The Reverend Brother Brigant Cassian OBE, FSC (born 1889,

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

, France – 31 October 1957, Hong Kong) was the

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

and education worker in Hong Kong. He was born in

Finistère Finistère (, ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. Its prefecture is Quimper and its largest city is Brest, France, Brest. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090.Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

, France in 1889. He was educated in Likes College of the Brothers at

Quimper Quimper (, ; ; or ) is a Communes of France, commune and Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Finistère Departments of France, department of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in northwestern France. Administration Quimper is the ...

, following by the Junior

Novitiate The novitiate, also called the noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a Christian ''novice'' (or ''prospective'') monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether ...

of the Brothers at

Nantes Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...

in 1900 and completed his senior Novitiate and Scholasticate at Vauxbelets, Quernesey by 1907. He started his missionary career by going to

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

and started teaching there in 1908. During the First World War he served in the Infantry at

Salonika Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

Sofia Sofia is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Is ...

, and

Verdun Verdun ( , ; ; ; official name before 1970: Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city in the Meuse (department), Meuse departments of France, department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. In 843, the Treaty of V ...

. He was rewarded the

Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

for the military service. After the war he returned to his teaching post in Singapore. Brother Cassian joined the staff of St. Joseph's College, Hong Kong in 1921. For then he had taught for 11 years until in 1932 he was transferred to the newly opened La Salle College and became the second Principal of the College . Brother Cassian also participated actively in the public service in Hong Kong. He founded the Hong Kong Teachers' Association and became the President for three years. He was also the co-founder of the Hong Kong Schools Musical Association. In 1954, he helped founding a political organisation Hong Kong Civic Association and became the Chairman of the Association. He also helped founding the United Nations Association of Hong Kong, which later became the political group striving for self-government of Hong Kong. He died in 1957 of stomach hemorrhage and graved at the St Michael's Catholic Cemetery in

Happy Valley, Hong Kong Happy Valley ( zh, first=t, t=跑馬地) is an upper-income residential List of places in Hong Kong, area in Hong Kong, located on Hong Kong Island. The area is bordered by Caroline Hill to the east, Jardine's Lookout to the south, Morrison Hi ...

. In recognition of his service to the public he was honoured by many decorations notably the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

and the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

Citations

References

Bro. CASSIAN, Brigant FSC 加斯恩修士
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cassian, Brigant Hong Kong people of French descent 20th-century French Roman Catholic priests Members of the Order of the British Empire Hong Kong Civic Association politicians 1889 births 1957 deaths Officers_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire