Brothers Communities’ News

Brother Arthur (Ignatius) Chincotta – Rest in Peace

In December we lost Brother Ignatius after a short illness.

His loss is keenly felt by the ‘Woodeaves’ community and by his family, brothers, and many friends.

Born in 1936 in Gibraltar, Ignatius become a brother after qualifying as a music teacher. He then studied Spanish and Italian at Cambridge and taught in many of our UK schools, including St Mary’s Crosby, St Edward’s Liverpool, St Boniface’s Plymouth, St Joseph’s Stoke-on-Trent. Apart from teaching, Ignatius’s many talents saw him called to numerous roles in the Congregation – including Deputy Provincial in the 1980s, part of the pastoral team at St Anne’s Liverpool, and founder of an inner-city apostolate for deprived youth in Parr Street, Liverpool. Ignatius also spent a significant amount of time in Africa, as Novice Master in Liberia, in Sierra Leone as Superior and West Africa Coordinator, later Director of the Spirituality Centre in Lusaka, and working in Namibia with the Presentation Sisters.

In the last period of his life at ‘Woodeaves’, Ignatius enhanced the life of the house cooperating with the Edmund Rice Office and acting as a coordinator for international sessions on Zoom. He was also keen to invite visitors and forge relations among the brothers in England and abroad. Ignatius’ experiences led him to hold progressive ideas, he was dismissive of many conservative structures and opposed to clericalism in the Church. His love of music was with him until the end. He was a much-respected brother, beloved friend, and esteemed mentor.

The terminal illness and passing of Arthur Ignatius Chincotta came quite quickly and surprisingly to me and to the brothers at ‘Woodeaves’. We respected his wish to maintain his reticence to talk about his terminal cancer. He confided in Mrs Michelle Cropper where he gained support and the strength to face his final illness.

Ignatius was a valuable member of the brothers’ community at ‘Woodeaves’. It was for me a privilege to share a religious community with him. He was a visionary and inspirational person of free spirit, and a forward-looking approach to life. Ignatius had a conviction that he served a faithful and loving God. His prayer life was sourced in the scriptures and especially the Psalms.

I enjoyed accompanying him to the Garrick Playhouse in Altrincham for the monthly performances which he loved. He would purchase the tickets in advance and then at the intervals in the performance he would purchase tubs of ice cream for sharing with his companions.

His final illness and death came quickly at Lady of the Vale Nursing Home, Bowdon. Thankfully the brothers and Michelle were able to spend valuable time with him in his final days.

May he rest in peace.

George Gordon

See the photo slideshow of Brother Ignatius’ life here

Tribute to Br Ignatius,

Where do I start, to pay tribute to Brother Ignatius?  The warm greeting each morning, the wonderful smile, the ‘How are you’?

Ignatius was a man who was the finest mentor. He listened, he advised, but most of all he let you develop your own skills. He was passionate about self-development. He gave criticism or guidance when needed shall we say.

He and I had the most wonderful understanding of each other. We would often think or say the same thing and laugh! He gave me a book called ‘Kything’ the art of spiritual presence. That’s what we had.

I feel so blessed to have known such a caring man, who devoted his life to helping others in whatever way he could.

It was so hard, his final journey but I told him I would be with him every step of the way. Neither of us expected it to be so short. He once told me his aunt was a psychic. She’d told him his mother would always walk by his side as she was his guardian angel. When my mother passed away in January 2023, Br Ignatius helped me with some music and a poem. He said: ‘The Ship’, this is a beautiful poem.

My last words to Br Ignatius on 17^th November 2023 was to read out loud ‘The ship’ to him and to tell him ‘Your mother is waiting for you over the horizon, it’s time to go to her’.

Within a few hours of me leaving his side he passed, I took him on his final journey.

Br Ignatius you have been a wonderful friend and I thank you for every day we spent together, it has been an absolute pleasure and a privilege.

God bless, Michelle

In tribute to their Great Uncle Ignatius, his great niece and nephew, Francesca and Alessandro have raised a significant amount of money for the project in Namibia where Ignatius worked on a joint mission with the Presentation Sisters. Cooperating with Sister Ottille Kutenda, a great friend to Ignatius, they sent funds to their soup kitchen – helping to end the malnutrition of local under 5s and especially with supporting young people who are forced to live on a dump; helping them to be educated out of poverty.