1922 – 2016
Words of Remembrance for Brother James Perry, FSC
Written by Brother Stephen Creagh, FSC
Delivered by Jack Connell, former FSC and friend of Brother James from their time in Africa
Mass of Christian Burial
De La Salle Hall
Lincroft, NJ
November 9, 2016
James Aloysius Perry grew up in New York City. He graduated from Bishop Loughlin High School in 1940 and, as was fairly common in those days, decided he wanted to join the De La Salle Christian Brothers who had taught him. He entered the novitiate in Barrytown, NY, and took annual vows in 1941. He was given the religious name of Brothers Calixtus James, but most of us remember him as Brother James Perry.
Brother James graduated Cum Laude from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, in 1945 with a BA in Chemistry. For the next few years, he was teaching full time in St. Peter High School, La Salle Military Academy, Bradley High School, and Lincoln Hall, but he managed to take courses at Manhattan College, Fordham University, St. John’s University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 1972 he earned an MA in theology from Manhattan College.
In the 60s, the New York and LI-NE Districts of the Christian Brothers were asked to staff schools in Ethiopia and East Africa. Brother James volunteered to go to Notre Dame High School in Dira Dawa, Ethiopia. The school was staffed by French Sisters and the lessons were taught in French. But the Ethiopian Government mandated that all teaching be done using English. So, the French Sisters handed over the school to the American Brothers. In 1975 Brother James taught for a year at St. Joseph High School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. That was the beginning of Brother James’ love of Africa. For the next twenty years or so, he labored in Ethiopia and Tanzania, East Africa.
The Maryknoll Fathers were working in Musoma, Tanzania, and asked the Christian Brothers to staff a junior seminary they had there. A number of Brothers working in Africa, including James, volunteered. In many ways, this was an act of heroic virtue. Musoma is a tiny town on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria, a few miles south of Kenya’s border. The main road in the town is dirt. There was no electricity unless one had a generator. Water from the lake was pumped by hand up to a high tank and then piped to a few places where it was needed. The Brothers teaching in the junior seminary had small quarters at the end of the student dorms. When the Lake Victoria Steamer, which plied between the harbors of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda on the lake, docked at Musoma, it was sometimes possible to get on board and order a decent meal and eat it quickly in order to get off the ship before it left port. Otherwise, the meals were usually, well, African.
Brother James returned to the States permanently in 1984. He taught in a number of schools in New York, and was a staff member of De La Salle Hall from 1994 to 2009. He then became a resident at the Hall. On November second, God called our Brother James to greater things.
Loving Father, to You the dead do not die and, in death, our life is changed–not ended.
We believe that all that binds together in love and friendship does not end in death.
Hear our prayers for our Brother James, who has died.
And, as You have made each of us in Your image and likeness and have called us by name, hold him safely in Your love in Your kingdom of light, happiness and peace.
Amen.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Brother James Perry, FSC
Born James Aloysius Perry in Brooklyn, NY, on June 5, 1922
Entered the Barrytown, NY, Novitiate on July 1, 1940
Received the Religious Habit and Name, Brother Calixtus James, on September 7, 1940
Pronounced Perpetual Vows in Barrytown, NY, in 1947
Died at De La Salle Hall, Lincroft, NJ, on November 2, 2016
Brother James died peacefully in the late afternoon at De La Salle Hall. May he rest in peace.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS:
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Viewing from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
De La Salle Hall
810 Newman Springs Road
Lincroft, NJ 07738-1608
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Viewing from 9:30 am – 11:30 am
Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 am
De La Salle Hall
810 Newman Springs Road
Lincroft, NJ 07738-1608
Brother James has chosen cremation. Burial will be private at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery, Marlboro, NJ.
SUFFRAGES FOR OUR DECEASED BROTHER JAMES:
District: 100 masses
De La Salle Hall community: 30 masses
Each community in the District: 1 mass
ASSIGNMENTS:
1945-1949
teacher
Staten Island, NY
St. Peter Junior High School
1949-1953
teacher and prefect
Oakdale, NY
La Salle Military Academy
1953-1956
teacher
Manchester, NH
Bradley High School
1956-1957
teacher and prefect
Lincolndale, NY
Lincoln Hall
1957-1960
prefect
Lincolndale, NY
Lincoln Hall
1960-1962
assistant principal
Lincolndale, NY
Lincoln Hall
1962-1969
teacher
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA
St. Joseph High School
1969-1970
teacher
Lincroft, NJ
Christian Brothers Academy
1970-1971
theology program
Bronx, NY
Manhattan College
1971-1973
teacher and director
Dira Dawn, ETHIOPIA
Notre Dame High School
1973-1974
teacher
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA
St. Joseph High School
1974-1975
caring for his father
New York, NY
La Salle Academy Community
1975-1976
teacher
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA
St. Joseph High School
1976-1984
teacher
Musoma, TANZANIA
St. Pius Seminary
1981-1984
regional superior
Musoma, TANZANIA
St. Pius Seminary
1984-1989
teacher and director
New York, NY
La Salle Academy
1989-1990
sub-director
Skaneateles, NY
Novitiate
1990-1991
teacher (residence: novitiate)
Syracuse, NY
Christian Brothers Academy
1990-1994
teacher
Syracuse, NY
Christian Brothers Academy
1994-2009
staff (residence: CBA, Lincroft)
Lincroft, NJ
De La Salle Hall
2009-2016
retired
Lincroft, NJ
De La Salle Hall