Born: Colombo, Ceylon, January 23, 1824
Took the habit: Jaffna, November 11, 1858
Vows: Jaffna, April 23, 1861 (No. 544)
Died: Jaffna, May 8, 1861.
Paul Stephen Poorey was born in Colombo, Ceylon, on January 23, 1824. His parents were Hendrick Poorey, carpenter, and Margaret Perera. His early studies were in the Catholic school in Kotte. In 1843, his uncle, Lawrence Perera, invited him to Kandy where he would find a job. It was there that Paul Stephen made his First Communion at the hands of Orazio Bettachini, pastor of the parish of Saint Anthony. Father Bettachini opened a Catholic school and appointed the young man as a teacher. He lived in the parish house for fifteen years, fulfilling the duties of sacristan, catechist and director of the choir. The pastor in Kandy in 1845 was an ex-Oblate, Father Valentin Renaud. Then Father Adrian Duffo became pastor in 1856 and was succeeded by Father Dominic Pulicani, o.m.i. In a letter to Bishop Étienne Semeria, Father Pulicani wrote: “We have found a catechist who is 35 years of age and who is esteemed and loved by everybody. He has refused on quite a few occasions the opportunity to practice a lucrative trade. The religious life is something he has had at heart for some time and he longs for the time when Providence will provide him with the opportunity. Our arrival has been for him the day appointed by the Lord. Your Lordship would merely have to know him to see that he is a chosen one. He could become an Oblate and asks to begin his novitiate.” Then Father Duffo added: “The admission of our catechist, Paul Poorey, would be a blessing for the Congregation and a first fruit of India which will provide others. He is a worthy young man, with a cheerful disposition, disposed to do whatever is required.”
On November 11, Father Christopher Bonjean, who had been appointed novice master, received him into the novitiate as a lay Brother because he had no knowledge of Latin. Bishop Semeria wrote in his diary on that occasion: “So now Mister Poorey has become Brother Poorey. He has the advantage and perhaps the glory of being the first of his compatriots to be admitted to the Congregation. We hope that his example will contribute powerfully to inspiring in many others of his compatriots the same desire for religious life.”
The Brother made his first vows on November 12, 1859, and shortly afterwards he wrote to the Founder. Once again Bishop Semeria made an entry in his diary: “during his novitiate, he gave us proof of his exact regularity and even of wisdom which would have greatly edified us if it had been shown by a European but which is astonishing when we see it in this Brother who was born and reared in this country where primary education is normally far from being Christian.”
After his novitiate, Brother Poorey began the study of Latin with a view to becoming a priest, while at the same time he taught in the English school in Jaffna. Then he became ill and made his final profession as a scholastic on his death bed, on April 23, 1861. In a letter to Father Tempier, dated May 9, Bishop Semeria informed him of the death in these words: “Yesterday evening, at half past seven, we lost a good brother on earth, but we are sweetly and fully confident of having acquired one more protector in heaven … Our dear deceased, who had been ill for nearly three months, and had been spitting blood abundantly, was not merely edifying but truly admirable in his obedience, his resignation and his total abandonment into the hands of divine Providence. Although one or other of us was frequently at his bedside, none of us ever heard a word of complaint from the lips of this good Brother, or noticed the least sign of impatience on his part. Quite often, our dear patient, either on being invited to do so or without being reminded, willingly offered his sufferings for the speedy recovery and long life of our illustrious and well beloved Father Superior General. Besides, the three months of his illness were none other than the faithful echo of his whole life, especially the life he has led since he has had the happiness of beginning his novitiate. In fact, during the two years and seven months that he has spent with us, he has always behaved as a good and excellent religious and has never given occasion for the slightest observation on his conduct or his manners. That was the testimony I gave some months ago when writing to our Most Reverend and venerated Father requesting that this Brother be admitted to perpetual vows. In short, he lived and died a true Oblate of Mary Immaculate.”
Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.
