There
is something absurd about the sound of that word
And I don't understand what it means.
If one really did know what it's trying to show
It might not be as difficult as it seems.
If
we become fully aware that it's usage is rare
It would save us from all this despair
And if we hasten to look in an authoritive book
We might find that it
just
isn't there
Though
we could always ask, which is not a great task
For someone is bound to know
Some can't really afford word study so broad
And are faced with the same tale of woe.
By
this you suspect that I'll answer direct
And tell you just what it does mean
This theory I
reject and an answer deflect
For that word .... I just never have seen.
If
reproduced
please acknowledge Br. Jeff Daly CP
as the author and include this
notice.
Brother Jeff Daly CP
Passionist Brother Jeff Daly CP
early 2009
passed into Eternal Life after a short illness although he struggled
with other health problems for many years. He was a South Australian and as a
Passionist was familiar to many people from various parishes who visit the
Monastery from time to time. I knew Jeff very well and along
with many others, regarded him as a good friend. I last saw him in October 2008
when he picked me up from the Marrickville Railway Station and took me to The
Passionist Monastery and Church of St. Brigid at Marrickville, where he had been
stationed for the past 4 or 5 years. We spent a few happy hours together and he
showed me the Passionist Province Archives for which he was responsible and
introduced me to some people I hadn't previously met. He showed me the beautiful
St. Brigid's church in great detail and also the Marrickville Monastery. We
lunched together with the other Passionists before my return with him to the
Railway station.
Brother Jeff was a very talented
man. He served God well and he served his vocation with
distinction. In doing so he performed many functions. He was a missionary in
Papua New Guinea, a pastoral associate - he was a worker and a diligent
archivist. He performed as Klutzo the Magician to the delight of children and
the elderly. As a hobby he ran a ham radio station from the back of the
Monastery at Glen Osmond. He also had an interest in spinning and weaving, using
wool from his friends' alpaca farm. Jeff loved birds and animals and seemed to
know the names of everyone's dog. He also dabbled in caring for bonsai
plants. He was an artist - a painter, sculptor a cook and in fact a practical
man who could turn his hand to many things. Brother Jeff produced two booklets
of verse during his time at The Monastery at Glen Osmond and much of his verse
was reproduced on The Monastery website during my time as webmaster.
Possibly Brother Jeff's cheeky
sense of humour was one of his most well used and greatest talents. At a
memorial mass at The Monastery at Glen Osmond on Tuesday 9th June, Jeff's
brother, Bob Daly, recollected some humour about his viewing the
Passionist Archives where Jeff meticulously maintained all sorts of curios from
the past. Bob had asked the significance of an old clothes iron (the type heated
on top of a wood stove). Jeff instantly said "Oh that's very important. -
It was a wedding gift to the young couple at Cana from the Holy Family."
Likewise there was an odd-shaped key hanging in a frame - and when Bob asked
about it, Jeff quipped " Oh, that's for the old Toyota out the back that
Jesus used to drive the traders out of the Temple."
The great sense of humour was
retained right up to the time of Brother Jeff's death to which he was
courageously resigned and ready to go to God. As Jeff remembered and
memorialised all his late Passionist brothers with great care as archivist, may
we also remember him with love and affection.
May he enjoy eternal happiness
with the Lord; the angels and saints, his loved ones and all God's good
creations.
Stan O'Loughlin
Web-minister
13th June 2009
XYLOTOMOUS - Capable
of boring or cutting wood; -- said of many insects.
Brother Jeff Daly CP