Eulogy for Fr. Deane - Requiem Mass on Saturday, 19^th May 2007 in Hong Kong
by Winston Chu

We are here to-day to say a fond ‘Farewell’ to a special man, our beloved Fr. Patrick Deane. He was a priest, a teacher, an educator, and a dear friend.

In his own special way, Fr. Deane was a great man. I am sure there is no one here to-day whose life has not been touched and enriched by him. I am privileged to have been his student, his collaborator in looking after the St. Louis Old Boys’ Association and his friend for over 50 years.

Fr. Deane came to Hong Kong in 1949 as a young man and gave his whole life to the education of the young people of Hong Kong. He spent his few years at Aberdeen Technical School and came to St. Louis in 1963 where he became first a teacher, then the Prefect of Studies and later the School Principal and Rector.

Fr. Deane had a great love for Hong Kong and especially St. Louis School. He devoted his whole life to make St. Louis the highly respected and excellent school that it is to-day.

But his even greater achievement is his impact on his students.  I am deliberately using the present tense here because even though he has now sadly left us, his teachings and impact on us still remain in our hearts.

I have often wondered why Fr. Deane was so special?  Why do thousand of his boys love, respect and care for him so much? Why so many years after his retirement and departure to Ireland was he still so fondly remembered and visited by so many of his friends and former students all the way to Ireland.  Why the Deane Trust Foundation has been so generously supported by St. Louis Old Boys from all over the world?

Fr. Deane’s secret has always been there before us:- he had a big heart, full of love for God, for all people and especially for us his friends and pupils.  We have all been touched by the unique personality of a truly great man: great not in terms of fame and fortune and worldly success, but great because of his high quality as a human being.

I have learnt so much from Fr. Deane.  He once told me that his most important work at St. Louis was to be on the playground at class recess to be amongst the boys.  He made himself available to them and made each one of them feel that he was special to him and that he genuinely cared about them. It was truly amazing that he could over the years remember thousands of his students and their names.

Fr. Deane’s true success is that, through his special qualities, he was able to bring out the best in us.  So many of us have followed the right path in life and have become better persons because of him.

I cannot think of any greater tribute to Fr. Deane.

May he now have his well-earned rest in the company of Our Lord

Betty Leung

Dear Rev Father Deane

You are now rid of pain and stay with God in peace.

I cannot forget the very early mornings (6.30 am) you gave me a ride to the bus stop for route no.23 bus in the years of 1960 series whilst I was studying in the Canossa School at Shaukiwan. I can recall that after the daily mass held in the Caritas Institute for Futher & Adult Education-Tin Wan Aberdeen, you finished your breakfast and rode on your motor cycle to St. Louis School.

It is just like it happened yesterday.

You participated in my wedding party with Lawrence Ng in the year 1970. Our two sons attended classes in the St. Louis School and I always called on you no matter you were free or not. We chatted on all subjects and really I have learnt much from you although I am not your student.

I lost so much for not seeing you since early 1989 when my family immigrated to Canada. The last time I met you in the St. Louis School was late 1996 when I was staying in HK.

Rev Father Deane - you are always in my mind.

Francis Ip (ATS62/63)

After completing his study in theology in 1959, Fr. Deane returned to Aberdeen Technical School as the Group 1 Administrator of technical section until 1961. From 1961 to 1964, he was the Father Vice-rector. Throughout the years, he was an exceptional priest, a teacher, and a friend for students and ATS staff.

As a priest, he broke many new grounds for a SDB boarding school. He was the one who convinced the Father Inspector General from Turin to let students in ATS to listen to pop music. In 50s and 60s, Radio Hong Kong had a programme in visiting factories and construction sites, interviewing workers, and broadcasting the weekly event over the radio. ATS was chosen as a participant in one of the weekly programmes in 1959-60. That was resulting from Fr. Deane's liberalization of listening to pop music in boarding school. He also broke the rule that students in different groups could not mix outside the classes. He was also very liberal in talking about James Dean and Marilyn Monroe! He attended parties given by one of ATS teachers - Mr. Asome. Those were taboos for many priests.

As a teacher, Fr. Deane taught English Language, Social Studies, and Apologetics. He taught English Language at GCE O-level when I was in Form 4. In social studies, he explained clearly about the differences between political systems - democracy, socialism, and communism. In Apologetics, he explained the inner working of the Free Masons. What Fr. Deane taught me was more applicable in my working life than other subjects that I learned at school!

In the 60s, most of the superiors were from mainland China. Fr. Deane proclaimed himself as the Cantonese superior. It was not a coincidence that Fr. Deane liked Cantonese food - dim sum as well as preserved plum - wah mui.

As a friend, Fr. Deane's recommendation got several ATS graduates from 1962 to 1964 to become Police Inspectors without going through the matriculation route. All these police officers got preferred assignment and rose to the rank of Senior Superintendent.

After I graduated and left ATS in 1963, Fr. Deane came to visit my home several times. He also did me several personal favours that I would never forget. The last time I saw him was in May 1978 after I left Hong Kong for about 10 years. I arrived at St. Louis School one evening, Fr. Deane recognized me right away when he stepped out of the chapel. In the same evening, I also met Fr. Capella, Fr. McKenna, and Br. Edward Gowala - who were superiors in my ATS days.

Although Fr. Deane is no longer with us on this earth, he will be awaiting us in Heaven when we get there!

Eulogy for Fr. Deane - Requiem Mass on Sunday 3^rd June 2007 in Sydney
by Peter Cheung

As Father Deane had been with St Louis School since late 1963, many of us here today have known him for 20, 30 or even 40 years.   Since he passed away, when we talked amongst ourselves about him and read the condolence messages from so many of his old boys and friends, we find that the Father Deane we knew had changed little over this long span of time, nor from person to person.  This can only be possible for a person who was true to himself, true to everyone he met and true to his religion.  

By being true to everyone he met he gained not only the respect but also the heart of all those who knew him. Those who came to him for advice and assistance gladly accepted his guidance. He did not require them to be fearful nor to submit themselves to his authority. He was just there as a wise, patient and always witty friend.

As a Salesian, Father Deane practiced the Don Bosco philosophy of education by genuinely holding the conviction that – and I quote - “in every young person, no matter how far he may seem to be from the straight and narrow, there are hidden sources of good which if properly stimulated can lead to an option for faith and honesty.”  By understanding his conviction we can begin to see why Father never refused to help anyone in need – no matter how ‘hopeless’ or ‘naughty’ that person might first appear.  Over 5 decades he had always made himself available to his pupils and had helped so many Old Boys and others – many times by bending rules and even twisting arms.  His success rested not only on opening to some the opportunities to reach the top of their profession but also on giving those deemed to be failures and ‘good-for-nothing’ the chance to grow up to their full potentials to be mature adults.

That’s why in his last years so many of those in US, Hong Kong and Canada and many of us here today have gone all the way to Ireland to visit him, or generously supported the Trust Fund to provide him with a private nursing care.  We have witnessed how the Parkinson Disease had destroyed his body. But it never destroyed the witty, truly loving person inside.  Whenever he could utter a few words, he would thank the carer, made the nurses feel at ease and brought the house down with his witty remarks.  What he never did, according to the nursing home, was to complain.

We thank God that Father had passed away so peacefully.  When the last moment came, he just finished dinner and his heart stopped.  We shall remember him not so much with sorrow but with thankfulness, because in his life we have seen that love really worked; his love helped turned so many of us onto the right track and to become better persons.

We hope that when he looked upon us now he will find us following his examples: to enjoy life in its ups and downs as a whole; to care for our neighbours and to be ready to help others, especially young people.  These, to us, are the spirits of Father Deane. 

May he be joyous forever in heaven.

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