“I went to De la Salle college. We had to pay our fees and there were trips to pay for too. I was one of a bunch of boys who couldn’t afford it. Brother Pat (Lynch) got us to do something about that. He taught us to not just sit back and expect something. He empowered us to get up on Saturdays and sweep the school, and then he would give us a brown envelope with 20 bucks in it. “Whats this? That’s your pay”. He always told us that if we got up in the morning and made our bed we were employable. I always did this…. well until I got married anyway! He taught hundreds of us boys, he gave us pride. He’s amazing.
Brother Pat helped me, and I still think that when I help people those are my most satisfying moments.
If I could leave one thing on this earth that reminded people that Iona was here, it would be knowing that people who knew me were prepared to give their shirt to a stranger on a whim because the stranger needed it more! Having had an amazing role model like Brother Pat has not only made me a better person, but empowered me with the belief that I can be a father who has inspired my ten children to become caring human beings, and to ‘Fight the good fight in life!'”
