BROTHER THEOPHANE BRAILEY (1915-1999)

Herbert Thomas Brailey was born in Levuka, Ovalau on the 13th November, 1915. His family had long associations with the Church and the Brothers. His father was a first day student at Marist Brothers' Primary School, Suva Street and his grandfather worked on the building of the Sacred Heart Cathedral. One sister became Sister Margaret of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, and a brother was ordained priest.

He received his early education at St Felix College (now Marist Brothers Primary School), and soon answered God's call by travelling to the Juniorate at Tuakau, New Zealand. He began his religious training at Claremont, Timaru, and was professed at the end of 1935. He returned to Tuakau to teach in 1936 and later (1944) moved to Sacred Heart College, Auckland, where he remained until appointed Provincial in 1959. At Sacred Heart he was for many years Dean of Students, but he made his greatest contribution in athletics and music. His productions of Gilbert and Sullivan were well-known and much appreciated, and his coaching of athletes brought many successes to the College.

His appointment as Provincial came as a surprise to those who were not familiar with his work at Scared Heart College. One Brother said, "I'll give you sixteen guesses as to who the new Provincial is"! But the Superiors knew their man. He turned out to be very pro-active and pastoral. During his six years as Provincial (1959-66), he was a great promoter of Champagnat and of vocations to the Brothers. In everything he did, he seemed to strive for perfection. Some will remember him as a promoter of the clerical black hat. He was reported to have got out of the car and put on his hat before entering the Brothers' house.
He was in charge of the Scholasticate, Marcellin Hall, for the spiritual and academic training of the student Brothers of the Province in the post-Vatican 2 years, from 1966 to 1969.

Brother Theophane MBE

When he finally returned to Fiji in 1970 it was as temporary principal of Marist Bothers High School, but with a mandate to promote the construction of the new Novitiate in Fiji. He was Novicemaster from1971 to 1974, and saw 31 Postulants enter to begin their discernment and training. 23 of these made their first vows as Brothers.

In the 1970's a Congregation of Brothers founded in Vietnam had asked to join with the Marist Brothers. In order to facilitate this, two brothers were chosen. Brother Theophane was one of them. Unfortunately the communist takeover in Vietnam caused the project to be abandoned. But the fact that Theophane was one of the two chosen tells again of the high esteem in which he was held by the superiors of the congregation.

In 1975 Brother Theophane returned to the High School for one term before filling a gap in the community at Napuka Junior Secondary school on Vanua Levu. In 1976 he was back in the community at Carew St, taking his place on the staff of the High School, where he continued to teach Mathematics and Religious Education until his death in 1999.

Right from the start of his teaching career, he impressed and challenged his students, in every department of their lives: spiritual, emotional, physical, and artistic as well as academic. This was true whether these were young aspirants at Tuakau, the Novices at Lomeri, young Brothers at Marcellin Hall, or the eager students of Sacred Heart College and Marist Brothers High School. As the years went by, he demonstrated the wealth of talent for imparting a love of prayer, music, literature, mathematics, gardening and almost every branch of sport then available. Some would see his most outstanding contribution to education as being in the field of athletics. Many former students of the Marist Brothers High School will remember him as a dedicated and expert coach, able to inspire them to great achievements. His care for them extended to finding employment for school-leavers. He encouraged some of those who were weaker academically to continue their formal education.

Brothers, students, parents, choir, Bilo Levu Club, schools and sporting bodies tell how Theophane expressed a very special brand of brotherhood. He was a serious Brother when it was called for, but he was also fun-loving, with many jokes and card tricks. He was able to get people to work with dedication and discipline. He did this through example rather than by words.
His outstanding and dedicated contribution to education was recognized in 1983 when the Fiji Government recommended him for the award of Member of the British Empire. He was invested by the President Ratu Penaia Ganilau the following year, which was also his Golden Jubilee as a Marist Brother.

Among his many other contributions to the Suva community was his work with Old Boys, as chaplain to the Father Peter Ryan (Bilo Levu) Club in Suva, and as conductor of the Sacred Heart Cathedral choir.

It is well worth describing his obsequies, as similar tributes were paid to other great men such as Lambert and Alphonsus.

Brother Theophane passed away in peaceful surrender at the Home of Compassion on the morning of Wednesday September 8th. He had been unwell, and had been admitted less than 24 hours before. The Marist Brothers Board of Education, the Bilo Levu Club, the Old Boys, the Schools, and the Choirs were all eager to share in the farewell ceremonies for one who had meant so much to them. The ceremonies followed Fijian custom, appropriate for a son of Fiji. The formal funeral gathering began after lunch on Thursday. In the reguregu ("kissing the body goodbye"), groups and individuals came to present their condolences in a traditional way, bringing gifts of tabua (whale's teeth), yaqona roots, mats, and cash to help with the funeral expenses.

Over the next two days, many groups came to make their presentations, often late into the night. A group of Brothers sat to receive them, with Esala Nabou, the Brothers' matanivanua (spokesperson), who made all the formal responses and announcements.
A police escort led the cortege from the hospital to the Brothers' house in Carew Street, where the casket was placed on the idavodavo (platform), specially prepared by the ladies of the St Marcellin Primary School.

Two of Theophane's sisters, Norah and Ursala, joined the mourners on the Friday. The body was transferred to Lambert Hall, where there was to be an all night prayer vigil, with a guard of torch bearers, burning the flame of the Marist "red fire" spirit, and accompanied by the solemn beat of the lali. Another beautiful idavodavo had been prepared for the casket, and the whole stage was decorated with masi and beautiful mats. Throughout the night, women dressed in black sat on the stage, while in the body of the Hall, groups were rostered to spend time in vigil and prayer.

Students, teachers and parents silently passed the casket, many in tears, many reaching out to touch Theo's photo, which was leaning against the casket. Each stopped for a brief moment to farewell one who had come to mean so much to them.
The students of the school formed a guard of honour stretching from Carew St right to the Cathedral. Despite it being a Saturday, almost every student turned up, each one immaculately dressed in his white school uniform.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral was packed to overflowing, with people from all walks of life, from the President, Ratu Mara, to students of other Catholic schools around Suva.
Archbishop Petero Mataca joined by a big number of his clergy, celebrated the Mass. Father Josefa Rasiga, an Old Boy of the Brothers and Administrator of the Cathedral, gave a stirring homily. The Cathedral Choir, of which Theo had long been conductor, and the High School Boarders' choir, combined to lead the singing. Before the Mass began, Brother John Blewman offered a eulogy on behalf of the Brothers and family, while Serupepeli Bue spoke for the Old Boys.

The men of the Bilo Levu Club were pallbearers at the Cathedral, while the Old Boys carried the casket to its final resting place in the old Suva cemetery, with many other Brothers, untiring workers for the youth of Fiji.