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Brother Kristiaan Neyt died at the age of 65 on December 14, 2001 in Bruges, Belgium. Canon DeZeine, the bishop’s secretary and chaplain of the Brothers at St. Francis Xavier Institute, and the pastor of St. Michael’s celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Michael’s parish church in Brugge. Burial was in St. Michael’s cemetery near the church.Brother John Hart, who traveled from England for the funeral, describes the outpouring of respect and affection for Brother Kristiaan: “The church was filed to capacity and there were at least fifty standees at the rear of the church. All ages were represented. A wide spectrum of people were there; headmaster and deputy of the Institute, the headmaster of Zedelgem, most of the staff of teachers from the Institute were present, as were alumni and friends. Architects, builders, lawyers, accountants and bank persons, with whom Kristiaan had dealings, were present. Several mourners came from the Catholic University at Leuven where Kristiaan had lectured in economics.”**** A Tribute ****Brother Kristiaan Neyt died after a brief illness on December 14, 2001 at the age of 65 and in the 48th year of his religious life as a Xaverian Brother.If any Brother could be considered indispensable, that Brother would be Brother Kristiaan. At the time of his death he was the regional superior of the Brothers in Belgium and served as the chair of the board of Saint Francis Xavier Institute in Bruges, our oldest school, and as chair of the board at other Xaverian affiliated schools in West Flanders. His death was an incredible loss to the Brothers in Belgium and to the Congregation. Born Romain Neyt and entering the Xaverian Brothers in 1953, Brother Kristiaan received his degree from the University of Louvaine and spent much of his life teaching at the Institute in Bruges. When he became a professor of economics at the University of Louvaine, he continued to serve as the Econome (Business Manager) at the Institute. He was a man very much respected and loved by his “old boys” from the Institute. Serving as he did on the Congregation’s finance committee, Brother Kristiaan on several occasions hosted committee meetings in Bruges, and the American and English Brothers on the committee can attest to the fact that, when they dined in local Brugian restaurants, Brother Kristiaan’s old boys would always come up to greet him, and their love and respect for him were obvious to the other Brothers.When the Provinces of the Congregation were merged in 1995, Brother Kristiaan became the Regional Superior for Belgium and the defacto Business Manager for the region. He oversaw the transition of some community schools and properties to Diocesan control, an emotionally difficult task, and he arranged for the sale of some disused community property, again an emotionally difficult duty. Although he was given some difficult tasks to perform, Brother Kristiaan performed them as the devout religious and Xaverian that he was. Love for God, for his Brothers and for his Congregation was the hallmark of his life. He never wavered in his commitment.Brother Kristiaan was diagnosed with cancer in July of 2001 and was dead by December. He faced death as the man and the religious he was, grateful to the end for the care his grateful Brothers gave him in the last months of his life.Brother Kristiaan was an exemplary Xaverian Brother, and no doubt at the moment of his death, he heard the words of our Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” May he rest in peace.(The editor thanks Brother James Kelly, CFX for this tribute to Brother Kristiaan Neyt, CFX)––––––––––––––––––––––––
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Brother Benoît Verbeke died at the age of 88 on January 20, 2001 at the Brothers of Charity Nursing Home in Zelate, Belgium, where he lived for several years.Brother Roger Demon, a member of the Xaverian Brothers General Council, who shared ministry with Brother Benoît in Belgium and Congo, describes his confrere as follows:“Brother Benoît, who was born April 2nd 1913, entered our Congregation in March 1933. After having taught in Bruges for several years, he was appointed in Knokke during the second world war, where he was a very beloved Brother. This esteem was traceable to his contagious optimism and his selfless commitment, not only in the classroom, but also in the youth movement, which made the young folks forget the hardship of the war-years.In January 1946, he set off for the Congo where, in Likasi-Kikula, he worked in the SFX-school. Two years later, he was sent to Kasenga, where there was an extremely fine relationship and team-spirit among the Benedictine Fathers, the Sisters of Charity of Ghent and the Xaverian Brothers. In Kasenga, Brother Benoît did an excellent job in our teacher training college and as a fervent promoter of soccer matches. After a brief return to Likasi, he was allowed to resume his former responsibilities in Kasenga, where he stayed until 1975, date upon which the Xaverian Brothers, because of a lack of manpower, left their mission-post in this rural fishing-village on the Zambian border.After Kasenga, Brother Benoît came back to Belgium and lived in Sint-Michiels where he continued rendering services in the community, in the garden, and in the parish where his mission assiduity was catching. Unfortunately, because of a tumor behind his eyes that could not be removed, he went blind. Notwithstanding this painful trial, he remained an optimistic, very kind man.Four years ago, his community could no longer offer the care Brother Benoît needed. The Brothers of Charity in Zelzate and their nursing personnel took very good care of this gentle, grateful Brother, whose awareness slowly faded away. Yet, when a Brother pronounced the word “Kasenga”, his eyes lit up and a ravishing smile made him look young and handsome. His great hope was and remained that the Congolese Xaverian Brothers, one day, would go back to Kasenga to cooperate with the Salesian Fathers, his dearest friends, and the Sisters of Charity.’ May he rest in peace!
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Brother Gregory Turlik died at the age of 52 on November 16, 2001. His Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Augustine Parish in Washington, DC. Burial was in New Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore following the funeral Mass. Brother Daniel Doherty, CFX, delivered the eulogy for his confrere, who “...truly lived the counsel given to the Brothers in their Fundamental Principles: In this life of following Christ allow yourself therefore to be given away, together with your brothers, as nourishment for others, as bread that is broken.”Gregory was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 3, 1949. By the time he was ready for high school, his family was living in Maryland and he chose to attend Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, MD. After graduation in 1967, he entered the novitiate of the Xaverian Brothers on July 8. His final profession of vows took place on June 21, 1975. After his novitiate years, Greg earned a B.A. in English cum laude at the University of Maryland. In 1979, he was awarded a Masters in Social Work from the Catholic University of America. His specialization was: Community Organization/Administration; his special interest was: Families/Rights of the Poor.In 1972, following graduation from Catholic University, Brother Greg taught English at Good Counsel High. From 1977 to the time he returned to Good Counsel in 1982, he served as a Student Intern Therapist at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., a Community Organizer in South Arlington, VA as part of his M.S.W. program, and, from 1982 to 1988, he designed and coordinated the Hanover Family Oriented Group Home Program at St. Joseph’s Villa, Richmond, VA. Upon returning to Good Counsel High School, he designed and coordinated the Senior Service Program at the school. This involved placing and supervising over 200 students a year in volunteer projects. In addition, he designed and initiated Family Counseling Service at Good Counsel, a service that provided family and couple’s therapy and single parent and couples’ support groups.Fellow Good Counsel alumnus and confrere, Brother Michael McCarthy echoed the words of Brother Dan Doherty above in speaking about the illness that afflicted Brothers Greg in the last ten years of his life. “Gregory found his own body becoming broken by the effects of the rare neurodegenerative disease, neuroacanthocytosis. It first robbed him of his balance and his wheelchair replaced walking. It took away his ability to swallow food, and eventually even robbed him of his ability to speak. This man who had been the voice of the voiceless, now had to use a LINK device which mechanically spoke aloud the words he typed. In his final days he had been robbed of all his physical powers. His spirit remained undaunted, however, as his poems and journaling attest: ‘This disease robs me of my ability to run or to walk. It limits my ability to speak clearly. But it does not diminish my capacity to love and to be loved by persons who are milestones to me.’ (taken from a poem he composed on his 50th birthday).”Good Counsel High School named an award in his honor. Again Brother Michael’s words are appropriate: “Gregory Turlik crossed the Good Counsel graduation stage two times in his life. The first time he walked across to receive his diploma as a graduating senior in 1967. The second time he was pushed across in his wheel chair to be honored as Good Counsel renamed the prestigious service award to a graduate in his name: ‘in honor of a man totally dedicated to peace and justice.’ The Brother Gregory Turlik Service Award epitomizes the lifetime journey of this heroic Xaverian Brother.”In his parting words for a Brother to whom he devoted much care, Brother Dan Doherty cited three qualities he would have us remember about Brother Gregory Turlik: his passion, his love of family and his witness to gospel values. “Greg’s passion encompassed all of his life, its ideas, arts, communities, cultures, celebrations, and his faith and hope in the gospel message. Greg never did anything by halves. Family, parish, work, cluster (he was a member of a group of Brothers who meet and share on a regular basis), playing football, basketball or softball, riding his bike, teaching, books, drama, music, film, politics and the (Maryland University) Terps- all drew the same ardor and zest that Greg put into everything.”On his love of family, Dan spoke from personal experience. “To know Greg was to know his family, which included his Xaverian Brothers. When Greg’s physical deterioration began,his family remained the rock which enabled him to remain independent and determined to live life to full.” Dan also sensed a call. “His gift was to bring comfort, to proclaim liberty and the good news and to bind up wounds as he identified with those in need. He also drew his friends and students to accompany him in his endeavors. He called us to conversion.”Now that his earthly life is over, Brother Greg has finished his Xaverian journey on earth. The people and the work that needs to be done continue. This challenge now awaits another Xaverian Brother who will hear a similar call and respond.
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