By Karabo Ntanzi
Pictures by: Tshepang Gatane
Brother Liam Rory Mullally (77), a long-serving member of the Christian Brothers fraternity, was afforded a moving funeral ceremony on Thursday, 5 January 2022 at St Boniface Catholic Church in Galeshewe.
Br Liam, popularly known to many of the community, congregants and counterparts, passed away in Kimberley on New Year’s eve at Gariep hospital after an intense battle with cancer. Brother Donald Madden announced his passing. Br Liam was involved in several projects aimed at helping the unfortunate in Kimberley. He was often seen driving around Galeshewe distributing food and clothes. Thuto ya Bana Centre is an informal school where he and other volunteers taught ” street kids” to read, write and other skills. He also united some destitute children with their families and mediated that process. He raised funds for the Thuto ya Bana Center to build showers accessible to people living on the streets. During the memorial service held at St Boniface the day before his burial, speakers commended Br Liam for his passion for serving selflessly, including his ability to “forgive and forget.” His weird sense of humour will be remembered by those who knew him.
His friend from the Christian Brothers College (CBC) in Kimberley, Peter Maynier, mentioned a prize-giving ceremony where a parent delivered a tortuous speech and afterward asked for the clergymen’s opinion, the now deceased Liam responded: “if I were you I would have read it anonymously”.
Enit Babuseng, a former nurse who
cared for the deceased, indicated that nursing Br Liam was well orchestrated. In executing her duty, Babuseng said she was ably assisted by other members of the Christian Brothers fraternity locally and in Boksburg, and other individuals, including Br Dominic, who came from Zimbabwe. “Daily at 16:00 Br Liam eagerly awaited a phone call from his family in Ireland. They would recite and pray the “Divine Mercy” with him. A friend from Canada Marni Strome with whom they shared a love for books and music, come to visit Liam just before his passing in Kimberley and left before Christmas,” she said. Although doctors advised him to rest, especially after receiving chemotherapy, Br Liam would be seen pruning shrubs and distributing food to the needy as soon as he felt better.
At the Memorial service and the funeral, Liam’s younger brother Paul Mullally, said Kimberley offered his brother “the opportunity to live his life to the fullest by taking care of the destitute”.
“what Ireland lost, Kimberley gained” echoed Paul.
Liam was the sixth of seven children born to Robert and Ita Mullally. As a young man in Ireland, Liam taught in six different schools in which he was a Principal in four. “However, he always wanted to be at the coal face of his profession and actively teach”.
Paul said Liam was his friend, mentor, tormentor and protector who could shift the blame to Paul whenever they got into trouble during their younger days. Paul always admired Liam and vividly
The late Brother Liam Mullally. Picture: Supplied.
remembered how proud the family was when Liam announced his decision to join the Christian Brothers at the age of 14.
He said he occasionally visited schools where Liam taught and the communities he served. “Just like in Kimberley, he is spoken of with fond memories”. Br Madden, referred to the deceased as a “living saint”.
Paul informed mourners that the family had pleaded with Liam to go home when he started to get ill. He was adamant in his refusal and said, “I want to be buried with my new family in Kimberley”. This message was clear even to his superiors. Hence, “what Ireland lost, Kimberley gained,” echoed Paul.
Another mourner at the memorial podium, Edith Claude, reminisced that she met Br Liam five years ago while fostering a five-year-old boy. “Br Liam provided emotional and financial support and fondly referred to the boy as: “Neo, my friend”.
Claude explained how their friendship blossomed. She later began to accompany Br Liam and Sister Angela to do prison ministry at Bougroup Prison, in the juveniles section. After several interactions, they realised that the
Bibles were getting thinner. Upon inquiry about this, they were informed that the delinquents were using the Bible pages to roll tobacco and were calling it holy smoke.
Michael Mohale, a youngmen in his late twenties, a Health Inspector in Cape Town and a former learner at Thuto ya Bana, could not hold back the tears when he spoke about his, “father”. Michael met Liam in 2006, when Mohale was living on the streets. Br Liam integrated Mohale with his family and enrolled Mohale at St Boniface School, where he also paid the fees.
Mohale said Br Liam taught him how to use a computer. That was before Mohale went to university. “Today I am a university graduate because of this man”, said Mohale proudly.
Mohale also referred to an occasion when he and Br Liam were distributing food in Galeshewe and some guys were rude towards them. Mohale wanted to re-act but Br Liam, observing this, calmly said: “We do not do this because they like us. We do this because they need us”. A throng of St Boniface high school learners, gave the cortege a guard of honour, thereafter marched from his residence and ushered his coffin into the church. Requiem mass was celebrated by the Kimberley Diocese Bishop, Duncan Tsoke in the presence of Liam’s sister Deidre and her husband, Liam Dolan.
Religious brothers, sister and the clergy from around the country and neighbouring Zimbabwe including came over to pay their last respects. With fond memories, congregants and members of the community came in numbers to bid farewell to Br Liam Mullally who served them for 22 years.
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