Brother Henry Michael Gaither

Brother Henry Gaither (Brother Thomas) passed peacefully into eternal life Saturday, December 28, 2024, at Passages Hospice in New Orleans, LA, at the age of 80 and after 60 years of religious life.

Brother Henry, the only child of Eileen Marron and Henry Maclin Gaither, was born March 3, 1944, in San Pedro, CA. In his early years, Henry split time between San Pedro, CA; New Orleans, LA; and Baltimore, MD; all-the-while attending Catholic schools, a priority for his family. It was there that he fell under the influence of the religious Brothers and Sisters who taught him and where the seeds of his religious vocation were sown.

 Henry enrolled in Cor Jesu High School in New Orleans, one of two schools in the “Crescent City” owned and operated by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart at the time. As a “Kingsman,” he grew close to the Brothers and decided to join them. He ultimately entered the community at Spring Hill, AL, on January 29, 1963. The new novitiate class began in Belvidere, NJ, on August 14, 1963, and Brother Henry was ‘in that number.’ He professed his first vows as a Brother at Belvidere, NJ, on August 15, 1964, and pronounced his perpetual vows at the Brothers’ Chapel in Bay St. Louis, MS, on June 7, 1970. 

 Earning a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with a major in history and a minor in Spanish from Spring Hill College as well as a Master’s degree in School Counseling from Loyola University New Orleans, Henry ministered in Brothers’ schools for several years, including Saint Stanislaus (Bay St. Louis, MS), Cor Jesu (New Orleans, LA) and Brother Martin High Schools (New Orleans, LA). He also served as Campus Minister at Saint Stanislaus. But Henry’s real love was and is best remembered for his long tenure as Province Vocation Director (10 years) AND as the Province’s Volunteer Coordinator (14 years). It was in these roles that Henry’s gregarious personality and fun-loving spirit still shone. Truth be told, Henry was working for vocations to the Brothers’ community constantly – 24/7/365. Even at 80 he was recently heard pondering whether he could be appointed Vocation Director in the future.

 In recent years, Henry’s “official” ministry was that of Mission Appeals Coordinator. Through Henry’s personal charm with pastors, parish secretaries and officials in the Propagation of the Faith in the U.S., and most importantly, because of his invitation to Lay Partners in Mission throughout the Province to become involved in the effort, Henry expanded the number of mission appeals and doubled the collections we received on behalf of the African and Filipino Missions in the 10 years he directed the program.

 A wake and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at the Branton Chapel, located in the back yard of Brother Martin High School (4401 Elysian Fields Ave., New Orleans, LA 70122). Access the chapel through a gate on Lombard St. The wake will begin at 9:30 AM followed by the funeral liturgy at 10:30 AM. Brother Henry will be interred in the Brothers’ cemetery behind Saint Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, MS, immediately following the Eucharistic liturgy (around 1:30 PM). A light lunch will be served in the SSC College Café after the interment.

 In lieu of flowers, donations to the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Foundation (4600 Elysian Fields Ave., New Orleans, LA 70122) are preferred.

Edmond Fahey Funeral Home is honored to serve the friends and family of Brother Henry Gaither.