Dear XLI Club member,
Well as hard as it is to believe, the Christmas period is all but over and the New Year is off to a flying start. On behalf of myself and the Committee I’d like to wish all members a very Happy New Year and I trust your Christmas was enjoyable and that you managed to spend some relaxing time with those you hold dear. With the lead up to Christmas being such a hectic time for everyone I thought I would wait until the rush was over to send you this my first message as your new Club President.
Firstly I am delighted to inform members that the Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush CNZM has accepted our invitation to be Club Patron and we look forward to him joining us at one of our upcoming lunches.
Recapping, our last event for 2025 was held on 20 November at William Angliss. This was our Annual General Meeting (AGM) which was immediately followed by the November luncheon.
The AGM saw the passing of the suite of five special resolutions and the tabling of the President’s and the Treasurer’s reports. Copies of these reports are available on request to our Secretary, Robert Clegg.
Also at the AGM I was honoured and pleased to have been elected your club President and I want to thank the Committee and members for your confidence and trust in me to be the President of what we all know is a great Club.
I’d like to acknowledge and thank the past Committee for their contribution with special thanks to our outgoing President, Rod Collins for having done such a great job in his time in the role.
Last year was a busy and productive year and despite some challenges, for the 2024-25 reporting year the Club has seen a growth in membership and remains in a good financial position. I, together with the new Committee, aim to see the club continue to grow and build on its past successes.
I am pleased to say Rod will remain on the Committee as the immediate past President. Joining us as the newly elected Committee are: Mick Wilmott, Vice President; Bob Clegg, Secretary; Fred Humphries, Treasurer; and members Gareth Hanlon, Gabby Bradford, Brendon Neale, Carmel Gilligan, Patricia Hardacre, Sam Crimmins and Simon Byriell.
Due to other commitments Glenn Holland did not renominate. We wish Glenn well and thank him for his contribution to the work of the Committee.
Your committee will continue to work hard to represent your interests and ensure the Club continues to grow and remain the great and supportive club it is today. I am however mindful that we represent the interests of the membership so we are keen to hear your ideas and feedback. Please feel free to approach me or any member of the Committee at any time.
As mentioned earlier, our November lunch doubled as our Christmas and Awards presentations with almost 90 people in attendance. There was no guest speaker allowing more time for members to catch up and enjoy fellowship with other members prior to the end of the year.
During the lunch the following awards were presented:
- Fred Humphries received the Lionel Allemand Club Member Award in recognition of continued and outstanding service to the Club over many years.
- The President’s award was made to Gabby Bradford and BankVic for their association and support afforded the Club over many years, and
- Service certificates given in appreciation of membership and service
- 40 year membership – the late Neville Elkington
- 30 year membership – Arthur Ritchie and Lyle Close
- 10 year membership – Adrian Lewis, Des Dickson and David Catterall.
Congratulations to the recipients of these special awards and service certificates.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about what we can achieve together and stewarding the Club to continued success.
To kick this off, our first lunch for 2026 will be held on Thursday 19 February 2026 with Keith Banks, fellow XLI Club member and Keynote speaker, as our guest speaker for the day. Full details of this lunch will be provided in a separate flyer. This is sure to be a great day so mark the date in your calendar now.
Due to continued limited availability of Angliss Restaurant, lunches for 2026 will again be held at both the William Angliss and the Police Association venues. Please look out for a special flyer from our Secretary with some important information in relation to lunches for 2026.
Thank you once again for your trust and support. Here’s to a fantastic year ahead and I can’t wait to get share this next chapter of the XLI Club with all of you. Looking forward to seeing as many as possible on 19 February 2026.
Barbara Poland
President
Subscription Reminder:
There are a number of members yet to pay their 2025-26 annual subscription. Subscription fees may be paid online or at the door of a Club Luncheon.
As per the AGM the joining fee is now $50 and the annual subscription fee will be $50 from 1 July 2026.
New members who join after the Anzac lunch are not required to pay the upcoming renewal fee for that year.
Welfare of members:
Lynette Thompson, the wife of XLI Club member Dennis and sister-in-law of Ray and Helen Thompson, recently passed away.
Lyn has battled against the dreaded Cancer for more than a year, but on Friday the 9th she lost this fight and is now at peace.
She was only a pocket size person, but a real fighter, boxing above her weight at everything she tackled.
Lynette will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her, especially Dennis, their boys, Nathan and Rohan.and their immediate families,
Br Doug Walsh passed away on 1st January after battling cancer. Br Doug was a member of the Marist Brothers and a proud member of the XLI Club. We first met Br Doug several years ago whist raising funds to purchase 2 food vans for the St Vincent’s de Paul Society. This was a successful campaign and the vans are used to provide meals to the homeless on the streets of Melbourne.
More recently, the Club became aware of the work that Br Doug had done in establishing a school in the Philippines providing much needed education to the poor.
Br Doug will be sadly missed. We acknowledge the tremendous work he did in teaching and mentoring students at Assumption College and for the tireless work he did in the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and peers and may he rest in peace.
The Obituary for Br Doug was written by Br Darren Burge, Provincial for the Marist Brothers in Australia. It provides interesting insight to his early life and the work he did as a teacher and within the community. A copy of the obituary is attached to this newsletter.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of all our members who are unwell.
Please report any members you know ill or injured to:-
Gareth Hanlon – Mob: 0416 050 702 Ray Thompson – Mob: 0411 883 367
More Photos…….
RIP Br Doug Walsh:
A Life of Unconditional Fidelity, Friendship, Love, and Presence
On 1 January, Br Doug Walsh passed away in Melbourne, Australia. Below is an obituary written by Br Darren Burge, the Provincial of the Star of the Sea Province.
Br Doug Walsh FMS 28.11.1937 – 01.01.2026
It is with great sadness that I advise you that Br Doug Walsh died peacefully last night at 6.35 pm in Melbourne. His family, including his twin sister, Maureen, together Br Harry Prout were with him, and praying with him throughout the day. Doug was peaceful and comfortable. Fr Wayne, the Parish Priest of Heidelberg West, anointed him later in the afternoon. Doug was 88 years old and had been a brother for 70 years.
Peter Doug Walsh was born in Werribee, Victoria, on 28 November 1937 to Agnes (Rousch) and David Patrick Walsh, the third child of a family of four children. He is survived by his twin sister, Maureen.
As you would know, Doug’s health had been plagued by cancer for many years, which commenced with prostate cancer and spread to many secondary areas of his body. He had many chemotherapy treatments over a long period of time but always bounced back and never seemed to let it stop him from doing anything. In September last year, further scans showed that the treatments were no longer effective and were ceased.
Doug’s health had deteriorated significantly in early December even though when I asked him how he was his response was “still positive”. He was also still attending meetings and outings during the first part of December. This positive outlook was also reflected in a phone call he made to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to enquire about how he could get his wheelchair into the venue for the first football match of Collingwood’s season. In the last two weeks his renal function started to become poorer, his mobility became an issue for him and his body started to shut down in the Christmas week. On 27 December, he also received the sad news that his older brother, Pat, had died. This was a further setback after the death of Matthew, his nephew, some weeks before.
In October, Peter Carroll and I had the privilege to call him to thank him for his wonderful life as a brother reminding him of the thousands of people he had inspired throughout his life. He sounded so peaceful and accepting of his circumstances, maintaining that trademark positivity that has touched the lives of so many. Only two weeks later, I was amazed to see him appear on screen at the Brothers’ Online Forum from his hospital bed. Remarkably, he had a computer set up on the tray table and participated actively in our discussions. He stated that a notice was displayed on the room door informing others that he was participating in a Zoom conference. That must be a first in a hospital! His attendance at this meeting was a classic example of Doug’s vital interest in all things Marist and his unceasing desire to connect with people and encourage them.
Throughout the years of his illness, Doug continued to lead the life he wanted by being involved in a vast array of activities both here and overseas. Despite his obvious frailty, he attended every day of the Marist Association Assembly in Brisbane in June. He saw the Marist Association as a key aspect of Marist life into the future and even spoke from the floor on one occasion to make a statement along these lines.
Early Childhood
Doug received his early education in Beulah, a small rural town in Victoria’s southern Mallee region, where his father served as Headmaster. Following his family’s relocation to Bendigo, he attended Marist Brothers Bendigo for part of his secondary schooling, before entering the juniorate in Macedon in 1952 and subsequently joining the novitiate in 1955. He began his teaching career at Northam in 1957 and, after a period in Subiaco, was appointed Headmaster at Northam in 1963. Doug later held leadership positions as Headmaster in Traralgon and as Boarding Master at Kilmore for many years, prior to becoming Director of Marist Welfare Services in 1996. His work with marginalised students during this time proved especially rewarding, sparking a deep commitment to supporting those experiencing any kind of disadvantage.
It did not take Doug long to know that humans were already holy and the secret was to be the best human he could be leading him to dedicate himself to community engagement wherever he could. He developed a strong commitment to supporting those often overlooked, which became a driving force throughout his life. Doug contributed to food vans, served as a consultant and volunteer with Vinnies both locally and in Bagong Barrio, Philippines, and facilitated bread deliveries to soup kitchens. In recent years, he provided significant support to the Heidelberg West community through leadership of the St Vincent de Paul conference, fostering the faith life of residents, and offering companionship and presence. The people of Heidelberg West were close to Doug’s heart.
Doug’s involvement with Young Marists motivated him to engage young people in discussions about justice and faith. He participated in numerous REMAR retreats, where he was widely recognised for his hospitality and supportive role. Both staff and students valued his contributions during these events, appreciating his embodiment of servant leadership and his positive influence.
Doug’s deep belief in people and his depth of spirituality, were lived out so explicitly in his relationships with others as ‘Brother’, always walking alongside others as equal, loving and encouraging them in their life journey. Countless people will celebrate the extraordinary life of this exceptional man and beloved Brother, who truly embodied the ‘joy of the Gospel’ that Pope Francis frequently mentioned. He will be sadly missed by so many.
I offer Doug’s family, particularly Maureen and family, our deepest sympathy. We are especially conscious of the tough time it has been for the family with the recent death of Pat and Matthew, Doug’s nephew. Doug had a close relationship with his family and cherished any time he had with them.
I offer our sympathy to Br Harry Prout, his companion at Heidelberg West, and Br John McMahon and the community at Fitzroy North. We are most grateful for the exceptional care that Doug received from the nurses at Fitzroy North.
Rest in Peace, Doug.
-Br Darren Burge
Provincial