Four Brothers are now setting up a new community in the Philippines...

Recent months have been busy for the four brothers establishing a new Christian Brothers' community at Kabankalan in the Philipines. Following a formal commissioning for the mission at the meeting of Brothers held in Brisbane in January, the group left for their new home at the beginning of March. The following report is taken from articles in The Record and Catholic Weekly newspapers as well as email feedback directly from the brothers.

On 11th March this year four Christian Brothers left for The Philippines, two from each side of the country. West Australians Peter Hardiman and Rod Ellyard were joined by Neil Langan (Townsville) and John Moodie (Sydney) in Manila. Three days later they flew south to Bacolod in Northern Negros, then were driven one hour south to Kabankalan in the Province of Negros Occidental, where they are establishing the first Christian Brothers Community in The Philippines.

Brs John Moody, Rod Ellyard, Peter Hardiman and Neil Langan before their departure

Initially the focus for the Brothers will be on learning the Ilonggo language. It takes several years to learn a language well but they hope in three months to learn enough to provide a foundation on which they will continue to build for the rest of their time there. By July they intend to survey the 21 Catholic High Schools and three post-secondary Colleges in the Diocese with a view to learning how the education system operates and to work towards finding ways to be of assistance.

The Brothers are clear they do not wish to run anything or be in positions of authority, rather their view is to try to encourage and develop the skills of the Filipino teachers and others working in education in whatever ways they can. It has been suggested to them that upgrading teachers’ English skills would be valuable. They will also be interested in assisting the younger teachers to gain confidence and perhaps improve their teaching skills. They are very conscious that as foreigners they will learn far more than anything they might contribute.

In a more recent email, Br Rod reported, "we have been very well received. Filipinos can't help but be friendly."

Brs Peter Hardiman, Province Leader Br Kevin Ryan and Br, Rod Ellyard pictured at the send-off in Perth.

Br Peter Hardiman is originally from Albany. He was a founding member of the Brothers’ first community in Broome in 1968, where he worked in Aboriginal education for many years. More recently he has been part of the Brothers Resource Team, working with staff in Edmund Rice Schools in South and Western Australia. For the last few years Peter has been writing a major work on Blessed Edmund Rice, the Founder of the Christian Brothers. The three volume work, to be known as “Restoring the Circle to the Celtic Cross” is currently in pre-publication stage.

Br Rod Ellyard was born in Perth. He worked for 25 years in Papua New Guinea before returning to WA, working first in St Mary’s College Broome, then Catholic Agricultural Bindoon and for a short time at the Christian Brothers Hostel in Wembley. For the last three years he has been a member of the Province Leadership Team with responsibilities in South and Western Australia.

The Brothers hope to establish a second community in The Philippines in 2008, possibly in the Diocese of Maasin, Southern Leyte. The recent mudslide which cost 2000 lives and left many people homeless and with no source of income, is in this Diocese.

Family, friends and Brothers gathered early last month for a prayer ritual to mission Brothers Peter and Rod.

Br Laurie Needham, NSW Province leader, told The Catholic Weekly: "By starting this new mission we are not only rejuvenating the commitment of current Christian Brothers. We are also taking steps towards attracting new Brothers who want to participate in this work of Christianity in action."