DEATH OF FATHER O’REILLY.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 141, 27 July 1880, Page 3

DEATH OF FATHER O’REILLY.

A good old man has gone to his rest in the person of the Rev. Father O’Reilly, whose decease will be sincerely mourned by the religious community to whose spiritual wants he Mas such a zealous minister, and whose sorrow will be sincerely sympathised with by persons of all sections of belief, who have any knowledge of the many virtues of the kind and charitable old priest now gathered to his fathers. The Rev. Jeremiah Joseph Purcell O’Reilly was horn in Cork Ireland in the year 170 S). Ho was educated in France and Rome, and, entering the order of St. Francis, was ordained a priest at the age of 20. After beiug in Cork and Dublin for some time he was stationed in Kilkenny, where he greatly endeared himself to his people by liis untiring zeal and kindness of disposition. When in 1841 lie sailed for Wellington, having accepted the position of chaplain to Lord Petre the parting with his flock as may he imagined was a very bitter one. Arrived in this city, Father O’Reilly set to work to establish the first Roman Catholic Church in the settlement and ministered in the building erected by his exertions on the site of M’l at is now St. Joseph’s Boulcott-street, until ISOS, when he paid a visit to Europe spending about six months of the time in Rome where lie was appointed cliaplasn'to the Papal Zouaves He returned to the colony in 1870 with Bishop Yiard and devoted himself u ich untiring activity to his parish work r 'il IS7D when owing;to his great age and g ing infirmity lie was compelled to retire, was succeeded in charge of the paris'the Rev. Father Kerrigan, who had ' i assisting Father O’Reilly for some t ne previous to his retirement and still lids j the cure. Altougli very feeble, the y >d old priest continued able to get about i 1 a few months ago, his venerable appea as lie plodded his u r ay through the s

at once impressing a stranger with rr Latterly the poor old man hou'eve been breaking up and for several day.; M'as unable to leave his bed in the sc

room next to St. Joseph’s Ch irch wliere, as long as lie could possibly do so, he passed the great portion of his time engaged in religious exercises. Gradually his powers failed him although lie retained his mental faculties to the last, and yesterday afternoon, amid the most devoted attentions of loving friends, he peacefully departed this life to reap the reward of his labors. As lias been already intimated, it is almost impossible to express the love and esteem which Father O'Reilly inspired among the members of his flock. Of him it might truly be said in the words of Chaucer—- “ This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf That first lie wrought, and afterwards he taught. #***#-* # * Christe’s lore and his apostles twelve He taught, but first he folwed it himselve.” Father O'Reilly’s life was indeed a living sermon to his flock. His charity was unbounded, and the call of sickness was never made to him in vain. In fact he gave away nearly all his means, living a most abstemious life himself, iH order that he might relieve the wants of his less fortunate brethren, no matter to what creed they belonged; ane there is no doubt that his health wns greatly injured by the privations and exposure to the weather he endured on his visits of mercy, As an instance of his selfdenying habits, it is recorded that he declined to take up bis residence in the parsonage erected for him in Boulcott street, saying it was much to grand for him, upon which the school-room, already referred to, was fitted up as comfortably as possible for him, and here he breathed his last. It is also told of him that some years ago, he was called oat to a sick person living at what is now known as Newtown, but which was then a howling wilderness of swamp and hills. Unfortunately the good old priest lost his way, and next morning was found by a milkman, up to his waist in a swamp, calmly telling his beads. It may also be mentioned that Father O'Reilly was an earnest and successful temperance advocate, and was an author of culture and ability, having written various books on the teachings of the Church and other subjects. The funeral of the deceased priest is fixed to take place on Sunday afternoon, in the Catholice Cemetery. The procession will leave St. Joseph’s Church at half-past two, and the interment will take place with all the solemnities of the Church. In the meantime the body will lie in state at the Church from this evening until Sunday.— Post.