Esopus as a Novitiate
19?? to 19??
looking for an author (or authors) to contribute first-hand knowledge ...
from Martin Curtin (rec'd 12 Feb 2003)
When our family visited my grandfather my first memories of the Marist
Brothers, aside from my Uncle Bernard (known as Brother Herman Edwin until
they permitted him to change his name to the one he was born with, Bernard
Curtin), were of those who would be working at Esopus over the summer. I recall
a brother teaching me to golf, as he practiced hitting his seven iron on the
mansion lawn during some free times. He was working in the kitchen for the
summer.
Several brothers would stop down and visit my folks when they visited. A
Brother Kieran I believe was the boss when I was a kid. Brother Lucian, Brother
Felician and perhaps a Brother Mary Anthony (I believe he was stationed in
Haverstraw but perhaps spent the summer in Esopus) were names I remember
along with Brother John Patrick. Brother John would give us our crewcuts in his
barber chair off the dining room at the Juniorate/Novitiate. Brother John would go
down with us to the river where we would go swimming at the boathouse. I
remember my sister getting injured trying to dive through an inner tube that
Brother John was holding as my Dad encouraged my sister to dive. Luckily it was
just a neck muscle that was injured as she hit the side of the tube on her dive. I
don't think she has dived since. We used to love the waves as they were kicked
up by the passing ships. Brother John would also set up times that we could go
swimming in the pool so that we wouldn't interfere with those stationed there.
When I entered the Novitiate in 1964 Brother Peter Hillary was the Master
of Novices and he was supported with Brothers Augustine Nolan, William
Lavigne and Robert James. Brother Christopher was the head of the Esopus
property and Brother John Berchmans was the head carpenter/groundskeeper. A
Brother Edmund drove the car to pick up the priests at Mt. St. Alphonsus as well
as helping drive my grandfather up the hill as he got older to attend Mass.
Brother Edmund also drove the tractor to cut the grass. Each year at our Saint
Patrick's Day party I get to do the Irish jig that Brother Christopher taught us
when we were postulants. Esopus was also the provincial house, Brother Leo
Sylvius was provincial at the time. Jimmy was the cook and made the iron chef
look calm compared to Jimmy. We soon learned to do it Jimmy's way as we did
not want to incur his wrath. Brother Peter was assigned to Rome after our first
year and Brother Sigmund Eugene was named our Master of Novices. Brother
John Berchmans was named head of the property some time later.
As postulants my favorite memories were of tobogganing down the hill at
the mansion, raking leaves for what seemed forever and placing leaves in
canvas bags to store at the pump house to keep it from freezing(?). I also recall a
project where we would be painting the ceiling at the mansion up on three levels
of scaffolding. The softball and football leagues prepared us so that when we
went to the college we always had the best intramural teams.
I have many fond memories of Esopus, I still love going back every now
and then. I believe I was last there a couple of years ago when one of my






children was investigating attending Marist College. I also attended a mass for
deceased Marist Brothers there one November.
References:
email from Marty Curtin
most recent revision:
12 February 2003
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