Firstly, I was raised in a Catholic family where religious faith and practice was important - particularly for my mother. Secondly I received my entire education in Catholic schools (and I first encountered the Christian Brothers when I commenced my secondary schooling).

Like most, as a child I accepted unquestioningly all that I was brought up to believe and it was not until my teenage years that I began to question and think things through for myself. One thing I remember being convinced about at the outset was that I must either broadly accept what I had been taught or reject it, and if I accepted it then I should be as fully committed to it as possible, I should not be a half-hearted in my response in other words.

As I reflected on what I had been taught, I came to the conclusion that I believed in a creator. I could not understand how anything could even come into existence in the first place otherwise. I did not fully accept all the ideas in circulation about what God was like though, and there seemed many ideas about the nature of God even within the Catholic tradition. Nowadays I believe the term "the mystery we call God" sums up my understanding although I would not have articulated it in those terms then.

As someone who from an early age took an interest in what was happening at a global level and who wanted to make a difference by contributing to the building of a more just and peaceful world, I was also attracted by the teaching of Jesus (which is of course the basis of the Christian religion). In particular I was inspired by Catholic social teaching that I was introduced to in some of my religious education classes at school.

I gradually came to the conclusion that yes, broadly speaking I accepted what I had been taught and I was therefore committed to living my faith as well as I could. I still questioned many things of course, and that questioning continued over the next 50 years and still continues today. My understandings and beliefs have evolved, but the core of my beliefs is unchanged.

Once I had decided to be committed to living my faith as well as I could, a further question began to nag at me: was something more asked of me?. At about this time a chance encounter with one of my Christian Brother teachers led to a conversation about my plans when I left school. In the course of that conversation he said "Have you ever thought about being a Brother? We could do with a fine young man like you!" Until then I had never considered that possibility, partly I am sure because I never considered myself "holy" or good enough to join such a group. The seed of the idea was planted however and gradually took root and began to grow. Initially I resisted the idea. I had reached the age when I was becoming aware of girls and even though I was too shy to approach or get to know any, the prospect of doing so was attractive.

Eventually I think my decision to join the Brothers can best be summed up with a quotation I came across many years later: "regret for the things we do is tempered by time, it is regret for the things we did not do that haunts us". I decided that I needed to test my calling as I did not want to spend the rest of my life wondering "what if?" I think that I probably agreed with a friend of mine who said when I told him of my decision "you will only last a few weeks"! I think I believed that I would try it, find I was not suited, and then return home and get on with the rest of my life. At least I would then have put that nagging question to rest.

Instead things did not work out that way and I am still a Brother. Why? I suppose despite all that has happened I have retained a belief in the initial vision that inspired me. I have also enjoyed the companionship of those who shared my idealism and have experienced love and the kindness of friends in many parts of the world. I have enjoyed my involvement in schools and I have been blessed with so many opportunities for education and travel that I am sure I would not have had otherwise.

Of course it has not always been plain sailing - life never is for any of us. There have been doubts and disappointments along the way, and in recent times revelations have emerged about serious failings in the church and in the Brothers. Despite that, I continue to believe in the value and importance of what I do, and overall I have no regrets about my decision so many years ago to take "the road less-travelled".

At present Christian Brothers are to be found working in Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe); The Americas (Argentine, Bolivia, Canada, Dominica, Peru and the USA); Asia (India); Europe (England, France, Ireland and Italy); and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines).

Throughout Australia and the world are many who identify with the ideals of Edmund Rice, who support the work of the Brothers and who seek to live out a committment to these ideals through their involvement with the Edmund Rice Network.

SCHOOLS IN WHICH I HAVE TAUGHT

Aquinas College, Ringwood (1970);
St Marys, West Melbourne, (now Simonds College) (1971-72);
St Josephs, Abbotsford (1973-75);(since closed)
St Virgils, Hobart (1976);
St Patricks, Ballarat(1978-1982);
St Bernards, Essendon, where I was both Deputy Principal and then Principal (1983-88)

Parade College, Bundoora where I was Principal (1989-1994);

Guildford Young College, Hobart (1996); and
Chanel College Geelong (Deputy Principal (1997- until its closure in 1999).

In 1977 I studied full-time at the University of Melbourne and completed a Science degree. In 1995-1996 I was granted further study leave which was spent mainly in Jerusalem and Dublin.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

In Feb 2000 I took up residence in the Community House at "Amberley" in Lower Plenty (a north-eastern suburb of Melbourne) as facilitator of the community of five young adults whilst at the same time engaging in a variety of projects across the network of Brothers' schools in the then (St Patricks) south-eastern Australian Province.

In 2004 I lived in the Brother's Community at Rosanna in north-east Melbourne. In 2005 I moved again to a new community in Sunshine in the western suburbs of Melbourne, which was formed to support an outreach to refugee families through the provision of an after-school homework tuition program staffed by volunteers.

Christian Brothers/Presentation Sisters Justice Group;
Social Action Committee of the Conference of Leaders of Religious Congregations in Victoria (CLRCV);
Polmin, a political lobby group which sought to influence public policy for the common good in accord with Catholic Social Teaching. I was a Director of Polmin.

Some of my essays on justice themes undertaken as part of my study towards a Diploma of Social Justice Studies at can be read here

Convenor of the Australia New Zealand Edmund Rice Volunteer Scheme (ANZERVS) which involved overseeing the preparation, placement and debriefing of (mainly young) people who volunteer to share in the Brothers' ministry in Australia and abroad.

Secretary of the Australian Missionary Network a sub-committee of the Catholic Religious Australia (CRA)

Board of Management of St Kevins College

Executive Officer of the Edmund Rice Network Co-ordinating Committee. Part of that role involved editing the publication Edmund Rice Network News

Member of the National Co-ordinating Group for the Edmund Rice Network in Australia and New Zealand

CURRENT RESPONSIBILITY