Brother Bede, a former head teacher of St John’s RC High School in Dundee, has died at the age of 85.
He was in charge of the school for 26 years and had to guide staff and pupils through the traumatic aftermath of a classroom siege that left pregnant teacher Nanette Hanson dead and some of her pupils hurt.
She was shot by Robert Mone in 1967. He was sent to Carstairs State Hospital and then killed a policeman and went on the run in 1976 but was later sent to prison.
Paying tribute to Brother Bede, current St John’s head Fiona McLagan said the school learned of his death with great sadness.
”His commitment, dedication and service to everyone he worked with was an inspiration to us all,” she said.
”I want to draw on the words of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. He said ‘Each of us has a mission, each of us must shine out in the sight of all, be examples of faith in public’.
”Brother Bede fulfilled his mission as a teacher of young people, as a Brother and as a man. He shone brightly in the lives of everyone around him and he was a true example of faith in public.
”Generations of Dundonians will mourn him but give thanks for the part he played in their lives.”
Brother Bede was born in Jarrow, which was home to the Venerable Bede, and was educated at St Bede’s, a school run by the Marist Order. The influence and the example of the Marist Brothers encouraged him to consider his vocation in religious life.
He entered the Marist Novitiate in Athlone, Ireland, and on his profession as a Brother, he said, being a Jarrow man and a devotee of St Bede, there could be no other religious name he could choose.
Just after the Second World War, he completed an external degree at London University and in 1952 he took up a post at a Marist school in Birmingham. He spent 14 years there before being appointed head teacher of St John’s.
The siege happened shortly after and his leadership qualities and his faith came to the fore.
He also steered the school through a difficult time following a major fire at the Harestane Road building in the late 1970s.
After retiring in 1992, he spent time studying in Jerusalem at the Dominican University.
He had a great love of the Holy Land and went on pilgrimage there many times. He also spent a year teaching at the Marist Novitiate in Cameroon.
When he came back from Africa, he lived in the Marist House in Glasgow and was involved in the Charismatic Renewal Movement.
Brother Bede was the first recipient of the Dunkeld Diocesan Medal, given to him by Bishop Vincent Logan to honour his services to Catholic education in the city.
MSP Jenny Marra, who was at St John’s High School when Brother Bede was rector, said: ”He was dearly loved by all pupils at St John’s over his 26 years as rector.
”The discipline he demanded throughout the school accompanied by his compassion and interest in all the pupils set the ethos of a very successful school community.”
She added: ”His commitment and years of dedicated service to the staff, pupils and families of St John’s will live long in the memories and hearts of those of us who were lucky enough to know him.”