Memories of Fr. Joe Ord CSsR

by Fr. Beverley Ahearn C.Ss.R

Transcription of recording

Fr. Ord spent most of his life as a Redemptorist in South Africa, becoming an Army Chaplain during the Second World War

But after the war he was brought over to England as Novice Master in 1945 and he became Novice Master, but only for about 4 years.

He was well ahead of himself in his understanding of the job of Novice Master; he looked upon it much more constructively than some of his predecessors.

Perhaps it is best summed up by his reply to a member of the community who pointed out one of his novices, Justin Feeny, and said “There’s a Novice who can stand a lot of hammering during his Novitiate.”

Joe Ord said: “Excuse me, he didn’t come to be hammered, he came to learn how to be a Redemptorist, and I hope I can be of some help to him in that.”

After only 4 years as Novice Master, he went back to South Africa, asked to go back, as Vice Provincial, and there a year later he met his death in a tragic car accident.