Br Maurice Taylor SVD has been remembered as an exemplary religious, a dedicated teacher and administrator, but also as a man of deep prayerfulness.
Br Maurice, whose health began to decline about four years ago, died in hospital in Sydney this month, at the age of 81, with his last words to a nurse at his retirement village being: “I am at peace.”
Br Maurice Whelan Taylor SVD was born on 7th December, 1934 in Paddington, Sydney. He was the second son of Wilbred and Mary Taylor. Maurice finished high School in 1951. He went on to achieve a NSW Diploma at the Guild Teachers' College in 1968. Then in 1994 he graduated from the Australian Catholic University with a Graduate Diploma of Arts, majoring in Religious education.
Maurice entered religious life in 1962. He originally joined the Society of St Gerard Majella (SSG), an Australian order, specializing in teaching religion to catholic students in Government schools. This teaching order was dissolved in 1993. At that time, Br Maurice was the Superior General of the Society. It was after this that he approached the SVDs with a request to be accepted into our Society.
For three decades Maurice was an exemplary religious as he worked in his teaching ministry. He was greatly admired for his teaching skills and he was good at administration. He showed remarkable courage in working in this ministry of religious education for Catholic Students in Government schools. Br Maurice worked in the outer western region of Sydney from 1966-1978. He then moved to Bunbury Diocese in Western Australia and continued this difficult work from 1979-1987. Subsequently Br Maurice worked as an administrator for five years in the Diocese of Parramatta from 1988 to 1993, co-ordinating the Religious Education Apostolate in the government schools of the diocese.
The Bishop at the time, Bishop Bede Heather, described Br Maurice as a man who "carried out his duties faithfully and humbly. He lives a simple style of life, in which he seeks little for himself beyond what is necessary for his own livelihood and ministry. He shows zeal in applying himself to the apostolate" Br Maurice enriched the SVD AUS Province with those very qualities noted by Bishop Heather.
Throughout his life, Maurice showed leadership and compassion to those to whom he ministered. He was always a reliable man, a man of discernment and great resolve with a wonderful sense of humour. He was deeply spiritual and ever ready to serve. He was appreciated for his many fine qualities, the greatest of which was humility. He could never do enough for those he served, and for his community.
Maurice remained deeply grateful that he was accepted into the Society of the Divine Word in 1995. In Melbourne Maurice was very welcome in the formation of SVD brothers, first at Dorish Maru College, then at Ben Seng House in Mitcham which later on moved to Boronia.
Maurice subjected himself to a rather severe prayer and meditation routine. In his prayerfulness he was a wonderful role model for the young brothers, language students and priests staying in the same house.
In Boronia Br Maurice became involved in prayer and meditation groups active in the local St Joseph’s Parish. The depth of his influence became clear only when the Ben Seng Community was dissolved in 2005 and Br Maurice left for Marsfield in Sydney. Many of the parishioners were devastated.
Br Maurice had a curious mind; he was always interested in learning. In his retired years he would take himself off by public transport to attend talks and discussions around Sydney, and again he joined in Meditative Contemplative Prayer Groups. He had a great belief in the power of prayer.
Maurice’s health began to really decline about four years ago. He was taken care of for a short period in Mary Potter Nursing Home and more recently at Southern Cross Apartments, where he was deeply grateful that he had such a beautiful room with a view. The care was excellent. The SVD Community is very grateful for all the loving care shown to Maurice. Recently one nurse had started coming often for a personal blessing from him. It was moving to see him praying over her as an old father over his child. She is a Buddhist.
One of the nurses had seen Maurice go off in the ambulance for his last journey to hospital. She was moved to tears when told about his passing. She said: “His last words were “I am at peace”. By the grace of God, Br Maurice had really found a steady home where he could be at peace. He loved quoting St Julian of Norwich: “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well”.
Maurice, our dear brother, dear friend and spiritual guide to many, you have finished your laborious pilgrimage here on earth and reached the summit of your Mount Horeb, the Mountain of God, union with God in whom you are finding your completion, perfect wholeness. Maurice, pray for us.
