William John Corcoran was born in 1931 in Pinner and came to the school in 1943, to St Dunstan's House under Fr Oswald Vanheems. He was not a conformist and in his second year led a hunger strike against the standard of the food in the House refectory. It was not surprising that he came under the influence of Fr Jerome Lambert in the Sea Scouts (whom he took delight in throwing in the water during a camp at the Isle of Wight before finding out that Fr Jerome could not swim). They respected each other's rebellious natures and although it was a surprise to many, he entered the novitiate in 1949 on leaving the school and took the name Kieran.
He took Solemn Vows in 1953 and was ordained in 1956. At this time he was teaching some French in the school and helping with the Sea Scouts. He then took over the Rovers which was a service organisation based on the Rover Scouts of the time. He soon widened the range of their activities to include regular visits to Alne Hall Cheshire Home. The school still visits Alne Hall and he always took an interest, often driving over on Christmas Day to celebrate Mass there for the residents. These two areas of relationship - with the young and with the old and disabled or disadvantaged - were to remain his special interest throughout his life: even as a novice he would go and find boots and clothes for wayfarers who called at the Monastery. The camps he organised near Rievaulx the night before Gormire Day, were always fun and run with the minimum of fuss. Mass early next morning at one of the side altars in the ruined Abbey was memorable. Although no longer teaching in the school the Rovers gave him a connection with the Sixth Form and he had a special relationship with many of them and was a valued confidant for those who had fallen foul of school discipline in one way or another. Many boys found a sympathetic ear and good advice at unofficial late night bridge sessions in the room under the theatre.
Three years later he was appointed Estate Manager under the Procurator, Fr Robert Coverdale. The often grim visages of the pair complemented each other and the story is told of Fr Robert purring with satisfaction as his assistant delivered a substantial rocket over the telephone to a recalcitrant supplier. It was at this time that he got to know well many of those who would later be his parishioners. Meanwhile, this responsibility put him in a unique position to develop Redcar Farm on the other side of the valley as a hostel where groups of young people from various backgrounds could come and spend a week at little cost. They came from parishes, from Approved Schools and from the handicapped and he began a series of Borstal camps in the summer holidays with equal numbers of boys from the school and from Everthorpe Borstal.
In 1972, Abbot Basil appointed him the first Warden of the Grange, the new Retreat House next to the Monastery. Now the circle of those who depended on him for advice and consolation widened enormously. Many of those who came on retreat, whether lay or religious, remained in touch with him for the rest of his life and he struck up friendships with many of the diocesan clergy which he particularly valued when he became a parish priest himself. One afternoon he felt ill and rang his friend and compatriot Miss Houlihan from the school Infirmary who found that he had had his first heart attack. He recovered from this and it was in the Grange that he developed his habit of an additional hour of prayer every evening in the chapel that he had seen as central to the venture. He not only furnished the building with the help of his friends: it was he who set the atmosphere of the Grange, good food and comfortable accommodation but with everyone making their own beds and helping with the washing up, whether Dames of Malta or undergraduates. In 1980 he was sent briefly to St Alban's, one of our parishes in Warrington, to administer it and oversee its transfer to the Archdiocese. He then went to Rome for six months to do the Recyclage course at Sant'Anselmo.
On his return he was appointed Parish Priest in the village. This was the job he loved most and, probably, where he became most loved. Many were already familiar with his air of gruff accessibility but all soon found that behind his celtic dourness there was someone who was on their side, who felt that the village had its own identity apart from the Abbey and College and who really listened to anything they had to say. He did not always have a ready answer but he had a wealth of common sense and wisdom founded on experience. He was always sympathetic and encouraging. He took trouble to be in touch with all, whether he found them congenial or not, and especially the young and the sick or depressed. He would invite groups of children to tea on their way back from school and get to know them. These relationships lasted and later led to one of the experiences he was most proud of, just before his first appointment for heart surgery, when he was taken on the pillion of a motor cycle by one of his young parishioners at over 100 mph between Gilling and Oswaldkirk. They also led to many weekend retreats and outings for the young of the parish and he went to great lengths to help them in any way he could. A project that never came to fruition but that was dear to his heart was the idea of setting up a L'Arche community near the Monastery for the mentally disabled. However, he enjoyed acting as Chaplain to the St Giles holiday week for handicapped children each summer in St Thomas's.
He always felt aware that he was one of the few in the Community who did not have a degree but he read a lot and took pains to form himself in the theology of Vatican II. He consulted widely before introducing changes in the liturgy but he made sure they happened and involved as many as possible of the parish in them. The Parish Pastoral Council was important to him and one year he took the members away with him on retreat. In 1988 he planned and oversaw the re-ordering and extension of the village church and got the Cardinal, a former assistant priest in the village, to come and bless it on its completion. He occasionally preached impassioned and prophetic homilies which raised a few eyebrows but got people thinking, particularly about Justice and Peace issues. Usually, though, he felt inadequate as a speaker and was totally taken aback when an Easter retreat he gave at Ampleforth was acclaimed at the end with a standing ovation. He felt that it was nothing to do with him. In one way, of course, he was right but not everyone is a vehicle for the Holy Spirit in the way he was. Indeed, he had an almost total lack of self image: almost to a fault Ä or, perhaps, St Benedict really did know what he was talking about in the Rule: that the monk should in his own inmost heart believe that he is lower and of less account than all others. He felt inspired by the venture at Ince Benet and often went to stay with Fr Thomas Cullinan there. He hoped that he would be sent to join it when he came off the parish.
He was greatly valued in his own Community and his phrase 'Don't get discouraged' was a byword for his ministry as a confessor to many of the novices. His infectious peal of delighted laughter echoing down the cloister was as familiar as the lugubrious expression he often wore when preoccupied - quite unconscious of how off-putting it could be. He took much pleasure in the annual week of holiday with some of his brethren where he could always be relied on to start some good discussions and pungent conversation. He was a sincere, genuine and sympathetic person who was easy to be with and exuded a sense of compassion and peace. He had a natural capacity for friendship.
A couple of years ago he was disappointed when heart surgery that had been arranged for him was postponed. However he undertook a programme of regular exercise and weight loss and did indeed feel much better and returned to the parish after a six month break. Recently, however, he had been having more chest pains and went into hospital for major surgery at the beginning of December. He never recovered from the operation and died peacefully on 14 December 1992, aged 61. The enormous number of people who visited him in hospital and who came from far and near to be at his funeral witnessed not only to the wide circle of his friends but also to the extent that his effective pastoral care for individual lost sheep was valued by so many.
DOM JOHN KIERAN CORCORAN 14 December 1992
1931 19 May Born
1943-49 Educ at Ampleforth (St Dunstans)
1949 19 Sep Habit at Ampleforth Abbot Byrne
1950 25 Sep Simple Vows " "
1951 11 Jun Tonsure " "
1953 25 Sep Solemn Vows " "
1954 18 Jul Subdeacon Bishop Brunner
1955 17 Jul Deacon " "
1955-56 First MC
1956 22 Jul Priest " "
1956-72 Sep Estate Manager. Active with school Rovers
1967 Sep Redcar Hostel begun
1972-80 First Warden of the Grange (opened 1973)
1973 apprx Major heart attack
1977 Sep Sacristan
1980 Sep Administrator at St Alban's, Warrington (till Jan 1981)
1981 Feb St Anselmo, Rome: recyclage course
Jul Parish Priest St Benedict's, Ampleforth
1988 Reordered & extended Village church
1992 7 Dec To Cottingham for heart operation
14 Dec Died in hospital, assisted by Abbot Barry