Eichner, Brother Philip (Latin).  From Bob Ross: 'One of my many memories of Brother Phil Eichner took place during my senior year on March 25, 1961. The previous December I made a vocation retreat in Dayton with a dozen or so fellow classmates. During the retreat we were invited to consider joining the Marianist religious order following our graduation. While some of my classmates already decided during the retreat that they would join the Marianists, I wrestled with my decision. Brother Eichner told me that I should make a decision by March 25 and scheduled a time for us to meet on that day.

Late at night on March 24, I sat in my bedroom feeling very nervous while trying to decide. I felt torn. Finally, I decided that I would not join the order.  The next challenge for me was to communicate this decision with Brother Phil.  When we sat down for our meeting, I hesitatingly told him what I had decided.  He immediately accepted my choice and said, “Well, what about college, then?â€� I felt so relieved and grateful for his non-judgmental attitude, and later decided to enter the University of Dayton as an art major.

In May of 1962, toward the end of my college freshman year, I again met with Brother Phil. While I enjoyed much of my first year at UD, I also felt something was missing. I lived in an all-male dormitory and many of the guys and I would talk until late at night. These dorm talks felt somewhat shallow to me and when Brother Phil and I walked and talked, I then felt that joining the Marianists would indeed bring me closer to a deeper and more meaningful way of life.  After a long talk with him, I decided that I would indeed join the novitiate in Marcy, New York in July of 1962.  This talk, plus the one on March 25 of the previous year, influenced this decision greatly.'

From Dave Pfriem: 'Brother Phil is now Father Phil.  He has had an illustrious career in the Marianists, serving as a Provincial of the Maribah Province of the Marianists in New York.  He is currently a school principal and still teaches Latin.  Father Phil joined us for our reunion in 2011 and concelebrated Mass with our classmates Father Jerry Chinchar and Father Jim Heft.'
Posted By: Administrator - 11-18-2012
Views: 1576