Br
Cedric Justinian Harrison
Cedric
William Harrison was born in Cabramatta, an outer suburb of Sydney, on 20th
February 1924. He was the second son
of Cedric and Catharine Harrison and
brother to Ken, Bill, Alan, twins Eric and Ted, Ron, Stan, and Peter together
with sisters Yvonne, Marie and Terry. Cedric
was known as Bill in the family and later as Brother Bill, or just Jus and even
as Bro Harry to the boys.
Cedric(Bill) went
to School at St. John’s Park Primary School Cabramatta, and later to St. Patrick’s College Strathfield, where
he made his decision to join the Christian Brothers. He entered the novitiate at Minto in 1943 under
Br Patrick Harty. His Novitiate group at
the beginning of the year consisted of
fifty teenagers. Very few remain
with us now, in 2009, as withdrawals and age have thinned their ranks.
In order to
appreciate the spirit that drove Bill, it must be remembered that those were
the days when, “if you kept the rule, the rule kept you” - before
the revival of the life and charism of Edmund.
Perhaps the first time many of us had heard of the Founder was when the
centenary of his death was celebrated by the Brothers in Australia in 1944. Many Brothers of this pre-Vatican II era came
through training with a mind set that was very confining. Bill seems to have escaped this limiting
mindset and his open, free spirit manifested itself in many fractious incidents
in his early years on the mission. This
open, adventurous, creative spirit became a fundamental part of Bill’s makeup,
forming him as an all-embracing, compassionate disciple of Jesus : something that was evident from his first
years on the mission.
His first
community was in Newtown, Sydney where he developed the technical skills which were later to lead
to his selection for the Mission to India.
Then, he taught briefly in inner city Primary Schools in Melbourne where
the memory of him is still very clear among his students of that period. One such is Father Ernie Smith whose
outstanding work for the poor of St. Kilda was most probably sparked off by Br.
Bill. Each of Bill’s pupils left the
classroom with the idea that he was Bill’s best friend for life. Later he left lasting impressions in St. Mary’s
West Melbourne, Carlton and Yarraville
In 1954 Br. Bill
was asked to go to India with two other Australian Brothers to help the Indian
Province, to fill the post vacated by Queenslander Br. Raphael Maher, the
initiator of the Technical department at the High School at St. Vincent’s,
Asansol, West Bengal.
Asansol is quite a
large town in North West Bengal in the major coal fields of India. It is also a major Railway Junction and home
to many Anglo Indian families who virtually ran the Indian Railways at the time. In fact the Brothers’ Indian Province
established two large boarding schools in Asansol specifically for the Anglo
Indian Community. The Loreto Sisters
also had a large boarding school for the girls.
It could be said, at this point, that Bill, now called Br. Jus by all
the Brothers, saw the mission largely, though not exclusively, centred around
care for the Anglo Indian Community
- and that care continued for his pupils and
their families long after the boys had left school and migrated around the
world, to the UK, the US, Canada and
Australia .
Though the
mosquitoes in Asansol did their best to bring him down with malaria, Jus
experienced quite good health for most of his years in India. Not without his share of misery, though
: Asansol, sitting on the tropic of
Cancer, could in turn produce temperatures frequently over 40 C, mostly over 30
and rarely below 20C (at night !), humidity frequently 99% and worse, when the
monsoons rain storms visited the area every year. When perspiration saturated the body, the
skin erupted in prickly heat, which was quite a curse. It was not uncommon to see a Brother return
to the community residence and turn on a fan in the hope of getting the air
around him to move.
During much of
Jus’ time in Asansol, however, the state
of West Bengal was in the throes of a Communist revolution. Industry was badly disrupted ; strikes and
lockouts were common. For us, though in
the sanctuary of the school, the numerous, uncertain power cuts during the hot
and sweaty months were a constant and uncomfortable reminder of the real world
outside. Prickly heat, a pervasive
irritant at the best of times, plagued us unmercifully during those turbulent
years.
But those who were
interested enough to look around them could be fascinated by the kaleidoscope
that is India. The religious diversity
and the freedom, intensity, colour and pageantry of the people’s devotion to
their beliefs, was startling. For a
foreigner to get established in India, some significant cultural, climatic and religious
adaptations are called for. Culturally,
caste would be a tremendous hurdle for one brought up in an egalitarian background,
but Jus seems to have developed a way of dealing with people that stood out. There is one incident that stands out in my
mind, in this regard.
Jus and I, being
cricket fanatics, wanted to put down a turf wicket on the main field in Asansol,
and employed a local villager, Moti Lal, to be special groundsman to take care of it. We became very friendly with Moti and were on
a first name basis, something unheard of at the time, because Moti was a Dalit,
a “no caste” person.
After some 15 years of very successful cricket matches, thanks largely
to Moti - as he was the local expert by this time - he came to me one day and with downcast eyes,
asked me if I would come to his daughter’s wedding. I was startled and pleased at the same time
as it was “just not done” for a Sudra
to ask a foreign sahib to enter his
house, let alone come to such an intimate occasion. As it turned out, every one of the Brothers
he asked had responded with an immediate, “Of course I will, Moti.” At the
subsequent occasion in the crowded village hut, Moti produced a bottle of cold
beer for each of us. We were humiliated
but pleased. But what is obvious is that
the caste structure in Asansol had been shaken as news of the event spread
through the city.
Chapter 25 of St. Mathew’s
Gospel reads in part, “ I was hungry
and you gave me food; I was thirsty and
you gave me to drink, I was naked and you clothed me …”. The life of Br. Jus can be understood best by
reference to this basic message of Jesus.
So generous was Jus when confronted with all sorts of poverty that it is
said, when he was later appointed Principal of St. Joseph’s College Kolkata,
one of the senior Brothers said, ‘Quick,
lock up the money before Jus gets here’ - and
in St. Vincent’s the Boarders rejoiced whenever ‘Br. Harry’ had temporary
control of the keys, as he immediately and substantially upped the quantity and
quality of the boarders’ food no matter what the overall financial situation was. Many a time he came to me and asked if I had
a few spare rupees, probably for an itinerant who “needed a ticket to get to
Kolkata”. Loose change never stayed long
in Jus’ pocket. Jus was a soft touch – a
man with a truly compassionate heart.
The course we were
to teach was entitled JED or Junior Diploma in Engineering. It was quite a comprehensive course and was
to be the qualification for entrance to the Polytechnic Institutions that the
Government was setting up. We found that
a qualification from such a local institution would make us more acceptable to
those in the administration - and it would give us a taste of what our boys
would have to face when they in their turn qualified for entrance to the
Polytechnics. Alex Ashe, an Irish
Brother who was with us in the Tech. department
has a bit to say about this :
“I think that the
Polytech in Dhadka (a tortuous 30 minute drive through narrow lanes) was a
fairly big feature in Jus's Asansol time.
Jus was the pioneer of our connection with the Polytech. He was the first of us to attend, as he had
enrolled the year before Br. Al Ballantyne and I did. Indeed, I think he was the originator of the
idea of our attendance there, and I myself benefited from the experience and
the qualification that I obtained there.
“Jus was highly regarded by the principal and
Senior Staff there, and was able to influence them in many ways in matters that
related to our boys when they were doing their Junior Engineering Diploma with
us later at St. Vincent’s. He made it
easier for our own boys, especially the Anglo-Indians, to get over the
psychological barrier of accepting what was to them a totally Indian-Hindu
environment.
“It should be
remembered that there was a certain reluctance among Anglo-Indians to really
immerse themselves in the majority culture.
That is something that I can perfectly understand from my own background
as a Catholic in a very Protestant-dominated society in N. Ireland where anti- Irish/Catholic bigotry
still prevails. So I think that Jus
played a large part in overcoming those particular obstacles.
“One of his
attributes was that he spread his wings, not confining himself to our own wee
tight ivory tower inside the community. Of
course ‘Spreading wings’ was not a concept favoured by higher authority in the Church
at that time, and for this, we suffered.
But Jus’ forward-looking spirit was not to be denied. It could be said that attendance by Brothers
at non-Christian Institutions became, from this time on, an accepted issue.”
In a large boarding
school, of 400 boarders, with workshops, storerooms, hundreds of lockers,
etc, KEYS were always a problem and Jus was forever losing or misplacing
them, to the extent that we had to appoint a “key man” who was responsible for
keeping Jus in contact with his keys. It
was a great honour to be appointed Jus’ “key man”.
Jus’ handwriting
was exquisite. Not only was his own
meticulous and beautiful handwriting distinctive and the object of much
admiration ; practically any pupil of
Jus could be identified by his handwriting, so strict was he that one’s writing
should be just so…. Everyone finished up
with a nearly identical hand.
Jus had many
skills and one was his ability to drive decrepit vehicles. Most cars that he drove frequently came back
plus a few new dents and even minus a few parts but he never had a serious
accident. Jus was quite guileless and
the story goes that one day when he pulled into a service station for fuel, the
attendant pointed out to Jus that his rear hub cap was missing as he held up a
suitable replacement.
Boarding school
life was greatly enhanced as Jus introduced yearly concerts. His musical ability led to the establishment
of a large Brass Band. He arranged and
organised picnics for boys and staff, gave dancing lessons in preparation for
Social Evenings, played the harmonica, taught the boys to play the harmonica
and arranged harmonica bands. Jus also
played the piano accordion very skilfully and used it to great effect. It could be truly said that he was the teenagers’ “Dream Teacher”. The classroom was not the be-all and end-all
of life; school became a happy place under his skilful and innovative teaching
and management methods.
For Boarders the
evening games were the high point of most days.
Br Jus was out every evening, coaching, umpiring or actually playing
with the seniors, except on those days when he had band practice. Regular in-season pick-up cricket matches
against local men’s teams saw Jus and the other Brothers frequently playing
with the boys to bolster their confidence against stronger teams from among the
locals. Jus was an accomplished middle
order batsman and tantalising spinner as he used his height to great advantage. Personal time, for a game of tennis or a
quiet swim, was rare.
Br. Len Noronha spent
a few months in the community at St. Vincent’s.
He has this to say : “It was quite fascinating to watch Jus play
cricket. He wielded the bat with
consummate ease : a gentle-looking
stroke would propel the ball like a rocket towards the boundary. He often fielded at a “silly” position - up
close to the batsman. Once I watched,
dumbfounded, as the batsman hit a powerful shot in his direction : he lifted his arm (nonchalantly, I
thought) - and caught it.
“But this easy
grace epitomised Jus. He faced up to
some pretty contentious issues within community, and without, and often defused
them with humour. At the wheel of the
Army-disposal truck (then over 40 years old!)
he might encounter a fellow sojourner who lifted his fist at him from
the tarmac with imprecations that needed no translation. Jus’ face would respond in a broad grin, and
he would call out, “Same to you, fella !”
(Sometimes the Tower of Babel seemed like a blessing.) In fact, his fellow Aussie, Cal Whiting, in
one of his “black” moods, often accused Jus of
“going around like a split watermelon” while he, Cal, was trying to cope with the miseries of real
life. Of course, there was a powerful
sense of humour and self-awareness behind the silly grins. Invariably, Jus would find some
self-deprecatory comment, especially when you tried to compliment him.
“His cheerfulness
was one (only one) reason why he was universally popular with all the boys in
our school, and all the girls in Loreto across the way. In fact, many of the Seniors confided that
they wished Br. Harry could be elsewhere during the ‘Socials’ - so
that they could get some of the attention that Jus was hogging !” But the truth is that his door was always
open to the worried young person and many an adult came to him to be sorted out.
The relationships that were
established while at School were carried on during Jus’ trips home on leave. A large part of each holiday in Australia was
spent in looking up past pupils and their families. Bill was an extraordinary letter writer and
kept in contact with many through personal correspondence and later in life the
Internet, with a general Net-wide ‘Newsletter’.
So it was easy to tell so many of Jus’s passing. It also meant that many could tell us what
they thought of Jus.
Most of their
responses spoke of “those great days”.
He was described by them as “a
devoted Christian Brother”, “a great
sportsman”, “a great teacher”, “a very good role model”, “a versatile
musician”, “a leader that led by example”; “ I remember him vividly even though
I was a small boy at the time”, …
Many, instead of
talking about his talents, spoke about the relationships they had enjoyed over
the years : “The Anglo-Indian Community and particularly our family are very
privileged to have known Br. Bill, such a wonderful scholar and dear friend” ; “a
friend to everybody”, “a breath of fresh air and rejuvenation for St. Vincent’s
when he arrived”, “large hearted”,“ a pillar of strength and hope for our
(Anglo Indian) community”,“ a beacon of light” ; “ Bro Harry was our friend, brother,
teacher, helper, mentor and I will always remember this good, caring wonderful
man” ; “He was a true blessing from God
for us. Apart from growing up with his
guidance and inspiration, I had the honour of working for him as his secretary
in SVTS for a number of years” ; “ A
Brother with a deep Faith, cheerful countenance, learned but humble, friendly
and noble, a tall figure. ”
Others were more
effusive. “What a great guy ! When my
family met him in 2006, they were impressed by his genuine caring, happy, fun
loving disposition and his humility. He
was the same Bro. Harry, consistently classy, right to the end. We boys loved him and he loved us right back”
; “Br. Harry was a colossus among giants. He gave people hope and helped them to dream
the impossible. He was a visionary that
will live on in the hearts of many” ; “What
a great teacher he was, with his multiple skills, always warm, understanding
and his unforgettable Aussie smile” ; “On
behalf of the Miranda Family our sincerest sympathies, we all knew him from our
days back in Asansol. He was such a dear
person who touched our lives in a very special way. He will always be remembered by us all.”
It is not
surprising that so many considered Jus to be a member of their respective
families. “Bro Harrison came into my
life when I was 15 and became an integral part of our family. He was always very lively with a twinkle in
his eye” ; “We have known Br Bill since
he came out to St. Vincent’s and consider him family” ; “Br
Jus, in St. Vincent’s was simply awesome
: his whole being was so
remarkable. He came across as an
authentic pilgrim, firm and resolute, to carry faltering pilgrims along with
him, thus enabling them to have a taste of the divine in his own inimitable and
meek style” …
Godfrey Phillips
was a student at St. Vincent’s from1954 to 1965. He and his parents were among the first
Anglo-Indian families to emigrate to Australia, thanks to Br Harrison’s mother
who took the family in. Godfrey was in
constant communication with Jus from 1966 till the time he passed away, and in
point of fact had visited him in Shanti Nivas shortly before his death.
Below is Godfrey’s
reflection on his old master and friend.
“This charismatic,
entrepreneurial missionary changed the face of St. Vincent’s forever. He developed a culture of excellence in the
classroom and on the sports field. Mediocrity
was not tolerated.
“Besides his
school responsibilities he took charge of the Brass Band, the School Choir and
the Harmonica Band. Together with Irish
Brother Dinny O’Donoghue he choreographed concert extravaganzas such as the
“Mikado” and other musical classics. He
had a great singing voice and could play most musical instruments.
“He was special ; and a teenager’s ideal teacher. School became a happy place under his skilful
and innovative teaching methods. He
never used the cane, but his tongue was feared and highly respected. (What a legacy.) He was especially proud of the many Anglo
Indian boys who excelled in the sporting arena, and proudly boasted of two
Anglo Indian Old Boys that went on to represent their respective National Hockey
teams : Robert Claudius for India , and Godfrey Phillips for Australia.
“Brother Bill
invited such interesting celebrities as Len Hutton (English cricket Captain),
Leslie Claudius (Indian Olympic Hockey Captain) and Mother Teresa (who for a
short time lived next to St. Vincent’s
and was a regular at our School Chapel for morning Mass). Bill had us do lots of things for her sisters
at the newly established Leper Colony at Shanti Nagar. Many other notable people came to St. Vincent’s
at Brother’s invitation thus exposing us to the larger life ‘out there’.
“Our School motto
“Consilio Et Animo” “Consider wisely and
act with courage” lived in us. Brother
Harrison carried out this ethos with
vigour and enthusiastic care for all his students. “Be the best you can be”, he would encourage
us. “Do what you fear most and you will
conquer fear”.
“Because of the
plight of many Anglo Indian families after Independence, he took a special
interest in their families and the community at large. This special bond remained with him to the
very end.
“Brother Bill was joined by two other Aussie
Brothers; in 1958 by Br. Bob Whiting to commence the Carpentry workshop and in
1959 by Br Rod Parton to take on the Fitting and Machining department. These three Brothers were the brains trust
that set up classrooms, workshops, staff quarters, a swimming pool, chapel and
Library as part of the expansion of the Technical Section of St. Vincent’s.
“How proud the
Brothers were when the very first Junior Technical Diploma class of 1964 saw
Sou Thing Leong come first in the State and next year Clarry Serrao repeat the
feat. This standard has been repeated
many times.”
Jus’ giftedness
made him an invaluable person for the Indian Province and he was called upon to
perform many other tasks outside his original Technical mission; but I believe
the work he did with the boys and girls during his 20 or so years in Asansol
will live on in the minds and hearts of many young men and women today; witness
the hundreds of calls and emails, received, as the news of his passing circled
the planet. They speak warmly of his “down
to earth style”, “the ability to encourage and mould talent”, that he generally
“gave confidence” ; “Because of his
influence good decisions were made” ; “Jus
will be missed sadly, but there will be wonderful memories of the great things
he did in Australia and India; he was always the optimist and enthusiast” ; “I was a pupil of Br Harry in St. Peter’s in
West Melbourne in 1950. I was no
scholar, but what a genuine humane teacher and outstanding teacher, gentleman
and inspiration to us all” ..
In 1977 Jus was
posted from St, Vincent’s to help start a Juvenate for Aspirants to the
Brothers’ life at Bajpe, a small town on the Indian West Coast. His ability to
interact with young men and women was one of his greatest gifts, and in Bajpe
he was very active and successful in nurturing young people aspiring to the
religious life.
Brother Baptist Finn ( one of the Irish Brothers of the
Indian Province) has this to say about Jus’ time on the West Coast : “Over the years I had met Jus on numerous
occasions and we hit it off very well together.
Our relationship was cordial and polite.
He was in the first community at St. Joseph’s, Bajpe, from 1975. I was asked to substitute for Brother Adrian
D’Souza for a month every term while Adrian was studying at Aligarh University
for his M. Ed. It was during those months together in Bajpe
that my relationship with Jus deepened.
“He shared that
his move to Bajpe had been an eye-opener for him. In comparison he thought that his life in
Asansol for so many years had been rather superficial. Now he was challenged to be a Christian
Brother in a society which was essentially very simple, very Indian and quite
traditional. He associated with many
priests and religious and this intensified his concern with the institutional
church. Very little English was spoken,
so Jus strove hard to respond in the vernacular at Mass. His singing of the bhajans (religious
songs) at prayer services impressed many.
All the exercises of piety in community were meticulously followed. The Rosary we recited together on our walks,
mentioning particular intentions before each decade. These walks developed into deep sharing
sessions when we spoke about things which really mattered.
“School work was
very demanding. Thomas, brother of the
Principal Father Bernard, ran the hand-operated Providence Press in the school
premises. Jus spent long hours preparing
English lessons with plenty of practical exercises and enlisted Thomas’s help
in printing them in booklet form. These
booklets formed the basis for instruction in the school, where the medium of
instruction was the vernacular language.
He regularly composed circular letters, describing all his activities,
to be sent to his numerous friends in India and abroad. These were also printed in the Providence
Press and kept Thomas very busy. Jus was
very good at chronicling, as the
recipients of his Newsletter will corroborate.
“There were
cultural differences between life in Bajpe and life in Asansol. Father Bernard and Thomas and a few others
would be present during meals, not to mention the dogs which waited for crumbs
to fall from the master’s table! The food was highly spiced and went
right through Jus. He never
complained. The not-often-enough outing
on the scooter to a virgin beach was a welcome break. On the way home there was a halt at Devi
Prasad’s restaurant for coffee and dry bread served without butter or jam. Occasionally omelettes were ordered. We discovered that “without chillies” meant
“not more than 18 pieces of chilli!”
“Locally Jus
became involved in many organisations, including Lions International. He helped the fledgling English Medium School
at the airport. He took an active role
in diocesan meetings and in Vocation Promotion Camps. Soon he established himself as a very
zealous, religious and generous man who was greatly respected by one and
all. He once told me how fulfilled he now
felt in Bajpe, and he resolved never to get caught in the trap of
superficiality again. How he kept that
resolve is best told by those who were subsequently associated with Jus in St.
Joseph’s College, Calcutta, and in St. Mary’s Orphanage, Dum Dum.
“Close beside the
school in Bajpe there was a convent of Handmaids. They were somewhat different to the
traditional nuns normally encountered.
The aspirants attended St. Joseph's and used our premises for recreational
activities. Soon Jus found himself in
the role of Spiritual Guide to many of them.
Other girls in the Junior College joined religious congregations also
and were greatly influenced by Jus. Over
the years many of them kept in contact and came to see him when they could.”
In fact, the
eulogies that poured in from places like Bajpe seemed to indicate that there
was now something different about the way people saw Jus, and the way they
missed him was different :
“Heaven can only
be a better place because he is there”, “He will live in our hearts forever”, “All
the people in and around Bajpe loved you and will miss you”, “We thank God for
his presence in our lives” ; “For me the
loss of Br Harrison is very personal. I
owe him everything. He was my mentor, my
inspiration and I owe my priesthood to him (Fr.
Dominic)” ; “He was a beautiful person who was an icon in
our family” ; “It is with great love
that I remember Br Harry. I was a
student in the convent (school) when I
met him and he became like an uncle to me.
I will miss him and keep a place for him in my heart”, “He was a
wonderful and holy person” ; “Brother
Harrison was a wonderful human being, talented and full of compassion, always
approachable, he saved many young people from despair with his timely and
friendly advice and made a difference to each and every life he touched” ; , “Bro Harry was one of a kind. He had my utmost respect and admiration as a
person, as a teacher and as a mentor. So
here we are, many of us senior citizens ourselves and we still recall and
revere the man who influenced our lives
so richly so many years ago He was a gentleman, caring, ever ready to
help anyone, a remarkable teacher, director and above all a good friend.”
In 1984 Jus was
asked to become Principal of St. Joseph’s College in Kolkata. This was a very onerous post in the Communist
political quagmire of the day. He
charmed the local authorities and was able to get all sorts of permissions with
relative ease. He may have nearly
bankrupted the College but he left it a better place in high standing before
heading for his next posting, to St Mary’s Orphanage Dum Dum, where he looked
after the orphans with great care before being posted to Bajpe again in 1992.
When the Brothers
of the Indian Province wanted to start a Newsletter, there had never been any
doubt about who should be asked to do it.
Jus, then in Asansol, was publishing the
“Techlite”, which purported to be an account of life in “The Tech”, as
St. Vincent’s was generally called. In
actual fact it was chock-full of tongue-in-cheek references to Brothers and
their foibles. There was a letter
supposedly written by a tyke in the kindergarten to his parents, where he
gushes about the visit of “Tubby Minar” who “wore his camera on his tummy” and
declared, “what you need here is more
terrazzo”. There wasn’t a Brother in the Province who did not recognize
the pontificating style of the portly Brother.
And then there was a letter to the Editor from “Humph”, suitably
patronizing ; and the Editor had a note
at the end which asked simply, “Humph ?
Is that a name or an exclamation ?”
But the Letter to
the Editor that could have passed unnoticed by those not in the know simply
wished, “Laurels to you, Laurel.
Hardy” Anyone who had been in
“The Tech” on that famous occasion could not have failed to be convulsed with laughter
all over again. On one of the monsoon
evenings, when rain made it impossible for the usual games to be played, an
impromptu Musical Evening was announced.
Jus and Christy Murphy emerged on the stage, dressed in baggy and tight
suits respectively, topped with bowler hats and carrying tightly furled
umbrellas. Now Jus always gave new
meaning to the term “gaunt”. He had
often been advised by friendly Brothers to be tied down during the high March
winds. Christy, on the other hand, was
as wide as he was tall. He had a way of
filling the stage.
They had a couple
of lines prepared. They never got a
chance. The entire audience, seated in
the Quonset hut that passed for an auditorium, erupted in mirth. All Jus had to do was to gesture, and it exploded
again. There were boys rolling on the
floor, some writhing in the throes of laughter.
Full twenty minutes elapsed before the boys staggered away. For weeks afterward, if Jus or Christy hove
within sight of the boarders, they would start laughing again. And again.
Throughout his
travels, Jus had continued to keep the Indian Province Newsletter going. As was his wont, he was regular with each
edition, and spiced it with hilarious comments and exhortations to “write
in”. Suffice it to say that not every
community made the same effort to contribute.
By 1992 he was glad to hand over
the editorial duties to a successor
Jus had eight
moves during his 54 years in India, not actually a record, but an indication of
his amazing ability to adapt to different and challenging situations with
constant success.
In 1995 he was
moved to Vasai (south of Bombay on the west coast) to take charge of the senior
Juvenate ... and then in 2002, Jus, now in his late 70s,
was asked to take charge of the Brothers’ retirement home at Shanti Nivas (Home
of Peace) Goa. His gentle care of the
aged Brothers touched everyone and when his time came to lay down life’s calls,
his final days were filled with the loving care that characterised his whole
life.
The Regina Mundi
School next to Shanti Nivas was staffed by local teachers and young Indian
Brothers also from the West Coast areas.
Many were, initially, put off by Jus’ openness, sometimes bruising
banter and startling honesty. However
this did not last long as they came to appreciate the man behind the facade. Jus created a new dimension of community for
the West Coast Province.
We
will leave the description of his final days in the hands of Br, William D’Souza, Superior of the Brothers’ Community, Regina
Mundi High School, Goa.
‘Br.
C.J. Harrison has shaped my personality.
He was my principal, mentor and above all a very good friend. He had played a great role in my life - be it
in finding my vocation, teaching me English and handwriting, or walking with me
in my initial formation days. He was a
good friend of all the members of my family It was in 1977 that we the students
of St. Joseph Junior College named him "Kemppanna", meaning red
brother.
‘C.J. was the director of Shanti Niwas, when I was
transferred to Regina Mundi community as the superior. It was the 29th April, 2005. C.J. was
one of the brothers who welcomed me and he later read me in as the Superior of
the community during evening prayer. I
was delighted to have my mentor, spiritual guide and friend near me and I used
to take advantage of this fact.
‘C.J. had the responsibility of waking the brothers
in the morning. He rang the bell six
days of the week (Sundays, we had a long sleep) at 5:45a.m. After waking the brothers, he used to open
all the windows and doors of the house, prepare the chapel for the daily mass (because
he was in charge of the chapel) - and he
enjoyed doing this duty with passion. He
kept the community room neat and tidy,
arranging the newspapers and the magazines. I used to go to him for help with regard to
teaching of subjects, especially
catechism, or to discuss any other finer qualities of life. He never said 'no' to anyone or to any
requests. He even trained my class in
Cricket Drill for the Annual Sports and Drill Display. The next year he wanted to teach the students
'Club drill', which I declined.
‘At
Shanti Niwas, every one was welcomed by him.
He used to have small prayer services, community rosary and bible
sharing with Paul Bela and Louisa the nurse. He was a great follower of the daily
time-table. He also spent time in
solving crosswords, teaching English to
the young candidates of the brothers and helping the Brothers on the first
mission with their lesson plans. He had
time to write his journal and a scrapbook. He used to show his scrapbook to all his
friends and visitors. The members of the
supporting staff loved his company and
they admired his willingness to learn the language, and his generosity with
regard to the poor. He loved and took care
of all the visitors and guests of the brothers both in Shanti Niwas and Regina
Mundi. His sister-in-law (aunty Fay),
her sister and her husband visited him, and many of his ex pupils and
friends from all over the world visited at Shanti Niwas . He made a difference in the lives of all who
knew him.
‘He
never complained about his health - even in the last days of his life - he used to say ‘I offer it up to Jesus’. One of his famous hymns was "I am only
human"- one day at a time sweet Jesus...
he and I used to sing together in his room. He used to be in terrible pain - I saw him applying balm on his hands
and legs to ease the pain. In
August, he was introduced to morphine, his pain had become unbearable. He used to have sleepless nights. Even in pain, he used to rise early in
the morning to do his duties, as he did
before. We told him not do any more
duties; after school, I used to spend my time with him, walk with him,
wheel him up and down for prayers and
meals and stay in his room at night. I
still remember telling him, “Jus, be a good boy and please don't get up very
early in the morning". He replied,
"With the help of Jesus and Mary I will try my best". Those were our last words. The next morning we found him
unconscious in his bed and we admitted him to the ICU of
the local specialty hospital. I was one
of the brothers who spent time with him in the ICU till he breathed his last. R.I.P.
‘He
still lives for me. He has made a
difference in my life.’
Nobody
was surprised when the parish in Bajpe made an appeal that Jus be buried among
them. It was a very moving ceremony as Jus
was buried in Bajpe on 19th November 2008.
And
there he awaits the resurrection.
Shabash,
well done Bill.
Br.
Rod Parton cfc
For his funeral news, click
