Br. Josephus Hilary

Patrick  McDonald was born on January 21, 1925 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but the  family soon moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where his father worked as a  candy distributor.  Patrick began high  school at De La Salle in Minneapolis, but in his freshman year sought  entrance to the Juniorate at Glencoe, Missouri, on January 28, 1939.  He progressed to the Novitiate on June 16,  1942, where he received the habit and the religious name of Brother Josephus  Hilary.  Completing his scholasticate  at St. Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota, Brother Hilary was assigned in  1946 to St. Mel in Chicago and in 1947 to the Winona Scholasticate as  Sub-Director.  In 1950 he was  transferred to De La Salle High School in Kansas City, Missouri, and later  that same year to Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tennessee.  He remained in Tennessee until 1953 when he  was assigned to Helias High School in Jefferson City, Missouri.  In 1955 he was assigned to St. George High  School in Evanston, Illinois, and six years later at Benilde High School in  St. Louis Park, Minnesota.  After three  years there he was assigned to La Salle in Cedar Rapids, but returned to  Benilde in 1966 and to La Salle in 1968.   In 1970 he was assigned to teach at Beckman High School in Dyersville  and in 1972 at Xavier High School in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he remained  until 1975 when he was sent to Brady High School in West St. Paul.  His love of music followed him all of his  life as he taught himself the piano, the organ and the cello, as well as how  to sing beautifully.  Brother Hilary  taught at Roncalli High School in Manitowoc from 1977 to 1981 when he  transferred to Totino-Grace High School in Fridley where he was stationed  when he died unexpectedly while visiting his sister in Villa Park,  Illinois.  He was fifty-seven years old  and had been a De La Salle Christian Brother for forty-three years.