Obituary.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 33, 14 August 1902, Page 20

Obituary.

MR J. P. BENNELL, ADDINGTON.

Very much regret (writes an occasional correspondent) was felt at the death of Mr James Patrick Rennell, who passed away on Tuesday evening, August 5, at his residence, Addington. Mr llennell, who was 62 years of age, was born in Clontarf, County Dublin, Ireland. He arrived in the Colony about 40 years ago and settled in the North Island, where he worked for several years. During his sojourn there he hai the great pleasure to see Bishop Pompallier, Bishop Viard, the Rev. Father Se*on and ethers of the devoted French missionaries, who first preached and planted the faith in the Colony. About the year 1865 he came to Canterbury and shortly afterwards married Miss Julia Martin The late Rev. Father Chervier celebrated the ceremony in the old Catholic Church in Barbadoes street. Soon afterwards he obtained employment as a machinist in the Government Railway workshops, which were subsequently removed to Addington. He followed this trade for 27 years and he therefore ranked among the oldeat employees at the workshops.

Mr llennell had ever taken the greatest interest in Church matters in Addington, where he ha I lived for the past 18 yearp. When a Sunday school vas established he iubtructtd the children in catechism. He was also one of the uhurch committee, and had charge of the church up to the time of his deith. Indeed, when it was a question of doing something for the advanoement of religion, to him no position seemed too humble or task too arduous and his demise is therefore truly a great loss to the Catholics in Addington. He was also a dibgeut reader of the N.Z. Tablet and a subscriber to this excellent paper from its first issue.

Mr Rennell had been in failing health for some time, but his death waß nevertheless somewhat sudden and quite unexpected. On the Sunday before he assisted at Mass and approached the Sacraments. He waß attended in his last brief illness of three or four days by the Rev. Father McDonnell and received all the rites of Holy Church. A large number of persons assembled at his funeral, which took place on the Friday following his demise. At an early hour his remains were conveyed to the Addington Church, and a Requiem Mass was said by the Rev. Father McDonnell, who, before the Mass, delivered an address on the good character of the deceased. In the afternoon the funeral cortege was reformed and proceeded to the Sydenham public ceoietpry, where the deceased was interred. The Rev. Father McDonnell, assisted by the Rev Fathers Richards and O'Connell, officiated at the grave. Many members of the Amalgamated Society of Railway servants, also of the Hibernian Society were present. Mr Rennell leaves a widow and a grown-up family, three daughters and six sons, to mourn their loss. — 8.1.P.