Brother John Owens, FSC 1917-2010

Eulogy given by
Br. Arthur Bangs, FSC

First, on behalf of the Brothers, my prayerful condolences to Brother John’s family at the passing of a true family patriarch. We know that Brother John was very close to all of you.

It is an honor for me to offer a few thoughts about Brother John because I have known him since I was thirteen years old at West Catholic High School where he was Prefect of Discipline. I have always been an ardent admirer of this man.

How is it even possible to describe a man who embodies so well those overused terms: true icon and a true legend? An icon: a sacred image to be admired, and a legend: etymologically, something that one is obligated to read and to imitate.

From the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, Brother John did not attend a Brothers’ School, but was a lifelong, proud graduate of Roman Catholic High School-a true Cahillite.

Except for a brief sojourn at Central Catholic in Pittsburgh, Brother John’s apostolic mission was confined to his beloved Philadelphia: first at West Catholic and then, here at La Salle.

In his early years at West, he acquired that lovable, lasting nickname of handsome. How? It seemed that at West, many Brothers had the same name. There were multiple Brother Johns, Brother James, Brother Lukes, Brother Martins, etc. However, one of the students uttered a memorable distinction when he came to the Brothers’ house and said, “I would like to see Brother John.” When asked, “Which Brother John do you want to see?” he replied, “The handsome one.” The nickname stuck forever! In those days, of course, many of the Brothers had nicknames, some not as laudable as the adjective, “handsome.”

It took a giant of a man to be the principal of a large school with 2,500 boys coming from 90 parishes. He had only one vice-principal, and at the same time, was the religious superior of a community of sixty-five Brothers, something unheard of today. His evenings were heavy with redditions.

Brother John was noted for having an amazing grasp of detail. That is why he could function amazingly well as a Prefect of Discipline, a Principal, a Dean of Men, a Religious Superior here at La Salle, and a gifted member of the Registrar’s office. His attention to and his memory for detail and names were prodigious: What year was John Smith graduated from West? How many brothers did he have? What parish did he come from? (I do remember, however, he once called me Chester!)

Brother John had a high respect for and interest in athletics. His devouring of the daily newspaper stayed with him to the end. (What a gift television was for him in this respect!) He was astonishingly logical in his thinking.

Despite extensive experience, he had no need to monopolize conversations, but always exhibited a wonderful respect for his confreres’ thoughts and opinions. Years of being a good religious superior wonderfully trained him to be a good listener. Someone once said, “Listening is a form of love.”

Infirm of body in his later years, Brother John did not play the martyr card, seeking pity from anyone for anything. He simply was not a complainer, and was always most grateful for any help received. He always exhibited a manly outlook on the human condition. We may use the common expression a man’s man to describe him, occasionally fortified with a cigar or a little Scotch.

While he did not teach class for many years, he did take pride in his instructing the’ 47-‘ 48 class of West Catholic the subject, Problems of Democracy. He taught all of us by his example of fidelity.

His discipline was extraordinary: Faithful to his work and faithful to his prayer life with the community, and very faithful to his extended family, many of whom are here today. It was rare for him to miss a birthday of any of his family members.

In January, Brother John shared with me a letter received from a 1950 graduate of West Catholic. The man was a native of Italy and has spent his life in the educational field. This is what he wrote:

“I met many great people, and you are at the very top of the list. I don’t know why because you didn’t teach me, but your very presence inspired us all to aim for the top and then give it all we had in order to achieve success.” Donato Desimone

We will miss this steadying force, and as he reunites with his close friends: Brothers Aloysius Lumley, Vince McEntee, and Mike Collins, we pray he will continue to intercede for us in heaven.