Br. Patrick appointed Visitor Pro Tempore

Congratulations to Brother Patrick Tierney who has been appointed Visitor Pro Tempore of the Lasallian East Asia District (LEAD).

Brother Patrick revealed that he got the shock of his life when he received a communication about the new position, which came about because of the appointment of Brother Armin Luistro as Superior General at the recent Chapter. Brother Patrick’s term of office commenced on the 25th May 2022.

Brother Patrick Tierney comes from Castlebar, Co. Mayo, and he attended the National Primary school there run by the Brothers. He put his hand up after a recruiter gave a talk and headed for the Juniorate in Mallow in 1955, then two years studies in Castletown before his Novitiate in 1958/59.

He says the habit of putting up his hand continued because he did it again during the Novitiate when a request was made for volunteers for the missions, generally called the Far East in those days. And so, after the Novitiate, it was off to St. John’s in Berkshire for O and A Levels followed by Teacher Training College at Hopwood Hall, Manchester from 1961 to 1964. Some of the glory days of Manchester United he notes.

His first Far East assignment was to Hong Kong, to St Joseph’s College where he taught and later became school principal. His next move, in 1990, was just across the harbour to La Salle College, Kowloon where he is based to this day. Altogether a stint of 58 years in Hong Kong, apart from his university studies at UCD from 1968 to 1971. For many years he has been the legal head of the Brothers in Hong Kong and more recently was appointed one of the Auxiliary Visitors of LEAD.

Brother Patrick was a keen sportsman and played badminton for the university team. His other interests include reading and writing.

He says the Brothers were no strangers to him from an early age because his eldest brother, Albert, was also a Brother, who lived a full life (1922-2002) in Ireland and is interred in the Brothers’ cemetery in Castletown.