Brother Phillip DePorter, FSC 1940-2010

Eulogy given by
Br. Eric Henderson, FSC

I am honored to speak to you on behalf of Br. Phillip DePorter. To Eileen, Mary, Helen, Richard, and Fr. Arnold, to Br. Phillip’s close family members, especially nieces and nephews, to the teachers, staff, and students at Calvert Hall College, to the Brothers from Calvert Hall as well as the Brothers from around our District of Eastern North America, to the families, students, and friends who were acquainted with Br. Phillip, I offer my prayers and support. I was not able to travel to the wake last evening, but I was thinking of you at that time while I was in Cumberland, MD.

I have often asked my students to think of the many times in our lives when we meet people and realize the impact that meeting has on our lives. When you consider the events and decisions that lead up to that intersecting of lives, it makes you reflect on how it happened, and on how others influence us. For example; the meeting of a man and a woman who become spouses in time, or when we meet others who become our close friends, or when we “meet” elderly people whom we’ve known for a lifetime, or when we answer a call from God to serve the Church with our gifts, all of these intersections give us a chance to see how God is working in our lives.

Such was our meeting Br. Phillip DePorter who became a member of the group of 30 some young men who entered the Christian Brothers Novitiate training in the fall of 1960 at Ammendale, MD. At that point all of our lives intersected with the living tradition of De La Salle Christian Brothers begun by John Baptist de La Salle.

Br. Phillip enlivened our group of men with his enthusiasm. With his positive outlook, he was fun to be around. He easily related stories and quips. He was a great conversationalist who was genuinely interested in those with whom he was speaking. He would take time to spend time with us. His appreciation of beauty in nature, and objects of art were evident in the simple decor of an office or cards he would send.

The stories and impressions that each of you have about Phil from the ten institutions and roles of service he was part of in his career will likely sound similar to a few of the reflections offered to me by teachers and staff members I spoke with at Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland, MD.

Phil had a gift for recalling details. His leadership skills were strengthened by this gift as was the professionalism and organization he used in administrative positions. He had a concern for his staff and the students. He could balance big issues along with small details. As a principal, academics were a priority. As one teacher friend said, “It was hard to get a snow day!” That teacher then added that whenever Br. Phillip visited a class for observation, he sat with you later and offered positive comments about your teaching.

This week a publication for the Christian Brothers of the District of Eastern North America called Visions arrived in the mail. The issue features photos of us celebrating jubilee events of 25, 40, 50, 60, 65, and 75 years as Brothers. For that group of men who first met in 1960, Phil was instrumental in organizing a gathering of our class this August, a group which has long numbered six members. Our evening was a relaxing dinner at the Nautilus restaurant here in Towson. After returning to Calvert Hall, Phil and I walked around the property as the football and soccer teams were finishing their practices. He related many of changes and improvements that have taken place at Calvert Hall. He greeted many of the students by name. I could tell he was comfortable working here.

The photos we have in this Visions magazine plus the many photos that Phil’s family and friends possess are all pleasant memories of a man who has intersected and influenced our lives in a wonderful and positive way.