by Br. Charles Lackes, FSC,  Director at De La Salle Hall

As he celebrates his 75th Jubilee year as a Brother, Br. Edward Gallagher, FSC, recalls, “After only one year at West Catholic High School, I was inspired by the Christian Brothers I met there to enter the Junior Novitiate in Ammendale MD. One of my favorite memories is playing catcher on the baseball team with my classmates there.” 

Born as Francis Gallagher, he and his two brothers and two sisters, with their parents Edward and Marie, were a typical Philadelphia Irish Catholic family. Edward, an older brother killed in WWII, inspired his choice of a religious name.

His niece, Karen, states, “He has always been a family man, devoted to his nieces and nephews.”  Known for his love of teaching and tutoring, Karen recalls how Br. Ed spent every Saturday sharpening her son’s math skills so he could join the carpenters’ union.

Br. Dave Rogers, FSC, considers Br. Ed “my best friend and golf partner”. He describes him as, “one of those rare golfers who would never bend the rules. What he hit was what he hit!”

Ministry assignments mostly included high school teaching and administration at schools from Washington DC to Philadelphia PA. A born leader, Ed shares his wisdom about the secret to running a good school. “Encourage the strengths, and don’t waste time on deficiencies you can’t fix.”

Br. Ed’s love of puzzles shows in both his personal life and his life as Brother. As principal at several schools, he insisted on building the master class schedule, even though this task was not in his job description. At an outing to the race track, he figured his exacta bet with prodigious calculation of the favorites. Even now, living at De La Salle Hall, he regularly leads the residents in completing a group crossword puzzle. Always with an endearing character, Br. Edward Gallagher, FSC, ties together his devotion to his vocation, family, friendship, and God.