RIP, Br Vincent: A Century of Life, Eight Decades of Loving Service
- maristbrothers
- 11 hours ago
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On 21 April, Br Vincent Shekleton FMS passed away at 7:25 pm in Campbelltown, Sydney. Below is an obituary written by Br Peter Carroll, Provincial of the Star of the Sea Province.
Yesterday Pope Francis and Vince Shekleton met at the Pearly Gates!
Br Vincent died at Molloy House, Campbelltown at 7.25pm on 21 April. Ten days ago, Vince gave signs of deteriorating but he rallied last Thursday, as he had done several times in past years. Family members visited him on Good Friday, and he was alert and engaged. However, after their visit he ate and drank little and began to fade. Yesterday, in the early afternoon when Jeff Barrington told him the community was coming to pray with him, he gave the thumbs up sign. At 3.00pm all of the Campbelltown Brothers, including the frail, gathered in Vince’s room and prayed the Rosary. It was obvious he was slipping away. He was ready to go home to God. Vince was aged 100 and 10 months and had been a Marist Brother for a full 81 years. He was the doyen of the Province.
Vincent William Shekleton was born in Manly Sydney on 19 June 1924. His family, father, Stanley, a World War One veteran, mother, Vida (Patterson) from country New South Wales, and older sister Gwen, moved around Sydney, firstly to Artarmon, next to West Concord and then to Bexley where he was enrolled at Marist Brothers Kogarah. He willingly accepted an invitation to join the Brothers and left home for Mittagong in 1939. He finished his schooling, received the habit and Religious name Gervase in 1943. Br Arcadius Sullivan accepted his first Vows on 2 July 1944 and he began his life of ministry the next week, teaching at Lismore. He professed his Final Vows in December 1949 to Br Andrew Power, and took the Vow of stability in 1970.
Never one to resile from a challenge or refuse an invitation, our records indicate Vince had 34 appointments in his life as a Brother – this is excluding times of Formation and Renewal. He taught across New South Wales and Queensland, spent thirteen years in PNG and the Solomon Islands, including some years in the Wewak Postulancy, volunteered to work in China after the Tiananmen massacre, and supported the ministry at Marist House in Thailand for two years.
It was in Rabaul in the mid-1950s that Vince first forged close bonds with the Chinese and where he learnt to speak Cantonese. These contacts persisted until the present.
Being a Brother of his era Vince never had the opportunity for a Scholasticate, but he certainly attained qualifications.
Over a twenty-year period, he studied counselling, attained a Diploma in Teaching (Manual Arts), completed a Bachelor of Education, finished a Graduate Diploma in Multiculturalism and studied linguistics. He was committed and tenacious.
Much has been written about Vince, especially last year at the time of his centenary. However, I don’t think anyone put it better than his old friend Br Des Murphy, who toasted him in 2019 on the occasion of Vince’s 75th Jubilee. He captured beautifully the Vince we all knew and loved:
“A fitting image for Vince is a bottle of champagne. Bubbling, sparkling, lots of laughter in an ongoing celebration of life. A great companion who continues to share joy all around. With a marvellous gift of prizing the goodness in all he meets, he attracts so many friends who enjoy his easy company.
‘Retired old brother’ at Randwick! Well, that is a joke. He’s never really slowed down. Life is for living and Vince relishes it. Whether it’s dining with the community, celebrating with friends, joining the prayers and liturgies, taking brothers to movies, churning out numberless rosaries, racing to jump on a bus. Vince is on the go. When you meet Vince in visiting Randwick, it’s not a “g’day”, a nod or a wave; it’s a shout, an embrace almost, GOOD DAY, DES!
At St Josephs school at Tenaru in the 1970s, with over 300 boys and girls from the scattered islands, it was Vince who kept them all with beaming smiles and full bellies. He did it with such style and passion. He quickly got to know every business and store owner, especially in China town and mastered the art of the good deal. Oh, and he picked up enough Cantonese to enjoy the daily business in Honiara and make so many friends. His most masterful feat was scooping up a dozen cartons of slightly aging Kiwi DB beer for a song, $2 a carton.
Where does this vitality come from? Well, ever since he donned the Marist soutane, Vince has been on a quest, the Marist quest, of following Jesus in Mary’s way and it’s been a marvellous venture. Over the years, with all the changes and challenges, Vince has been open, versatile and embraced those new calls as we struggled to be relevant and an expression of Good News in our mission with Youth.
And his mastery of languages? A recent encounter in a bus, highlights his magic of communication. As we were heading for the city, a Chinese lady entered with children and hassled for a seat. Vince greeted her in a spray of Cantonese. Her face lit up and she and Vince burbled on for minutes. More marvellously, she came from the village where Vince and Kevin Murray taught 20 years ago!
Vince certainly slowed down when he moved from Randwick to Molloy House, but his enthusiasm and deep-seated joy remained as contagious as ever. Last year, at his 100th Birthday party, he was able to stand unaided and speak for 10 minutes, recounting several stories. It was vintage Vince!
In preparation for a 100th Birthday article last year, our Communications Officer, Gayatri Nair, asked Vince two questions. His replies tell us much about the man and monk:
Joining the Brotherhood at only 15 and spending 81 years as a Marist Brother, did you ever regret your decision?
"Never. Not once. This has been my life, and I have loved it since I have known it. I was fortunate to travel to so many countries, meet different people, and experience diverse cultures. What could be more beautiful than this?"
What is your secret to living such a long and joyful life?
"Love. It really is that simple. Love people, seek out those who need that love, be there and take care of each other. When I look at the news, all I see is anger and pain, and what all those people truly need is love. It's not complicated at all”.
Vince, thank you for sharing your life and your love with us for so many wonderful years. We thank God for the gift of your life and brotherhood.
I offer our sympathy to Vince’s nieces and family, to Br Jeff Barrington and the community at Campbelltown, and our thanks to the staff of Molloy House and our own health team for the warm care they have given Vince.
It’s worth pointing out that there will be no coffin at Vince’s funeral. In a very typical Vince act, he has donated his body to science!
Written by Br Peter Carroll, SoTS Provincial.
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