Remembering Fr. Doug Brown

As I get older, I retain memories that grow more evocative.Odd,no, how a piece of music, a smell,color, can bring forth such things. It was a Bach Cantata that brought with it memories of Doug Brown.Doug tailored the cursillo retreat and turned it into the Christian Awakening,which held forth, in its salad days, at St Pauls retreat center on Humboldt street in Greenpoint,Brooklyn.Literally thousands of young men, full of oats as it were passed through the doors, and left at least slightly the better for it. Brown was stern at times but gracious,fair, kind and generous, one of the two or three finest human beings I have met. His influence is still felt, though muted and anonymously, with the many adaptations of the movement he helped usher in.He was that rarity, an excellent Catholic preacher, was a dear good friend. I still miss him, though, as is oft said, there is no such thing as a Christian tragedy.In the late 1960's and through the middle of the 70's, St Paul's center was a hub of activity.You could FEEL the spirit working. Now, those days are long gone, idealism replaced with certitude.Sigh. I wish we had 1/5 of Doug Brown's vision and 1/10th of his courage around now...