THE OBSEQUIES

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1927, Page 2

THE OBSEQUIES

OF THE LATE SISTER MARY JOSEPH. Yesterday morning in St. Coluinbkfile’s Convent Chapel, Requiem Ala-ss was celebrated for the repose of the soul of the late Sister Alary Joseph MatulL The Celebrant was the Rev. Father Finerty (Hokitka), the Rev. Father Lordan (Kuinara), and I' ather Gregory (Greymouth) Deacon and subDeacon respectively. Tho Rev. Dr Kennedy (Christchurch) was A faster of Ceremonies. The Gregorian music appropriate to the occasion was render ed in a most devotional and impressive manner by a choir of clergy including Rev. Fathers Long. Adm. (Greymouth), O’Aleeghan (Ahanra). Giimistv n.AI. (Reefton). Holahnn (Greymouth) and AlcKay (Hokitika).

Yerv Rev. Dr Kennedy, in the unavoidable absence of His Lordship, Bishop Bmdie, preached the occasional sermon to a very large and highly representative congregation, taking for his text the words of the Royal Pealmist “Better is one day, O Lord, in .Thv courts above a thousand.” ITis sermon was as follows: Dear Rev. Fathers .Dear Sisters of St. Colinrfokifle’s and of AH Saints and my Dear Friends—Had it not been that His Lordship the Bishop was in Wellington, representing the Diocese at the obsequies of Venerable Archdeacon Dovoy, lie would have been with us oti this mournful occasion. The late Archdeacon, in a long and fruitful ministry placed the Church in the whole Dominion under an obligation to him with each diocese by its representation at his funeral is striving to acknowledge. AYitli our own diocese lie formed associates from the Beginning of his ministry in the neighbouring parish of TCumara atul also in Timaru which parishes were privileged to have him as pastor.

His Lordship in Ills tin void able absence lias asked mo to express liis deep sympathy with the relatives of the deceased Sister and l with the community on the death of tlieir dearly beloved member. His Lordship, who more than any other is in a position to appraise the value of a Sister’s labours in the cause of religion, of which he has the responsibility, is deeply sensible of the. loss which the Sisters, and you my dear brethren, have sustained by the death of her whose mortal remains lie before us.

To me it is a painful task to stand before you on such an occasion, for I teas daily witness of the beautiful life and zealous labours of the deceased. When I left here a few months ago, T thought that, though in impaired health, she would have hen able to discharge for years to come, the duties she so lovingly and ungrudging’y performed and that she would have continued to edify the Community by ber virtues. But the Lord has willed otherwise and we.acept what lias been pleasing to Him. The death of a nun. whether preceded by months of painful illness, or whether sudden and unexpected. presents features which are common to that of any Sister living in the world and features which are peculiar to itself. Death brings sorrow to the bereaved and though we do not mourn as those who have no hope, still we do mourn, time only can heal the wound; time only can people the place left vacant hv death. Though the deceased gave herself to God. the first fruits of the copious vocations to ho garnered here in AVestland. yet she did not turn cold towards those she had left in the world. Detached and separated front them, she shared their joys and sorrows, tlieir affairs she made the subject of prayer before God’s altar. Yon will remember bow she comforted ber venerable parent during bis long illness, bow she sorrowed at his death, how recently she ungrudgingly encouraged Iter sister to embark on a voyage to Europe to recoup her health.

In addition to her relatives there was the larger family to which she belonged from the time she took the veil in this Convent. These, her numerous Sisters, mourn her loss to-day. She still belongs to their community, though released from the bonds of the flesh. Her name will he ever piously mentioned here with that of Sisters Mary Juliana, Ignatius, Baptist and ’ Josephine, and the other members of that hand who have gone before in the sign of faith and sleep the sleep of peace. The community will miss one who had grown from girlhood to mature years in their midst, and her cheerful companionship, her unaffected, simple, sisterly kindness will he long remembered and will deepen their sense of loss. But it is to the special features in connection with a nun’s death that it is well to turn, for it is these that make her loss more than a personal one, it is these that have aroused the sympathy of this kindly town of Hokitika. The death of q nun has a claim to the sympathy of those outside her immediate circle, because of the meaning of the life of a Sister to the community. If we had been here, when many years ago, she formed the decision of giving herself for liie to God and had asked why she, a young lady of alluring, worldly pro- " spects. chose to leave all, to clothe herself in the humble garb of a Sister of Mercy, and when after a careful period of probation, she did give herself to God—her body and her soul—she would have answered: “Because of the love of Jesus, Whom I have seen, Whom 1 have loved, in Who 1 have trusted from the day perhaps of her I irst Communion. She would sav perhaps that she had striven to emulate the heroism of the devoted women whom had crossed the sens and given up home and all to educate her in the knowledge of Christ. And how, we might have asked her, would she repay the love of Christ for the love of her soul. Well, by leading such a life as the Divine Model led upon earth. Tlie life of Christ is the justification of the religious life. The whole entourage of our Lord on earth conformed to the Master’s standard and gradually left all to follow Him. Even those who, like St. Paul, came late, felt the charity of Christ pressing them to a life of renunciation. Even if the life of the Sister were spent in a Contemplative Order, it would still be the salt of the earth and the life of the world. The life of the religious creates around about her a healthy moral and religious influence. She is “the good odour of Jesus Christ.” The man of the world, in pursuit of gain, is reminded to seek also treasures in Heaven where “ the moth eats not and where thieves break not in and steal.” Tbo.se in the married state are exhorted to live according to the holiness of the state in the example of such renuneiaton. Young men and women to keep themselves unsullied from this world when they see her living a life of an angel in the flesh. Deeds speak louder than words and the life of such a religious as the deceased was a more eloquent exhortation to virtue and the proof of the possibility of its attainment. But there arc also the direct advantages which the life of such a religions confers on the community. Tlie deceased became a nun out of supernatural patriotism. “God is my witness how I long for all in the heart of Jesus Christ.” (St. Paul.) She made her choice accordingly. She made the choice of this community w hjch hears the street name of Mercy

—whose object is self-immolation. Slio vowed to go wherever she was sent. She knew what was before her, but accepted her life work—the education of the voung, to impart to them sound religious education to fit them to fulfil their position in the world. The life of such as-the deceased Sister is the most convincing argument that re_ ligion must permeate education and give it its direction. While Souls such as she are willing to consecrate themselves, to give their all, our Holy Church can face the responsibility which is imposed on her of being the Alma Mater of her children. When the news of her death is spread abroad many a young man and woman will sav-' “ Sister Mary Joseph prepared me for ’my First Holy Communion, or taught me," for perhaps after the memory of a mother the longest memory is of her who taught us our religion. Her character as a religious was as an open book which all who run may read. She ever retained the innoj come of childhood and her place wall be in the nurseries of Heaven. Despite advancing ago and infirmities, she retained the character of girlhood; nothing old but the enfeebled frame. He that receiveth the Kingdom of Heaven as a child will not enter it at all. She loved this House of St. Columbkillo’s and when she was absent from it, realising her health was undermined she longed to return to it. Of the resignation of her death we need not speak for “Nothing became her in. life as the leaving of it.” The funeral services took place at 2.30 p.m. and were conducted by Bcv. Father Finertv and the clergy before mentioned. There were present the Sisters of Mercy of Westland, together with the pupils of the Convent Schools of Hokitika. Kuinara, Boss. Riniu and Kanieri, at all of which schools the deceased had been a teacher. The cortege was close upon half a mile in length being headed by the children who were followed liv the Altar Boys, Clergy and Hibernian Society. After the hearse came the Sisters of Mercy, the Children of Mary and the general public, among whom were representatives of all parts of Westland, there being over a score of motor ears brining up the end of the procession. The obsequies were most impressive and the large concourse bore testimony to the high regard in which the deceased Sister was held. The pall-hearers were all employees of the firm of Joseph Mandl and Co.