People who knew Fr Gordon Brown are unanimous in describing him as a gentle, kind and quiet man.
As a Catholic priest he was a man of faith. Eight weeks before his death on 4th November 2024 he had a meeting with a hospital consultant who diagnosed a malignancy in the bone marrow and who told him he most likely had weeks or maybe months to live.
Reflecting on this shortly afterwards with friends, Fr Gordon said: “I’m 86 years old and I’m a man of Faith.”
Over those last eight weeks, his faith, fortitude and resilience was apparent to those who visited him at his flat at St Peter’s in Morningside, Edinburgh.
That included Canon Pat Boylan and fellow clergy in the days leading up to his death. “He told us ‘I’m sorry I can’t join you for the meal tonight, but maybe next time’. He actually apologised to us, despite being so ill. That’s typical Gordon – so courteous.”
Early Years
Fr Gordon was born in Edinburgh on 27th August 1938. His early life was spent in Bonnyrigg with brother Douglas, and parents Janet, a teacher, and dad Thomas, an engineer.
He attended the local primary school going on to high school in Lasswade and later graduated from the University of Edinburgh. Bonnyrigg always had a special place in Fr Gordon’s heart, it was very much home.
Douglas pre-deceased Fr Gordon by six years. Family was always important to him and he maintained regular contact with Douglas’s widow Jo, his nieces and their families based in Nottingham.
There were many trips north and south of the border and the family were particularly attentive to Fr Gordon in his final months.
A convert to Catholicism, he was baptised on 15 June 1960. Prior to joining the priesthood, he worked as a primary teacher at St David’s in Dalkeith.
Former pupil Kathleen King said: “I was in his primary 7 class circa 1961. He was a lovely, quiet and gentle person.”
Seminary
In 1963 he applied and was accepted to the seminary at St Andrew’s College, at Drygrange in the Scottish Borders.
A priest and fellow seminarian remembers Fr Gordon being a model student and being late only once in six years for Morning Prayer. But when being jokingly challenged about it by the Rector, Fr Gordon, in the same spirit, turned the tables questioning why the others started without him!
He was passionate about music and when he later became the rector at Drygrange he would drive fellow seminarians to Scottish National Orchestra Concerts at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.
On one occasion he even helped a young seminarian get the autograph of the famous composer André Previn who was conducting a performance.
Priesthood
Fr Gordon was ordained to the priesthood at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh on 1 March 1969.
An intelligent man, he went on to further studies at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth, Ireland. He later returned to St Andrew’s College as a member of staff, teaching philosophy.
He served in that role for seven years before succeeding Monsignor John Barry as college rector in 1977.
As a young priest he enjoyed summer visits to the Diocese of Youngston, Ohio, where he undertook parish work. In 1984 he was appointed to his first parish, St Patrick’s in Edinburgh (1984-85).
He then served at St Luke & St Anne’s, Newbattle (1985-88); St Mary's, Bathgate (1988-89); St Joseph's, Burntisland (1989-93); and both St Ninian's, Bowhill, and St Patrick's, Lochgelly (1994-96).
He returned to the Diocese of Youngston in 1993-94 for a sabbatical and returned to serve in St Martin's, Tranent (1996).
On one occasion while serving at Newbattle his car was broken into and he told a priest friend that he suspected children were responsible. When asked why he thought that he replied humorously: “Look at the size of the footprints on the seat - and they’ve eaten all the sweeties.”
Retirement
Fr Gordon retired from parish ministry in 1996 but continued to serve as a supply priest, travelling to celebrate Mass, often at short notice, at parishes across the Archdiocese and providing holiday cover for grateful clergy.
Since 1997, Fr Gordon was a friend of L’Arche, a charity with Catholic roots that supports people with learning disabilities.
Canon Boylan said: “I spoke to a woman from L’Arche. She said he had a great way with people who had disabilities and said it was amazing how well he got on with them.”
He stayed at St Peter’s in Morningside for over 20 years and was a much-loved and welcome presence with parishioners and the various parish priests.
Into his eighties he continued to celebrate Mass up until two years before his death. When he couldn’t celebrate Mass he would sit with the congregation and afterwards enjoy a cup of tea and a chat.
Canon Ryszard Holuka, who taught part-time at St Andrew’s College with Fr Brown, described him as a “a clever, canny man…a gentleman who was academic, even-tempered, and always courteous.”
Fr Gordon was a good friend to many who appreciated his easy-going and calm manner, his listening skills, thoughtfulness, humility and loyalty.
He had a wide circle of friends who were drawn to his unassuming and non-judgemental attitude and his willingness to support them in difficulty.
Fr Gordon had suffered a fall while out shopping in April 2024 and his health had steadily declined. He bore it very well and there was no self-pity.
He appreciated the goodwill and generosity from Canon Kenneth Owens and parishioners at St Peter’s.
He spent the last week of his life at the Western General Hospital and received the Eucharist with the rite of Viaticum from Archbishop Cushley on Sunday 3rd November before dying peacefully the following day.
His family said: “We would like to say how much we love him and how proud we are of him.
"He was a person of deep faith and intellectual Christian commitment who was respected across a range of religious, and other communities; he had an inspirational level of moral integrity and a spirit of stoic acceptance.
"We miss you so much Gordon and will always treasure the many happy memories we have of you.”
May he rest in peace.
The Requiem Mass is celebrated at St Peter’s on Friday22 November 2024 and the committal is at Mortonhall Crematorium.