Vale Br Russel Peters cfc 

The St Virgil’s College Community is saddened to hear of the passing of Br Russell Peters cfc at Rice Village Retirement Village in Geelong where he had been for the past few years.

Br Russell’s first association with St Virgil’s was in 1961 when he was plucked out of the training college at Box Hill in Victoria to cover for the sickness (and eventual death March 2) of the legendary Br ED Joyce. The following year he was transferred St Patrick’s College in Launceston. He returned again for the one year in 1972 to serve as Br Leo Doolan’s Deputy Principal.

Br Peters was appointed Principal of St Virgil’s in 1991. This was a difficult appointment given the prospect of the restructuring of Catholic Secondary Education in Southern Tasmania which was to eventuate at the end of 1994. Br Daryl Barclay became the new Principal of the College in 1995 but Br Peters was to continue as the Manager of the Barrack St Extension  for the following year – the extension catered for the progressive termination of the 7 – 10 grades on that site. 

The following overview of Brother Russell’s life was received from  Brother John Hagan via a request made to Brother Sean McManus.

When Russell took his last breath his brother Dennis and sister Marlene were by his side as well as Sr Mary O’Loughlin who was a classmate of his at St Patrick’s Primary School in Geelong West. After a stroke a few years ago he was placed into high care at Mercy Place in Geelong which was a battle for such a previously very active man.

Russell’s talents and interests in life enabled him to cover a wide range of activities in many places throughout his life as a Brother. After initial teaching experiences in Hobart, Launceston, Ringwood, Warrnambool and then back to  Hobart.  He was Director of the Juvenate for four years before taking on the roles of Principal/Superior at St Leo’s Box Hill. He then had two years of study at Duquesne Uni in Pittsburgh under Adrian van Kaam and returned to Box Hill to our Teachers’ College.

A new chapter for Russell in leadership began in 1984 when he was elected to the Provincial Council for 3 years after which he was the Director of Youth Apostolate at Amberley. Yet another turn in 1991 where he was Principal of St Virgil’s College in Barrack Street, Hobart. It was during this time that Guilford Young College was established for the Year 11 and 12 students in Hobart and Russell oversaw the Year 9 and 10 students as they were phased out of Barrack St and since then all Year 7-10 students have been at Austins Ferry.

Over the next eight years Russell was living in the Moolap (Geelong) Community and was Director of St Augustine’s Family Services as it moved into MacKillop Family Services taking on the role of education for them in Geelong and leaving the Welfare arm to the Mercy Sisters. During this time he had an interlude in New York with study/renewal at Genesis Farm in Blairstown and Iona College in New Rochelle. These study periods were powerful influences in Russell’s thought and spirituality.

The next phase of Russell’s life was the African Chapter. Over the next twelve years he lived in Nairobi except for one year back in Geelong. He was first involved in the accompaniment of the young African Brothers in their University studies. His second big work was with ERMEA (Edmund Rice Ministries East Africa) where he was responsible for bringing all the ministries in East Africa together under the Edmund Rice Culture. It was during this time that Russell celebrated his Diamond Jubilee and his own words express where he saw himself at this stage of life:

“ I am because We are” is a saying I have absorbed from Africa. I am who I am because I was and am nurtured by the loving We of my birth family, immediate and extended. The Brotherhood I have lived for sixty years has shaped my “I am” by the daily encounters with men who aspire to living in their hearts deep reverence for all, especially youth. My responses to the calls of my Brothers to live and work within different cultures, both in Australia and beyond, have formed in me a deepening understanding of what it is to be human.”

The last chapters of Russell’s life were back in his hometown of Geelong. This was a good chance to catch up with family whom he dearly loved and he became involved in the work of St Vincent de Paul especially in house visitation and was also part of the Homework Club for immigrants to Australia in St Albans.

Russell’s life has been a blessing to us all.

May he rest in Peace.

John Hagan. 28.10.2022