Each circle has a President, usually elected annually, supported by a Vice President.
President – Terence de Souza
I spent my professional life as a solicitor in London. It’s been an interesting career in which I have met many diverse people from different cultures and
religions, which has enriched my life. I am now looking forward to pursuing other interests in my retirement.
I have been married to Anna for 39 years and have 3 children, Peter, Sophie and Christopher. I was born in Kenya in a family of Goan heritage. I went to a Catholic boarding school, which was run by Benedictine monks. The monastic way of life has left a rich and deep impression on me and has undoubtedly shaped my philosophy and approach to life.
It is a privilege for me to serve as President of my Circle this year. I will strive to maintain the ethos, traditions and values, developed by my predecessors, through our monthly meetings and a varied social programme.
What do I enjoy about belonging to the Association? Well, for me, it is the convivial company of my fellow members and the long-term friendships created with like-minded individuals who share a common set of values.
Vice President – Bernard Nelligan
Originally from Bermondsey, I spent my teenage years in Bromley and attended Bishop Challoner School in Shortlands. I have been married to Sue for over 30 years and lived in South Croydon during the whole of our marriage. We have three adult children, two of whom live in London and the our
eldest lives in Bali. Throughout the whole of my career I was involved with medical devices; initially I worked in the NHS for a number of years before going into the medical device industry and until I retired in 2020, I ran a company that manufactured neonatal intensive care ventilators which were exported throughout the World. This position gave me a wonderful opportunity to work with many people from all over the World.
My wife, Sue was a teacher and taught at a number of schools in Croydon including Regina Coeli and Coloma Convent. We have been parishioners of St Gertrude’s, South Croydon for many years. Although my father was a Catenian (Blackheath Circle), I did not join the Association until relatively recently. However, since joining I have found the friendship and support from my fellow Catenians to be life enhancing and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Croydon circle. Consequently, I have sought to help for the good of the association by serving as vice president for this year.
Secretary – Stephen Piper
My role as our Circle’s Secretary involves taking and recording minutes from Circle and Council meetings and updating Circle Brothers with news and developments from within our fraternity.
My wife Mary and I have three, now adult, children and six grandchildren. Now retired most of my working life was with the IT side of business. However, towards the end and feeling the need for a total career change to save my sanity I became a local government officer tasked with ensuring the safety and appearance of the public realm.
Interests, apart from a growing and expanding family, from my early years I was involved in Scouting starting out as a Cub Scout and finishing as a Group Scout Leader (twice) and have been an ardent Crystal Palace supporter from the day I stood on the open Holmesdale Road end terrace with my father to watch what was then Division Three (South) matches.
Mary and I have been parishioners at St. Gertrude’s Church, South Croydon for more than fifty years now and I have been a Catenian for over twenty five years having been at different times Registrar, Treasurer, President, Provincial Councillor, Provincial Secretary and now Circle Secretary. We have made many good Catenian friends with whom we share many happy memories from social gatherings and excursions both at home and abroad and look forward to many more.
Membership Officer – John Fennell
I have been a Catenian for over 15 years and have enjoyed my time in the Association. There are lots of events which the family can participate in and there is a real sense of fellowship amongst us all. My favourite events are the Catenian Cricket Competition and the Family BBQ.
I am married to Sharon who is a teaching assistant at a local primary school. We have two children, Kerry who is a primary school teacher and Liam who is videographer. Kerry attended Coloma Convent Girls School and Liam went to John Fisher Boys School.
I am responsible for recruitment and retention of members. If you would like to find out more about the benefits of joining such a wonderful association my contact details are as follows: 020 8657 0114; thefennells@talktalk.net.
Treasurer – Paul Nattrass
My role as treasurer is to manage the funds of Croydon Circle – collecting annual subscriptions, payments of our social and charity events and submitting an annual account to our AGM.
I was born in Clapham and lived in Tunbridge Wells as a young child before moving to Thornton Heath. I attended St Joseph’s College, Beulah Hill and after leaving school qualified as an accountant. Since leaving practice I have worked in the construction / property development sectors.
In 1984 I married Debbie and now have two grown up children and one rapidly growing up grandson. My interests include running (ran the London Marathon in 2015 and New York the following year ) and keeping my 50 year old MGB on the road.
Welfare Officer – Philip Pond
I’ve been married to Mary for 50 years and blessed with four children, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. (Phew!) It is 20 years ago this year (15 June 2022) that I was ordained a permanent deacon and appointed to serve my diaconal ministry in my home parish of St Columba’s, Selsdon. I retired a couple of years ago from a career as a journalist, which began in Fleet Street on The Universe national Catholic weekly newspaper in 1963. As Welfare Officer for Croydon Circle it is my job to help and support Brothers and their families as well as the widows of deceased Brothers in whatever way I can.
Registrar – Conrad De Souza
I have been a parishioner of Our Lady of Reparation (St Mary’s – West Croydon) for over 50 years, and my family have been attending services at this parish for over 30 years.
My wife Amala and I are also members of the Parish Charismatic Renewal Prayer Group.
My profession as a chartered civil and structural engineer, and fire engineering specialist has been in the energy industries over the last 40 years involved in conceptual designs, detailed engineering, construction and installation of oil and gas installations all over the world. I have recently retired from the UK Health and Safety Executive after 30 years service providing regulatory approvals, undertaking enforcement activities, accidents investigations, and through research projects for development of worldwide industry codes and standards.
Amala and I have three adult sons currently working in the UK, in Chartered Accountancy; Nuclear Engineering and Banking.
We have several shared family hobbies and travelling features extensively in our interests. My personal interests will continue in developing codes and standards in fire engineering and transfer of knowledge between industries.
Chamberlain – Vic Hanson MSc. MCIrab
I am the Chamberlain for the Croydon circle and my primary role is to support the President in circle matters, in particular, to ensure the preparation of the rooms at meetings, functions and ensure formalities are observed and administered in accordance with the requirements of the circle.
During my working life, in the construction industry, I was a senior commercial manager with financial and contractual responsibilities on major multi-million pounds and multi-disciplined projects. Although now retired I have maintained my professional membership with the RICS and Institute of Arbitrators.
My wife, Linda, is an Executive Assistant in a global private equity organisation.
We are blessed with two children, professionals in their own right. They are now carving out their own future.
Provincial Councillor – Richard Pyatt
I was born in Colchester, Essex in Au
gust 1952 and adopted at three weeks by Hilda and William Pyatt and lived with them in Redhill Surrey, receiving baptism and confirmation in the Presbyterian Church of St Paul’s, Redhill . I was an officer for six years in the Boys’ Brigade which was based at that Church.
In October 1970 I joined the Civil Service as a clerical assistant in the Inland Revenue and finally escaped into retirement 47 years later as a Debt Recovery Officer based in Dingwall Road, Croydon . It was a very varied and interesting career which took me to many different parts of South London and Surrey, to mansions and to squalid hovels, meeting some wonderful inspiring dedicated people and also those who bring out the worst in humanity, but all part of a rich pattern, and I hope I was able to do my best for both my country and for myself .
I met my wife Gerry whilst working in an office in Norbury. She was trying to run me down with a tea trolley! and we married in 1979 and are blessed with four children My eldest daughter lives with her husband in Melbourne, Australia and has two boys. Another son has a daughter and lives near Ipswich. My other son live near Maidstone, Kent and has a boy and two girls. My youngest daughter lives in Forestdale and has a boy and a girl. So I am able, with modern technology, to keep in touch with them all but, by heck, Christmas is expensive !!!
As regards my Catenian life, this started when in 1997 we moved to Selsdon and attended St Columba’s Parish and Brother Noel Brownsell asked me to join Croydon Circle. I accepted his offer and enrolled in February 2002 (with Brother Paul Nattrass)
I can only say, this was one of the best choices I have made, as the fellowship friendship and depth of faith I have received from The Association over these past twenty years, through both the good and difficult times, has given me a great strength and support.
I have had the privilege of being able to serve our Circle as firstly Charity Officer then Registrar and then twice as Vice President and President.
I now have the honour of representing Croydon Circle as their Provincial Councillor. This role requires me to attend Provincial Council meetings and report back to our Circle any issues of policy that are mooted. In April I will complete my first three year term (I hope to serve for another three years before retiring to the back benches to snooze !)
Not content with being active at Croydon I have the honour, with Brother Noel Brownsell, of being one of the few founder Brothers of Balham Circle (350), so I get a double dose of meetings and visits every month.
I can only reiterate that I am proudly Catholic, proudly Catenian and proud of my Circles and of the Brothers I share fellowship with.
All the above officers attend Council meetings, which are usually held once a month, presently in the church hall of St. Columba’s in Selsdon. It is here that our Circle’s functions are planned, and policy decisions are determined.