A Call Fulfilled

Brother Trudo Sabbe of Belgium died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 69 on October 15, shortly after receiving a warm welcome from his Xaverian Brothers in Twickenham, England. During his final day Trudo appeared in good health and excellent spirits, and spoke of sightseeing in London and attending Mass at Westminster Cathedral. His goodbye to his Brothers in Belgium seemed at the time to be only for a short time; his departure was in fact a final goodbye in this life and a painful loss for his Belgian Xaverian family. In retrospect they realized Trudo left in harmony with his personal style, quietly and reserved.

Born in Zedelgem, Belgium on November 24, Camiel Sabbe was a brilliant student, finishing first in rank at the end of his senior year of high school. Though never one to show off his learning and talents, he excelled in his university studies. Known in religion as Brother Trudo, he served his congregation with total dedication and shouldered great responsibilities. His Xaverian community called upon him to teach on three continents. After serving for a time at Saint Xavier’s Institute in Bruges, he moved on to Tutazamie Institute of Likasi in Congo. In time he became headmaster and local superior there. Leaving his duties in Likasi, he crossed the Atlantic to teach at St. John’s High in Shrewsbury, MA. On his next Atlantic crossing he returned home to take up the position of Provincial, religious leader of his Brothers in Belgium and Congo. Fully committed to whatever he did, Trudo served in this challenging call for nine years.

His call home from the Lord, the fulfillment of his vowed existence and ministry, left his Xaverian community feeling they still needed him and would greatly miss him. His quiet presence and eagerness to help would be their lasting memory. His family too feels the loss of "Uncle Camiel"; he deeply loved his brothers and sisters and his numerous nephews and nieces. That love of family and all things Xaverian does not cease.

Brother Sebastian Barresi delivered the eulogy. Born on August 7, 1922, Thomas Hayes graduated from St. John’s Prep in Danvers, after transferring in from Swampscott High after freshman year. Day to day proximity to the Brothers at the Prep impressed Tom and led him to enter novitiate in 1942 after a year at Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA. Known in religion as Brother Lorenzo, he attended several schools over the years, among them Columbia, BU and BC, Central Connecticut State and Bunker Hill, striving to be better prepared to serve. He attained his bachelor’s from Fordham in 1952 and his master’s in French from St. John’s in Brooklyn in 1956.

A conscientious teacher, well liked by all his students, Brother Lorenzo was forced from the classroom due to illness. Denied in one direction of service, he turned to contributing to everyday life of the community, as buyer, community shopper and house procurator. Very outgoing with older Brothers, he was attentive to their needs. He would often provide them with a snack during the day. For them he often had affectionate nicknames; Brother Roderick was "Roddy Gum Drops". He and Brother Kevin planned and organized the 40th anniversary of his class in religion. One classmate suggested that those who didn’t know him well may have perceived him at times as withdrawn, unfriendly or negative, but those who knew him well realized that he was outgoing, uninhibited, laughed often, even had the loudest laugh among his classmates.

Another Xaverian classmate believes that Lorenzo gained much strength from his novitiate experience, the foundation of religious life. Having devoted much time to being a "messenger of the cross" in his earliest stage of religion, aspects of which he found difficult, Lorenzo was being prepared for greater trials later. Especially difficult were his last years, spent in pain and suffering. The medical diagnosis of the trial Brother Lorenzo faced might echo words from Ezechial: "His bones are dry, his hope is gone, he has no future." But that is not God’s diagnosis. The Lord says: "I will put my spirit within you and you shall live. I have promised to do this and I will."

Born in Medford, MA on May 12, 1932, Francis D. O’Donnell graduated from Malden Catholic High in Malden, MA. Known in religion as Brother D. Stephen, he graduated from Catholic University with his bachelor’s in History and English. Further graduate study resulted in a M.Ed. from Boston College in 1966.

Space does not permit nor does skill allow sharing the numerous facets of Brother D. Stephen’s remarkable journey, masterfully captured in Brother Ryan’s homily. Altogether appropriately the eulogy is build around D’s travels, for travel he did. The roots for his penchant for popping in on people unexpectedly might be traced back to his own premature birth several weeks ahead of schedule. Blessed with eight brothers and sisters, he had many homes to visit already. When he wasn’t visiting them, he was organizing the famous O’Donnell family reunions.

His ministry carried him to Xaverian missions in New England and in England and generated more close friends and places to visit over the years. The years associated with Malden Catholic were ones where D’s athletic career began lugging basketballs around as the high school team’s manager when he was a student there, and where that career terminated thirty years later as he lugged those same basketballs around in his ten-year stint as Athletic Director. Two terms at St. John’s in Shrewsbury added up to fourteen years where the young Brothers he lived with quaked at the reputation which preceded him only soon to realize that he was truly their brother. In between St. John’s stays, he thoroughly enjoyed treating English students at Manchester and Mayfield to unforgettable educational experiences, American and D style. Again, two stints at Xavier teaching English and working in the business office, around a short stay as community director in Westwood, MA, in between, account for seven and a half more years. In Middletown he spared no one and charmed the countryside with his wit and sense of humor. The depth of his influence was beautifully framed by biology teacher Linda Charpentier’s summary of the Xavier chapter: "He was such a good teacher to us all."

On his final journey after his sudden and final illness of eight months, a member of the Community, Brother Paul, sang the hymn "Welcome Home" as his casket entered the chapel. The Xavier chapel was to be D’s final and most appropriate dwelling place. Brother Ryan closed his eulogy with the Lord’s promise: "I am indeed going to prepare a place for you, and then I shall come back to take you with me." He knew what D. Stephen’s response would be to the promise: "Wink, wink; nudge, nudge; say no more"-except perhaps, Happy Thanksgiving, D.

Born on January 11, 1918 in Louisville, Adolph Burkhard Recktenwald graduated from St. Xavier High. Known in religion as Brother Dionysius, he excelled in his undergraduate work, attaining a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude with majors in Latin and French from Catholic University. He became a member of Phi Beta Kappa and an eventual Vice-President of the CU chapter. Further graduate study resulted in a master’s in French in 1952 and his Ph.D. in 1966. He did further study in 1969 at Institut Catholique in Paris, France, in the summer of 1969.

Teacher, linguist, researcher, protestor, prayerful religious and docile patient, Dionysius was all of these in his own unique way. He taught in grammar school at Leonard Hall, in high school at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, MA, and Good Counsel in Wheaton, MD, and in two separate college stints at Xaverian College in Silver Spring, MD. One Brother, who had "Dio" in freshman French in Silver Spring, remembers him as a very thorough teacher who pounded French grammar into his head in a very methodical manner. A meticulous grader, he docked three-tenths of a point for an errant accent mark. A perfect gentleman and a kind and gentle person, he would deal with uncooperative scholastics with firmness and patience. At heart, he was a linguist. On one occasion when Brother Thomas Spalding was doing research on his book, Martin John Spalding, he asked "Dio" for help with minutes of the Second Plenary Council which were in Latin. "He read the Latin as easily as if he were reading the minutes in English," Brother Tom reported. His desk contained dictionaries in Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese. His favorite hobby was doing research on his family. With a keen appreciation of his heritage and a desire to preserve it, he left his family a treasure. Protestor? Many who knew him might find that hard to believe, but he did stand with those trying to dissuade the bishops from writing a pastoral on women, a proposal that was opposed by the Leadership Council of Women Religious and others. There were times when he took issue with congregational directions and at times this man who seemed so gentle could be a formidable opponent when provoked.

He moved easily in many settings, a very prayerful man. He served as a volunteer at Our Lady’s Rosary Makers, spreading the devotion to the rosary. He faced his final years, a slow meltdown of someone who once possessed a brilliant mind and punctilious gentleness, with docility and a child-like simplicity. In death, he gained release to the fullness of life.

Born on May 20, 1929, he attended Mission High in Roxbury after completing St. Peter’s School in Dorchester. During the Mission years he was inspired by Brother Augustus to enter the Xaverian novitiate in 1949 and took as his religious name, Ronald. St. John’s University and Fordham, respectively, offered him his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Later in life, he attended courses at Harvard Divinity School and spent a sabbatical year at the Institute of Theology and Spirituality in Santa Barbara, California.

Brother Ronald was a man of many loves. He loved family, his mother and dad, whom he spoke of often, and his brothers and sisters, cousins and close friends. He had an insatiable love of Ireland inherited from his parents. His students in English class found him a stern taskmaster with his imposing presence and commanding voice. Outside of the classroom he established a lasting rapport and deep friendship with many whom he directed in his minstrel shows or who played on the teams during his years as athletic director or learned English grammar and literature in his classroom.

Before retiring in Westwood, he served as pastoral associate at Holy Family parish in Rockland and tutored prison inmates at MCI Norfolk. He also served St. Edward School in Brockton, MA, as its principal and after that taught at St. Catherine’s Elementary in Norwood, MA.

In death, this man "who stayed in touch" in countless ways, whose spiritual life was the basis of his life, whose boisterous laugh and beautiful singing brought delight, has passed on. Now we need remember, "Togetherness", the Irish poem he often quoted, and the words: "Why should I ever be out of mind/ Because I am out of your sight? I am but waiting for you/ For an interval/ Somewhere very near."