FUNERAL OBSEQUIES

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1931, Page 5

FUNERAL OBSEQUIES

LATE MOTHER MARY CLARE A very fine tribute was paid to the late Mother Mary Clare 1 this- morning when her funeral took place. There was a large concourse of people, St. Mary’s Church being packed to the door. 1 ' ... Leaving the Convent Chapel where • they had lain in state the previous day, the remains of.. the ..deceased Sister were taken across to St.'Mary’ Church at 9.30 a.m. where Pontificial Requiem Mass vvas celebrated by His Lordship Bishop Brodie, of Christchurch;Al'Rev. Fathers Burger S.M. (Stßede ’s - College Christchurch) was deacon,, and O’Connor (Addington) Rev Dr. Kennedy (Beckenham!) .was(Assistant Priest and and Rev. 'Father Healy (Greymouth) was Master of Ceremonies. The music of. the Mass, was rendered by a choir of priests led by Rev. Father Finerty, and the following clergy were present in the Sanctuary: Rev. Fathers Long and Phelan (Westport), L. Daly (Lower Hutt) Seymour S.M. (Reefton), Long (Greymouth), Gregory, (Greymouth) - Lordan (Kumara), Finerty'and McKay (Hokitika), ! and Rev. Bro. Fergus (Marist Bjrothi ers, Greymouth.) - V j .Immediately iVjter. ,the Mass, His _ Lordship the Bishop, preached a beautiful panegyric over the' deceased taking a 3 his text “Blessed art* the Dead who died in the Lord.’’ His Lordship traced iu beautiful terms the life work of the deceased .Sister. ~.Fe,:.-^coßnte<lh-ow yieafa ago, on October; 15th'., 1878,cjai Ip* bantl of sisters,; Mjbjjr the deceased 4 ,'landvd at Hokitika from " Ireland to found a convent and commence their work of . Ca tholic education on the West Coast;.. From that : little community, others have sprung and to-day the work of the Sisters of Mercy on the West Coast i? held in.the highest esteem. The Bishop spoke of the many pupils Mother Alary Clare had taught, vocations had been festered and inspired by the example of the devoted Sister. „ His Lordship concluded by commending the soul of the decanted Sister .to the prayers of the faithful. Her work has been, blessed and ■ may her bereaved ; sisters soled by the blessings . that’ li|tys.lconie'.A. upon them. ;. ' { .' d ;■ i ;; :'((’. The Absolution of, .the'.casketU .was". • then pronounced by 'the Bishop y . Jiaiclj, then: it was borne. slowly? . Churc-hi to the strains: of the.'( ‘.'Dead; March” played-by Miss A..'Daly.‘.((‘Following behind the coffin came the Sisters, some fifty-.three, in all attending. ■ ! The pall . 'bearers > were.: —Messrs W. • Jeffries; D. Stuart, E. Dale, J. Devan- , ev and, P. O’Connor. • •• The funeral procession moved off at 11 o’clock, it being headed by the Cross hearer and ' acoylatcs, school children. Children of Alary m regalia, and Hibernians and followed by the Sisters, in motor cars and a large ccn» course of the public. On arrival at the cemetery Hie I/WtL ship the Bishop officiated at the grave, side while the. Bemedicltus was chanted by a choir of clergy. When the body of .the deceased sister was l.’fd m her last resting the Bishop said the concluding prayers and on behalf of -the Sisters of Alercy thanked r!l those who had assembled to pay such fine homage to one, whose noble-work on4.£arth, will always he a lasting remembrance.