OUR TEACHERS - SPHS & STC
NOTE - November 7, 2017: This page is dedicated to the outstanding men and women who served as Principals, Teachers and Administrators at St. Patrick's High School and St. Teresa's Convent in Monrovia, Liberia. The information on the Brothers was culled from "BROTHERS", the newsletter of the midwest Province of the Brothers of Holy Cross. As we receive more biographical information, we will update this page.
Brother Edward Foken: 56 Years as Brother of Holy Cross
A native of Norwood, Ohio, Brother Edward Foken sings the praises of Cincinnati's Purcell High School. At Purcell he excelled in football and credits the sport for allowing him to train, work with groups, and develop physical skills; all which would serve him well in his ministries. In 2008, he was one of those nominated for the Purcell High School's "Outstanding Among All" Award.
Holy Cross had an "uncle's influence" (the late Brother Walter Foken) when it came to directing Edward to join Holy Cross. Brother Edward credits Brother Walter for being on of the great influences in his life
Edward entered St. Joseph's Novitiate January 25, 1960.
Brother Edward was well-trained for the tasks ahead. He earned his BA from the University of Notre Dame in 1968, MS from Indiana State University during the Summers of 1967 - 70, along with graduate work at Ohio University, the University of Chicago and as a Fulbright Scholar the Summer of 1985.
His first four years of teaching would be at Holy Cross High School, River Grove, Illinois, where he taught English and was Athletic Director. Next would be three years at Monroe Catholic Central, Monroe, Michigan. There he coached football, was Dean of Discipline, and Student Council Moderator.
In January, 1971, Brother Edward joined the faculty of St. Patrick's High School in Monrovia, Liberia. From January, 1973 until December, 1978 he would be Principal. In February, 1979, he returned to the United States for a 100-day renewal program at Sangre de Christo, Sante Fe, New Mexico. He then spent a year teaching at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio, before returning to Monrovia, Liberia, as Superintendent of Catholic Schools for two years. There were 48 schools and some orphanages under his direction. Brother Edward considers the eight years he spent in Liberia to be most rewarding. Over half of the 400 students at St. Patrick's were on scholarship.
In December, 1983, Brother Edward returned to the United States for a sabbatical at the Holy Cross Brothers' Center, Notre Dame, Indiana, and another year working at Dujarie Hous on the Brothers' Center Campus.
Beginning in 1984, and continuing for the next 22 years, he would be on the faculty of St. Joseph High School, South Bend. There he taught Indiana History, Sociology, World History, and Government. Brother Edward and Brother Robert Dierker were the last Brothers to minister at St. Joseph High School. After retiring from full time teaching at St. Joseph High School, Brother Edward worked as a substitute teacher at St. Joseph's for another two years. Brother Edward is now fully retired, and lives at Riverside Place in Holy Cross Village, Notre Dame, Indiana.
Brother Thomas Dillman : 66 Years as Brother of Holy Cross
At age 22, I had completed three years of university studies in Engineering, and had a reasonable social life. I happened to read Thomas Merton's Seven Story Mountain. Suffice to say, this served as a significant turning point in my life, and in January, 1950 I entered the postulate at Watertown, Wisconsin.
I entered the novitiate in August, 1950, at Rolling Prairie, Indiana. It is only in retrospect I realize how austere our novitiate program was as compared to today's standards.
I studied at St. Edward's University and continued there in General Engineering studies toward that degree.
After one and a half years, with degree in hand, I was assigned to teach at Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Indiana, in January, 1952.
Following Final Vows in August, 1954, I went to Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio. During the next 13 years I would teach the Industrial Science classes: Woodworking and Metalworking and Mechanical Drawing, along with Math. I was also Director of Maintenance and bus driver for athletic events.
From September - December 1968 I was the Novice Master and Director of Aspirants at the Holy Cross Brothers' Center at Notre Dame. In less than three months, we had a new provincial and procedural changes. The novices were moved to the Novitiate in Valatie, New York, and I was really happy to be released from an extremely challenging role involving experimaentation and new modus operandi in the formation program.
After enrichment studies in Theology at Notre Dame, I accepted Brother Charles Krupp's request to got to Monrovia, Liberia, to teach math/science at St. Patrick's High School. For the next 42 years I would be a Holy Cross missionary. There is no way to describe the myriad of unfolding events and experiences in my 28 years of ministry in Liberia.
In April, 1996, an open conflict resulted among four different rebel factions erupted in an inner-city civil war in Monrovia, thus closing down all schools, from which the archbishop decided not to reopen St. Patrick's, deciding to opt for a new polytechnic school.
With the closing of St. Patrick's, I was assigned to live with the Holy Cross community in Ghana. There I opted to write math textbooks for the senior high school program in Catholic schools in Liberia.
I am currently editor of our District quarterly newsletter: HOLY CROSS TODAY - GHANA. I also am House Directory of our Holy Cross Community at St. Augustine's College, Cape Coast. All things considered, it has been a wonderful 66 years living out my vocation as a Brother of Holy Cross, more than half of which has been here in West Africa.
Brother Donald Allen: 66 Years as Brother of Holy Cross
Brother Donald was one of seven children born to Alfred and Cecilia Allen March 22, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Catholic elementary schools in Chicago and Winnetka, Illinois and graduated from ST. Joseph Grammar School in Wilmette, Illinois.
At New Trier High School in Winnetka he was more interested in sports than academics and decided to join the Navy before his graduation in March of 1944. Most of his time in the Navy was in the South Pacific where he served as an aviation machinist mate. He took advantage of the GI Bill to attend Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, with a minor statistics.
Donald joined the Brothers in 1950. After taking vows in 1951 he began a career covering over 25 assignments including those in East Pakistan, Ghana, Liberia, and Israel.
Brother Donald's first assignment was at Vincentian Institute in Albany, New York, for a semester. This was followed by assignments at Catholic Central in Monroe, Michigan, and St. Anthony's High School in Long Beach, California. Most of the courses he taught over the years were biology, mathematics, physics and religious education. In 1976 he earned an MA in religion from Boston College.
After taking final vows he taught at St. Gregory High School in Dhaka, then East Pakistan and now Bangladesh. After three years in Dhaka he was transferred to St. John's School in Secondi, Ghana, for four years with a group of Brothers who were starting a mission there. In 1962, he was assigned to St. Patrick's High School in Monrovia, Liberia, where he was religious superior for two years. In 1964 he returned to St. John's in Ghana for four more years.
In 1968, he studied at the University of Notre Dame, then taught at Holy Trinity High School, Chicago, Illinois (twice). He continued teaching at Sr. Edward High High School, Lakewood, Ohio, and then returned to Monrovia, Liberia,d where he was appointed Principal of St. Patrick's High School in 1979.
Brother Donald studied at Boston College, Holy Cross High School, River Grove, Illinois, (four); Columba Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana, (twice); Holy Family High School, Ashland, Kentucky, and Mater Ecclesiae Center, Tiberias, Israel.
Since 2007, Brother Donald has been living at Columba Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana.
Brother James Kozak: 56 Years as Brother of Holy Cross
James Edward Francis Kozak was born on May 19, 1942, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Edward and Mary Kozak. He grew up on a farm outside of Grand Rapids and it was here that his love of nature was first nurtured.
James attended St. Thomas the Apostle School and Catholic Central High School, both in Grand Rapids. He is eternally grateful for the sound Cahtolic education he received from the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids.
Brother Jim (as he's commonly known) entered the Brothers of Holy Cross after graduation from high
school in 1960, and is grateful to Brother Charles Krupp for "bringing me in." After the novitiate year in Rolling Prairie, Indiana, Brother Jim attended the University of Notre Dame, earning a Bachelor's degree in English. Brother James Moroney, his superior during his Dujarie years, remains one of the greatest influences on his life to date.
After a semester at Sacred heart Military in Watertown, Wisconsin, Brother Jim spent the twenty-three years in the District of West Africa, where one of his many assignments was teacher at St. Patrick's High School in Monrovia, Liberia. He considers himself primarily an educator, although he also ministered in religious formation and health care. During this period, too, he took time out to earn a Master's degree from Loyola University in Chicago, and two assignments in parishes on the southside of Chicago.
Before coming to Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio, Brother Jim spent ten years with Holy Cross Children's Services of Michigan, primarily on the Boysville campus.
"I thank the Triune God, St. Joseph, my family, Holy Cross and all who have supported me on my journey -- which continues unabated."
Brother Edward Dailey: 60 Years as Brother of Holy Cross
My 60 years in Holy Cross has been a journey filled with challenges, wonderful blessings, and countless grace-filled moments. One of the greatest blessings is a deeper understanding and appreciation of our international charism and mission to people in those countries where we are call to serve.
When I made my first profession in 1957 I had no idea what the Lord was going to ask of me. He first called me to serve for thirteen years as a teacher and school administrator in two West African countries, Ghana, and Liberia, where I taught French at St. Patrick's High School from 1979 to 1981.
After a short period of time teaching at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio, and working with the administration of the Midwest Province, I was called by the Lord to serve for twenty-four years as the general secretary of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Rome, Italy. It is during this time I had the special privilege of assisting with the heartification of our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, in Le Mans (France), the canonization of Brother Andre Bessette at the Vatican, and the opening of the cause for beatification of the Most Rev. Vincent McCauley, C.S.C, in Fort Portal, Uganda.
During the past eight years while in Rome, I went to Bangladesh as a teacher in an intensive English course for young religious from different communities ministering in that country. i expect soon to return to Bangladesh for a longer period of time to assist our young aspirants to develop their skills in the English language.