William Shine was born in Kilbaha, Moyvane, Co. Kerry on 20 July 1843. Having spent a short time with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate at Inchicore, Dublin, he entered the Presentation Brothers' novitiate in the South Monastery, Cork, in 1868. The superior, Br. Paul Townsend, was at first reluctant to receive William as the community were in poor financial circumstances and he was worried about taking in another member for whom they might not be able to provide. A neighbour of William's, Edmund Shanahan, Br. Austin, was a member of the community, having entered eight years previously.

William took Patrick as his name in religion . He was an exemplary novice and made his profession on 27 August 1870. He taught in Greenmount where the work was very demanding as the Brothers were operating a national school, an orphanage and an industrial school all at the same time.

When the industrial school moved to new independent premises in 1874 Br.Patrick was appointed Superintendent. As well as being a resourceful teacher he proved to be a great organiser with a flair for financial administration. In 1877 he was elected superior of the South Monastery in succession to Br. Austin Shanahan who had completed his second term in the post.

Br. Patrick had suffered from typhoid fever before becoming a Brother and suffered severe headaches as a result. However he was seldom known to refer to these.

While Br. Patrick was superior of the South Monastery the number of aspirants increased dramatically. The building of a new chapel was a priority and this was completed in 1879. The extra numbers also made it possible for the community to make new foundations, at Birr, Co.Offaly in 1878 and Presentation College in Cork city, the Brothers' first second level school, in 1879. Other projects included a new wing for the South Monastery school and also for Greenmount national school; a new chapel and a dairy at the industrial school, and the purchase of farms to supply milk and vegetables for the boys in Greenmount.

In March 1885, with the encouragement of Bishop T. O'Callaghan O. P., co-adjutor bishop of Cork, the Brothers voted to petition Rome requesting changes in the Constitutions which would enable them to elect a Superior General and become a Pontifical rather than a Diocesan congregation. Br. Patrick and Br. Austin went to Rome and were successful in getting the changes formally approved by Pope Leo XIII on 2 June 1889. A month after the two envoys returned a General Chapter was held at the South Monastery and Br. Patrick was elected Superior General.

As a leader, he believed in delegation, inspiring his collaborators with enthusiasm but giving them room to learn and being slow to interfere. During Br.Patrick's term as Superior General several new foundations were made: Cobh (1889), Kinsale(1891), Orpington (1893), Mount St. Joseph (1894), Letterkenny (1894), Boyle (1897), Enniskillen (1897), Newcastle-on-Tyne (1901), Dungannon (1902) and Glasthule (1903).

During the summer of 1904, Br. Patrick began to suffer from digestive problems which prevented him from taking proper nourishment. He was able to rise daily and attend to correspondence and other administrative matters, his intellect remaining unimpaired, but he became virtually housebound. On the morning of the day before he died he rose as usual, but in the afternoon a change for the worst was evident and he received the Last Sacraments.

Early on the morning of Holy Thursday, 20 April 1905, he died, some eight or nine months after the onset of his illness. His remains lay in the chapel at Mount St. Joseph on Good Friday, and on Holy Saturday the Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. O'Callaghan O.P, said the final prayers at the burial of his old friend in the community cemetery

Reference:
Presentation Record Nos. 10 - 15 inclusive (Br. De Sales Mehegan)
Gentlemen of the Presentation (Feheney, Veritas 1999)

 

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