- Date Of Birth: September 25, 1928
- Date Of Death: January 15, 2014
- State: Indiana
Brother William Vincent Gates, C.S.C., age 85, died on January 15, 2014 at Dujarie House, in Notre Dame, Indiana. He was born in Avon, Ohio on September 25, 1928, the son of William and Marie (Busser) Gates. He attended elementary school in Avon and graduated from Avon High School in 1946. He followed his calling to the religious life to join the Holy Cross Brothers and entered Sacred Heart Juniorate in Watertown, Wisconsin in September 1946, and began his religious training six months later at St. Joseph’s Novitiate in Rolling Prairie, Indiana, where he pronounced his first vows in February 1948. Brother William’s first assignment was to serve on the faculty and staff of Father Gibault School for Boys in Terre Haute, IN for 10 years until 1958. That spring he was selected to join the second group of Brothers to go to St. John’s School in Sekondi, Ghana. Brother William spent a total of 48 years working there. He held many positions while in Ghana — for 13 years, he was a teacher and counselor at St. John’s, as well as being the director of the juniorate program, and then master of novices. He taught and was the rector of St. Theresa’s Minor Seminary at Amisano for 9 years. He next taught on the faculty of St. Augustine’s College in Cape Coast for 11 years. William was a much sought-after spiritual director for the Ghanaian Holy Cross Brothers and young seminarians. He felt that assisting in the development of the Ghanaian Holy Cross Community and counseling countless students were among his major accomplishments. Brother William came back to the States in 2000 to work on the staff and be Director of the Association of St. Joseph at Notre Dame until 2003. He then returned to Ghana to inaugurate the Holy Cross Associates program and be the director of the candidacy program. He left Ghana in 2009 to take up residence at Columba Hall and then moved to Schubert Villa at Holy Cross Village. Brother William was a soft-spoken leader and counselor. His influence on the many young Ghanaians who were in his care and the many he taught are legacies for the Church in Ghana. He was affectionately known as ‘Old Willie’ by many. In the Ghanaian culture being called “old” is a sign of endearment. It is believed when a person ages, many experiences and insights accumulate and thus the person is admired for their wisdom. William was an ‘institution’ in Ghana as evidenced by the many emails and comments that have been received after his passing. Former students commented on William’s examples of concern, kindness, generosity and inspiration. He kept the bookstore at St. John’s supplied with give-away items of T-shirts, rosaries, medals, statuettes and holy cards of patron saints. He formed a Christophers’ Young Catholic Students Club, a Glee Club and taught interested students how to play the organ. One person mentioned that William even remembered to send former students cards at their birthdays. A former student from the minor seminary and now a priest for 10 years, wrote that Brother Willie was a true inspiration for him, a motivator, man of prayer and truly a great friend of God and His Blessed Mother. One Old Boy wrote to say: “You came to Ghana and made our world a better place than when you found it. May your kindnesses continue to remind each of us of our duty to be servants to others, as you were to us.” May that be an inspiration for each of us to imitate in our own lives.
