In Memoriam:
Brother John M. Collins, C.F.X. (Brother Mark)
1936-2020
The mystery of one man is too great and too profound to be
explained by another man.
The Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen
Mystery often describes religious life. The mystery of God’s call. The mystery of attraction. The mystery of responding to the call. The mystery of living the call. The mystery of one’s spiritual growth. The mystery of communion with God. Henri Nouwen notes just how difficult it is to pay tribute to the mystery of another’s life once they have passed.
Brother John Collins responded to the mystery of God’s call “to live a life of love and trust” as a Xaverian Brother sixty years ago. The mystery of that call is now complete. The mystery of John’s recent illness and suffering is over. His mission complete. His influence, however, continues in the many lives he touched as a catechist, formator, spiritual director, Brother and friend. Brother John passed away peacefully on February 7, 2020.
John M. Collins was born in Somerville, Massachusetts on June 16, 1936 to Frank and Mary (nee Doyle) Collins. His only brother, Robert, predeceased him. John is survived by his fellow Xaverians, by his sister-in-law Judy and his nieces, as well as by Dian Shucard, with whom he shared the Community of the Way.
John first met the Xaverian Brothers in the person of his uncle, Brother Lionel Doyle. The impact of the Brothers at Saint Joseph Grammar School in Somerville no doubt influenced his decision to become a Brother. Upon graduating from Matignon High School in Cambridge, MA, John first joined the Xaverian Brothers at Old Point Comfort, Virginia. He withdrew from the novitiate and enrolled at Boston College where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in History and Government in 1957. John taught in the Somerville Public Schools before responding to the mystery of God’s call and rejoining the Xaverian Brothers. On July 8, 1960, John entered Sacred Heart Novitiate, Leonardtown, MD, where he received the Xaverian habit and religious name Brother Mark on September 8, 1960. This year John would have celebrated his Sixtieth Anniversary as a Xaverian Brother.
John professed first vows on September 8, 1962. Already having a degree, John was sent to Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx directly from novitiate. While at Cardinal Hayes, John studied theology at Fordham University. He would spend seven years (1963-1970) as a founding faculty member at Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut doing campus ministry and teaching religion. In 1968, John earned his MA in theology from the Catholic University of America. In 1970, John joined an experimental community of Brothers who as a team provided religious education in Flushing, Queens. He would return to Xavier to teach from 1971-1974.
From 1974 to 1980, John served as Director of Formation and novicemaster in Newton Highlands and at Xavier Center in Danvers.
The mystery of our “following Christ, the poor man,” is a quest for communion with the God of love, the source of compassionate love that we are called to share with “all whom we meet on this journey of life.” John’s quest for communion with God led him to spend significant time living among the Trappists at the Abbey of the Genesee in upstate New York. It was here that he would come to know and befriend Henri Nouwen, the priest and spiritual author. This experience also deepened John’s sense of the contemplative dimension of Theodore James Ryken’s vision for the Xaverian Brothers. It would also be influential when John was invited along with Brothers Roger Demon (Belgium), Bernard Philpott (England), and Peter Fitzpatrick (USA) to be on the Commission on the Xaverian Constitutions that succeeded in writing our present Fundamental Principles. John was one of the principal composers.
Having come to some insight into the contemplative dimension of our life, John received permission to experiment with developing the Community of the Way, an effort to deepen the contemplative and international missionary dimensions of Ryken’s vision. It was here that he would meet Dian Shucard, with whom he lived in community for many years. For some of those years the Community of the Way cared for two autistic young men in Connecticut. John also served as a spiritual director in the Community Formation Program in Providence, RI as well as in Adams, MA.
Since 2001, the Congregation had called on John frequently to serve our Congolese and Kenyan Brothers in the initial formation programs in Nairobi, Bungoma, Lubumbashi and Kipushi.
God blessed John with the love of theology and faith formation, with an avid interest in the history of the Congregation and in the life and charism of our Founder, and with deep commitment to the integrity of religious life. John was blessed with generosity that impelled him to help others to respond to their calls to follow Christ. He was blessed with an understanding of the need to integrate contemplation with mission and ministry. These spiritual practices matured over the past sixty years.
We express our gratitude to John’s life-long friend, Dian, to the Brothers at Xaverian House who have accompanied John in recent years, and to John for helping us to understand the mystery of our call as members of the Xaverian family.
May John experience the peace that comes from communion with God.
May he Rest In Peace
Prepared by
Brother Edward Driscoll, CFX
Brother Mark was my most favorite teacher. He taught me many life skills and a knowledge of God. He will be missed.
Brother J.C. was a great man!
I was privileged to have him in class during my freshman, ‘62-‘63 school year.
Not long after, I think, he became an administrator.
Always patient, always kind, always witty, he was a great educator and person! Rest in Peace, Brother Mark Collins!
It is with deep sorrow and heartfelt to learn of the death of Brother John Collins, CFX. May his soul rest in peace. He was such a wonderful, kind and loving person committed his life in serving Christ as witnessed through the Community of the Way. He was a mentor, a teacher, a formator and a best friend to me. I will miss him.
At a dark time in my life when I had given up on God, I was fortunate to encounter Brother John (as I knew him) in freshman year religion class at Xavier High School. We compared the Gospel of Mark with the soundtrack from Jesus Christ Super Star. Somehow this experience managed to keep an ember alive until faith finally re-ignited years later. I will always be thankful for having known Br. John!
nice obit easy to read
Henri Nouwen notes just how difficult ..to pay tribute to the mystery of another’s life once they passed.
May Bro John, and all those XaverIan Brothers Who preceded him
May they all Rest in Peace. Amen.
Bro. John Mark Collins was larger-than-life figure in religious formation at Xaverian Brothers. His spirited work remind me of
expected creativity and critical thinking he demanded of us while in the novitiate. He wanted to see or hear something that was new and exciting.
I was fortunate to have been a novice in his novitiate. It was a period transition and new beginnings for for some of us. He made to slow down in life, he introduced to journaling every day’s experienced and above all he tasked us with a project to that was to take one year. I engaged myself in the translation of fundamental principle to kiswahili. By the end of my novitiate, I handed him the kiswahili version of fundamental principles something he felt proud about. Though I later left the brothers, I am always greatful that I got in contact with him and the brothers. Bro. JC as we refered him, he transformed my life. Rest in peace JC.
God gives and according to the spiritual teachings, when he does His acts are always right. God gave us Brother John to be with us for the longer part of his life that we have had him working with us as a Xaverian Brother. We thank God for the gift of Brother John’s presence with us, but then because God has called him, we wish his soul a peaceful rest.
AMEN
Br. Festus Kathuki C.F.X.
Xaverian Centre Nairobi.
Rest in peace, it was nice working with Br. John Collins in Bungoma, Kangemi and Karen Nairobi Kenya.
We shared nice moments together in building the Kenya Community of the Brothers along with other Brothers.
Francis.G.Onyango
Brother Mark and I often had genial disagreements during religious education classes at XHS in ’68 and ’69. The result was that he taught me to think theologically and seek my spiritual center. He was an insightful companion during my early Christian growth and central to my eventual call to pastoral ministry. I trust God will treat him gently in his Eternal rest.
Brother JC, just after seeing you in Rome during the last general chapter, I still thought you were full of energy. You surprised us with your unexpected departure. You have done a lot for the congregation, especially in formation. Thank you for all your trips to the Congo to help your young Brothers get to know Xaverian life better. May God take you among his elect. Rest in peace The one.
May JC’s soul Rest in Eternal Peace! A great formator, teacher and person! Rest in Peacer Brother John Collins~
Brother John Collins has lived a full life. I was privileged to known him personally and I spent lots of time asking him questions about his experience in living his call. He has fought a good war, he has finished his race and he kept the faith. Go well Brother John
Cooking, house painting, classical music, exercise, spiritual reading, prayer, were just some parts of the life lessons given to me by Br John Collins at Xavier Center from 1977-1979. Fortunately they still challenge and nurture me forty years later in my life as a husband, father, attorney, 60 year old trying to live a good and simple life. Peace to you Br. John and thanks for the formatting principles from you and Br John Hamilton.
Brother Mark was my relion teacher all 4 years at Xavier High School. I was in the first class and he was one of the 6 founding brothers. He taught me values and inner strength and integrity that gave me strength throughout my life. We exchanged letters when l was in Vietnam and he gave me strength when l was at a low ebb. He prayed the benediction at my wedding. He more than anyone was the shaper of my soul. I was deeply saddened to learn of his passing but l know he now walks with God.
Rest dear man, your work is done.
I just found out that John Collins , BrotherMark, died in February.
I met and worked with him for a year 21 yrs ago. His affect upon my
life and ministry has been experienced each day since.
My you each be strengthened as you carry on the mission bound to John
by his love of God, you and your mission. My continued prayers will stay
with you.
Is there a way to extend sympathy and prayers to Diane Shucard?
A fellow pilgrim on the journey.