On 9 January, Br Samuel Eathorne, FMS, passed away in Auckland, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Below is an obituary written by SoTS Provincial, Br Peter Carroll.
Our dear brother, Sam, has gone home to God. He died peacefully at Dominion Home, Auckland in the early hours of this morning. Fortunately, his sister Mary, arrived in town earlier in the week and was able to spend time with him, as recently as last night. Sam would
have celebrated his 92nd birthday on the 25th of this month. He has been a Marist Brother for 72 years.
Sam is a product of the West coast of the South Island and was the first born to John Eathorne and Hilda Cole. Two brothers and a sister followed. He was educated by the Sisters of Mercy at Cobden Convent School and then transferred to Marist Brothers in Greymouth for Classes 4 to 6. This contact was life altering. In January 1946, at just age 13, he left his family for the Juniorate at Tuakau. In 1947 he returned home before the end of year exams due to the Poliomyelitis outbreak that closed all NZ schools. He returned to Tuakau when classes resumed in April 1948. After completing Juniorate and Postulancy he received the habit and religious name Gilbert Mary. He professed his first vows on 12 September 1952.
His Scholasticate began four days later, and as Sam recalled: “In early December before the Brothers came for Retreat at Sacred Heart College, Br Borgia (Provincial) called me aside and told me that I was to be a teacher at Thorndon in Wellington the following year, and that
I would be given time to train as a teacher in the future. I’m still waiting!"
Hence, he began his teaching career in February 1953 at age 20, with barely 3 months preparation. He went on to teach at Thorndon, Vermont St. (Auckland), Napier, Miramar, Palmerston North, Vermont for a second time, Marcellin College and Sacred Heart College. He enjoyed all aspects of school life but was particularly adept as a cricket and rugby coach. He was then appointed Headmaster, firstly of St Bernard’s Primary and then Vermont Street. Ironically, he finally qualified for his teacher’s registration in 1981!
1972 was a turning point in his life and Marist mission. In that year he was appointed to Fiji, and thus began his “greatest adventure”. Initially he was Headmaster of the Vatuwaqa School in Fiji, but the next year was sent to the village of Napuka on Vanua Levu (second largest island in Fiji) where he led the Junior Secondary School. He returned to Napuka after the Second Novitiate in Fribourg and stayed there until 1980.
After this, his ministry diversified considerably. He took on the roles of Recruiter and Postulant Master, and then was appointed District Superior; a role he held for three years. While he taught for various periods at MBHS, St Bede’s, Napuka (again) he spent much of the remainder of his time in Fiji working in Formation. He was Postulant Master for a second time and also spent six years on the staff at Lomeri with Tim Leen. His preparation for this was a 10-month CPE programme in Melbourne. He returned to Lomeri in 2017 for a further three years to assist Afa Afaese. While he didn’t fully understand why Brothers needed to travel or spend long years studying, he was great company and a fine example and witness for the Postulants and Novices. While he didn’t have formal training, he was a conscientious accompanier, guide and mentor.
Sam was always open to go where he was needed. Not only did this take him to many communities over the years, and to Fiji in 1972, but he also accepted an appointment to the Marist Novitiate in Ghana. This required a significant adjustment at age 72, but it was one he willingly made.
In his later years he particularly enjoyed his work at the Marist Champagnat Institute at Vatawaqa, helping students on a one-to-one basis with their reading, and carefully maintaining a small plot he cared for in the school garden.
Sam was a rugged man. By this I don’t mean ‘tough’ because he was a very gentle character in the best sense of the word. No doubt he needed to develop a certain ‘ruggedness’ due to his upbringing and early life experiences in the 1930’s and 40’s. He liked to keep active, he valued manual work, enjoyed gardening and the outdoors. He was disappointed when age kept him from doing as much of this as he wanted. He was also a very simple man and didn’t need much to get by. He was never influenced by the commercial culture of latter years and was satisfied with what he had. The simple things pleased him. He was friendly, outgoing, contented.
While at Lomeri Sam became involved in the Nazareth Prayer Centre community and maintained that connection until he returned to New Zealand. This was a significant experience for Sam, and it helped to deepen his own personal spirituality and prayer. Through this he helped to promote Christian meditation in Catholic schools; something which continues. Our Marist schools start each day with a period of silence and meditation. It’s a marvellous legacy.
In 2021 it became obvious that Sam could best be supported in New Zealand. With some reluctance and sadness, he took up residence at Villa Maria, Glendowie. With the support of the monks and the Health Team he settled and enjoyed his time there. However, as his condition deteriorated in 2024, he moved to Elizabeth Knox Rest Home and finally to Dominion Home.
Tim Leen commented on Sam: “He was a simple Marist Brother…a man you were lucky to live with in community and on mission. A man of support and spirituality…a man who was much loved by the Fiji Old Boys, men he influenced in Formation, people in his meditation groups and the vast number of young people he taught in Fiji and New Zealand”.
Kees has informed me there has been an outpouring of condolence messages from the Champagnat Marists, staff at the Institute, and the many Old Boys who held Sam in such high esteem. In fact the President of the Fijian Old Boys has said that “Sam exemplified the Brothers’ very best efforts in mentoring and pastoral ministry”. High praise indeed!
I offer our sympathy particularly to John Koorey and the community at Villa Maria, to our Fiji Brothers, old boys and Champagnat lay Marists, and to Sam’s surviving sister, two brothers and extended family. I also express our gratitude to Cilla, Catalina and the staff at Dominion Home - all of whom have provided Sam with devoted care in his final years and days.
We are blessed to have called Sam one of our marvellous companions for so many years, and he will be long remembered!
The funeral will be held on Tuesday 14 January at 10:30am, at Good Shepherd parish, Telford Street, Balmoral, Auckland.
Written by Br Peter Carroll, SoTS Provincial.
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