On Sunday 02 October, the Rector of St Bede’s College, Justin Boyle, unveiled the second series of Bedean icons. This project was initiated by the St Bede’s College Old Boys’ Association as a centennial gift and the first three icons were unveiled in 2009.
The first grouping were all Marist priests and each played a significant role in the history of the College. Father Charles Graham was the founding rector, Father Cormac Hoben was an inspiring priest-teacher, sports coach and mentor – fondly remembered by St Bede’s Old Boys of the 1940s. Sadly he died while still a young man. Father Bill Spillane was the third selection. Like Cormac Hoben he was an old boy and after ordination he returned to the staff for almost 40 years. His gentle and sympathetic nature made him a much loved and trusted priest-teacher and for some he was “Mr St Bede’s”.
The second series featured two living icons and the evening was brightened by members of the Corcoran and Lennon families who attended. Both men were well known for their great service to the College and to the wider Christchurch community. Robin Corcoran attended the College in the 1940’s and from that point on served on numerous committees, including the Foundation and the Old Boys’ Association. Gary Lennon, also an old boy, joined the teaching staff in the 1970s and remained until his retirement, a period of selfless and dedicated service for 36 years.
Father Bern (Barney) Ryan was present to see the unveiling of his panel.
Bedean Icons Series 2
Fr. Bern Ryan staff Priest, teacher, mentor and friend
Father Bernard Ryan is fondly remembered by old boys of the 1950s. To many of them he is always Barney – a much admired priest-teacher, coach and spiritual advisor. His Marist confreres refer to him as Bern and they invariably mention, in the same breath, that he may well be the model Marist.
When Bern Ryan finished his term as Superior General of the Society of Mary in 1985 he opted to take study leave in Australia and from this starting point embarked on another life as a missionary to the Aboriginal communities in northern New South Wales, a job described by someone as extremely difficult…’like nailing jelly to a wall.’
For Bedean old boys of the 1950s this commitment came as no surprise – rather to them it was further witness to this good man’s commitment to humanity and reinforced their conviction that Barney Ryan was one of the most enlightened priest-teachers to have taught at the College.
He joined the staff in 1950 and for 11 years gave himself to the College as a teacher, sports coach, mentor and spiritual guide. In each sphere he had an extraordinary impact on the boys under his care but also on others, catholic and non- catholic. Speaking at the time of his departure Fr. Leo Evatt said, “I could have held up no better example of what can be done with and for the boys than the work of Father Ryan.”
A former pupil, John Gordon, said of his teaching. “It was not an easy task getting 6H interested in novels, drama and poetry but our teacher had a generous disposition and accommodated ignorance and inadequacies…a great teacher takes his students with him and Fr. Ryan had the ability to do so.”
As an athletics coach he was well qualified and his coaching work extended beyond St Bede’s. One aspiring coach, who admitted to being highly suspicious of Catholics, said that an encounter with Barney Ryan “changed all of that within a few minutes… [he] was ultimately the biggest influence on my involvement and enjoyment of athletics … other [Bedean priest coaches] came later and completed the task of lifting the scales from my eyes.”
Barney Ryan taught at St Patrick’s College Silverstream until 1971 and then in 1977 became the first English speaker to become Superior General of the Society of Mary. In his typically humble way he responded to this honour saying “In New Zealand there will be laughter in many communities when they hear of my election. If you really knew me you would not have elected me.”
Nothing could have been further from the truth and for eight years he guided over 2000 Marist religious focusing on developing the Marist mission in South America and the Philippines where he hoped to ‘make a difference’. In this endeavour he was successful and then moved on to spearhead a programme that helped religious and lay teachers reflect and go forward together.
In 1989 his conscience was pricked by an Australia- based New Zealander who he over-heard denigrating aboriginals. He determined that the next phase of his life would be spent helping, as he said, in a small way’. Commenting on this mission he said
“I was invited to Bowraville in 1989 after the murders of three young Aboriginal children. The deaths put the community under terrible pressure and I worked within the community to support the families.”
Years later Fr. Ryan united with the Sisters of Mercy in Grafton. Here he makes school, community and home visits on behalf of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry. He said: “I help families in time of grief with counselling, support young children through their schooling years and help build spirituality in the Aboriginal community.”
In recent years he has made several visits to the College. His men of the 1950s invariably turn out in numbers to renew their friendship and in his own modest and understated manner he responds, ever-humble and ever considerate of others. Writing in the centennial history David McCarthy said,
“In 100 years of college history he remains one of the most inspirational of the Marist priests, although he has never lost a sense of sympathy for those most in need. Those qualities are matched not just with words but with the hard yards of application. Fide et Opere is a phrase that lives wherever Fr. Bernard Ryan walks. Of such stuff are great men made.”
Source
St Bede’s College Christchurch New Zealand
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