September 2018 Dan McErlean Bryan McSweeney 12 Werona Street email: [email protected] Sunnybank Qld 4109 Dear Old Boys The next meeting of our Brisbane Sub-branch of the Toowoomba (St Mary’s) Brothers Old Boys’ Association will be held on 21st September 2018 in “Harlequin Jack’s” Bistro in the Sofitel Hotel situated above Central Station. Access to “Harlequin Jack’s” is via the escalator (if its working) from inside the Railway building, look for the doors directly opposite the front go-card entry gates to the station platforms. Our next Brisbane meeting will be the Pre-Christmas event, so please don’t miss it, reserve the date, 23rd November 2018, on your calendar as a Claimer Date. At our July meeting our Brisbane Branch President, Bryan McSweeney, welcomed Bronte Latham, the St Mary’s College Public Relations and Foundation Officer, who advised the gathering that the school Principal, Mr Michael Newman, had announced that the planning and development stage for the proposed College Auditorium had been reached, after securing funding for the multi-million dollar project. It is intended to site the building on the Helen & Hill Street corner. During the meeting Life Membership Certificates were presented to Tom Hutchinson (1942-1947), and Peter Upton (1955-1963), and this was followed by an address by Barry Gordon (1954-1956) and a report by Carl Betros on the Confraternity Shield Carnival at Charters Towers where Carl was a spectator at the event to witness his grandson Daniel Betros, son of Peter Betros, play in the Shield winning St Mary’s side. Please remember in your prayers the Old Boys and Friends of the College recently deceased: • Rev Brother Leo Victor Larkin cfc, Principal St Joseph’s (T’mba) 1962-1967, St Mary’s 70/72, Deputy Provincial 1978-89. • Terry Purcell, Life Member No 13, 1945 Scholarship Class, brother of the late Andrew and Brother Ambrose (Des) Purcell cfc. • Rev Brother Fergus (Glenn) Gagen (1940-1947), St Mary’s Principal 1992 / 1993, brother of Brian, Peter and John (Dec). • Gregory John Keen who was a College Staff Teacher between 1994 and 2012. • William John (Bill) Kamler, husband of Pat Brady, father of Shane, Paul and Anne. • Ron Smith (1949-1956), Life Member, husband of Denise. • Geoffrey Thomas Brown (1951-1958). • Brian Gilligan, husband of Shirley, brother to Ian and Eric (deceased). • Sister Mary Jacinta RSM (Wiedman), Aunt of Wiedman and Just families. • Barry Gordon (1954-1956) husband of Beverley. There are a number of our members who are unwell or recovering from surgery: John Arndell, Tim Coonan, Lyle Dornbusch, Brien Dunne, Colin Green, Kev Killoran, Mike Ledbury, Trevor Liebke, Philip Long, Tom and Gail (Rosenthal) Mahon, Trevor Muller, Joe Short, Jim Stokes, Syl Stower, Bob Sullivan, Philip Stephens, Kevin Garrett, Sandra Garrett (wife of Michael), Ted Gill, and Bevan Zeller. Bryan McSweeney Dan McErlean Dan Reilly President Secretary Co-Ordinator Mobile: 0420 565 712 (07) 3345 4404 (07) 3395 1813 1 th T.B.O.B.A. (Brisbane Sub-Branch) Meeting – 20 July 2018 Present Apologies Bryan McSweeney Pat Mullins Fr Tyrone Deere Michael Murphy (TBOBA Brisbane Sub- Denis McClure Fr Paul Chandler Robin Murphy OAM branch President) John McClure Br Barry Buckley cfc AM Terry Murphy Laurie Atzeni (Hon) Paul McClure Br Garry Ferguson cfc Rod McDonald Carl Betros Dan McErlean Joe Guerrini (SMOBA Greg McErlean Leigh Brady Justin McErlean President) Chris McMahon Nev Card Peter McMahon Frank Adamson John Noonan Nat Chandler Wayne Nuss John Bagget Martin O’Sullivan Bernie Collins Reg Oliver Greg Butler Keith Pickels Brian Gagen John O’Neill Noel Cronin Lindsay Reis Barry Gordon Jack Parker Jack Davis (Hon) Paul Reynolds Kevin Gordon Pat Stringer Frank Deighton Allan Roney Gene Green Philip Simpson John Drew Errol Ryan Terry Gesch Kerry Taylor Allan Duncan Grahame Swenson John Hagan Peter Upton Les Duncan Trevor Taylor Tim Hagan Bronte Latham Brian Dunne Glen Wiedman Daphne Hutchinson Brian Fagan Tom Hutchinson Rolly Griffin Barry Kuhnemann Peter Kennedy Doug Lee Fred Lincoln Jim Long Phil Long Dick Lynch Dinny Madden Deacon Peter Devenish Meares Jim Mullins “Coming Events” Brisbane TBOBA Sub Branch Meeting at 12 noon – “Harlequin Jack’s Bistro” Central 21st September 2018 Railway Station 50th Year anniversary celebrations for Sacred Heart Parish School, Tor Street, Wilsonton 27th October Please phone 4634 3436 for details. 1st November Deceased Old Boys Mass, 11am in the T.P.O'Brien Hall at St Mary's College TBOBA Sunshine Coast meeting at the Headland Golf Club, Buderim at 12 noon. Please 16th November 2018 contact Terry Murphy (54564340) or Redmond Byrne (54776705) Annual Membership Fee ($10.00) for Calendar Year 2018 is now due / or Life Memberships are available (Fee $100.00) Cheques for Membership should be made payable to the “Toowoomba Brothers Old Boy’s Association” * * * Cheques as donations towards the Indoor Sports Complex should be made payable to ‘Br. Baptiste O’Sullivan Building Fund’. They are fully Tax Deductible and will be receipted. 2 Br Leo Victor Larkin (1929 – 2018) Novice Master, Br Regis Hickey, at Helidon in Br Leo Victor (Vic) Larkin Queensland. Regis recalls that Victor was invaluable died shortly after 10 p.m. on in that role, not the least for his knowledge of the Friday night, 8th June 2018, at nearby Toowoomba region and of the Helidon Parish Hendrina Nursing Centre at Priest, Fr Underwood. In 1972, Victor was appointed Boondall, Queensland, part of Superior of the Brothers' Community at Helidon, and the Holy Spirit Viridian also was placed in charge of the Juniorate students Retirement Community living there who attended Yrs 11 and 12 at St Mary's complex. College Toowoomba, where Victor also taught on staff. This appointment was followed in 1974 when Leo Larkin was born in Brisbane on 9th December Victor was appointed Superior of Xavier Teachers 1929 to John and Frances Larkin. Leo was the fourth College at Indooroopilly in Brisbane, where he was of four boys – John (Dec.), William (Dec.) and also Director of the young brothers in their 2nd and Bernard all being older. His father, John, worked in 3rd years of Formation. the Railway, and he and his wife, Frances, made their loving home at Hanley St Wooloowin. After the early Young men who were Brothers during those years but years of primary schooling, Leo went to St Joseph's who did not continue that journey, have offered these College Gregory Terrace. Shortly after his fifteenth comments in recent days: "Victor was truly one of the birthday, Leo caught the train to Strathfield where he absolute best persons who have been part of my life"; entered the Juniorate on 18th January 1945. Just over "A great and good man"; "He was certainly a great three years later he received the habit on 15th man who lived a full life"; "He was always a February 1948, and received the religious name of gentleman and every time I saw him he was always Victor. interested to know what I'd been doing"; and "Our kids all remember him most fondly from as long as Victor began his teaching career in 1950 with an they can remember at all". international trip – to New Zealand, where he joined the staff at the Brothers College in Dunedin. A story After Indooroopilly, Victor moved to St James there is that he and another young brother, Nick College in 1977, and then was appointed to St Bilich, had to report to the Superior each evening for Laurence's College in 1978 as Superior. During 1978, a special drink to build them up, both being very tall Victor returned to Xavier, Indooroopilly, but this time and very lean. Victor made his final profession at the having been appointed Deputy Provincial of St end of his time in Dunedin on Christmas Day 1955. Francis Xavier Province (Qld & NT). In 1984, after Shortly after, in 1956, Victor was transferred to St another Chapter, he was re-appointed Deputy Patrick's College Mackay in sunny North Queensland. Provincial. The Brothers who discerned his pastoral Victor stayed there until his appointment in 1962 as and leadership qualities recommended him for such a Principal of St Joseph's College Toowoomba. There role, and this was affirmed by the Brothers' are clear memories from families associated with the Congregational Leadership appointing him. If one school of Victor being appreciated for his pastoral aspect comes through the many stories shared about sense and for his willingness to be fully involved Victor, it is his pastoral care and concern for the alongside the parents in all their endeavours to individual. With his own family, they recount how he support the growing school. presented his nieces and nephews with a diary about their first year of life – noting stories told by their Victor's next appointment was in 1968 to Warwick. parents in a phone call, celebrations, even current One Brother remembers that as a young man fresh events that defined the days of their first year of life. from the scholasticate, first year on the 'mission', he Diaries that are now kept as prized family treasures. was mentored so well by Victor. That brother also remembers Victor was exuberant when he attended After his 12 years in Province Leadership, Victor was the wedding of the Brother's niece with him. able to return to normal Community life when he was transferred to Nudgee Junior College in 1990. In 1991 The regard that the Brothers had for Victor is seen in he was appointed Superior of the Community there. his next transfer, which was in 1970 as Socius to the In 1993, Victor was appointed Principal of St James 3 Christian Brothers School, where he oversaw the Brother who was able to re contextualise himself and Centenary of the Brothers in that School, and the 125 his vocation across his various ministries and years of Catholic education on that site.