BURIAL FUNERAL MASS FOR THE LATE BRO. STEPHEN CUSTERS AT THE BROTHERS FIC, PROVINCIAL HOUSE - WA.

26TH SEPTEMBER, 2015 @ 6.30PM

My Lord Bishop - Most Rev. Paul Bemile, Priest and Religious men and women present, Collaborators and friends of the Brothers FIC, fellow Brothers from St. Louis, Kaleo and Provincial House Communities, invited guest ladies and gentlemen. Good evening.

We have assembled here this evening to pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of Bro. Stephen Custers who died in Maastricht - The Netherlands on Tuesday 22Nd September, 2015 at the age of 77. At the same time, will also pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of Bro. Leander Kpeng Tengtule who died here in Wa on Wednesday 23Rd September, 2015 at age 74. We wish to pray asking God for forgiveness of their sins and grant of eternal rest. As head of the FIC family in Ghana, I wish extend a warm welcome to you all to this celebration.

This afternoon at 3.30pm Dutch time, Bro. Stephen Custers' funeral mass and burial took place in Maastricht. The timing of this funeral/burial mass on this day therefore is to afford us the opportunity to pray for as well as pay him our last respect on his day of burial.

The late Bro. Stephen Custers was well known to most of us. He lived greater part of his life (45years) in Ghana as a missionary until that gloomy Monday (30Th March, 2015) whiles on his way to school (St. Kitzito's Technical Institute - Bole) he was involved in a terrible motor accident that left him in hospital bed for five continuous months in the Netherlands. He was discharged from Hospital on 20Th August, 2015. Reports that reached us at the time, suggested that Bro. Stephen had made great strides in recovery and that he had returned to our mother house - De Beyard to fully recover.

You can imagine how we all felt on receiving this good news on the recovery of Bro. Stephen. It was a big sigh of relief knowing that we had not made a futile labour in finding treatment for him and awaited his return to Ghana. Unfortunately for us, this hopeful and happy feeling his full recovery was short lived. In less than a month - precisely on 18Th September, 2015 information reaching me from Maastricht hinted that Bro. Stephen had suddenly developed a brain hemorrhage and was in the state of coma in hospital. From this time onwards, news on him each succeeding day dimed our light of hope and somehow prepared us to brace for the worse. On Tuesday 22Nd September, 2015 afternoon, the devastating news though not unexpected came that Bro. Stephen had left forever for home.

At this point, please permit me to say something about his life. The late Bro. Stephen Custers was born on 8Th September, 1938 at St. Gertrude - The Netherlands. He joined the Brothers FIC and took his first and perpetual vows on 15Th August, 1958 and 1963 respectively. In 1970 he arrived in Ghana as a missionary. From 1970 - 74 he taught in Nandom Sec. School. 1974 -1981saw him in Kanton Secondary School combining teaching with the task of assistant headmaster. From 1981 -1983 he was moved to St. Charles Minor Seminary - Tamale where he taught and later became Rector of the School. The apostolic life of Bro. Stephen in those 45years was marked by shuttling which he accommodated without moaning. This was only possible because Bro. Stephen was a man imbued with a missionary and apostolic spirit; being obedient to his superiors and totally available for service wherever he was needed. The period 1983 - 1988 saw him back in Nandom Sec. School but this time as headmaster. From 1988 -

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1996 he got transferred again back to Tamale, St. Charles as headmaster. A place he worked till his retirement in 1996.

Even after retirement, Bro. Stephen continued to make himself as useful as possible (FIC Const. No. 25) in the Province and for the local church. He was the Bishop's Secretary for Damongo Diocese from 1998 - 2001 and from 2001 - 2007, Secretary to the Provincial Superior of the Brothers FIC. From 2009 till the day of that tragic accident that eventually took him to his grave, Bro. Stephen worked as Administrative Secretary and Accounts Officer of St. Kitzito's Technical Institute at Bole. In recognition of his contribution to the development of the local Church, in 2005, he was awarded 'Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice'.

In Bro. Stephen Custers we lose a man who loved his job as teacher and did his very best in whatever capacity he was placed. As Headmaster, he cared for and protected his staff and students without counting the cost. For example, during the 1994 - 1995 so-called "guinea fowl conflict" between the Dagombas and Kokombas in the Northern Region, his school (St. Charles) was beseeched by some Dagombas group in demand for the Konkomba students in the school. Bro. refused to yield to their demands and got beaten as a result. Even in the face of this horrendous experience he remained resolute in his bid to protect his endangered students. He got them transferred immediately to other schools outside the region to secure their safety and continuity of academic studies.

He was a man who listened more than talking and only contributed when necessary. He was a good leader, an educator, a mentor and demonstrated this in all the institutions he taught and headed. Bro. Stephen by nature was calm, welcoming, generous and friendly. He was a good community member and lived his life to the full. Through his 45 years of personal sacrifice, dedication and hard work, countless Ghanaian youth have benefited from this self emptying. This is the personality, whose funeral mass we celebrate. As St. Paul says "whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord", (Romans 14:8). Bro. Stephen has returned to his maker.

As people of faith and believing in the promise of resurrection at the end of every life journey, we trust that Bro. Stephen is resting with the Lord. United with one heart let us approach the alter of the Lord; thanking God for a life well lived as we pray for the mission of his human failings.

Once again, you are all most welcome to this Eucharistic celebration. May I now ask you My Lord Bishop to lead us in this celebration.

Thank you.

Bro. Seregeous Dery

Provincial Superior (On behalf of the PC)