Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
16 Jan 2012
Marist Brother Charles Howard, former Superior General of the Marist Brothers and one of Australia's most outstanding educational trailblazers died on Saturday, 14 January at the Brothers' Community in Campbelltown where he had been receiving palliative care.
He was 87 years old.
The first and so far the only Australian to be elected Superior General of the international congregation of Marist Brothers, a position he held from 1985 until 1993, Br Charles also served as Provincial of the Sydney Province from 1972 until 1976 when he became the first Australian to be elected to the General Council of the Marist Brothers in Rome.
"The lamp of his earthly life had been dimming little by little in the community of elder Brothers where he spent his last days. Presently, Charles' lamp is eternally shining with the whole Marist community in heaven," Marist Superior General, Br Emili Turu said this morning.
Tributes to Br Charles from Brazil, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Kenya, the Philippines, South America and many other countries have already been posted on the website of the Marist Brothers General House in Rome.
The Marist Brothers Sydney Province has also been overwhelmed with messages and tributes in which the late Br Charles, who was also a former headmaster of St Joseph's College, Hunters' Hill, is warmly remembered for his energy, compassion, humour, unwavering commitment to social justice and the poor as well as his profound faith.
He is also being commemorated both here and overseas as a visionary and Catholic education trailblazer.
"He was deeply committed to Catholic schooling in Sydney and was very conscious it should be affordable to ordinary families, no matter what their income, and should remain affordable into the future," says Br Kelvin Canavan, the former long term Director of Schools for the Archdiocese of Sydney. "I worked closely with Br Charles for more than 20 plus years and admired and respected his commitment to keep Catholic schools affordable and to ensure a high standard of education at our schools so students could be assured of obtaining a place at university so they could go on to make a real contribution in life in whatever their chosen profession," he says.
Br Charles made an invaluable contribution to universal Catholic education, founding two teacher training schools in Africa and the Philippines to ensure Marist Brothers could obtain a certificate, diploma or degree in education as part of their post-novitiate studies.
The first training school he founded as Superior General was in 1986 when he established Nairobi's Marist International College. Aimed at producing highly-trained and well-formed teachers, the recently renamed the Marist International University College is an official constituent of the University of East Africa and offers a diploma in education as well as a Bachelor of Education in the Arts or Science.
In 1991 Br Charles founded the Marist Asia Pacific Centre in Manila, which gave student Brothers from Malaysia, South Korea, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Island and the Philippines the opportunity to undertake professional training as teachers and educators, or the university equivalent.
"He wanted to make sure Marist Brothers across the Pacific, Asia and Africa had the chance to train as teachers and were not just thrown in at the deep end immediately after ordination, which used to be the case in Australia back in the 1950s and 1960s," explains Br Anthony Robertson of the Marist Brothers Sydney Province.
Born on 29 October 1924 outside Melbourne, Br Charles's family moved to Sydney in the late 1930s and he spent his teenage years as a student at the Marist School, Randwick. Through his contact with the Brothers there, he discovered his vocation and at 18 received the religious Habit.
The next several years were spent in study and formation. Br Charles then served at various schools and in the juniorate at Mittagong. A standout due to his intelligence and pedagogical knowledge, he was sent to France in 1961 to complete his religious formation. On his return to Australia he was appointed headmaster of St Joseph's College responsible for more than 1000 students. This was a period of great change and the Wyndham Scheme reforms and introduction of the High School Certificate.
At St Joseph's Br Charles proved himself a strong consultative leader full of humour, serenity and compassion.
His term as principal came to an end in 1968 when he was set to Belgium to study catechetics at Louvain. This was followed by further studies in Ireland, this time in psychology. During this time he participated in the General Chapter of the Marist Brothers in Rome. Back in Australia once more, he was appointed Provincial of the Marist Sydney Province in 1972 and during this challenging post-Vatican II period, gave priority to pastoral work.
In 1976, he was elected as General Councillor to the General Chapter and for the next nine years had a chance to visit many of the 80 different countries of the Marist world. He was particularly touched by social justice issues and their implications during these travels.
In 1985, Br Charles was elected Superior General, during which time he oversaw a new Marist presence in Easter Europe, the founding of teacher training scholasticates for Africa and Asia and the establishment of the International Finance Commission.
At 69 but still filled with energy and purpose, his Generate over, Br Charles spent the next several years in the novitiates of Kutama (Africa) and Lomeri (Pacific).
Finally he aged in his mid 70s, Br Charles returned to Australia where he continued to be involved in education. In 1997 he was declared a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his service to the Catholic Church and the community, particularly in the fields of education, social justice and reform.
In 2000 he received a further accolade for his achievements when he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Australian Catholic University.
"We give thanks for the extraordinary life of Br Charles and his significant contribution to our College and the broader Church and community and extend our sympathy to the Marist Brothers," Mr Ross Tarlington, Headmaster of St Joseph's College said this morning.
A Funeral Mass for Br Charles will be celebrated at the chapel at St Joseph's College at 11.am on Tuesday, 24 January.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012116_1456.shtml
16 Jan 2012
Brother Charles Howard led a
remarkable life and helped
revolutionise Catholic education
He was 87 years old.
The first and so far the only Australian to be elected Superior General of the international congregation of Marist Brothers, a position he held from 1985 until 1993, Br Charles also served as Provincial of the Sydney Province from 1972 until 1976 when he became the first Australian to be elected to the General Council of the Marist Brothers in Rome.
"The lamp of his earthly life had been dimming little by little in the community of elder Brothers where he spent his last days. Presently, Charles' lamp is eternally shining with the whole Marist community in heaven," Marist Superior General, Br Emili Turu said this morning.
Tributes to Br Charles from Brazil, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Kenya, the Philippines, South America and many other countries have already been posted on the website of the Marist Brothers General House in Rome.
The Marist Brothers Sydney Province has also been overwhelmed with messages and tributes in which the late Br Charles, who was also a former headmaster of St Joseph's College, Hunters' Hill, is warmly remembered for his energy, compassion, humour, unwavering commitment to social justice and the poor as well as his profound faith.
He is also being commemorated both here and overseas as a visionary and Catholic education trailblazer.
"He was deeply committed to Catholic schooling in Sydney and was very conscious it should be affordable to ordinary families, no matter what their income, and should remain affordable into the future," says Br Kelvin Canavan, the former long term Director of Schools for the Archdiocese of Sydney. "I worked closely with Br Charles for more than 20 plus years and admired and respected his commitment to keep Catholic schools affordable and to ensure a high standard of education at our schools so students could be assured of obtaining a place at university so they could go on to make a real contribution in life in whatever their chosen profession," he says.
St Joseph's College Chapel where
the Funeral Mass for Br Charles
will be held
The first training school he founded as Superior General was in 1986 when he established Nairobi's Marist International College. Aimed at producing highly-trained and well-formed teachers, the recently renamed the Marist International University College is an official constituent of the University of East Africa and offers a diploma in education as well as a Bachelor of Education in the Arts or Science.
In 1991 Br Charles founded the Marist Asia Pacific Centre in Manila, which gave student Brothers from Malaysia, South Korea, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Island and the Philippines the opportunity to undertake professional training as teachers and educators, or the university equivalent.
"He wanted to make sure Marist Brothers across the Pacific, Asia and Africa had the chance to train as teachers and were not just thrown in at the deep end immediately after ordination, which used to be the case in Australia back in the 1950s and 1960s," explains Br Anthony Robertson of the Marist Brothers Sydney Province.
Born on 29 October 1924 outside Melbourne, Br Charles's family moved to Sydney in the late 1930s and he spent his teenage years as a student at the Marist School, Randwick. Through his contact with the Brothers there, he discovered his vocation and at 18 received the religious Habit.
The next several years were spent in study and formation. Br Charles then served at various schools and in the juniorate at Mittagong. A standout due to his intelligence and pedagogical knowledge, he was sent to France in 1961 to complete his religious formation. On his return to Australia he was appointed headmaster of St Joseph's College responsible for more than 1000 students. This was a period of great change and the Wyndham Scheme reforms and introduction of the High School Certificate.
Superior General Br Emili Turu says Br
Charles lamp will shine brightly forever
His term as principal came to an end in 1968 when he was set to Belgium to study catechetics at Louvain. This was followed by further studies in Ireland, this time in psychology. During this time he participated in the General Chapter of the Marist Brothers in Rome. Back in Australia once more, he was appointed Provincial of the Marist Sydney Province in 1972 and during this challenging post-Vatican II period, gave priority to pastoral work.
In 1976, he was elected as General Councillor to the General Chapter and for the next nine years had a chance to visit many of the 80 different countries of the Marist world. He was particularly touched by social justice issues and their implications during these travels.
In 1985, Br Charles was elected Superior General, during which time he oversaw a new Marist presence in Easter Europe, the founding of teacher training scholasticates for Africa and Asia and the establishment of the International Finance Commission.
At 69 but still filled with energy and purpose, his Generate over, Br Charles spent the next several years in the novitiates of Kutama (Africa) and Lomeri (Pacific).
Finally he aged in his mid 70s, Br Charles returned to Australia where he continued to be involved in education. In 1997 he was declared a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his service to the Catholic Church and the community, particularly in the fields of education, social justice and reform.
In 2000 he received a further accolade for his achievements when he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Australian Catholic University.
"We give thanks for the extraordinary life of Br Charles and his significant contribution to our College and the broader Church and community and extend our sympathy to the Marist Brothers," Mr Ross Tarlington, Headmaster of St Joseph's College said this morning.
A Funeral Mass for Br Charles will be celebrated at the chapel at St Joseph's College at 11.am on Tuesday, 24 January.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012116_1456.shtml
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