Brother Robert Joseph Brown, CSC
August 28, 1929 – February 14, 2018
Brother Robert Joseph Brown, CSC, a member of the Moreau Province, passed away on February 14, 2018 at Dujarie House, South Bend, Indiana. Born in Waterbury, Connecticut on August 28, 1929, he was the fifth of the eight children of Edward G. Brown and his wife, Roseline A. Caroline. Robert was baptized first on the day of his birth at St. Mary’s Hospital and a year later at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Waterbury, Connecticut. He received his educational foundation in his hometown at St. Francis Xavier School and at Sacred Heart High School.
Upon graduating from high school in 1949, Robert attended Fairfield University for the academic year of 1949 – 1950. Desiring to enter religious life, he applied and, in September of 1950, was accepted into the Brothers of Holy Cross at St. Joseph Juniorate in Valatie, New York. He was received at St. Joseph Novitiate in Rolling Prairie, Indiana in February 1951, and made his first profession of vows on February 2, 1952. Brother Robert then went on to study at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas.
A call to serve in Holy Cross schools intervened before he was to finish his BA at St. Edward’s Univer sity. Brother spent one year teaching at Holy Cross School, New Orleans and then five years at Notre Dame High School, West Haven, Connecticut. The school year of 1958, he finished his undergraduate studies at St. Edward’s University. Brother Robert w en t o n to teach at Eastern Province schools in Warwick, R h ode Island ; Flushing, New York ; and Waterbury, Connecticut. He also participated in a one year Franciscan renew al program in Southern California.
While he was stationed at Holy Cross High School, Flush ing, New York, he establish ed a Fine Arts Club that provided the opportunity for students and teachers from the school to enjoy art events of the Big Apple: plays and musicals on Broadway, operas and symphony concerts at Lincoln Center, and visits to the New York Museum of Art. Brother Robert also established a student retreat program, taking students from the high school for a four – day experience on Shelter Island at the end of Long Island, New York. To this day graduates speak highly of having such experiences.
When he left the classroom, in 1991 through 2012, Br. Robert lived with Holy Cross communities, first at Hughes Avenue and then at Lorillard Place, both in the Bronx, New York. He volunteered in various church-related service programs, and during those years enjoyed the cultural events of New York City, especially the opera.
In December of 2012, Brother was diagnosed with cancer and received chemotherapy while living at St. Joseph Center in Valatie, New York. In March of 2015, with continued failing health, Br. Robert moved to Schubert Villa, an assisted living health care facility at Holy Cross Village, Notre Dame, Indiana. He later enjoyed the medical support he needed by moving to Dujarie House at the Holy Cross Village.
Thanks to Brothers Harold Hathaway and Richard Critz for their assistance in preparing this obituary