Eulogy on Brother Ultan Paul
by Brother Vincent Corkery
Brother U Paul
Rosario fsc 1920-2000
Brother U Paul Rosario passed away 6.15pm 18 April at Fatimah Hospital
Ipoh, having been hospitalised for some ten days because of increasing attacks of neuralgia and related
problems. The funeral service took place
in St Michael’s Institution Hall at 2.30pm 20 April, followed by a procession
through the streets of Ipoh. He was interred in the Catholic Cemetery in
Tambun.
He was due to be 80 on 28 November 2000. RIP
Eulogy by
Brother Vincent Corkery
Today as we celebrate the
gift of Brother U Paul, we salute in him the last of a line of very wonderful
Brothers from Burma, who served with
distinction in our Lasallian schools.
Just
three years ago Brother Paul celebrated his diamond jubilee as a Brother. Even now I think of him as something of a
diamond with its many facets, each facet a window to a deeper world of mystery
within.
One
facet is his simple life line: born in
Burma some 80 years ago, studied at the famous
St Paul’s High School in Rangoon, where among his more remembered
teachers was Brother Basil Voon, himself an early pupil of St Michael’s
Institution, Ipoh. It was Br Basil who
suggested that he become a Brother, a suggestion he kept putting off, but
eventually at 14 he decided to give it a try and came to Penang where he joined
the juniorate programme.
 |
| Robert Malcolm Rosario -the future Bro Paul (seated centre) with parents and siblings |
A
few years later he entered the Novitiate – this was a decisive step on becoming
a Brother.
Finally
as a freshly trained young Brother he arrived here at St Michael’s in 1939,
some months short of his 19th birthday. And so began a happy association with this
school which was to last more than 60 fruitful years.
During
these years he would teach in the classroom, coach the students on the playing
field, help with stage productions and take part in the multiplicity of
youthful activity traditional to this school, and eventually assume leadership
as Director for more than 20 years.
It
is of interest that when he arrived this very hall was under construction, as
well the labs overhead, the chapel and the Brothers’ quarters. Little did he then suspect that in just a few
years, this hall would become the state treasury under the Japanese
government, the chapel the state council
chamber and the Japanese Governor took up residence in the Brothers’ quarters.
 |
| RMR (Bro Paul) seated to left of Bro Basil Voon at St Michael's ,Mandalay |
The
war years were years of total dislocation.
The school ceased to function, the Brothers were scattered, some
imprisoned, Brother Paul transferred to Kuala Lumpur where he was allowed to
join the special language classes to qualify to teach in Japanese. This he did, thanks to his expertise with
languages.
After
the war it was back to SMI where over the next few years the school stretched
its resources to the limit to cope with a huge influx of new students. Again Brother Paul was involved in the bricks
and mortar of new extensions which completed the façade of the main block, as
well as the bricks and mortar of building up a vibrant Michaelian spirit which
would endure.
 |
| Bro Paul with Brother Nicet Joseph ,Superior General of the Lasallian Order |
As
soon as opportunity struck he took study leave, and joined lectures at Singapore
University while preparing for the London BA.
He obtained his BA with honours,
and after brief periods at St Xavier’s in Penang and St Paul’s in
Seremban he was appointed director of SMI in January 1961, amid great rejoicing
among his many friends.
His
return to SMI as principal signaled one of the great periods of growth for the
school in every field of endeavour, notably studies, stage productions and
sports.
 |
| Bro Paul receives an award from Prime Miniuster YAB Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Hj Hussein in recognition of his leadership of the St John Ambulance Brigade Malaysia |
But
perhaps we could turn the diamond to another facet.
In
these years we notice that Brother Paul’s main focus was on persons. Programmes, projects, his attention to
administrative detail and even putting up buildings never took priority over
persons. His door was always open to
students, teachers, parents, even
important people in public life.
His
gift was for people. All who came to him
found ready welcome and the assurance of being fully understood, of being
affirmed in their unique dignity and identity.
I
have met numerous people over the years, young and not so young, well off and not
so well off, who confess that they owed so much to Brother Paul. In most cases I never came to know what this
was that made all the difference, for even though I lived in close friendship
with Brother Paul for 40 years, never once did he reveal to me anybody’s
problem or predicament. With him
confidentiality was absolute, and I think people knew this.
 |
| Bro Paul welcoming DYMM Sultan Idris Al Mutawakil Shah, Sultan of Perak to St Michael's for Sports Day (1960s) |
How
he touched the lives of so many in such diverse circumstances will remain a
mystery. One winning trait was his
regular comment: Can I help you in any
way?
Another
facet of our diamond. Brother Paul
was a
scholarly man, well versed in Latin and English literatures, a life long student of languages and a
serious reader. I often wondered how he
managed to read so much, and share it with us afterwards, considering the long
hours he spent with people. His study of
Chinese characters was a life long passion, and a recent email from Kota
Kinabalu spoke of pride as Brother Paul’s letter was read out over Radio 4, clarifying
the meaning of the word “panjandrum” – a word that had puzzled an earlier
listener, a word most of us don’t have in our vocabulary, but which Br Paul
had, typically!
 |
| Bro Paul:Scholar, Sportsman , Educator and Gentleman Par Excellence |
But
beyond his wonderful endowments of mind and heart we come to a profoundly
spiritual man, another facet of the diamond, a man who spent long hours in
personal time before God. It was from
this contact with a personal God that he drew energy and insight to be present
to people so effectively.
Yesterday
as I entered his bed room I stopped briefly to look again at the picture of his
mother, always prominently displayed on his desk. I noticed her facial expression, frank and
open to people, and I saw the eyes which spoke of love and understanding, and I
felt that of the many who helped shape this meek and gentle person we knew as Brother Paul, surely his
mother must take pride of place.
I
always held him in special reverence for the way he made himself available to
people, with never a thought for his own comfort or convenience. Personal convenience never entered into his
calculations, often missing out on his regular meal or needful rest.
Speaking
as a confrere I shall always treasure times we managed to leave serious matters
aside, and chat frankly and freely about life in general, sharing our memories
and experiences, how his nephews and nieces were doing.
Brother
Paul was very close to his family, who are now mostly settled in UK. His one surviving brother, Len and wife
Peggy have been on the phone, as also his nephew Michael and niece Sharon. They share in our sense of loss in a very
special way. They relished his
occasional visits and his stay among them.
I take this opportunity to extend our sincere condolences to Len &
Peggy and to all his nephews and nieces.
I
wish to thank the doctors and staff of Hospital Fatimah, in particular Brother
Patrick, for the wonderful care they took of Brother Paul. A special word of appreciation to Dr
Giritharan of Ipoh Specialists Centre for monitoring Brother Paul’s health so
very effectively these many years. In
recent years Brother Paul suffered from occasional attacks of neuralgia – a
condition so excruciating that reportedly people have been know to commit
suicide. This was a facet of the
diamond which even close friends did not suspect. He rarely spoke of his own problems. These attacks became more frequent in recent
months, and it was to stabilise matters
that we had him admitted to Hospital ten days ago. The doctors managed to bring it under
control, but then other complications set in.
I wish to thank Dr Y C Lee who kept a regular check on his eyes, always
a source of acute anxiety for Brother Paul.
There is no way I can adequately thank the many people who visited
Brother Paul from time to time, who came by at La Salle Centre to help him in
one way or another, who assisted with
sorting out problems and gave financial help when needed for a poor student.
These past several weeks Jenny and Philip Fung and their two daughters have been boundless in their caring
attention, they have our full gratitude.
Many more wanted to help, but his condition was such that it was found
necessary to limit admission.
Finally
a word of personal thanks to Brother Matthew Bay, Eric Bryan, Martin Jalleh and
Terry and the other helpers at La Salle Centre who have taken care of all arrangements
so thoughtfully, tirelessly and imaginatively.
And my thanks to the Principal, Mr Louis Rosario Doss, to SMI staff,
prefects and uniformed units for rising so splendidly to this historic moment. Brother Paul loves you all and it is now that
he can shower many blessings on you all, and I know he will.
Beyond
our tears, our faith tells us that this is Brother Paul’s great day, his going
home to the God he has served so selflessly to his last breath. Today we celebrate Brother Paul as God’s gift
among us, God’s gift to St Michael’s, but to many more besides.
Datuk
Lee Oi Hian shared with me a Bible text as he came by yesterday, a text which
he felt applied very beautifully to Brother Paul: I say
to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone;
but if it dies it bears much fruit.
Brother Paul has been good news because he lived
compassionately and transfigured much that was negative in our lives. His passing is not to somewhere strange, but
rather to the home he has never left.
May his
gentle soul rest in the peace of the Lord.
