Dacius Reilly
Br Dacius Reilly (1921 – 2016) In the 95th Year of his life and the 76th Year of Religious Life – North Fitzroy Community
Date of Death: 31 March 2016.
Place of Death: Mary MacKillop Aged Care Residence, Hawthorn East (Melbourne), Australia.
Time of Death:
For many years, Dacius lived at Somers on Westernport Bay, south of Melbourne, assisting his sister with the care of his elderly mother, until she died. In more recent times, as his own health and strength deteriorated, he reluctantly had to leave Somers and go to nursing home care where his health needs could be met. He was at the Mary MacKillop Aged Care Residence in Hawthorn East for only a short period of time when he died from renal failure and its complications at 5:40 pm on Thursday 31 March 2016.
Family Details:
• Date of Birth: 30 March 1921.
• Place of Birth: Northcote (Melbourne), Victoria, Australia.
• Baptismal Name: James Joseph REILLY.
School and Initial Formation:
• Juniorate: 24 January 1936 – 31 December 1939 at Mittagong, NSW.
• Postulancy: 1 January 1940 – 1 July 1940 at Mittagong, NSW.
• Novitiate: 2 July 1940 – 1 July 1941 at Mittagong, NSW.
Vows:
• First Vows: 2 July 1941 at Mittagong, NSW.
• Perpetual Vows: 1 January 1947 at Somerton Park, South Australia.
Ongoing Education and Formation:
• 1954 – 1957: Studied Units towards a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Melbourne.
• 1969 – Mid-Life Renewal Course at Fribourg, Switzerland – January to June. • 1984 – Third Age Renewal Course in Rome – August to November.
Community and Ministry Appointments:
Most of Dacius’ Ministry Appointments were to schools in South Australia and Victoria (in the former Province of Melbourne).
His Primary and (lower) Secondary Teaching Ministry and Community placements began in 1941 at Marcellin College, Randwick NSW, without the benefit of any Scholasticate training. (These were war-time years.) His placements continued at Marist Brothers High School, Hamilton NSW, The Mittagong Community NSW (as a member of the Juniorate Staff), Marist Brothers Agricultural School, Mount Gambier SA, Marist Brothers School, Thebarton SA, St John Berchman’s School, Hawthorn VIC, St Joseph’s College, Warragul VIC, St Coleman’s College, Shepparton VIC, St John Berchman’s College, Hawthorn VIC (again), Immaculate Heart College, Preston VIC (for 13 years) and finally to his alma mater at Assumption College Kilmore VIC (for 15 years). He spent nearly 50 years labouring in classrooms. After retiring from the classroom at the end of 1990, Dacius spent the next 25 years in the Templestowe VIC / North Fitzroy VIC communities and at Somers.
‘Dace’, as he was affectionately known by the Brothers, loved his gardens. It was said recently that he was a master craftsman when it came to gardening. Several schools now have a beautiful avenue of trees along their driveways, planted and kept alive by the many buckets of water carried by Dace nearly 40 years ago. He was a happy man, an unhurried man, a man who had a contemplative spirit and who was ‘at one’ with the world around him. Here was a man who contributed so much to his family, to the Marist world, to the Church in Australia and to the environment.
At the time of his death, Dacius was the oldest Brother in the Province of Australia. May he rest in peace.
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Br Matthew Clarke – Province Secretary.