It seems to be the pattern for some to use the occasion of giving an ‘obituary’ on a La Salle Brother’s demise, to launch an attack on those of his students who had allegedly “gone astray”. A typical example is what purports to be an ‘obituary’ headlined ‘Iconic La Salle brother inspired many generations’ published in a news portal ( Malaysiakini ) on Sunday, Feb 14, 2016.

The writer of that ‘obituary’ took the occasion to make critical and disparaging remarks about those who had been taught by the late Brother Columba Gleeson but who, according to that writer, had “gone astray” to be robber barons, timber tycoons and lavishly dressed thugs, or climbed the social leather, became well-off, but never helped the less fortunate” or “migrated abroad and never to return to Sarawak” and that Sarawak is a “beautiful place run by ugly people.”

I can say, categorically, as someone who had personally known the late Brother Columba for exactly 50 years from the day he stepped into my class in January 1966 as my form teacher till his death early this month, that he would not have expected, and would never have approved of anyone to using the occasion of his passing on to the Lord, to launch a tirade against some of his ex-pupils and condemn them for whatever the free choices they had made for themselves.

Surprising, that ‘obituary’ writer even quoted Brother Columba as having written in an article, Heaven begins on Earth that “God does not ‘send’ us to heaven (or to hell). He merely honours, as he always does, the free choices we make every day...” God is merciful and He forgives.

Brother Columba described the Christian model of education in his article, ‘Education’, published in Living Our Faith pp.63-64 as to be like a “Gardener tending to his plants, giving space and time to grow into their particular shape and beauty”, leaving that shape and beauty to be determined by the will of God. In other words, not even he, Brother Columba, would judge his students. God will do so.

This special virtue of Brother Columba was best illustrated when he was driving me from Castletown, Ireland, in 1999 to a nearby village to visit another brother who was on leave from Hong Kong, I casually mentioned to him that one of his ex-pupils was arrested in Miri for possession of stolen valuables. He expressed sympathy and asked if I could get some lawyers to assist him.

On my return, I discovered that particular ex-pupil had pleaded guilty, sentenced to a day in jail and fined RM8,000.00. When I reported this to him, he asked if he was able to pay the fine! Not a word of condemnation of that ex-pupil for having “gone astray” preferring to leave him to the mercy of the Lord.

We should not also forget what Brother Columba thought us from the Scriptures (Gospel of St John) “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”. Like Jesus, Brother Columba left it to our own conscience to determine if we are free from any of the imperfections of human mortals and in our own ways, make amends for whatever shortcomings in ourselves.

Therefore, it is bad taste and disgusting to use the pretext of giving an obituary for Brother Columba, to criticise and condemn his ex-pupils for having “gone astray”. This is not befitting of the La Sallian spirit and a dishonour to an education obtained from a Christian Brothers’ School.

As to that obituary writer’s lament that Sarawak is governed by “ugly people” I firmly believe, from my more than half a century of close interaction with the La Salle Brothers, here and in Ireland, all of them including Brother Columba, believe in democracy and democratic values.

State general election are on the horizon. He is free to offer himself for election and govern, but when he does so, he should solemnly pledge, in public, to Men and God that should he walk the corridors of power, he too will not turn “ugly” in the eyes of Men.

Iconic La Salle brother inspired many generations

JC FONG was at St Joseph’s School from 1955 to 1967. He is also a current member of the St Joseph’s board of management, and is the current Sarawak state legal adviser.