there. I celebrate Mass for
the sisters each Monday morning.
Here in our parish church we had a concert after the evening
Mass this past Saturday. A female choir, all doctors, lawyers, and
university professors, gave us fifty minutes of villancicos (Spanish
Christmas carols). It was a lot of fun, but when it comes to music, the
ladies are certainly enthusiastic, but they are not professional.
On November 22
nd
I went to Oruro with Luis, my sacristan.
Oruro is near the frontier with Chile, and on Wednesdays there is a
street market where one can buy all kinds of things at half the price
one would pay here in La Paz. We bought an artificial Christmas tree,
decorations, and a bicycle for Luis’s sons. This will be the first time
since I am living in Bolivia that there will be a Christmas tree in the
house where I am living.
Driving up to Oruro we see a layer of white over much of the
ground. It is salt. Local wisdom says that the high salt content in the
soil makes the meat of the little lambs taste much better. For lunch
Luis brought me to a restaurant that specializes in lamb. Luis did the
ordering, and we both ended up with a leg of lamb. It was delicious
and tender. The salt probably made my blood pressure soar, but so
what.
In Oruro that day for a competition were all of the most famous
marching bands of Bolivia. It was the feast of St. Cecilia, the patron
saint of musicians. People were dancing in the streets. It was very
colorful, but it did not make it easy to get around. (Calle F. Jofre No.
1475, Sector B, Alto Obrajes, La Paz, Bolivia;
Parr.Div.Maestro@hotmail.com
)
From EUGENE (CHUCK) LUTTRELL (’63): It is an awesome
feeling to reconnect after all these years. I left the Marist Brothers in
’69 and taught at Union Catholic while I discerned my call to the army.
I moved to Vancouver, Canada, in June of 1970 with the incredible
support of Joe McMorrow, Rich Keenan and Paul Levendusky. The
decision to leave the U.S. was very difficult for my parents; but for me,
being young (twenty-five) and idealistic, it was not that stressful. God
bless Jimmy Carter for his courageous pardon in ’77-’78, enabling me
to visit the U.S. In fact, I am just back from visiting my ninety year-
old mother in Portland, ME. Dad died five years ago. Between 1962
and 1978 I was able to get home only a total of three days due to
living eight years with the Marists and to being a draft dodger. Now
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that I can, I am making an effort to be a good son, trying to get back a
couple of times a year.
I married Marie Miller. Thirty-six years, five children and four
grandchildren later, she is still the love of my life, a saint who is all
things to all people as a mom, grandmother, writer, and school
secretary. Now she is tackling a master’s in theology. I sit back in
awe. Marie has also written a family life column for twenty-four years.
I continued my teaching career in Vancouver, moving into
administration as a principal. Then I was offered an assistant
superintendent position for the Catholic school board at the age of
thirty-three. I did that for seventeen wonderful years. At the age of
fifty I felt the call back to kids and took over as principal of our inner
city high school. That too was a wonderful experience. Then I
responded to the request of the archbishop to become the director of
religious education for Vancouver Archdiocese. That is where I am now
at sixty-two and loving it. I served on the Papal visit of ’84, looked
after Mother Theresa when she visited, and hosted Jean Vanier’s visit.
It has been a blessing.
Marie and I will be traveling to Alberta on June 29
th
for Joe
McMorrow’s ordination to the permanent deaconate. Joe continues to
be my best friend and hero, and what he won’t brag about is the
incredible job he and Sharon have done as parents and in service to
the church.
Richie Keenan retired from the University of Moscow in Idaho
where he was a professor of Spanish literature and his wife Lori was a
librarian. They have moved back to the Vancouver area. Paul
Levendusky is a naturopath physician and lives about an hour away.
Two summers ago we had a wonderful Marist Vancouver reunion with
plans for another in the not too distant future.
As for the Marists, I have told my kids many times that if I had to
do it over, I would change nothing; and considering the Marist impact
here on the west coast with Joe, Rich and Paul, we have been “paying
it forward.” Perhaps in a few years I can make the Marist picnic in the
fall. It would bring me back to a source of great blessing. (#405 2628
Yew St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6K 4T4; 606-734-0113;
cluttrell@rcav.bc.ca
)
From JACK RYAN (’60): I found myself reading and rereading
Richard LaPietra’s obit of Andy Molloy. We should all have such a good
friend who writes so well. Andy was teaching at Marist when I was
there although I never had him as a teacher. Richard’s description of
his smile was so powerful that I could easily picture him walking the
lanes of Marist College. I did have Br. Richard LaPietra as my freshman
general science teacher at St. Helena’s in 1956, and everything Richard
said about Andy’s teaching excellence was equally applicable to
Richard’s. It was a joy to be in his class.
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On another note we had a gathering of the 1960 veterans of
Esopus at our cottage in Port Austin, Michigan, the last weekend in
October. John Reynolds, Mike McGonigle and his wife Pat journeyed
from nearby Flint. Joe and Cathy Cron came in from Fairfield, CT.
Kevin Finn appeared from southern California, and Ed Frail found his
way from Saratoga, NY to join my wife Elaine and me. Wonderful old
stories of ball games and work assignments filled the weekend. The
only conflict arose when Kevin Finn told us his son was a student at
USC, and therefore, Kevin figured he had to root against Notre Dame.
Mike McGonigle has since concluded that it was Kevin’s defection that
had allowed the Trojans to thump the Irish at the end of the season.
John Reynolds intoned the Salve Saturday night, and while we had the
words printed out, our memories made the sheets unnecessary.
(
jcryan1214@sbcglobal.net
)
From BR. JOSEPH BELANGER (’43): The Good Lord keeps me
around, so there’s still work He wants me to do. I fell asleep at the
wheel on the Mass Pike in September and ended up in the left-hand
ditch. Fortunately, there was no damage to others, to me, or to the
car. And I could drive out and back onto the Pike before the state
troopers came to give me a ticket. My guardian angel was working
overtime. I really must stop more often and nap along the way. The
last time I fell asleep on the Pike was in January 1991. I totaled the
car and spent a week in the hospital. The seat belt saved my life.
Public transportation between Poughkeepsie and Lawrence is poor and
takes ten hours. By car, I can make it in five hours with stops. How
many more years I drive such distances alone remains to be seen. I
did get myself a cell phone, finally, mostly for AAA, just in case.
This year has been saddened by the loss of too many good
confreres: Frank and Jim and Scotty and Denis Hever; and good
friends: Joan and Andy and Bernie and Adrian and Jerry and Denis
Murphy. Hever is one of the two former students who paid me the
ultimate tribute as a teacher. Those who know me realize that I
believe the goal of teaching is to make people think. At the end of his
double major in French and Spanish, Denis told me in his usual frank
way: “You know that Br. Gerard is a better teacher than you are, but
you do make me think more.” I’ll settle for that. Denis finally
succumbed to the brain tumor that had dogged him for several years.
I would quote to him that beautiful couplet from Psalm 63: “My soul
clings to you, / your right hand holds me fast.”
I make regular visits to several nursing homes. This is not
exactly the pick-up this old man needs, but seeing family and friends
brightened up the year. Meanwhile, I continue to be vertical and to get
a few hours of work done every day. Thank God for computers and
email! How I long to go to the Far East once more, but it’s now too
late. All God’s best for 2007, especially peace!
(
joseph.belanger@marist.edu
)
From BILL G. DOHERTY (’62): I retired from teaching and then
had several strokes for which I was hospitalized for several weeks.
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Within days of release from the hospital, my wife of thirty-four years,
Jody, was diagnosed with cancer and was in and out of the hospital for
several years before passing away. She fought a long and valiant
battle. Presently, I am doing quite well and driving again. The doctors
are amazed that I can read. At first I thought they were questioning
my intelligence! Those of you who suffered through my cooking skills,
or lack thereof, in the novitiate will be happy to know that I have
become the “Rachael Ray” of thirty minute cooking in Kew Gardens.
My daughter Kate, 32, is living at home with me. She works for the
law department at the MTA New York City Transit. My son Andy, 30,
works for WNEW and is a DJ on Sirius satellite radio. The station is Hip
Hop, channel 40: my kind of music! He lives in Manhattan at Trump
Place on the West Side near Lincoln Center. They both are great “kids”
and are very supportive during these difficult times. I am presently
teaching a course to senior citizens at the Irish Center in Long Island
City. Last week I found that I am the oldest person in the class!
(
wdoherty@nyc.rr.com
; 718-849-2335)
From VINCENT BUONORA (’68): I used to think that “Marist”
had to do with men in European cassocks isolated in a monastery.
Now, I look around and see the Marist influence as far-reaching into
the secular world, married life, and professional activities. I am
amazed how many of the readers of Marists All have led such fruitful
and varied lives after leaving the congregation. I guess, in a way,
many are “third order Marists.”
I recall Jerry Cox, English professor and dean, who taught me
communications. His lectures inspired me toward a love of language.
Jerry also expressed to me in counseling that religious life was not for
me and worded it in such sincere terms. Larry Sullivan also inspired
me for his intellect and understanding when my brother passed on
from cancer. He was a gifted pastoral counselor. Bill Lavigne took me
out of Queens into the medieval monasteries and galleries of Italy and
France. Robert James allowed me to tour the world of the Greeks
through his metaphysics class. I was so proud to get a B on his test.
Jerry Weiss was the very opposite of me for his orderliness, impeccable
presentations, timetabled lectures, and patient delivery. Yet, he
recognized my enthusiasm and named me for the department award
for working with the immigrants. Stephen Lanning was so impressive
in his analysis of Dryden and Johnson. His work with the theatre guild
was prodigious and exciting to all around him. Gus Nolan taught
freshman English and kept us going with his many anecdotes and wit.
Chic Chicolella, great guy from the old neighborhood in Queens, one
year ahead of me, had a great ear for singing and languages. He was
dearly loved.
As for me, I taught Spanish in various high schools from 1970
through 1976, finished my Master’s from Hofstra where I ran into Pat
Ryan who had been a year after me in Esopus. I continued music
percussion studies and jazz drumming while substitute teaching. In
1979 I left for Houston. I landed a job as appraiser with the city of
Houston and then with the Harris County Appraisal District. I earned
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two appraisal designations and am now staff appraiser expert witness
for litigation cases against the county tax jurisdictions. In the
meantime I trained for three years and obtained a black belt in Tae
Kwon Do. (
vbuonora@yahoo.com
)
In Memoriam: Adrian Perreault ‘36
From JOHN SCILEPPI (’68): I first met Adrian when I was a lay
student freshman at Marist College in 1963. I guess I hadn’t realized
that briefcases were prohibited in the library, and Adrian made certain
that I would not forget this rule. To this day, I never carry a briefcase
into any library, even when I attend board meetings at the local Hyde
Park library. Adrian certainly left a strong impression on me! Adrian
also left a wonderful legacy at the college. He was perhaps the first
professional librarian there and oversaw not only the general operation,
but also the significant moves of the library from Greystone to Donnelly
(with its beautiful wall of colored windows that made reading there a
unique experience) to the first Fontaine building. By the time I
returned to the college to teach in 1973, I became a Brother, and he
had left.
After Adrian retired in the early 1980’s, he became very active in
the Knights of Columbus and established a number of new programs at
the St. Martin de Porres Church Chapter in Poughkeepsie. He also
volunteered for the local hospitals assisting cancer survivors to their
therapy appointments. About ten years ago, Adrian suffered a stroke
that left him partially paralyzed. Eventually, it became clear he needed
more assistance than Betty, his wife, could provide at home. This was
triggered by a fall in the house that led to his acceptance into a nursing
home. His mind was sharp until the end.
Adrian was the college’s first archivist, and I could ask him
questions about specific events that had occurred fifty years ago, and
he could tell me the “who, when, what, and where” and the politics
that surrounded each event. He also had an excellent memory for
everything involving the Brothers and former brothers in the United
States. I recall that Joe Belanger would have Adrian proofread Paul
Ambrose’s memoirs, and Adrian frequently convinced Joe Bel that some
of Paul’s dates were inaccurate.
During the week before he died, he asked Betty to wish a GMC
member a “Happy Birthday.” He even had these dates committed to
memory. Adrian is now among his confreres and the rest of the saints,
and he has graduated from his disabilities. If I ever get there, I will
remember not to carry a briefcase into the heavenly library! (845-575-
3000 x2961;
John.Scileppi@marist.edu
)
From MAURICE BIBEAU (’50): After four years in a nursing
home, Adrian was able to leave his wheelchair and bed and be united
with his Lord and Savior. He had gotten weaker with time and his
speech was affected, but his mind and memory at times still functioned
reasonably well. At the age of eighty-seven, Adrian died in St. Francis
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Hospital. The last local GMC that he attended was in June at the
LaPietras. He also attended the September picnic at the Mount.
Adrian remained service-committed after his retirement as the
director of the library at Marist College. He assumed a variety of
volunteer activities at the hospitals, drove cancer patients to their
doctors, served as an ombudsman at the hospital, and was a very
active member of the Knights of Columbus.
Shortly after Adrian’s death, some of the GMC met to pray. Betty
ended the prayer with, “May St. Marcellin receive him at the gate of
heaven.” (
Maurice.Bibeau@marist.edu
)
In Memoriam: BR. CONAN VINCENT DINEEN (’39)
From the Provincial Newsletter: The death of Brother Conan
Vincent Dineen on January 3rd brought to a close the life of one of our
U.S. Marist “giants.” Loved by generations of students, faculty, and
Brothers, Vinny is especially remembered by novices in Tyngsboro who
had him as their summer prefect and teacher. When the novice master
had left for a well-earned vacation, Vinny came to Tyngsboro with this
simple admonition to the novices: “Don’t get sick. Don’t die. Don’t have
a vocation crisis, at least not until the master comes back!” Whether
he was Conan, Conan Vincent, or Vinny, he was a wonderful model of
what Marist brotherhood is all about.
After completing the scholasticate, Conan served at Boys Catholic
in Augusta, Georgia; St. Helena High School in the Bronx; St. Agnes
Boys’ High School in New York City; Holy Trinity School in
Poughkeepsie; St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, Connecticut; and
Central Catholic High School in Lawrence. From 2002 until his death,
Conan lived in our retirement community at 136th Street in Miami.
Because of his long tenure at Central Catholic, Vinny is most
often associated with that school. An article in the June 2, 1997 edition
of the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune described Vinny as “Central Catholic’s
treasure.” At age 81 at the time, Vinny talked about why he watched
religious television programs. ”When you’re getting so close, you
might as well get to know the other side,” he quipped.
In typical Conan humor, he explained to the article’s author that
the Brothers often held funerals at night so that as many Brothers as
possible could attend. Then he added, “The kids don’t have a holiday,
which delights me.”
There is so much for which Conan Vincent will be
remembered. He had a wonderful sense of humor and could laugh at
himself. He had a remarkable faith that sustained him through
tremendous change in both the Church and religious life. He had a
remarkable ability to adapt to the changing youth to whom he
ministered for almost sixty years. Most importantly, Conan loved his
brothers, and they loved him.
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(Let us also remember others who have died recently: Bernard
Garrett (Bernard Aloysius ’44), Denis Murphy (Denis Richard ’45), and
Mary Foy, wife of Richard Foy. And let us pray for our sick: John Miller
’57, John O’Connell ‘58, George Conboy ‘58, and Barney Sheridan ’55.
Editor)
***********************
(Have you ever wondered what has become of the Esopus
property? The following excerpt was published in the Daily Freeman, a
publication of the Mid-Hudson River Valley, on November 26, 2006. It
was written by Katie Young of the Freeman staff and entitled,
“Monasteries serve as both residences and retreats.” BR. DON
NUGENT ’59, submitted the article.)
Nestled in wooded areas off U.S. Route 9W, overlooking the
Hudson River in Ulster County, is a chain of monasteries, religious
communities and outreach homes – a Monastery Row” of sorts.
Dating to the 19
th
and early 20
th
centuries, the sites have
served a variety of purposes, from being a training ground for
religious orders, to housing orphans and troubled youths, to serving
as retreat centers for youths and adults seeking spiritual guidance
and a place to meditate.
Over the years, they’ve drawn criticism for keeping prime real
estate off the tax rolls. At the same time, though, they’ve served to
protect a vast stretch of the Hudson River shoreline from
development, maintaining a pastoral scene that has changed little in
a century.
The Marist Retreat Center, owned and operated by the Roman
Catholic Marist Brothers, is a religious community offering youth-
based services. Summer camps bring busloads of kids to the serene
spot on the Hudson River nine to ten weeks a year, and retreats take
up most weekends in the fall and winter.
Br. Donald Nugent, the administrator of the Esopus property
who has served at the retreat center for twenty years, said camp
participants “learn how we follow the Gospel message of giving of
ourselves rather than just taking.”
Camp activities vary based on the group coming in because
the brothers often host young cancer patients and children with
varying degrees of disabilities and limitations. The retreat center’s
dormitory-style accommodations can house more than two hundred
young people during the summer. Camps usually run their own
independent theme and operate on a volunteer basis. Nugent said
more than five hundred high school and college volunteers come
forward each summer.
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Retreats take place on weekends during the fall and winter,
usually for high school students.
“I think we’re planting seeds here – they’re seeds of God’s
love,” Nugent said. “Sometimes a person can hear that when they’re
a junior or senior in high school, and sometimes when they’re much
older, but they hear it.”
Nugent, who spent the morning of October 19 cooking and
preparing for a group of eighty to ninety youths arriving that
afternoon, said the brothers and volunteers followed the example of
the order’s founder, Marcellin Champagnat, to work on their hands
and knees if necessary to get the job done. He said there are about
three hundred Marist Brothers in the United States and 6,000
worldwide.
“There’s still that sense of getting in and doing what needs to
be done,” Nugent said. “The young people following us are picking
up on that and not afraid to get their hands dirty.”
The retreat center’s spacious grounds consist of three
communities of brothers: the cottage, the novitiate, and the
gatehouse – the newest community, dedicated as a house of prayer.
About a dozen brothers live and work together at the retreat center,
while some spend their days at Our Lady of Lourdes High School in
Poughkeepsie.
A few Marist Brothers still work as counselors, professors and
campus ministry mentors at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, which
the order founded in the early 1900’s.
From JOHN O’CONNELL ’58: Most of you will recall how upset
many of us were when word of Vinnie Hall’s passing circulated among
us in the late Spring of 2001. We were caught so unaware of his illness
and struggle leading up to his death on February 2, 2001, unable as we
were to be of any support to him and Darlene, the love of his life,
knowing so little of any particulars about their life experiences. Most of
you know that that ignorance has driven our efforts throughout “Oh,
B/brother, Where Art Thou” search for our brothers from over forty
years ago. Thanks to David Kammer I was able to acquire Darlene’s
postal address and wrote a note to her. I was soon gratified by her
touching reply, shared with you below, today, on the sixth anniversary
of his passing. Rest in peace, brother Vinnie Hall.
From DARLENE HALL: Your letter came as a very pleasant
surprise. Thank you so much for sharing what has happened since you
learned of Vinnie's death. When he passed away his sister, Cecile, a
Franciscan Sister of Peace, took care of notifying the Marists. There
was no obituary in the paper.
Let me share what happened to him and also a little about our
family. In October of 1999, he was diagnosed with a melanoma on his
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back. It and the lymph nodes to which it drained were removed at
New York University Hospital. At that point everything seemed
promising.
In June of 2000, our first grandchild, a boy, was born. Vinnie was
delighted. Our other daughter was expecting a baby in November,
another boy. That summer Vinnie was tired much of the time. In mid-
summer Vinnie was having some strange symptoms. He wasn't
completing tasks using his left hand - closing the car door and hanging
up the phone, for example. He wasn't feeling quite right. A trip to the
ER revealed he had a brain tumor. The melanoma had spread to his
brain.
After a complete body scan and no sign of other cancer spots,
the brain tumor was removed. He came home from the hospital the
end of September and a few weeks later began radiation treatments.
By early November he was saying it felt as if the radiation was killing
him. Additional tests over the next few weeks revealed an additional
small brain tumor, bone cancer in one arm, and a tumor in the spinal
column. The day after Thanksgiving his oncologist hospitalized him
and began a strong chemo and radiation therapy.
Vinnie was home for about a week at Christmas. His oncologist
didn't want to stop radiation treatments, but we insisted that he
needed to be home. He had the opportunity to spend some time with
his young grandsons. By New Year's Eve he was back in the hospital.
In early January Vinnie's brother Laurence passed away - also from
melanoma that had spread to vital organs. Laurence's original
melanoma had occurred about eight years earlier and recurred a few
times in between. Tests done around the middle of January showed
that the cancer had spread rapidly. All cancer treatment was stopped,
and he passed away on February 2nd. The end was mercifully quick
and he was at peace.
When Vinnie met Jim Friel, he was working at Northrup
Grumman as a systems engineer. Vinnie worked there for more than
thirty years and was still working when he became ill.
Vinnie and I were married in 1968. We have three kids, a son
and two daughters. Vinnie was very active in many parish ministries,
including that of a Eucharistic minister. For many years he was a
jogger and ran in a number of 10K and half marathons. He became an
avid golfer and played in the Grumman league.
For the last several years of his life he had been his Marist class
alumni representative and also participated in their telethons. He
managed to attend several homecomings.
As I mentioned earlier he saw his first two grandsons. Now there
are nine grandchildren - seven boys followed by twin girls. Each of our
three children has three of their own. They have kept me very busy
these past five years. The youngest daughter and her family live with
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me. My son and his family live a few miles away. My older daughter
and her family usually live in Connecticut but are on assignment in
Puerto Rico for the next two years. I am going down for a visit the end
of this month. I am fine but still miss Vinnie a lot. Sometimes it
seems as if he's still here, and I go to share something with him.
Thanks for getting in touch.
From JOHN O’CONNELL ’58: Darlene Hall’s letter brings some
closure to the initial search that gave impetus to our efforts to re-
establish the connection we once had as “brothers” during the training
years (’54-’62). Of the approximately 250 names and faces we recall,
twenty-eight have gone on before us, and we’ve now reconnected with
about 160, with over 130 forming a kind of “virtual community,” thanks
to the Internet.
Of the thirty-three of Vinnie Hall’s group who took the habit in
Tyngsboro in ’58, twenty-six have been “accounted for,” seven have
gone on before us, nineteen of us “found.” Please help us find the
remaining seven “lost” members: Milo Bushnell, Mark Buckley, Pat
Fazzari, Jim Gara, Greg Gumbinski, Charlie Jacklin, and Bob White:
where art thou?
As part of that reconnection effort, we hold an annual April
Esopus “Gathering” (as in, “When two or more of you are gathered
together...”). This coming together has expanded into a several-day
25-30 participant event. This year’s gathering in Esopus is set for the
weekend after Easter Sunday, anytime from Wednesday pm, April 18
th
,
through Sunday am, April 22
nd
. If interested, please contact John
“Oke” O’Connell at
OBbWAT@aol.com
or 207-841-9144 or 15 High
Street, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.
Websites
The Marist Connection
Please note the new Marists All website:
http://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/
Marist Brothers International:
www.champagnat.org
Marist Brothers USA:
www.maristbr.com
return to ===>>
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ISSUE # 87
February 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
▼
Correspondents
Bro. Joseph Belanger '43
Maurice Bibeau '50
Vincent Buonora '68
Bill Doherty '62
Darlene Hall
Chuck Luttrell '68
Rev. Joe Madsen '62
Bro Don Nugent '59
John O'Connell '58
Jack Ryan '60
John Scileppi '68
Topics
Anniversary Alert
Spirituality Weekend
In Memoriam: Bro Conan Vincent
In Memoriam: Adrian Perreault
Esopus Property
Esopus "Gathering" Apr 18-22
In Memoriam: Vincent Hall
Bolivia
MaristsAll in Canada
MaristsAll in Michigan
Websites
Anniversary Alert
The next issue, #88, in May 2007, marks the twentieth year of
publication of Marists All. Our team members have concluded that
Marists All should commemorate this milestone with a special edition to
be sent by regular mail to every one of the 543 on our actual mailing
list. We plan to revisit some features from our past contributors, both
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living and deceased. We plan a larger issue that will not affect our
Web site. But we realize that the printed version will be costly. David
Kammer, our treasurer, has given the team fair warning that the extra
cost of printing and mailing may reduce our coffers considerably. Any
of our readers who would like to ease anxiety are asked to send a
token contribution made out to David Kammer at the above address
with a notation that it is for Marists All. (Thanks to Alex Senes ’64 and
John Reynolds ‘60 for their recent contributions.)
As editor, I make a further request. This issue presents a
wonderful opportunity to join those with whom we share the common
bond of Marist formation and spirituality to write a little summary of
memories and reflections offered in deep gratitude for what we have
gained through our Marist connection. Rob Schmid calls it the
“celebration of our living history.” Many of you in the past have written
a note beginning with the words, “For years now, I’ve been promising
to write something for Marists All….” Fulfill that promise! We heartily
look forward to our next issue in the month of Mary.
Thirteenth Annual Marist Family Spirituality Weekend
From JOHN SCILEPPI (’68): We invite all of our readers to
consider attending a very special weekend at Marist College July 13
through July 15, 2007. The theme of the event is “Our Prayer
Journey.” We are in the process of confirming great speakers – some
old favorites agreeing to offer encore lectures as well as experts well-
known to all of us and presenting for the first time. An addition to the
weekend will be an optional “Day of Prayer” to begin at 11:00 am on
Friday in the Marist College chapel. Gene Zirkel will coordinate this
activity. For all others, the registration will begin at 4:00 pm on that
day. For those who register and deposit before June 1
st
, meals are
$100; single rooms are $160 including meals; double rooms are $305
per couple including meals. After June 1
st
, meals are $110; singles are
$170, and couples are $315. To register, send a $25 deposit to Maurice
(Mo) Bibeau at 2 Van Wert Place, Hyde Park, NY 12538. For additional
information, contact me at
John.Scileppi@Marist.edu
. Thank you.
From REV. JOE MADSEN (’62): Our parish in La Paz, Bolivia, is
Parroquia Divino Maestro, the Parish of the Divine Teacher. It sits on a
plateau above the area of La Paz known as Obrajes. During the 1960’s
the government gave plots of land here to the teachers of the city.
Most of them are retired now, and their children tend to be middle
class. However, we have two areas that are very poor.
At the western extreme of the parish there is a small mountain
that juts up from the plateau. In that region there is a small chapel
that was in a state of total disrepair. With money I brought back with
me from a trip to New York last July, we put a new roof on the chapel,
painted the inside, and bought some benches where people can sit.
We have Mass there every Sunday, along with Sunday school. On
Monday evenings we have Mass for the Aymara ladies who spend all
day Sunday working in the market.
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Dropping down from the plateau at the eastern end of our parish
is an area that is very difficult to reach. When I go there I drive about
five miles, park, and climb. There are no roads, just trails. It takes an
hour to get there and about an hour and a half to get back because it’s
all up hill. There is no chapel or center. I have to admit that very little
has been done for the people there. My conscience is smoothed by the
fact that beginning in January the Missionaries of Charity, Mother
Teresa of Calcutta’s sisters, will be working there. I celebrate Mass for
the sisters each Monday morning.
Here in our parish church we had a concert after the evening
Mass this past Saturday. A female choir, all doctors, lawyers, and
university professors, gave us fifty minutes of villancicos (Spanish
Christmas carols). It was a lot of fun, but when it comes to music, the
ladies are certainly enthusiastic, but they are not professional.
On November 22
nd
I went to Oruro with Luis, my sacristan.
Oruro is near the frontier with Chile, and on Wednesdays there is a
street market where one can buy all kinds of things at half the price
one would pay here in La Paz. We bought an artificial Christmas tree,
decorations, and a bicycle for Luis’s sons. This will be the first time
since I am living in Bolivia that there will be a Christmas tree in the
house where I am living.
Driving up to Oruro we see a layer of white over much of the
ground. It is salt. Local wisdom says that the high salt content in the
soil makes the meat of the little lambs taste much better. For lunch
Luis brought me to a restaurant that specializes in lamb. Luis did the
ordering, and we both ended up with a leg of lamb. It was delicious
and tender. The salt probably made my blood pressure soar, but so
what.
In Oruro that day for a competition were all of the most famous
marching bands of Bolivia. It was the feast of St. Cecilia, the patron
saint of musicians. People were dancing in the streets. It was very
colorful, but it did not make it easy to get around. (Calle F. Jofre No.
1475, Sector B, Alto Obrajes, La Paz, Bolivia;
Parr.Div.Maestro@hotmail.com
)
From EUGENE (CHUCK) LUTTRELL (’63): It is an awesome
feeling to reconnect after all these years. I left the Marist Brothers in
’69 and taught at Union Catholic while I discerned my call to the army.
I moved to Vancouver, Canada, in June of 1970 with the incredible
support of Joe McMorrow, Rich Keenan and Paul Levendusky. The
decision to leave the U.S. was very difficult for my parents; but for me,
being young (twenty-five) and idealistic, it was not that stressful. God
bless Jimmy Carter for his courageous pardon in ’77-’78, enabling me
to visit the U.S. In fact, I am just back from visiting my ninety year-
old mother in Portland, ME. Dad died five years ago. Between 1962
and 1978 I was able to get home only a total of three days due to
living eight years with the Marists and to being a draft dodger. Now
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that I can, I am making an effort to be a good son, trying to get back a
couple of times a year.
I married Marie Miller. Thirty-six years, five children and four
grandchildren later, she is still the love of my life, a saint who is all
things to all people as a mom, grandmother, writer, and school
secretary. Now she is tackling a master’s in theology. I sit back in
awe. Marie has also written a family life column for twenty-four years.
I continued my teaching career in Vancouver, moving into
administration as a principal. Then I was offered an assistant
superintendent position for the Catholic school board at the age of
thirty-three. I did that for seventeen wonderful years. At the age of
fifty I felt the call back to kids and took over as principal of our inner
city high school. That too was a wonderful experience. Then I
responded to the request of the archbishop to become the director of
religious education for Vancouver Archdiocese. That is where I am now
at sixty-two and loving it. I served on the Papal visit of ’84, looked
after Mother Theresa when she visited, and hosted Jean Vanier’s visit.
It has been a blessing.
Marie and I will be traveling to Alberta on June 29
th
for Joe
McMorrow’s ordination to the permanent deaconate. Joe continues to
be my best friend and hero, and what he won’t brag about is the
incredible job he and Sharon have done as parents and in service to
the church.
Richie Keenan retired from the University of Moscow in Idaho
where he was a professor of Spanish literature and his wife Lori was a
librarian. They have moved back to the Vancouver area. Paul
Levendusky is a naturopath physician and lives about an hour away.
Two summers ago we had a wonderful Marist Vancouver reunion with
plans for another in the not too distant future.
As for the Marists, I have told my kids many times that if I had to
do it over, I would change nothing; and considering the Marist impact
here on the west coast with Joe, Rich and Paul, we have been “paying
it forward.” Perhaps in a few years I can make the Marist picnic in the
fall. It would bring me back to a source of great blessing. (#405 2628
Yew St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6K 4T4; 606-734-0113;
cluttrell@rcav.bc.ca
)
From JACK RYAN (’60): I found myself reading and rereading
Richard LaPietra’s obit of Andy Molloy. We should all have such a good
friend who writes so well. Andy was teaching at Marist when I was
there although I never had him as a teacher. Richard’s description of
his smile was so powerful that I could easily picture him walking the
lanes of Marist College. I did have Br. Richard LaPietra as my freshman
general science teacher at St. Helena’s in 1956, and everything Richard
said about Andy’s teaching excellence was equally applicable to
Richard’s. It was a joy to be in his class.
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On another note we had a gathering of the 1960 veterans of
Esopus at our cottage in Port Austin, Michigan, the last weekend in
October. John Reynolds, Mike McGonigle and his wife Pat journeyed
from nearby Flint. Joe and Cathy Cron came in from Fairfield, CT.
Kevin Finn appeared from southern California, and Ed Frail found his
way from Saratoga, NY to join my wife Elaine and me. Wonderful old
stories of ball games and work assignments filled the weekend. The
only conflict arose when Kevin Finn told us his son was a student at
USC, and therefore, Kevin figured he had to root against Notre Dame.
Mike McGonigle has since concluded that it was Kevin’s defection that
had allowed the Trojans to thump the Irish at the end of the season.
John Reynolds intoned the Salve Saturday night, and while we had the
words printed out, our memories made the sheets unnecessary.
(
jcryan1214@sbcglobal.net
)
From BR. JOSEPH BELANGER (’43): The Good Lord keeps me
around, so there’s still work He wants me to do. I fell asleep at the
wheel on the Mass Pike in September and ended up in the left-hand
ditch. Fortunately, there was no damage to others, to me, or to the
car. And I could drive out and back onto the Pike before the state
troopers came to give me a ticket. My guardian angel was working
overtime. I really must stop more often and nap along the way. The
last time I fell asleep on the Pike was in January 1991. I totaled the
car and spent a week in the hospital. The seat belt saved my life.
Public transportation between Poughkeepsie and Lawrence is poor and
takes ten hours. By car, I can make it in five hours with stops. How
many more years I drive such distances alone remains to be seen. I
did get myself a cell phone, finally, mostly for AAA, just in case.
This year has been saddened by the loss of too many good
confreres: Frank and Jim and Scotty and Denis Hever; and good
friends: Joan and Andy and Bernie and Adrian and Jerry and Denis
Murphy. Hever is one of the two former students who paid me the
ultimate tribute as a teacher. Those who know me realize that I
believe the goal of teaching is to make people think. At the end of his
double major in French and Spanish, Denis told me in his usual frank
way: “You know that Br. Gerard is a better teacher than you are, but
you do make me think more.” I’ll settle for that. Denis finally
succumbed to the brain tumor that had dogged him for several years.
I would quote to him that beautiful couplet from Psalm 63: “My soul
clings to you, / your right hand holds me fast.”
I make regular visits to several nursing homes. This is not
exactly the pick-up this old man needs, but seeing family and friends
brightened up the year. Meanwhile, I continue to be vertical and to get
a few hours of work done every day. Thank God for computers and
email! How I long to go to the Far East once more, but it’s now too
late. All God’s best for 2007, especially peace!
(
joseph.belanger@marist.edu
)
From BILL G. DOHERTY (’62): I retired from teaching and then
had several strokes for which I was hospitalized for several weeks.
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Within days of release from the hospital, my wife of thirty-four years,
Jody, was diagnosed with cancer and was in and out of the hospital for
several years before passing away. She fought a long and valiant
battle. Presently, I am doing quite well and driving again. The doctors
are amazed that I can read. At first I thought they were questioning
my intelligence! Those of you who suffered through my cooking skills,
or lack thereof, in the novitiate will be happy to know that I have
become the “Rachael Ray” of thirty minute cooking in Kew Gardens.
My daughter Kate, 32, is living at home with me. She works for the
law department at the MTA New York City Transit. My son Andy, 30,
works for WNEW and is a DJ on Sirius satellite radio. The station is Hip
Hop, channel 40: my kind of music! He lives in Manhattan at Trump
Place on the West Side near Lincoln Center. They both are great “kids”
and are very supportive during these difficult times. I am presently
teaching a course to senior citizens at the Irish Center in Long Island
City. Last week I found that I am the oldest person in the class!
(
wdoherty@nyc.rr.com
; 718-849-2335)
From VINCENT BUONORA (’68): I used to think that “Marist”
had to do with men in European cassocks isolated in a monastery.
Now, I look around and see the Marist influence as far-reaching into
the secular world, married life, and professional activities. I am
amazed how many of the readers of Marists All have led such fruitful
and varied lives after leaving the congregation. I guess, in a way,
many are “third order Marists.”
I recall Jerry Cox, English professor and dean, who taught me
communications. His lectures inspired me toward a love of language.
Jerry also expressed to me in counseling that religious life was not for
me and worded it in such sincere terms. Larry Sullivan also inspired
me for his intellect and understanding when my brother passed on
from cancer. He was a gifted pastoral counselor. Bill Lavigne took me
out of Queens into the medieval monasteries and galleries of Italy and
France. Robert James allowed me to tour the world of the Greeks
through his metaphysics class. I was so proud to get a B on his test.
Jerry Weiss was the very opposite of me for his orderliness, impeccable
presentations, timetabled lectures, and patient delivery. Yet, he
recognized my enthusiasm and named me for the department award
for working with the immigrants. Stephen Lanning was so impressive
in his analysis of Dryden and Johnson. His work with the theatre guild
was prodigious and exciting to all around him. Gus Nolan taught
freshman English and kept us going with his many anecdotes and wit.
Chic Chicolella, great guy from the old neighborhood in Queens, one
year ahead of me, had a great ear for singing and languages. He was
dearly loved.
As for me, I taught Spanish in various high schools from 1970
through 1976, finished my Master’s from Hofstra where I ran into Pat
Ryan who had been a year after me in Esopus. I continued music
percussion studies and jazz drumming while substitute teaching. In
1979 I left for Houston. I landed a job as appraiser with the city of
Houston and then with the Harris County Appraisal District. I earned
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two appraisal designations and am now staff appraiser expert witness
for litigation cases against the county tax jurisdictions. In the
meantime I trained for three years and obtained a black belt in Tae
Kwon Do. (
vbuonora@yahoo.com
)
In Memoriam: Adrian Perreault ‘36
From JOHN SCILEPPI (’68): I first met Adrian when I was a lay
student freshman at Marist College in 1963. I guess I hadn’t realized
that briefcases were prohibited in the library, and Adrian made certain
that I would not forget this rule. To this day, I never carry a briefcase
into any library, even when I attend board meetings at the local Hyde
Park library. Adrian certainly left a strong impression on me! Adrian
also left a wonderful legacy at the college. He was perhaps the first
professional librarian there and oversaw not only the general operation,
but also the significant moves of the library from Greystone to Donnelly
(with its beautiful wall of colored windows that made reading there a
unique experience) to the first Fontaine building. By the time I
returned to the college to teach in 1973, I became a Brother, and he
had left.
After Adrian retired in the early 1980’s, he became very active in
the Knights of Columbus and established a number of new programs at
the St. Martin de Porres Church Chapter in Poughkeepsie. He also
volunteered for the local hospitals assisting cancer survivors to their
therapy appointments. About ten years ago, Adrian suffered a stroke
that left him partially paralyzed. Eventually, it became clear he needed
more assistance than Betty, his wife, could provide at home. This was
triggered by a fall in the house that led to his acceptance into a nursing
home. His mind was sharp until the end.
Adrian was the college’s first archivist, and I could ask him
questions about specific events that had occurred fifty years ago, and
he could tell me the “who, when, what, and where” and the politics
that surrounded each event. He also had an excellent memory for
everything involving the Brothers and former brothers in the United
States. I recall that Joe Belanger would have Adrian proofread Paul
Ambrose’s memoirs, and Adrian frequently convinced Joe Bel that some
of Paul’s dates were inaccurate.
During the week before he died, he asked Betty to wish a GMC
member a “Happy Birthday.” He even had these dates committed to
memory. Adrian is now among his confreres and the rest of the saints,
and he has graduated from his disabilities. If I ever get there, I will
remember not to carry a briefcase into the heavenly library! (845-575-
3000 x2961;
John.Scileppi@marist.edu
)
From MAURICE BIBEAU (’50): After four years in a nursing
home, Adrian was able to leave his wheelchair and bed and be united
with his Lord and Savior. He had gotten weaker with time and his
speech was affected, but his mind and memory at times still functioned
reasonably well. At the age of eighty-seven, Adrian died in St. Francis
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Hospital. The last local GMC that he attended was in June at the
LaPietras. He also attended the September picnic at the Mount.
Adrian remained service-committed after his retirement as the
director of the library at Marist College. He assumed a variety of
volunteer activities at the hospitals, drove cancer patients to their
doctors, served as an ombudsman at the hospital, and was a very
active member of the Knights of Columbus.
Shortly after Adrian’s death, some of the GMC met to pray. Betty
ended the prayer with, “May St. Marcellin receive him at the gate of
heaven.” (
Maurice.Bibeau@marist.edu
)
In Memoriam: BR. CONAN VINCENT DINEEN (’39)
From the Provincial Newsletter: The death of Brother Conan
Vincent Dineen on January 3rd brought to a close the life of one of our
U.S. Marist “giants.” Loved by generations of students, faculty, and
Brothers, Vinny is especially remembered by novices in Tyngsboro who
had him as their summer prefect and teacher. When the novice master
had left for a well-earned vacation, Vinny came to Tyngsboro with this
simple admonition to the novices: “Don’t get sick. Don’t die. Don’t have
a vocation crisis, at least not until the master comes back!” Whether
he was Conan, Conan Vincent, or Vinny, he was a wonderful model of
what Marist brotherhood is all about.
After completing the scholasticate, Conan served at Boys Catholic
in Augusta, Georgia; St. Helena High School in the Bronx; St. Agnes
Boys’ High School in New York City; Holy Trinity School in
Poughkeepsie; St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, Connecticut; and
Central Catholic High School in Lawrence. From 2002 until his death,
Conan lived in our retirement community at 136th Street in Miami.
Because of his long tenure at Central Catholic, Vinny is most
often associated with that school. An article in the June 2, 1997 edition
of the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune described Vinny as “Central Catholic’s
treasure.” At age 81 at the time, Vinny talked about why he watched
religious television programs. ”When you’re getting so close, you
might as well get to know the other side,” he quipped.
In typical Conan humor, he explained to the article’s author that
the Brothers often held funerals at night so that as many Brothers as
possible could attend. Then he added, “The kids don’t have a holiday,
which delights me.”
There is so much for which Conan Vincent will be
remembered. He had a wonderful sense of humor and could laugh at
himself. He had a remarkable faith that sustained him through
tremendous change in both the Church and religious life. He had a
remarkable ability to adapt to the changing youth to whom he
ministered for almost sixty years. Most importantly, Conan loved his
brothers, and they loved him.
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(Let us also remember others who have died recently: Bernard
Garrett (Bernard Aloysius ’44), Denis Murphy (Denis Richard ’45), and
Mary Foy, wife of Richard Foy. And let us pray for our sick: John Miller
’57, John O’Connell ‘58, George Conboy ‘58, and Barney Sheridan ’55.
Editor)
***********************
(Have you ever wondered what has become of the Esopus
property? The following excerpt was published in the Daily Freeman, a
publication of the Mid-Hudson River Valley, on November 26, 2006. It
was written by Katie Young of the Freeman staff and entitled,
“Monasteries serve as both residences and retreats.” BR. DON
NUGENT ’59, submitted the article.)
Nestled in wooded areas off U.S. Route 9W, overlooking the
Hudson River in Ulster County, is a chain of monasteries, religious
communities and outreach homes – a Monastery Row” of sorts.
Dating to the 19
th
and early 20
th
centuries, the sites have
served a variety of purposes, from being a training ground for
religious orders, to housing orphans and troubled youths, to serving
as retreat centers for youths and adults seeking spiritual guidance
and a place to meditate.
Over the years, they’ve drawn criticism for keeping prime real
estate off the tax rolls. At the same time, though, they’ve served to
protect a vast stretch of the Hudson River shoreline from
development, maintaining a pastoral scene that has changed little in
a century.
The Marist Retreat Center, owned and operated by the Roman
Catholic Marist Brothers, is a religious community offering youth-
based services. Summer camps bring busloads of kids to the serene
spot on the Hudson River nine to ten weeks a year, and retreats take
up most weekends in the fall and winter.
Br. Donald Nugent, the administrator of the Esopus property
who has served at the retreat center for twenty years, said camp
participants “learn how we follow the Gospel message of giving of
ourselves rather than just taking.”
Camp activities vary based on the group coming in because
the brothers often host young cancer patients and children with
varying degrees of disabilities and limitations. The retreat center’s
dormitory-style accommodations can house more than two hundred
young people during the summer. Camps usually run their own
independent theme and operate on a volunteer basis. Nugent said
more than five hundred high school and college volunteers come
forward each summer.
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Retreats take place on weekends during the fall and winter,
usually for high school students.
“I think we’re planting seeds here – they’re seeds of God’s
love,” Nugent said. “Sometimes a person can hear that when they’re
a junior or senior in high school, and sometimes when they’re much
older, but they hear it.”
Nugent, who spent the morning of October 19 cooking and
preparing for a group of eighty to ninety youths arriving that
afternoon, said the brothers and volunteers followed the example of
the order’s founder, Marcellin Champagnat, to work on their hands
and knees if necessary to get the job done. He said there are about
three hundred Marist Brothers in the United States and 6,000
worldwide.
“There’s still that sense of getting in and doing what needs to
be done,” Nugent said. “The young people following us are picking
up on that and not afraid to get their hands dirty.”
The retreat center’s spacious grounds consist of three
communities of brothers: the cottage, the novitiate, and the
gatehouse – the newest community, dedicated as a house of prayer.
About a dozen brothers live and work together at the retreat center,
while some spend their days at Our Lady of Lourdes High School in
Poughkeepsie.
A few Marist Brothers still work as counselors, professors and
campus ministry mentors at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, which
the order founded in the early 1900’s.
From JOHN O’CONNELL ’58: Most of you will recall how upset
many of us were when word of Vinnie Hall’s passing circulated among
us in the late Spring of 2001. We were caught so unaware of his illness
and struggle leading up to his death on February 2, 2001, unable as we
were to be of any support to him and Darlene, the love of his life,
knowing so little of any particulars about their life experiences. Most of
you know that that ignorance has driven our efforts throughout “Oh,
B/brother, Where Art Thou” search for our brothers from over forty
years ago. Thanks to David Kammer I was able to acquire Darlene’s
postal address and wrote a note to her. I was soon gratified by her
touching reply, shared with you below, today, on the sixth anniversary
of his passing. Rest in peace, brother Vinnie Hall.
From DARLENE HALL: Your letter came as a very pleasant
surprise. Thank you so much for sharing what has happened since you
learned of Vinnie's death. When he passed away his sister, Cecile, a
Franciscan Sister of Peace, took care of notifying the Marists. There
was no obituary in the paper.
Let me share what happened to him and also a little about our
family. In October of 1999, he was diagnosed with a melanoma on his
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back. It and the lymph nodes to which it drained were removed at
New York University Hospital. At that point everything seemed
promising.
In June of 2000, our first grandchild, a boy, was born. Vinnie was
delighted. Our other daughter was expecting a baby in November,
another boy. That summer Vinnie was tired much of the time. In mid-
summer Vinnie was having some strange symptoms. He wasn't
completing tasks using his left hand - closing the car door and hanging
up the phone, for example. He wasn't feeling quite right. A trip to the
ER revealed he had a brain tumor. The melanoma had spread to his
brain.
After a complete body scan and no sign of other cancer spots,
the brain tumor was removed. He came home from the hospital the
end of September and a few weeks later began radiation treatments.
By early November he was saying it felt as if the radiation was killing
him. Additional tests over the next few weeks revealed an additional
small brain tumor, bone cancer in one arm, and a tumor in the spinal
column. The day after Thanksgiving his oncologist hospitalized him
and began a strong chemo and radiation therapy.
Vinnie was home for about a week at Christmas. His oncologist
didn't want to stop radiation treatments, but we insisted that he
needed to be home. He had the opportunity to spend some time with
his young grandsons. By New Year's Eve he was back in the hospital.
In early January Vinnie's brother Laurence passed away - also from
melanoma that had spread to vital organs. Laurence's original
melanoma had occurred about eight years earlier and recurred a few
times in between. Tests done around the middle of January showed
that the cancer had spread rapidly. All cancer treatment was stopped,
and he passed away on February 2nd. The end was mercifully quick
and he was at peace.
When Vinnie met Jim Friel, he was working at Northrup
Grumman as a systems engineer. Vinnie worked there for more than
thirty years and was still working when he became ill.
Vinnie and I were married in 1968. We have three kids, a son
and two daughters. Vinnie was very active in many parish ministries,
including that of a Eucharistic minister. For many years he was a
jogger and ran in a number of 10K and half marathons. He became an
avid golfer and played in the Grumman league.
For the last several years of his life he had been his Marist class
alumni representative and also participated in their telethons. He
managed to attend several homecomings.
As I mentioned earlier he saw his first two grandsons. Now there
are nine grandchildren - seven boys followed by twin girls. Each of our
three children has three of their own. They have kept me very busy
these past five years. The youngest daughter and her family live with
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me. My son and his family live a few miles away. My older daughter
and her family usually live in Connecticut but are on assignment in
Puerto Rico for the next two years. I am going down for a visit the end
of this month. I am fine but still miss Vinnie a lot. Sometimes it
seems as if he's still here, and I go to share something with him.
Thanks for getting in touch.
From JOHN O’CONNELL ’58: Darlene Hall’s letter brings some
closure to the initial search that gave impetus to our efforts to re-
establish the connection we once had as “brothers” during the training
years (’54-’62). Of the approximately 250 names and faces we recall,
twenty-eight have gone on before us, and we’ve now reconnected with
about 160, with over 130 forming a kind of “virtual community,” thanks
to the Internet.
Of the thirty-three of Vinnie Hall’s group who took the habit in
Tyngsboro in ’58, twenty-six have been “accounted for,” seven have
gone on before us, nineteen of us “found.” Please help us find the
remaining seven “lost” members: Milo Bushnell, Mark Buckley, Pat
Fazzari, Jim Gara, Greg Gumbinski, Charlie Jacklin, and Bob White:
where art thou?
As part of that reconnection effort, we hold an annual April
Esopus “Gathering” (as in, “When two or more of you are gathered
together...”). This coming together has expanded into a several-day
25-30 participant event. This year’s gathering in Esopus is set for the
weekend after Easter Sunday, anytime from Wednesday pm, April 18
th
,
through Sunday am, April 22
nd
. If interested, please contact John
“Oke” O’Connell at
OBbWAT@aol.com
or 207-841-9144 or 15 High
Street, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.
Websites
The Marist Connection
Please note the new Marists All website:
http://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/
Marist Brothers International:
www.champagnat.org
Marist Brothers USA:
www.maristbr.com
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