Denis Bristow

Wow 40 years does pass quickly and in my case quietly. I can’t wait to meet you all again. I really don’t think we will get through the whole agenda in the time allotted.

Well since January 1967 when I finally (after two attempts) left the Novitiate I settled down into a work routine as a civilian with the Dept of Army at Moorebank. I enjoyed the job there very much and didn’t have any problem with the discipline required of me in a military environment. I think Ambrose’ influence rubbed off on me at the Nov!!!
(Will I ever forget the episode of the axe and obedience. I think you people heard my interplanetary conversation with him while Br Fergus was taking you for class on that memorable morning.) Eventually I ended up in the newly formed Army training Command for three years and this proved to be the basis of my moving into the adult education field for the next 30 years, including running my own Human Resources Consulting business for 12 years before eventually taking up a position with Centacare Campbelltown in 2000 as a Personal Support Program Case Worker. To do this I completed a Graduate Diploma in Counselling with the Institute of Counselling under the guidance of Ron Perry one of my former teachers at the Mittagong Juniorate. My consulting business took me to London twice and then Singapore and many times into the major cities of Aus.

I am married to Lyn with three adult children: Melissa, Nathan and Johanna. The two girls are married to two great men. Melissa has two children; Breanna and Kieran so that makes me a grandfather (Pa). Melissa is the Manager of the Intensive Care neo Natal Unit at Campbelltown Hospital and is doing very well in that position. She appears to know more than the Drs. Johanna is an Occupational Therapist and is very highly regarded in that field. Nathan is a qualified Greenkeeper and Bricklayer. Still single and has recently retired from rugby league. He played for two clubs in Group 6 CRL: Appin and Oakdale Workers.

I am now retired (having reached 65) and am referred to as officially an “old fart.”

I was fortunate enough to be able to stay in contact with Br Fergus, a man who I always admired and learnt so much from in terms of personal development. I would visit him at St Gregs and he would always say….”welcome brother would you like a cup of tea.” One day I said “No thanks I would prefer a whisky with ice and water’ to which he replied….”I will have to go over to the house and get it, just wait a while.” It took me a while to convince him I was only joking. I attended the good man’s funeral and it was good to see so many of his former students in attendance. What a saintly man he was.

I am heavily involved in my parish St Thomas More Ruse. I have become the powerpoint “expert” and enjoy doing it immensely because the pp leaves it to me and my small group to be as innovative as we like as long as we stay within the spirit of the liturgy each Sunday. I am beginning to worry that parishioners are coming to look at the pictures rather than attend for mass!!!! I am also part of the Stewardship group and we are currently drawing up the program to introduce the whole parish to the concept.

I often reflect over the last 40 or so years and my time at school with the Marist Brothers and my experiences of the Juniorate and Novitiate, and realise what a positive influence those experiences were.

As I said at the beginning I can’t wait to meet you all and exchange life stories etc.

Best wishes,

Denis Bristow