Brother Edmond Precourt, Visitor, LI-NE District, gave the following eulogy at the funeral Mass for Brother James Brennan on Saturday 26 January 2008.
On behalf of the Brothers of the Long Island-New England District we wish to extend our condolences to Brother James' family - his sisters, Ellen, Mary, Ann and Sr Rosemarie, his brothers, Gerard and Martin, their spouses, his nieces, nephews and their families.
Let us remember Brother James' family in our prayers, as we and they grieve loss. Brother James has joined with his mother and father, Rose and James, and his brother Joseph, in the home that has been prepared for us by God our Father.
Jim's educational history is extensive - St Christopher's in Baldwin and on to St Joseph's pre-novitiate program in Barrytown, New York. He graduated in 1947 then entered the Christian Brothers Novitiate and received the religious habit that same year, and pronounced his first vows in 1948.
Jim received his Bachelor's degree in history from Catholic University of America in Washington DC in 1952, and two Master's degrees from Manhattan College in history (1958) and Religious Education in 1975.
His first assignment was St Thomas the Apostle in New York City, followed by Holy Name and Incarnation. Then, it was onto La Salle Military Academy where he served as teacher and dormitory prefect until 1963. He continued moving further east when he was assigned to Kamwenja Teacher Training College, Nyeri, Kenya. In 1966, Brother James was assigned to Laikipia High School , Thompson Falls, Kenya, where he served as Deputy Headmaster. He returned to the Long Island - New England District in 1971 and participated in the Sangre de Cristo Renewal Program in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1972, Jim returned to La Salle Military Academy as a teacher of Science and Religion. In 1980, he served as Director of Development for the District until 1985, when he began development work for St Cecilia's School in Brooklyn, NY. Brother James also accompanied our dedicated Familiares members as they provided support for our Brothers and the mission of St John Baptist de La Salle.
In 1989 Jim was ready to shift gears as he had been preparing to serve as Pastoral Care Coordinator at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish. In 1991, Jim wrote that during this time he was having some health issues. He was experiencing difficulty breathing and dryness of the thorat. My personal physician told me that I had asthma and gave me a prescription to help me breathe. I had a bad summer as asthma suffers told me to expect. So, I looked forward to cooler weather and some relief from the difficulty of breathing. The two week vacation in July and the two weeks in August didn't seem to improve my health. My doctor allergist tested me for thrity-two things that I could be allergic to. I was allergic to none of them. With tongue in cheek, I asked him if I could be allergic to "work". With a smile, he told me that there was no test for that.
My work as hospital chaplain is very important to me. I realized that many of the gifts I had developed over the years: a sensitive, caring, committed person of faith, would be further developed. I learned as much as I could in the CPE courses, and I applied myself to the ministry as creatively as I could. I believe the Lord walks with me and uses me as an instrument of grace for the people I see each day. This asthma was something I never expected.
By mid-October, I realized that my health was deteriorating and both I and my chaplaincy were in trouble. I found myself having to stop for breath twice during the short four blocks walk from the hospital to the rectory. In addition to labored breating, my body was becoming weaker daily. Then one day, as I stood at the corner of Nostrand Avenue and Avenue M and almost reached for the light pole to help me keep standing, I said the prayer that Jesus said: "Father, if you wish, remove this suffering from me, but not my will, but yours be done."
November 2 1990 is an important date in my life. My allergist had sent me to a cardiologist in Manhattan. I had seen both doctors that same day. The first found a heart murmer I did not have before. The second identified it as a mitral prolapse. The provental tablet I was taking for the asthma was affecting the fibulations in the left chamber of my heart. The circulation of oxygenated blood through my aorta and the rest of my body just wasn't happening. Twelve hours later, after changing my prescriptions, I knew the problem was being corrected. Today, I'm not bothered with asthma. My mitral valve problem is under control with medication, and my next visit to the cardiologist is July 11th.
In my chaplaincy work I'm able and willing to share my experience of grave illness and the importance of prayer that Jesus said: Father, if you will, remove this suffering from me, but not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42). I also tell them that Jesus' prayer had an important effect on me. I was no longer afraid, I lost the fear I had of what was happening to me. Some of them ask me to write it out for them and I do. It has become a very important prayer for them too.
He served as Chaplain at Kings Highway Hospital and Beth Israel Medical Center through 2000. He continued to be present to our Familiares Members.
He was asked to serve the retired Brothers as their Director at the Scalabrini Residence in North Kingstown, RI. In December of 2006 Jim moved to our community in Oakdale. He continued his association with our Familiares Members and assisted in local parish service.
Henri Nouwen is one of my favorite authors. He wrote, "The Christian journey is humble return to the ground of who and what we actually are, and in that return, discerning that we are greater, more mysterious, and more beloved than we thought. Something and someone, greater than ourselves, shares and mirrors what we are, enlarging and blessing us infinitely ...
Living in the tradition of De La Salle, we know that we live in God's loving presence each day and that we are his children. His love for us is stronger than death.
Our life is an opportunity to say "yes" to God's love. And death is a coming home to God's loving embrace. Our Brother Jim, Uncle Jim, has gone home to God's loving embrace.
May Jesus live in our hearts. FOREVER!
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