RIP, Br Jordan: 99 Years of Faith, Friendship, and Service

On 13 July, Br Jordan Redden FMS passed away at 7:40 pm in Adelaide. Below is an obituary written by Br Peter Carroll, Provincial of the Star of the Sea Province.

Br Jordan Redden, or Jordo, as he was widely known, passed away peacefully in Adelaide last night at 7.40 pm (SA time). Though he had been frail since he moved into a retirement home in January 2023, he deteriorated over the last four days. Last evening he slipped away quietly, pain-free and at peace, at the age of 99 years and two months.

Br Jordan Redden FMS: 19.05.1926 - 13.07.2025

Christopher Michael Redden was born on 19 May 1926 in Peterborough, South Australia. His mother was Elizabeth Frances (Smith) and his father, Thomas Peter Redden, was a mixed farmer who ran the family property near Jamestown. The Redden name is well known in South Australia and most are directly related to Br Jordan in some way. His uncle was Br Placidus Redden, the first Provincial of the Melbourne Province (1948-1956).

Br Jordan knew the Marists through his uncle and developed a deeper appreciation through his schooling at Sacred Heart College, where he and his brothers boarded. In fact, due to the rural depression of the 1930s his parents didn’t have the money to pay the school fees, so his two older brothers contributed and the Principal, Br Albertus, provided a reduction. Without this generosity Br Jordan's life could have been significantly different. He recounts that before he left for the Mittagong Juniorate, his father took him aside and said to him: “You wouldn’t go over there and just come back again, would you?”. Jordo replied, “Oh no, I’ll give it a good try”. He was true to his word, and on 2 July this year, celebrated his 80th anniversary of life as a Marist Brother.

After leaving the Novitiate in 1946, Br Jordan went to Camberwell for a short scholasticate and then embarked upon his ministry of teaching, initially in Primary schools and then in secondary education. He served in all the States of the far-flung Melbourne Province, from Bunbury to Bendigo, and Forbes to East Brunswick. He held all the roles you could think of: Principal, Community Leader, Master of Discipline, Sports Master, even Choir Master - which was appropriate given his strong baritone. He was a good organiser and manager. Br Jordan also took on other roles that aren’t so routine, such as bus driver, tour guide, accredited driving instructor, holiday house manager (Port Elliot), tutor at a residential university college, and founder of a cricket carnival. Of course, the latter is the Marist Cricket Carnival which he and Tony Lantry (of St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill) established in 1974.

It has continued ever since, and last December–January marked its 50th anniversary!

Br Jordan was outgoing, bright, sociable. There were few people that he didn’t impress with his warm welcome, hearty greeting and ready smile. He enjoyed conversation and was a fine raconteur. His storytelling skills were honed over many years of interacting with his large family, multitude of colleagues and good friends. As a consummate storyteller he learned to cover his occasional repetitions with the line “I may have told you this before but it’s worth telling again”. He might then recount the occasion when, as a bus driver, his faithful vehicle broke down at a busy city intersection and he had to call on the young passengers to push it through the traffic lights to a garage.

Other yarns could cover his knowledge of a good Coonawarra ‘red’, his love of the Adelaide Crows (the local AFL team), his robust and enduring connections with Sacred Heart College, and his incredible family connections. He had a lot to relay, and he always did so in an engaging and humorous way! Friendly, personable and diplomatic, Br Jordan could win people over, even those who were a little curmudgeonly.

He brought a great deal to community life and to the schools in which he worked. At the same time, he was never one to neglect his spirituality, and prayer and Mass remained bulwarks for him. How else can you remain a dedicated Brother for 80 years?

Br Jordan loved Sacred Heart College and found it difficult to leave when he needed to go into care in 2023. However, also being a realist, he accepted the inevitability of his move.

In an interview on the occasion of his 75th Jubilee, he said of Sacred Heart, “I had a magical time here, at school and as a Brother, it’s very important to be back here”.

Br Jordan will return to Sacred Heart for the last time this coming Friday when he will be farewelled by a grateful congregation of Brothers, family, colleagues, friends and ex-students.

Rest in peace, dear Jordo.

Written by Br Peter Carroll, SoTS Provincial.