Giving of time and talent

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At 71 years years of age and a Sacred Heart Brother for more than 50 years, Brother Ireneus Chabot continues to do what he has done for a lifetime - generously giving of his time and talent wherever he is needed.

Born in Lewiston, Maine, in 1935, Brother Chabot comes from a family of 10, three of whom entered church ministry, one as a religious and two as priests. Brother Chabot first came to know the Brothers of the Sacred Heart and experience their dedication to teaching youths at St. Peter School in Lewiston. He entered the congregation at the formation center in Winthrop, Maine, in 1949, at the age of 13.

"I entered the Brothers of the Sacred Heart because they were my teachers and I found them to be prayerful, happy and kind," said Brother Chabot.

In 1960, after obtaining a bachelor's degree in history from St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vt., and after making perpetual vows, he was assigned to St. Francis Secondary School in Malole, Zambia, in Africa, where he taught and was in charge of the St. Francis School band.

One had to be truly dedicated to music to be willing to take on the challenge of directing a band in this part of the world, he said. New and used instruments had to be brought in from outside the country. His vacations were spent fixing and tuning musical instruments or organizing trips to Lusaka or Ndola, sometimes at the invitation of the president of the country, where the band would perform at various events.

In 1980, Brother Chabot returned to the United States and studied at Barrington College and the University of Lowell, Mass., where he obtained a master of arts degree in music education.

In 1983, he returned to St. Francis for another three years and resumed his work as a teacher and music educator.

In the 1990s, he was stationed at St. Columba's College in St. Albans, England, where he served in a number of capacities, including as a teacher and supervisor for various student activities. He also presented parish appeals on behalf of the Brothers' works in Africa.

After spending more than 40 years serving overseas, Brother Chabot returned to the United States in 2003 and was assigned to St. Ann's residence and later to the Precious Blood residence, both in Woonsocket.

Brother Chabot could easily use health problems to justify moving into full retirement but instead he is involved in a number of volunteer activities that would tire a much younger person. "I continue to be active, although I could be retired, because there is so much to do and (there are) so few to do it."

Today, he volunteers at Mount St. Charles Academy, Woonsocket, in the music department. In fact, he is there every school day.

Brother Chabot is also active at Precious Blood Church in Woonsocket, as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, lector and volunteer at the weekly parish bingo.

Throughout the year, he presents appeals in American parishes especially on behalf of the Sacred Heart Brothers' missions in Africa but also for retired religious and for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Always a man of service, Brother Chabot remains very active, dedicated to spreading the Gospel message to all he meets, determined to do whatever he can for the poor and especially for the young people in Africa.

"What I enjoy most in my ministry is to work with youths and hopefully to have an influence in bringing them closer to the Lord," he said.

(This article originally appeared in The Providence Visitor)