Brother Donald Mansir

Brother Donald Mansir, who was internationally recognized for his work in renovating the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in the 1990s, died early Saturday of cancer at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. The Christian Brother, a longtime professor at Saint Mary's College and Bethlehem University in the Palestinian territories was 62 years old. Brother Donald is remembered as a learned and diplomatic man with an intense interest in teaching young people and improving conditions for and bringing compassion to people of all faiths throughout the Middle East. "Here at the College over the last decade, Brother Donald has been a leader in shaping and articulating the Catholic Intellectual Tradition." Brother Ronald continued. "This can be seen in his leadership of the Cummins Institute for Catholic Thought and Action. He has also been the director of the Saint Mary's College community of Brothers, and a wise and committed teacher. As a Brother Counselor (in the residence halls) and a teacher, he was a confidant to many students, and they have great affection for him." He also served on the College's Board of Trustees. He will be missed for his gregarious personality, his readiness to break out in song, and his love of art, music and cooking. Brother Donald's influence goes far beyond Saint Mary's College. He was a Vatican advisor on Palestinian issues and president of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine during the 1990's. As such, he was involved in Jordan, Palestine, Israel and Lebanon, assisting in diplomatic and humanitarian missions. He also promoted interreligious dialogue between the Orthodox Christians and the Roman Catholics. Brother Charles Hilken, a Saint Mary's professor and current director of the Cummins Institute, said Brother Donald was "instrumental in bringing together parties traditionally unable to work together." "Most notable in this regard was the project (in the mid-1990s) of renovating the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, one of the holiest shrines of Christianity," Brother Charles recalled. "He served as intermediary between the separate Christian churches which shared jurisdiction, and he found the artist, Ara Normat, who did the work of restoration." The work was magnificent, and in 1994, Brother Donald was invested as a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Service was also important to Brother Donald. He was a member of the Saint Mary's College Board of Trustees, chair of the Cummins Institute until last year, a member of the College Committee on Inclusive Excellence and the Core Curriculum Task Force, a Brother Counselor in Ageno Hall and special assistant to the provost for Catholic thought and identity. Outside of Saint Mary's, Brother Donald was a consultant for the Palestinian Negotiating Team on the Status of Jerusalem, on the board of directors and director of research on international ethics at St. Thomas Aquinas Institute in Oakland, on the Commission of Christian Pilgrimages, Jerusalem and a member of the International Advisory Team, Global World Development Foundation, Los Angeles. He was at San Joaquin Memorial High School as a Teacher, Vice Principal and Principal from 1979-1982. He is survived by his nephew, Daniel Mansir and his niece Lisa Kee. He is also fondly remembered by a multitude of students, classmates, friends and Brothers. A Viewing will be held at Saint Mary's College Chapel in Moraga, Ca. on Friday, October 14, 2011, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Bishop John S. Cummins in the Saint Mary's College Chapel on Friday, October 14, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. Brother Donald will be buried at the cemetery at Mont La Salle in Napa, on Saturday, October 15, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the SMC Christian Brothers Scholarship Fund would be greatly appreciated. They may be sent to Saint Mary's College, 1928 St. Mary's Road, Moraga, Ca. OUIMET BROS. CONCORD FUNERAL CHAPEL 4125 CLAYTON ROAD Concord, California (925)682-4242