BROTHER MAJELLA SHERRY (1936-2002)

James Sherry was born in 1936 in the Hutt Valley in Wellington. After several years in New Zealand, including Marist High Greymouth, and as a youthful principal of Hato Petera Maori College in Auckland and St Bernard's College, Lower Hutt, Brother Majella came to Fiji in 1975 to became Principal of Marist Brothers' High School and later of Cathedral Secondary School. He left Fiji in 1994 for St Joseph's College in Samoa and then eventually for South Africa where he continued his vigorous fund-raising campaigns for needy schools.

Brother Majella knew suffering in his life and from his youth survived with only one kidney. In South Africa he survived being shot in the head by a man who wanted his car. In spite of this he continued his work for the least favoured in the school system. It was when he was visiting one of these projects that he met an untimely death in strange circumstances. He simply disappeared from the rocky shoreline where he had gone walking. His body was never recovered from the sea where he is believed to have been lost. Bishop Dowling drove four hours to Johannesburg, flew to Durban to speak at Majella's requiem, and then returned to Johannesburg that same day for an important meeting – so great was his respect for this man who spent most of his life far from home and country.

Majella's fighting spirit showed throughout his life, in building projects and on the sports field but particularly in situations of injustice, as will be described below.

Majella arrived at Marist Brothers High School to face two problems: a large debt on the newly completed Lambert Hall and a complicated boarding situation.

A debt of $180,000 remained on Lambert Hall. The loan had been obtained on the personal guarantees of members of the Lambert Hall Committee, ex-students: Ikbal Jannif, George Reade and Berenado Vunibobo. With their help a lottery was organized that paid off over $100,000, leaving a manageable remainder.

Builders signing the Lambert Hall contract, with Brothers Eugene, Brian and Fergus, and Ikbal Jannif

His efforts to make use of the Hall for fund-raising did not always meet with his community's approval, as the aftermath of dances and socials provided many problems – there was sometimes trouble with drinking or fighting, and couples were found in various corners. One memorable event was a social held after the inter-secondary athletics competition, when more than one thousand students found standing room only, but still managed to dance the night away.

With that burden out of the way, Majella turned to other needs. When he took over at Marist there were only 25 boarders. As time passed more had been accepted until every available space was filled, a small two-storeyed house on Honson St, a small dormitory in the Brothers section, and a cramped room over the staircase in the original school building. A few others who had expressed interest in joining the Brothers were housed on the other side of Carew St in what had been at times a Peace Corps house. These last were known as "Juniors" and were looked after by Brother Victor.

In 1976 there were 60 boarders, 30 of these living in the Honson St two-storey building, and another 30 in a re-locatable building that had been used on the Suva-Nadi highway project. Majella could see the need for some more planned response to the increasing demand for boarding, brought on by the growing number of junior secondary schools (years 7-10). After a fund-raising trip in May 1976 that took him to the United States and Europe, he applied in 1977 to Misereor (a Catholic funding agency in Germany) and other agencies, for a hostel grant. The plan called for a 3-storey building, with 8 small "dormitories", accommodating 8 students in each, a dining room and matron's quarters.

His experience with boarding at Hato Petera probably helped in the planning of a very functional building. The building was opened debt-free on July 2nd, 1978 by Prime Minister and Marist ex-student Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, and blessed by Archbishop Mataca.

Paulini Samisoni was the first Matron of Rata Mara Hostel, and spent many years as mother to the more than 60 students.

Brothers who acted as hostel masters over the years were Reginald Wilton, Paul Lavelle, and Lario Damudamu. At a memorial Mass for Brother Majella celebrated in Lambert Hall, Chief Magistrate Salesi Temo made no qualms about the one to whom he owed his early success in life. He paid tribute to one of Marist Brothers' High School's outspoken principals. He described Brother Majella as the driving force in his life:

"One I came to know, respect and have treasured memories of, who enabled me to make my destiny at Marist, and I am proud to say that he made me what I am today."

Ratu Mara Hostel

In 1976, after being expelled from Queen Victoria School, Salesi had found himself facing a very uncertain future.

"The Queen Victoria School principal could not find a way to deal with my problem and allow me to continue my education," the Chief Magistrate said. …Brother Majella, in my humble opinion, surpassed all procedures and practices by dealing with each student's problems in a holistic and pragmatic way. My education would have ended when I was expelled. The stigma hung over me. I was seen as a burden with no chance of being accepted into another school."

He recalled how Brother Majella opened the door to underprivileged children so they could enjoy the comfort of the school corridors and a second home at Marist. Some students sought refuge at the hostel at Carew Street when they had problems at home.

"I still recall one of his famous sayings – 'He ain't heavy, … he's my brother'. This was his way of reminding us that we should be prepared to shoulder one another's burdens or problems because the road to success is never easy. A good example was that we should not complain if we ended up with half a serve at dinner because the other half would ensure an extra boarder was fed."

Majella's attitude to students in trouble is well illustrated by the experience of Salesi Temo, at one time the Chief Magistrate. When he paid tribute to Brother Majella at a memorial Mass in Lambert Hall and made it clear that Majella was the driving force in his life and the one to whom he owed his early success. "He enabled me to find my destiny at Marist and I am proud to say that he made me what I am today."

While pushing the academic side to its limits, Majella did not neglect the sporting and other extra-curricular aspects. One of his first moves, in 1978, was to introduce the St Vincent de Paul group that still continues. Brother Paul recalled the energy and enthusiasm of Brother Majella outside school. After supporting the student council's bid to host a social night at Lambert Hall after the Fiji Secondary Schools' Athletic finals, Brother Paul strolled into the function to see the hall jam-packed with students. "The hall was so full no one could move and after dancing one sat down whereone stood," he said. "Fifteen hundred plus students had a marvellous night."

The whole school experienced Majella's driving energy, especially the sports teams, whether rugby, soccer or athletics. 1976 was a very special year when Marist won all extra-curricula competitions, including the national quiz and oratory, soccer (coached by Kushiram), rugby (Paul Lavelle), athletics (Theophane), hockey and volleyball. Colonel Saubulinayau captained the memorable Marist Under-19 team that beat Ratu Kadavulevu School in the Deans Final at Buckhurst Park.

National Reps from Marist that year included Raymond Stoddart, Joe Cash, Emeri Rabeleinatosia and Wayne Mar. That year the roll was just on 600, and for the first time, Fijians formed the largest group. 50% of the students were Catholic. There were 3 streams in Forms 3 and 4, 5 in Form 5 and 4 in Form 6.

In 1977 Colonel Saubulinayau led some of his fellow students from the senior class of that year to join the army. Many years later, a good number of the army's top brass, including Colonel Ioane Naivalurua, Commander Voreqe Bainimarama, and a host of other senior officers were Marist Brothers' High School old boys, many of these Brother Majella's students.

Brother Paul recalled Brother Majella's time as the "Marist rock" era, a time when he encouraged students to pool their talents together and form the Marist Rock Band. They even played at Adi Cakobau School when the Sawani girls had social nights with Queen Victoria School or Rata Kadavulevu School. Danny Costello, now a very well known musician, launched his musical career at a talent quest in Lambert Hall. Majella was also responsible for influencing Indian students to use their talents with traditional instruments such as the horn, dholak and tambourines to cheer on the Marist athletes. He is credited with starting the "Red Fire" movement, so characteristic of Marist Brothers High School.

Majella's heroic efforts at Marist High were continued at Cathedral Secondary School. Again he made his mark by looking after the students who strayed, and by building projects. This school took many students who had tried in vain to get places in the "better" secondary schools. Many of them had problems at home. Majella found accommodation in an old building owned by St Vincent de Paul Society. It was an experimental "ctesiphon" (having a series of continuous curved ridges for roof and sides) tried out by the Housing Authority. Unfortunately it leaked, but that did not deter Majella, who found some plastic sheeting to cover the roof. He also saw that his boys had transport to and from there, even if it meant using the school car.

One of Saint Marcellin Champagnat's sayings to the Brothers was; 'To educate young people you must first learn to love them and to love them all equally.' It was not Brother Majella's way to send someone away. Rather, he was forever accepting students who had made a mistake and needed an opportunity to start afresh. His walking the extra mile, as Jesus asked of us, touched many a student and turned them around to follow a new direction in their lives. His presence in the Magistrate's Court saved several boys from imprisonment and a life of crime.

He was at home amongst the lay people, especially the Old Boys, and could often be found relaxing, after a hard day in the office, at the home of Ikbal and Kelsey Jannif.