13th April 1940 – 7th August 2026

Johnny was born and brought up in Grenada, where he first came to know the friars. Ever a man of extreme humility and simplicity, he felt unworthy to explore a vocation as a clerical brother; from childhood, however, his calling to religious life was deep and persistent.

He travelled across the Atlantic to enter the Dominican Order as a cooperator (lay) brother in 1961 at Hawkesyard priory, later making simple and then final profession. By 1967, he was assigned to the London priory. A brother who lived with Johnny in Hawkesyard remembers him as ‘a gentle, cheerful, community man.’

In 1969, he petitioned to leave the Order, having fallen in love with Margot. His Prior Provincial wrote of him, ‘he has been a really excellent Brother and is a devout and sincere Catholic,’ words with which all those who knew him personally would agree, and which remained true until the very end of his life.

Johnny and Margot married and went on to have three daughters, Michelle, Leora, and Jovanka, a son by adoption, Marcellus, and seven grandchildren: Pierre, Tamara, Chelsey, Tajah, Daniel, Bradley, and Ben. He was a most loving and attentive husband, father, and grandfather and was immensely proud of all his family, of whom he would often speak. The Dominicans’ loss was his family’s and the wider society’s gain and, having been an excellent Brother, he was a most excellent layman.

Johnny’s devotion to and respect for the Order, and in particular its priests, were exemplary; through an era when much of the Church landscape was changing around him, he remained steadfast in defence of his beloved Dominicans. After a decade away from formal membership of the Order, while starting his family, Johnny was admitted as a Lay Dominican in 1981, making first profession in 1982 and final profession in 1985.

Although he served as fraternity president for one term (accepting the office through obedience, whilst always protesting his lack of merit), it is from his subsequent long service as formation officer that most remember him. He is described by his former students as kind, good-humoured, encouraging, gentle, humble, patient, courageous, and a man of profound prayer. Like the biblical Barnabas, son of encouragement, his chief apostolate was to strengthen others rather than to seek to shine himself: his comfort, consolation, and correction were the foundational support for scores of Lay Dominicans. He did not see this as preaching, but to his brothers and sisters his life was a sermon.

He clung persistently to two books: his Breviary, and his two-volume collection of the documents of Vatican II; both were so well-thumbed and dog-eared that they must have been held together more by willpower than binding! He would always say that he was not a learned man, but that he would pray with these every day and they had never led him astray; he earnestly recommended that we all do the same. Whenever he was obliged to pray alone for some considerable time, he would phone me to check that he was still on the right week of the psalter. We both knew that he could have consulted the Ordo, but we both understood that the conversation was more important than the page number. Johnny believed in Dominican community like he believed in breathing: so vital that it needed neither explanation nor excuse.

He was a stalwart member of the London fraternity from his first admission to when his failing health meant that he could no longer attend meetings in person. Even then, he remained in contact with me and would always assure me of his prayers for us, and encourage us by his words and example. He was ever hopeful that he would one day be able to return to meetings, while acknowledging that it might not realistically be possible. He wrote, ‘may God’s will be done in us, wherever we are […] this is my penance, I accept it.’

Johnny died on the eve of the solemnity of our Holy Father Dominic, always his favourite saint. On a previous feast day, he had written to me ‘I join with you to give thanks to God for calling us to be a member of this holy Order of Saint Dominic. Let us continue to ask for his graces and blessings; to follow him on this journey; in our own way, but united in spirit. Until we reach our journey’s end.’ Amen.

Funeral details to be confirmed. Provisional date 4 September.

Catherine Wallis-Hughes

London, 12th August 2026