Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam 
"May his soul be on God's right side"
    
     Brother Livinus Bellew passed away shortly after 10 am, January 2, 2006 in Huntington Beach, California.  He was born in the town of Ballimacard, County Galway on July 8, 1919.  Along with Brothers Raphael Phelan, Romanus Jacob, Hilary Deering, and Ignatius Mulkeen, Livinus was one of the original pioneer Brothers of St. Patrick who came to Santa Monica, California to teach in 1948.  He taught in St. Monica's, Mater Dei in Santa Ana, and Pater Noster in Los Angeles.  His former students still remember what a fine teacher he was. Livinus was elected leader of the American Province in 1970.  He was an avid gardener and cultivated a beautiful rose garden at the Novitiate in Midway City. 

Brother Livinus had an aura of spirituality around him.  His prayers and devotions brought many back to the Church.  His enthusiastic personality will be missed by the entire Southern California community. 

There was standing room only in the Chapel as almost 150 people attended the Rosary including Right Reverend Eugene Hayes, Abbot of St. Michael's Abbey and Fr. John Shevlin, S.V.D.   Fr. Marcos Gonzales, a former student of the Brothers, led the Rosary, and he and many others spoke highly of Livinus. 

Mass was celebrated by Bishop Dominic Luong in the Chapel at the Novitiate in Midway City.  Fr. Marcos Gonzales, Fr. Jim Hartnett, Fr. Gleason and Fr. John Neneman were concelebrants.  Brother Philip Shepler read a moving tribute to Livinus.  Over 100 attended the Mass including many members of the Knights of Columbus, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the LAOH and representatives of the Presentation Sisters.  Also attending were Sr. Eymard Flood, O.S.C. Vicar for Women Religious, Diocese of Orange, Ms. Frances Clare, Principal Mater Dei High School, many former students and friends of the Patrician Brothers. 

 Livinus was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City in a hillside grave overlooking the ocean.  Brothers Edwin Guidera, Ignatius Mulkeen, Hillery,  Raphael Phelan and Romuald O'Sullivan are also buried in Holy Cross. 

                  Click Here for Memorial Mass Booklet for Brother Livinus  (pdf format)

Click Here for Biography of Brother Livinus  (pdf format)

---

Requiescat in Pace

It is with sorrow and a sense of loss that we learned last week of the death of Bro. Ignatius Mulkeen. His death was sudden and unexpected and occurred on 20 November 2002 at Midway City, California.

Ignatius, the quiet man of the California outpost, was born in Bekan, Co. Mayo (near Knock) in 1924 and made First Profession on 15 August, 1941. He was a member of the pioneer group of five who answered the call for Patrician education at St. Monica's H.S. in Santa Monica in 1948. That's almost fifty-three years ago and all his work since then 
has been in that area. He taught in St. Monica 's, Mater Dei in Santa Ana, and Pater Noster in Los Angeles. And even after he had retired from the classroom he continued to do volunteer work in a number of institutions devoted to the rehabilitation of public-school drop-outs and gang members.

A past pupil of his, Fr. Marcos Gonzales, led the Rosary in the Chapel in Midway City and spoke glowingly of  Ignatius. His funeral Mass was celebrated by Bishop Todd Brown, Bishop of the Diocese of Orange and the homily was preached by Fr. Jim Hartnett, a past pupil of the Brothers in Mallow. 

Ignatius was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Los Angeles, beside Raphael Phelan and Romuald O'Sullivan. Our deepest sympathies to his sisters, Sr. Oliver and Margaret and his brothers, Gregory, John and Austin.

Ar Dheis De go raibh a Ana 

source: http://www.patricianbrothers.com/

---

A vigil and rosary were held at 7 pm, Thursday, December 2, 2004 in the Chapel of the Brothers of St. Patrick in Midway City, California.  A Mass was celebrated on Friday at 11 am in the Chapel with Father James Hartnett, Pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Westminster, CA as the Celebrant assisted by three priests including Father John Shevlin, Chaplin of AOH Division One.  The Chapel was packed with clergy and friends of Brother Edwin including the Archbishop of the Orthodox Church.  Jim Steele, District Deputy of the Knights of Columbus attended as did Judd Mercado from Council 6020.  His sister and three nephews from Ireland were able to be present.

Brother Philip Mulhall, Past Superior General from Australia attended as did Brothers Philip Shepler and  Kevin Minihan of Los Angeles.  Our prayers go out to Brother Livinus, Brother Matthew and Brother Aquinas of the Novitiate in Midway City.

Brother Edwin was a kind and gentle man who will be greatly missed by the AOH and the community.  His ready smile and great personality have been a comfort to many over the years. 

 Click Here for Biography of Brother Edwin  (pdf format)

---

Bro. Hilary Deering
1919 - 2005

BROTHER Hilary Joseph Deering who died on Friday, January 21, 2005 at Queen of Angels Hospital, Los Angeles, California, was a native of Ballybit, Rathvilly, and was older brother of Councillor Micheal  Deering, current chairman of Carlow County Council.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer Request 

"Christus in corde omnium" translates to "Christ in the heart of everyone" which comes from the prayer the Breastplate of St Patrick.

---

Brother Raphael Phelan
Died January 29, 1954

 

Born in Ireland, he joined the Brothers of St. Patrick in 1904 and taught in Ireland until 1919 when he traveled to Australia to serve as Provincial Superior.  He went to India in 1929 and served there until 1948.  He was a member of the pioneer group of five who answered the call for Patrician education at St. Monica's H.S. in Santa Monica in 1948. He was the Superior at St. Monica's High School.  He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Los Angeles

 

 

---

Brother Romuald James O'Sullivan
1929 - 1975

Born in Cloneen, County Kilkenny on September 2, 1929, he entered the Juvenate of the Brothers of St. Patrick in September 1943.  He took his final profession on August 15, 1951.  Romuald taught at St. Joseph's College in Galway from 1951 to 1955 when he left for California.  He taught at St. Monica's High School from 1955 to 1966 and from 1970 to his death in 1975.  He also taught at Pater Noster and Mater Dei High School. 

His untimely death at age 46 was a shock to the students and faculty.  Countless numbers of people of all walks of life paid living testimony to the inspiration, guidance and the sound intellectual formation received at his hands.  From him, they derived that incentive and determination to achieve the full measure of their potential, many attaining the highest pinnacle in their professions.  Especially in his role as teacher, counselor and confidant, he fostered in youth that discerning judgment that would enable them to channel their abilities into their academic pursuits.  During the years he taught in the three California schools, he had acquired an understanding that few of his peers equaled.  For a man gifted by nature with a brilliant mind and by study and research with a singular expertise in his chosen field, it must be remarked that he carried his distinctions with an easy grace and a true humility.  Whether as teacher, principal, athletic director or fund promoter, he carried out his responsibilities in an unflurried manner.  Kind and generous by nature, he seemed to take a particular delight in doing little favors that brighten and cheer the lives of others.