THE LATE DEAN FOLEY

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 52, 28 December 1905, Page 3

THE LATE DEAN FOLEY

OBSEQUIES AND FUNERAL

The high esteem in which the late Dean Foley was held by the Catholics of Christchurch, and t>he great sorrow felt by them at his death, received practical manifestation on Wednesday morning by the very large congregation which was present at the Solemn Pontifical Requiem Mass in the Cathedral, Barbadoes St. Not alone was the deceased revered and respected by the Catholics of the city, but he had the esteem of all classes in the community. It was only meet that the solemn ceremonies should take place in the new Cathedral in which he had taken so keen an interest, and for which he had done so much. A catafalque was placed in front of the sanctuary. The high altar and the sanctuary were draped with black, and also the pulpit. The Requiem Mass was sung by his Lordship the Bishop, with the Very Rev. Father Le Menant des Chesnais, V.G., as assistant priest. The Very Dean O'Donnell was deacon of the Mass, and Father Marnane subdeacon. The Very Rev. Deans Bowers and Ginaty were deacons at the throne ; Rev. Father O'Connell master of ceremonies ; v and Rev. Fathers Mahony and Richards cantors. There were present in the sanctuary Yen. Archdeacon Devoy (Wellington), Very Rev. Dean Smythe (Hastings), Rev. Fathers Coffey (nephew of the deceased Dean), Cleary, Corcoran, Lynch, and M. Ryani (from Otago), O'Connor (Waimate), Hyland (Rangiora), Mac Donald, Kerley (Temuka), Goggan (Leeston), Kennedy (Akaroa), Ahearn (Darfield), Peoples, Cooney (Lyttelton), Creed (Ashburton), Hoare, MacDonnell (Rangiora), Graham, (Wellington), and Finnerty (Timaru). The Sermon. The sermon was preached by the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, who took for his text the words : ' I will raise Me up a faithful priest who shall do according to My heart and My soul.'— l Kings, ii, 35. His Lordship said the words he had read would come to 'all their minds on that most mournful occasion. They were gathered together to pay a tribute )to the memory of one whose life for thirty years was a practical illustration of the words of the text. His brethren in the ministry, and all who knew him, could Hear testimony to this. Only a few days ago, when in the northern part of the diocese, when the revered Dean was dead, though he (the Bishop) knew it not, he had felt most deeply the loss of the counsel and assistanco which had been so ungrudgingly given by the Dean on more than one occasion when engaged in similar duties. That day devoted priests had come 'from all parts of the Colony to show their high appreciation of the devoted priest and loving friend who had passed away. He (the Bishop) felt the solemnity of the occasion, and his grief at losing so devoted a friend was such that he was inadequate to the duty imposed on him that day. He would far rather be simply amongst them, mingling his tears and prayers with theirs. Few knew the late Dean in all New Zealand better than he did ; few held him more in esteem, and felt his loss so keenly as he did. All were the poorer for his loss ; he most of all. He held in his hand numbers of messages of condolence and sympathy from numbers of people of all ranks, many outside their Church. The Premier telegraphed— ' It is with profound regret that I notice in the "Press" the death of dear Very Rev. Dean Foley, and hasten to tender my warmest sympathy. The Church has lost a faithful and devoted servant, and our earnest prayers will be that his soul may rest in the bosom of our Divine Master, Whom he has served so well.— R. J. Seddon.' He had also received the following letter from one of the most noted lawyers in the Colony :— c Dear Bishop Grimes,— Permit me to express to you my very sincere regret at the death of the Very Rev. Dean Foley. I have known him for many years, and I have always felt a regard approaching to love towards him. His was — to my mmd — one of the kindliest and most lovable natures with which I ever came into contact, and I have often thought that if the world possessed a large number of men of his stamp it would be a much more delightful place to live in.' Sir Joseph Ward telegraphed :— ' I have just heard with the deepest regret of the death of your valued priest, Dean Foley, and I offer you my sincerest sympathy for the loss of one who I know was a great personal friend of your own. He has left behind him many monuments of his good works, as well as the respect and esteem of all classes in the community in the different places he has so faithfully worked in.' lie had also received messages of sympathy from Bishop Lenihan, whom his Lordship thanked in a most special way for the kjndly and af-

fectionate care"' bestowed by *him upon tire late Deah Foley, during the latter' s long and painful illness; Monsignors Mackay and O'Reilly,: and many others, ■ among them being one from the St. Vincent de Paul- Society. The late Dean was indeed a lovable nature. Modesty was one of his greatest characteristics, and he was only one cfa many of his family who, had given themselves to. religion. His was a true missionary spirit, anH lie^ fdok the earliest opportunity afforded him to go forth into the world to preach the Gospel. The parish of Timaru ought never to forget the unflagging zeal, watchfulness, and earnest interest displayed for many years amongst them. Everywhere the late Dean endeared himself • to the people he worked amongst, by the whole-hearted and faithful manner in which he discharged his duty. He threw himself with unexampled zeal into the work of the erection of the beautilul temple in which they were assembled. Twice he had accompanied him- (the Bishop) throughout his extensive diocese on missions in connection with the Cathedral. It was then he learned to appreciate the late Dean to the full for his spiritual zeal for the souls committed to his charge. When any poor soul steeped in misery wanted a kind word to lift him up, Dean Foley was the man to give it. The love of God was his constant theme in preaching, and never had he met so unselfish a man as the Dean. He was, whilst uncompromising in his denunciation of vice, kindly to a degree. He would go miles and miles out ol his way to do good, and many families that day had cause to bless his name. He would never forget his consideration for himself (the Bishop) when offering to go to the Chatham Islands. 'It is too hard a journey for the Bishop,' he said. ' I will go.' He labored with unselfish raeal ; he could do so no longer. In the schools the Dean took the keenest interest, and it was he who urged the going Of the Marist Brothers to Timaru, and who erected a magnificent building foi them. In the noble institutions of Mount Magdala and Nazareth House he was also warmly interested. It was the greatest possible sacrifice that could have been asked of the Dean, that he was not allowed to see the opening of the noble temple which he loved so .well, and foi which he worked so well. It was a standing memorial v to his faithfulness and unflagging zeal and his generosity. While, however, they were holding his farewell, they were not to mourn as those hope. It was a remarkable instance of his zeal that only some little time back he had expressed a hope that he would be spared yet a while to work for the Cathedral. His memory would live in their hearts, and in the Cathedral for which he had done so much. THE FUNERAL On Thursday morning at 9.45 the remains of the late Dean Foley reached Christchurch from Auckland. They were met at the station by his Lordship the Bishop, the local and visiting clergy, and a considerable body of the laity and were brought to the Cathedral, where a Requiem Mass Was celebrated by the Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., Dunedin, nephew of the deceased. Shortly after eleven o'clock the clergy and laity re-for-med in procession, while the organist (Miss K. Young) played the Dead March in v Saul,' and the mortal remains of the deceased Dean were conveyed to the railway station and thence by the second express to Temuka. At Temuka a Solemn Requiem Mass had already been celebrated on Thursday morning for the repose of the late pastor of the mission. The celebrant was the Rev. Father Rockliffe ; Rev. Father Regnault, deacon ; Rev. Father Tubhian, subdeacon ; Rev. Fathers Le Petit and Le Floch, masters of ceremonies ; Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay (who presided), Very, Rev. Father O'Neill, and Rev. Father Murphy, cantors. On arrival at Temuka a procession was formed and the funeral proceeded to the church, where the absolutions were given by the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, assisted by the Very Rev. Dean O'Donnell and Rev. M. Ryan. The following is a complete list of The Clergy who "were present in the sanctuary and at the graveside :— From the archdiocese of Wellington : The Yen. /Archdeacon Devoy, S.M. (Provincial), representing the Marist Order and the Archbishop of Wellington ; Very Rev. Dean Smythe (Hastings). From the diocese of Dunedin : The Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay (Oamaru) ;Very Rev. Father O'Neill (Milton) ; Rev. P. Murphy (Riverton) ; Rev. J. Coffey, Adm. (Dunedin) ; Rev. M. Ryan (Mosgiel) ; Rev. W. Corcoran (South Dunedin) ; Rev. H. W. Cleary (Dunedin). From the diocese of Christchurch : The Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, S.M. ; Very Rev. T. Le Menant des Chesnais, S.M., V.G. ; Very Rev. Dean Ginaty ; Very Rev.

Dean O'Donnell (Ashburton) ; Very Rev. Dean Bowers (Geraldine) ; Rev. Father Marnane (St. Mary's, Christchurch) ; Rev. Father Regnault (Wainiate) ; Rev. Father Tubman (Timaru) ; Rev. Father Le Petit (Fairlie) ; Rev. Father Hyland (Rangiora) ; Rev. Father Goggan (LeesIon) ; Rev. Father Richards (Lincoln) ; Rev. Father Cooney (Lyttelton) ; Rev. Dr. Kennedy (Akaroa)i; Rev. Father Ahearn (Darfleld) ; Rev! Fathers O'Connell and S. Mahony (Cathedral, Christchurch) ; Rev. Fathers Kerley and Rockliffe (Temuka) ; Rev. Father Creed (Ashburton) ; Rev. Fathers Le Floch and Finnerty (Timaru); Rev. Father O'Connor (Waimate) ; Rev. Father Hoare. There were also present representatives of branches of the Hibernian Society to which the late Dean was chaplain — namely, Lhe New Headford Branch (represented by Bro. S. J. Ryan ; and the Christchurch Branch, represented by Bros. T. Pender, R. J. Hay ward, O'Connell, and O'Connor. After the absolutions at the catafalque, the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes preached A Panegyric on the deceased from the following text of 11. Tim., iv., 7t-8 : ' I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a ,crown of justice, which the just J,udge will render to me (n that day ; and not only to me, but to them that love His coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.' The speaker thought he might appropriately put upon the lips of the departed Dean those words which one great apostle had addressed to another. He too had fought the good fight, he had completed his course, he had preserved the faith, and now they (his hearers) all hoped that the i crown of justice was upon his brows. He was not going to preach a panegyric on one whose memory was held in benediction among both priests and people. A pagan writer had said : ' Either one says too little and errs against truth, and disappoints survivors ; or he says too much and is accused of exaggeration, and is not believed.' He (the speaker) pjeaded guilty as to the first count. As to the second, there was no danger of exaggeration. There were those present who had known the dear departed Dean from his childhood ; they knew how even then his piet) was a household word ; they knew his devotion to duty, his fatherly care of the sick and poor throughout his priestly life. His precious remains were brought theie at his own request. ' Heaven,' said his Lordship, 'is my witness to the pain which I felt when I saw him removed from the church where he had worked so devotedly, and passed so many years of his ministry.' But (added his Lordship) Dean Foley's last wish was that his body Should rest among the people, whom he loved so well, and he now reposed almost (so to speak) under the shadow of the spot where the people, if not ungrateful, should long be mindful of him. Timaru owed a debt of gratitute to the late Dean Foley. They too (his hearers) shared in the fruits of his ministry. And so he (the speaker) made the sacrifice and allowed the precious remains to rest among <them. Another reason also urged him. The late Dean Foley's predecessor, Father Fauvel, had died far from the spot which he loved so well and for which he had toiled so zealously ; and in a spirit of humility and self-sacrifice he had expressed a wish to be buried among strangers. His successor wished to be brought among the people over whom he had been pastor. Even in the short time he had been in charge, he loved his people as a father loves his children ; he was a true pastor, ever ready to lay down his life for his flock. Now, out of respect for his dying wish, his remains would rest in their God's acre. They would guard and treasure that precious gift. And from the gra\e their departed pastor would still preach earnestly to them to fight the good fight, to serve God and the Church, save their souls, and share one day in the crown he (the speaker) hoped their beloved spiritual father was enjoying. He concluded by exhorting them to pray in their homes and in the church and at the graveside for the repose of the soul of the late Dean Foley. His Lordship spoke throughout with much feeling, and during his discourse many in the congregation were much affected. The Cortege from the church to the cemetery (about a mile distant) was a long and imposing one. It was headed by cross-bearer and acolytes ; next followed the clergy (29 in number) and the Bishop, in their proper robes ;* after the hearse came the chief mourners (Rev. Father Coffey, nephew of deceased, and Very Rev. Dean Smythe)/ ; and after them a great concourse of people. Among these was a fine body of members (50 in number)' of the local Catholic Young Men's Club, in whom the late Dean Foley had, during his pastorate

of Temuka, taken a great interest. Both at Christchurch and Temuka the pall-bearers were selected from the clergy of the dioceses of Christchurch and Dunedin. The services at the graveside were conducted by his Lordship the Bishop, and the whole body of the clergy joined in the singing of the ' Benedictus ' and the responses. There were many wreaths placed upon the grave, among them a handsome one from the Christchurch Branch of the Hibernian Society.— R.l. P.