Brother Idonius Terence McLaughlin

1922 - 2025

Brother Idonius Terence McLaughlin, (John Patrick McLaughlin), died May 25, 2025, at age 102.

Named after his father, John was born on December 14, 1922, in Duluth, Minnesota, the son of John James McLaughlin and Mary Ellen (Moran) McLaughlin. His father had been born in 1884 in Glasgow, Scotland and was a stonemason and his mother was born in Ireland in 1888 and was a housewife. John James, his father, died in 1968, and his mother, Mary died in 1938, John Patrick said he attended "various grade schools" before entering Cathedral High School in Duluth and was "so impressed with the dedication and commitment of the Christian Brothers that he wished to become a member."

He entered the congregation in 1938 through the Juniorate and Novitiate programs in Glencoe, Missouri (now Wildwood). He arrived at the Juniorate on January 29, 1938, and two months later on March 15th, he received the news that his mother had died. John was admitted to the Novitiate on August 30, 1940, where he received the religious habit of a Brother and the religious name of Brother Idonius Terence. The following August, he professed his first vows and a day later he was on his way to St. Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota, to begin his Scholasticate studies (college studies). Three years later Brother I. Terence received his B.S.S. Degree and was assigned to St. Patrick High School in Chicago, Illinois. Five years later in 1949 his superiors assigned the young, talented Brother Terence to Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tennessee as the school was experiencing a new beginning on East Parkway. He was there for only two years when he was appointed Assistant Principal in 1951. It was that same year that he completed his graduate work in administrative studies and received his MA Degree from DePaul University in Chicago. Two years later in 1953, Brother Terence was assigned as a teacher to De La Salle High School in Minneapolis and remained there for two years before being assigned to Central Catholic High School in Vincennes, Indiana. After teaching there for five years, he was appointed Principal of Central Catholic in 1959. He served there for three more years before returning to Memphis for the second time. This time, 1962-1964, he was named President of Christian Brothers College (now University) and was an initial planner for the new CBHS to be built on Walnut Grove Road.

It was during this time also that he made the courageous decision to admit Jesse Turner, the first black student, to CBHS and thus making the high school the first school to integrate in Memphis. To this day he is considered the "father and hero of integration in Memphis and the Mid-South." Even when the Bishop of Nashville, other clergy, city officials and parents objected, Brother Terence stood his ground. Jessie came to CBHS and like his mentor, stood his ground and graduated and he and Brother Terence remained friends all of Terence's life. Terence returned to Illinois in 1964 to teach for a year at St. Francis High School in Wheaton but a year later was named Principal of the St. Paul Dual Enrollment School in Chicago. He moved across town in 1968 to become Superintendent of St. Patrick High School in Chicago. After four years of success at St. Pat's he accepted an assignment as an exchange teacher at St. Joseph College in London, England. He loved his time there but returned to the United States to attend the renewal program for Brothers at the Sangre de Cristo Retreat Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for a semester before being appointed Principal of Montini High School in Lombard, Illinois. Brother Terence spent six successful years at Montini before accepting the Directorship of the Nonpublic School Administration Program at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. The program was legendary for preparing administrators and potential administrators for a lifelong career in private schools.

The then Chicago Province leadership team of Christian Brothers appointed Brother Terence to the post of Director of Education for the Chicago Province and along with that job he continued as an Adjunct Professor at St. Thomas University until 1990. It was then that he accepted the assignment of President of Driscoll High School in Addison Illinois. Three years later he was appointed as Director of Adopt-A-Student Scholarship Program where he remained for six years. A program of which he was most proud.

After fifty-five years of teaching and administrative duties Brother Terence unselfishly became a Volunteer at the San Miguel Middle School in Chicago. After a year at San Miguel, he decided to retire and to return to Memphis and Christian Brothers University for the third and last time, spending the last twenty-five years as a Christian Brother and as the Dean (the most senior Brother) of the Midwest District.

Always a student, Brother Terence studied at four different Universities, St. Mary's University in Winona in 1941-43, and again in 1961, De Paul University in Chicago in 1945 and again 1969-1971, St. Louis University in Missouri in 1951, 1956 and again 1966. He also attended the National College of Education in 1976. In 1993 he was awarded honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree, honoris cause from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, and in 2013 he received an honorary Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa from his alma mater, St. Mary's University of Minnesota. He served on the Board of Trustees of Christian Brothers University 1970-1971, Lewis University Board 1970, 1973 and 1993. He also served on six high school boards from 1980 to 1995. A prolific writer he published numerous papers and books.

Brother Terence's honors and recognitions are many. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the University of St. Thomas in 1985 as well as two Honorary Doctor's Degrees. In 1994 he received the Religious Service Award from St. Mary's University in 1994, the Distinguished Graduate Award, St. Michael School in Duluth, Minnesota in 2000 and the Hero Award from the Chicago Juvenile Protective Association in 2000.He received the Honored Guest Award at the CBU Memphis Reunion in 2000 and Leadership Award at the 2022 CBU Gala. On February 25, 2016, Brother Terence received the Trailblazers of Memphis Award given by CBU's. In 2022 Brother Patrick Conway FSC created and founded the Brother Terence McLaughlin, FSC Social Justice Institute of Lasallian Practice naming it in honor of Brother Terence "who taught in and led Christian Brother high schools and Christian Brothers University for more than 55 years before retiring to Memphis. In 1963, he made history by integrating Christian Brothers High School before any other all-white high school – public or private in Memphis." He received the highest award from Ave Maria Home and has been cherished as a friend and confidant to ten Christian Brothers University presidents.

On Sunday, May 25th, God called Brother Terence to himself, and Terence answered saying, "Here I am, Lord." With that his soul joined with his parents, family and fellow Christian Brothers who had gone before and now rest in peace. His teaching and service as an administrator lasted for fifty-four years and when he died at 102 years of age, he had been a De la Salle Christian Brother for eighty-four years.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to Christian Brothers University.

Visitation will be Sunday, June 1, 2025, from 4:00-6:00 PM at Canale Funeral Directors. His funeral mass will be held on Monday, June 2, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with internment to follow at Calvary Cemetery.