Marists All November 1991

ISSUE # 18

FROM BR. RENE ROY ('60): Last year when I wrote about life on the Pine Ridge Reservation, little did I know a change was in the stars, and this year I would be writing about any new job as Director of Vocations for the Province of Poughkeepsie. First, however, I would.like to thank again those who responded to my last letter with kind words of encouragement and with gifts for our apostolate. My leaving Pine Ridge, thereby reducing the community from three to two, underscores the desperate need we have for men to follow in the footsteps of Champagnat.

Vocation work in the province will be headed by Br. Michael Flanigan who will work with Hispanics, Blacks, and Native Americans, as well as with older men who might be finishing time with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, the Peace Corps, or other volunteer organizations. I will continue the course of visiting communities, schools, and colleges where our "contacts" attend.

When I see the great web of the Greater Marist Community spread over such a large portion of the country, I see the potential for a network which can feed us information about people who might be looking for a religious congregation. In putting such people in touch with us, you certainly would be doing us a big. favor. Your prayers would also be much appreciated.

In my work with adults in South Dakota, I was amazed to find a deep yearning for spiritual support and development. Some men approached me saying they had quit the Knights of Columbus dissatisfied with what had become a purely social gathering. They asked if I knew of an organization which could help them deepen their spirituality by prayer and apostolic work. I gave them the Champagnat Movement document, and they found it to be exactly what they wanted. They loved the simplicity of our spirituality and its practicality. They are beginning a Champagnat Group this year. It struck me that Champagnat's gift to the Church extends beyond the Brotherhood and. is something families can bite into. I immediately thought of the GMC and how it is so steeped in Marist spirituality, how that spirituality is practiced by you now.

We are starting a Marist Lay Volunteer Program where folks can work closely with the Brothers, Fathers, or Sisters in our Marist Family for a time rather than by a life commitment. We now have arms to enrich the Church and keep Champagnat's vision alive. I foster this along with the Champagnat Movement. It seems to me that the GMC is the place to start with these things. Yourselves, your wives, your sons and daughters. There is a place for all of you.

As I travel during the next three or six years, I hope our paths will cross. Why wait till then? Contact me if you have any hopes, ideas, dreams that fall along the above lines. 

And, in case the thought has ever crossed your mind, Emil Denworth has returned to the congregation and will pronounce final vows on December 8th in Lawrence. It can be done.

FROM ADRIAN PERREAULT ('37): It is indeed a great pleasure to receive Marists All and to hear about the F.M.S. and the G.M.C. Since I retired, I have been volunteering in the parish here at St. Martin de Porres as a lector and/or as a Eucharistic minister at Mass. Also I work at the parish bingo. And occasionally I count the Sunday collection. Jerry Dever's sister and her husband are active members in this parish. So is Pat Hogan's brother Neal. And others like John Ritchdorff whose son is an altar boy.

The American Cancer Society was so helpful when Rita was sick. Now that the Lord has taken her I drive cancer patients twice a week from their homes to and from the hospital for treatments. I also volunteer as a patient representative at Vassar Hospital once a week.

When Rita was very sick, she left a note to her younger son, not to be opened until ... The note was very simple. In an envelope was a 3x5 index card. Above the red line were three Latin words: Te Deum Laudamus. Below the line: "I want this on our gravestone, Mom and Adrian." The boys were stunned and surprised. I explained to them that Rita and I always started our trips by saying a Hail Mary and a short invocation like: Our Lady of the Highways (or Skyways) protect us on our trip and take care of those back home. When we returned, as I unlocked the door, I sang the three words "Te Deum Laudamus," and Rita answered "Amen." I told the boys and their spouses that Rita had finished her last journey and wants to thank God for bringing her home eternally.

FROM JOHN CURRY ('36): I want to add a warm word of thanks to all who were in on the inception of Marists All, especially to those who handle the editioning, printing, collating, and mailing. I'm sure Our Lady is smiling on the work. You'll never fully realize the joy you spread throughout that wonderful world of Marists living in the twilight of our past memories for so long. God bless. 

FROM BILL GILLIGAN ('39): An apology for neglect over the past several months; "things and stuff' were a brew of confusion, and "things and stuff" have reduced from boil to simmer now. We were glad to read of your pleasant tour in France. Jean would like to do the same tour, but won't; I've slowed down to a totter, and she's convinced I'd not tolerate the trip. So be it. We've had wonderful junkets to southern Europe, to South American countries, etc. Enough.

FROM BOB BUCKLEY ('66): Thanks to you and to Gus Nolan for the most recent issue of Marists All. It is a great pleasure to recognize the envelope and to anticipate a renewed contact with the Brothers. 

FROM JOHN LaMASSA ('66): I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Marists All over the past several years. The publication has kept me in touch with an important part of my past in a way I could never have hoped otherwise. My contact with Marists, current or former, has been too infrequent. The newsletter fills some of that void.

I left the Brothers after teaching for three years at St. Helena. I remained there as a lay teacher for two more years before getting married and moving into public school teaching in Westchester County. For the past fifteen years I have taught biology and chemistry at Irvington High School in Irvington, New York. I also serve as Science Department Chairman. I believe that my Marist training has had a strong influence upon my remaining in this career and on the dedication that I bring to my work with young people.

I have been married for seventeen years, living in Mount Vernon. My wife, Mary Anne, has been a good friend and source of support throughout all these years. She has taught part time since we have had children; she returns to full-time teaching this fall at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx, her alma mater, where she taught part time for six years.

We have two children. Michael, fourteen years old, will start at Cardinal Spellman this fall. He has been a very good student, and he has a real musical talent, playing the trumpet, piano, and keyboard. Stephanie, our ten-year-old, enters fifth grade at our local public elementary school. She is an avid reader, and she also enjoys music, playing the piano, violin, and clarinet. The genes for musical talent must have been dormant in my generation.

We have been involved in our parish, St. Mary's in Mount Vernon. It is a vibrant parish that has allowed us to grow stronger in our faith and to befriend many other solid Christian families. We have served on the Baptism preparation team, and Mary Anne and I both serve as Eucharistic ministers and lectors.

Last summer our family joined the Gormallys, the Biancos, and Mike Flynn at the Mount Washington Resort for a 25th anniversary reunion. It was a special time in a familiar location. One of many highlights was a trip to Camp Marist, which I had not seen in over twenty years. Mary Anne also enjoyed that trek because she had taught with Brother Godfrey at Spellman.

I have many fond memories of my life with the Marists. I have great respect for them and their mission. I remember them frequently in my prayers, especially my classmates on their 25th anniversary. Thanks for all your efforts in assembling and distributing Marists All. It must be a labor of love. I look forward to receiving it and keeping in touch with others who have roots in the Marist tradition. 

FROM TOM NOLAN ('64): I really appreciate everything you guys have done to put together the newsletter. I enjoy the memories and renewed contacts. I'd be disappointed if it had to stop. Will write at a later time ... Keep up the good work! 

FROM MICHAEL KELLY ('50): Thanks for your continuing effort with the newsletter. I thought this might be an appropriate time to write, since we are about to move again.

As you probably know, I have been working for the Department of Defense in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. It has been a great experience which has lasted almost three years. I've learned how our government works and doesn't work. It is amazing that we are not classified with third countries. Much of what I accomplished was directed at strengthening the national industrial base with much of the work focused on the electronic industry: semiconductors, high definition displays, pc's, etc. In the process I took positions in support of industrial policy contrary to the interests of the present policy coming out of the White House. Needless to say, that generated some very interesting days, including a recent invitation to give testimony in Congress. It was a fascinating day. People could not believe that anyone would so recklessly tell the truth. What nobody knew was that I had already accepted a new job, so I felt no risk; but I wouldn't have said anything different. Yes, we will be moving further south.

On October 1, 1991, I will begin a new job at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. It is an exciting job with potential to influence education in a significant way. Janet quit IBM after 20 years and is now very happy to be able to do many of the things she never had time to do in the past. She may never go back to work, but there are opportunities for her in Atlanta if she does decide to rejoin the rat race. Joan is going into her senior year at Catholic University where, in about a year and a half, she should graduate with a math major. Jean will be entering her freshman year at the University of Hartford where she has absolutely no idea what she will be doing ... but the social life sounds great

We will be moving around the middle of September. Come on down and enjoy our grits. Keep up the good work. Regards to all. 

FROM ED CASHIN ('46): We just returned from a cool week in the mountains of Colorado to find the latest edition of Marists All. Thanks for all the care that goes into each issue. There were a number of familiar names among the jubilarians. A special congratulations to my classmates Raymond Albert, John Alexius (Happy Jack), and J.J. Dixon, and to the class behind us: Alfred George, Marty Healy, Ken Marino, Steve Martin, Cornelius, and Ziggy Trzecieski. A special salute to my Miami confrere, Steve Kappas. Can you still jump over a sofa from a standing position, Steve?

I am still enjoying college teaching and very much involved in writing the history of the local country. We manage to visit Poughkeepsie now and then; the Marist campus looks great, so do the people. One of these years we're going to make the GMC picnic; Mary Ann joins me in sending fond regards to all.

P. S. I wrote the above a month ago but forgot to mail it; meanwhile had a nice trip to Nova Scotia with the ineffable Zig.

FROM DON EDWARDS ('57): Finally got myself to the GMC picnic on the 15th of September past: I have to thank Bob Buckley for my taking the time and effort to get to the Mount. This past August, Bob and I renewed an old acquaintance going back to 1964, my last year at St. Helena's, and we then decided to go to the picnic, a first for both of us.

To say that a return home was very emotional is to understate my feelings. From the moment K entered the Mount cafeteria my soul, mind, heart flashed back some thirty plus years. As I type now it is really hard to keep back the tears that come with renewing friendships; conversations began as if they had been interrupted only a few days, a few hours rather than decades. Some of the Brothers I had seen during the interim, like Br. Declan Claude, Br. Richard Rancourt ... I'm afraid to mention too many names lest I forget some. Also met another friend from my St. Helena's teaching days, Br. Richard Shea.The most impactful part of the reunion is the experience of acceptance and the healing power it brings. Hope abounds and one absorbs strength like a breath of fresh air. Never having been one to suffer for a loss for words, the four and a half hours at the Mount flew from one conversation to another, and it seemed that it was time to leave before I had actually arrived. I forgot to say that I also met David Kammer from my Tyngsboro days. I think Dave has become immune to looking older than 50; I feel older than he looks.

This Thursday my wife Elaine and I begin a major Odyssey as we drive our son Christopher to the University of Cincinnati (took me a month to learn how to spell that). A trip of 781 miles, about 13 hours. As Chris begins "real" school, Elaine winds down her second master's; she has one course left for her library science degree. I have just begun my 29th year of teaching, and after so many years all I can say is that of all the things I've lost, it is my mind I miss the most.

Warmest regards tb all the GMC members, especially those who could not get to the Mount. My twelve years as a monk and the wonderful people who were a part of those years were a gift, a treasure that becomes richer with its every renewal. For those who would dare to care to send their very best, I live at 84 Bayberry Road, Cheshire, Ct. 06410; 203-272-7397.It would be great to hear from you, whoever you may be and wherever you are. Peace and love!

FROM JOHN REYNOLDS ('60): Thank you for the entire Marists All package. It has been excellent to receive and to read all the personal stories of men I had contact with. Marists All validates a part of all of us who have roots in the Marist tradition. Our history has been effected by the Marist life and therefore our present is also effected. Thanks for making this touch with the past and present possible.

To those who venture through Michigan our door is always open. It is not as bad here as the film "Roger and Me" depicts. However, a former student has a new book, "River Head" that you might find informative.

FROM ANTHONY MISERANDINO ('65): I start my third year at Hunter College High School in the role of Director-Principal, and I must confess it is really a serious challenge to keep educational issues in focus and in balance. In Catholic education and especially in specific traditions such as Marist or Jesuit, people work from a common frame of reference, even if at different paces. Here that has not been my experience thus far, at least to the degree I would like. The selfish competition is giving me plenty of room for thought and doubt. On the other hand this situation does allow me an opportunity to press the issue of quality of life; and concepts like community, compassion, and caring are part of my vision and my leadership mode.

Prior to my service at Hunter I was a principal at Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers, and before that I worked at Regis High School for twelve years. Over the course of these years I completed graduate studies in Religious Education and in Counseling and received my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology. I have even had the good fortune of teaching in local universities.

My wife, Barbara Gentile, and I have an eight year old girl named April (no, she was born in September). Barbara elected the name April since in Latin it means "forthcoming, spring-like." Indeed, she is spring for us ... and she continues to flourish with each passing season.

I met Barbara while teaching in an adult education program. She was a bright and challenging student ... and she still is! By profession she is a writer of educational material and editor of educational textbooks. Currently she has taken a break from work, and serves as Class Mom and very active PTA leader. I've told her that I am glad she does not serve on my PTA Executive Board! She is also working on an M.A. in Art History, looking to work in the arts down the road.

The last 25 years have been very exciting and rewarding. Like so many who have written in Marists All, we are blessed and grateful ... and we wish you, our Brothers, the same. 

FROM JOE HORAN ('50): Just sitting here looking over the photos of our class reunion in Poughkeepsie last year. So many wonderful personal memories and feelings. My wife and I often think of the group and the personal warmth given off by their companionship. Though we rarely get the opportunity to write to each other, we know we are close through Marists All.

Although I retired as Superintendent three years ago, I have been called back into the line of duty several times. Presently I am the interim superintendent at Delaware Valley School in Callicoon, New York. Been there since March of 1991; expect to be in this situation until December. I have given a firm NO to several appeals to come out of retirement permanently.

My oldest girl has begun her master's program at the College of New Rochelle. My other daughter enters her senior year at the age of 15. She is looking forward to moving on to college. 

To FRERE HENRI LOUIS MATHIEU, CANADIAN: Greetings Frere Henri, (former director of St. Quentin, France) This is David O. Kammer from out of the second novitiate days of St. Quentin Fallavier, 1956-57. I must write to you; your name seems to be omnipresent in my life! As I swore solemnly to you, I faithfully guarded the secret of the Hermes typewriters at the Swiss-French border for over ten years, Then when it became certain that there would be no consequences, the story became one of the favorite tales that I shared with understanding friends.

I was very pleased to see you again at the 1967-68 General Chapter in Rome when you were a Canadian provincial. Two years later I withdrew from the religious life but not from the Marist family, I directed the Marist Institute of Theology at Marist College in Poughkeepsie for two summers, and I married a lady who had been a Sister of St. Joseph from the Maine province of the congregation that has its motherhouse in Lyons. We taught in public schools for twelve years, then five more years with the Holy Cross Brothers in Waterbury, Connecticut. We are now retired.

In 1986, along with others at Marist College, I started a newsletter which is circulated to the full Marist family. It has flourished for over four years. I shall mail a few sample copies to you in a separate envelope. Being in close contact with the Brothers, I heard of your several winter stays in Florida; and I wish I could have visited you there.

In September of 1990 Judy and I made a 3000 mile "tour de France." We visited Br. Frederick in Arlon, Belgium, and we met Br. Claude Beaudet at the Hermitage, What a surprise: He was on his way to Cameroon. Br. Claude rode up the hill with us to visit LaValla. Later he wrote from Cameroon to tell us about the death of Frere Philippe Henri, and he gave us your address.

As we continued our trip through France, we looked up Judy's ancestral roots in Rouen and in Chambois. This past June we visited her relatives in at. Joseph de Beauce, Canada, and shared with them the news of our tour, One of Judy's cousins (Leo, who lives in the ancestral home between St. Joseph and Beauceville) gave her a book entitled Troisieme Centenaire de la Famille Poulin au Canada. And, of course, to our surprise we found there among the priests and religious with Poulin ancestry: Frere Henri Louis, ne Mathieu, ne Amanda Poulin de St, Francois. I said to Judy, "That's the typewriter man!" Judy's baptismal name is Marie Marthe Poulin, fille de Joseph William Poulin, de Thomas, de Prospere, de Pierre, de Jean, de Joseph, de Joseph (first into Beauce), de Jean, de Martin, de Claude (the first from France).

Judy was born, the middle of nine children, in Skowhegan, Maine. On her mother's side, she is a Lessard, another connection with St. Anne de Beaupre. We were at the Poulin reunion in St. George in June of 1987 and at the blessing of the commemorative plaque on the opposite side of the Chaudiere River. Could you have been there in that big crowd, and we not have seen one another?

(Response below:)

From FRERE HENRI LOUIS MATHIEU (Canadian Marist....): Could you imagine my surprise when I received your letter and the envelope with samples of Marists All. A real delight! I rejoice that my name be present to your memory; we spent quite a year, a hard time, together at St. Quentin Fallavier, and you underline a special trip to Switzerland, not known to anyone except Br. Assistant and Br. Simon-Henri. You deserve a special good mark for your silence; a tale to laugh at now!

I am very pleased to include my sincere congratulations on the newsletter. I found great interest in reading the samples you sent me. I know many U.S. Brothers, and I keep in touch with a number of them. Marists All must survive to the benefit of all its readers. There is a magnificent Marist family spirit among the "enlarged" community:

After the 1967-68 General Chapter I spent eight years as director of the generalate in Rome. I met many American Brothers while there: Paul Ambrose, Leonard Voegtle, Montague, Peter Hilary. Also Stephen Minogue, Luke Driscoll, Clem of Chicago, Kieran Thomas, Denis and others from the Philippines, where my nephew Brother Reginald Theodore died two years ago. Last year I went to France and visited l'Hermitage, etc. Too, some friends of St. Quentin. One week in Rome.

I spent three winters in Miami at the Brothers' retirement home at 136th St. and 89th Avenue, near Columbus High School. So all of those Brothers are friends of mine, but one of the closest was Br. Cletus, R.I.P. This past July Br. Edward Michael stayed ten days with us here in Quebec, his second visit.

Your letter has renewed a profound sentiment of friendship with you; and more so, since your wife is of the same ancestry as my mother. I missed the third centenary de la famille Poulin a la Beauce, but was at the feast of Ste. Anne de Beaupre two years ago. I even bought bottles of wine de la cuvee des Poulin!!! In September my two brothers and one of my sisters will take a trip, en groupe, to the ancestral home of Jean Mathieu near Angouleme. They will also go to Rouen to the church of Saint Maclou where Claude Poulin was baptized. I have many relatives in Waterville, Maine. My nieces went to school at the convent of the St. Joseph Sisters in Jackman. Maybe Judy was there at that time?

Thanks be to God for the days we lived together years ago. Hoping that the good Lord will give us an opportunity to meet again some day. 

FROM CRAIG EVANS ('66): I've appreciated receiving all the copies of Marists All. I find it interesting to read and to learn about the men who were formally part of the Congregation, many of them unknown to me. As you know, I still maintain pretty close contact with the Brothers here in Massachusetts, as well as a few of the people who were in my life while in the Brothers from 1965 to 1971. I usually get to see Tony Miserandino and John Wilcox at least once a year. Still haven't made it to one of the annual picnics, but hope springeth eternal!

I continue to do clinical work, as I have since 1971. I currently have a full time private practice in Brookline, where I live, just two miles from "the Hub." For years now I have worked with a specialty in addictions, specifically alcoholism, and more recently I have worked with men who are survivors of incest and sexual abuse as children. I continue to do a reasonable bit of workshop presentations on subjects related to this specialty, including an emphasis on spiritual recovery and spiritual wellness,

In February of 1990, I presented the Annual Pastoral Institute at the American College in Louvain, Belgium; I was pleased by the response to the four days of lectures and discussions around these topics. The trip to Europe afforded me the chance to make a ten day trip to Poland and Hungary, I visited the former Ukrainian village in Poland on the Soviet border where my grandmother was born and lived till emigrating here. Since then I've been learning lots about my heritage on my father's side which was basically unknown to me for most of my life till his death two years ago.

Thanks so much for taking on'the work of the newsletter and for caring enough to do that work. It's hard to believe that you have gone into "full" retirement; I somehow doubt the."fullness" part of it. Your trip to Europe and Champagnat country sounded delightful. 

FROM GENE ZIRKEL ('53): I just received a 75-page booklet announcing the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Northeastern Regional Conference, to be held in November dominantly at the Sheraton Tara Hotel in Nashua New Hampshire. However, some of the sessions will be held at the "Boston University Corporate Center," the red brick building on the knoll, better known to many of us as TYNGSBORO, St. Joseph's Juniorate/Novitiate, Tyngsboro! A shuttle will be provided for the commute across the N.H./Mass, border.

One comment in the brochure caused me to smile at its understatement: "Because of the lack of restaurants in the surrounding area, it is suggested that you take advantage of the arrangements we have made for breakfast and lunch."

A. flood of memories filled my,mind as I thought of the time I spent there in training, and then as a young Monk under Henry Charles gathering hay and painting everything that didn't move! 

FROM SEAN O'SHEA ('48): Thanks for all your work on the newsletter. It is a pleasure and a gift to receive it. Peace and blessings ! 

RECENT PICNIC: The annual GMC picnic was held at Mt. St. Michael in the Bronx on Saturday, September 14th. Thanks to Brother Director, Pat Magee, for making preparations for us and for making us feel so welcomed. As usual all enjoyed catching up on one another's doings and recalling old times. There were at least fifty-two men present, many of whom were accompanied by their wives and children. Among new faces on the scene were: Bob Buckley ('66), Pat Donaghy ('50), Donald Edwards ('57), Richard Foy ('46 ), Br. Damian Galligan ('45), Br. Danny Grogan ('53), Bill Kawka ('60+), Father Owen Lafferty ('57), and Br. Pat McNulty ('52), Br. Tom "Des" Kelly ('53) dropped in on his last day of vacation home from Pakistan. The picnic is usually held on the second Saturday after labor Day. Mark your calendar!

NEWS NOTES: The circular Donnelly Building at Marist College has been renovated and modernized. It was rededicated October 12th with many of the working crews directed by Br. Nilus Donnelly and by Br. Edward Michael in attendance. "Ti Mike" was there, too.

+++++ Brother Moise, a Marist Brother working in Guatemala, was murdered there April 29th, 1991.His body was found on a normal. class day near the administration building of the school. The crime was committed between 8:30 and 9:15 in the morning. The body showed signs of violent use of a daggar. Brother Moise, a native of Spain, was 45 years of age. In 1990 he was named director of the Marist school in the poor district of Santa Isabel, Guatemala.

++++ Br. Sean Sammon celebrated his twenty-fifty anniversary of Marist brotherhood with a Mass at Our Savior Church, Park Avenue and 38th Street, on September 26th. The Mass was followed by a reception at the St. Agnes Community's home on 38th Street, New York.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This past August at the time of publishing our last issue of the newsletter, we had only half enough funds left for the expenses of this issue #18. Responding to that knowledge, twenty-five of those on our mailing list sent help, so that at this time we can handle this issue and three more issues. We are overwhelmed and deeply grateful to all who have helped so much. Clearly there are people who are eager for more. A large part of that "more" is the sharing of personal stories of Marist friends and acquaintances. Many people plan to write, have promised to write. We look forward to hearing from you real soon! 

 

Source: Original Marists All Site

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