OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, 16 August 1917, Page 17

OBITUARY

REV. MOTHER MARY ALACOQUE, ST. MARY'S CONVENT, PONSONBY. There was universal regret in Auckland when it was announced early on Wednesday morning (August Ist) that. Rev. Mother Alacoque had died the previous evening at the Mater Hospital. The deceased religious had been ailing for some weeks but it was thought that a change to the Mater would ensure a speedy recovery. God, however, had willed otherwise for on the very morning of her arrival there, she had a recurrence of the heart seizures' from which she had suffered and the last Sacraments having been administered by the hospital chaplain, Rev. Father Speirings, she passed painlessly to her reward. Rev. Mother Alacoque's name has been a household word in Auckland for over thirty years, as she had been stationed at St. Mary's Convent during the greater portion of her religious life and her death besides being a great loss to her community will be mourned by numbers of people in whose lives she has been a potent influence for good. She was a native of Elphin, Co. Roscommon, from which town she left as a volunteer for the missionary work of the Order of Mercy in New Zealand nearly 43 years ago. A pupil of the Sisters of Mercy, it was remarked of her always that she carried from them the noblest tradition of the Order in Ireland, and during the long years of her career the highest praise that could be awarded to her was to say that she exemplified that ideal Sister of Mercy of whom Cardinal Newman—writing of the Foundress, Mother Catherine Macauley, says "Perfection was the bright gaol to which she tended—and hence we find her possessed of such noble self-command, so crucified in the flesh, so meek, so gentle, so tenderhearted, so merciful, so prayerful, so diligent, so forgetful of injuries, together with that facility of performing acts of devotedness above and beyond the ordinary acts of good people in which Benedict XV. places heroic virtue." A skilful educationist for quarter of a century she labored as Principle of St. Mary's High School—a duty that she was relieved of, only to assume the weightier responsibility of the Superiorship of the Order of Mercy in Auckland. The watchword of her

life was “Devotion to Duty,” and her one aim—to instil the spirit of faith into the girls, who came under her care. During the days preceding the funeral the remains were viewed by hundreds of sorrowing friends, and at the obsequies on Friday morning the convent chapel was all too small for the numbers who came to pay the last duty of religious charity to the deceased nun. The Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated by the Very Rev. Chancellor Holbrook, D.S., assisted by Rev. Fathers Dunphy and O’Malley, as deacon and subdeacon respectively, and Rev. Father Murphy, Adm., master of ceremonies. The music of the Mass was sung by the Rev. Fathers Furlong, Kelly, Speirings, Taylor, and the Marist Brothers, while in the sanctuary were the Rev. Fathers Golden, Tommy, Cahill, O’Brien, McLaughlin, Bleakley, Brennan, and Ainsworth, S;M. (Wellington). The sermon was preached by the Right Rev. Mgr. Gillan, V.G., who took for his text, “Who

is man that he should live for ever," and in a brief address consoled the sorrowing congregation with the thought of the many virtues and life of preparedness of the deceased Rev. Mother. He reminded the laity that as they were there to pay her the last tribute of love and respect, they were also to remember the solemn debt of gratitude they owed to the dear Rev. Mother who had during her long years in Auckland, educated more than half the Catholic mothers of the present generation, and this debt could be repaid only by prayer, and by fidelity to the virtues she had so nobly inculcated. What these virtues were they all knew, but the greatest of them was charity and a loving trust in God's Providence, shown by acceptance of all things from the hand of God, as His holy and adorable will. The last blessing having been given the procession formed and the congregation, reciting the Rosary meanwhile, slowly filed through the convent grounds to the gate, where the motors awaited. In it were the Sisters of Mercy with their representative Superiors from the twelve branch houses of the Order, the Sisters of the Poor, Sisters of the Mission, and Sisters of St. Joseph, followed by the laity. Outside the convent a body-guard of pupils had been formed under the direction of the Rev. Brothers Benignus and Calixtus, which extended from St. Francis de Sales street to St. Mary's road. At the gates of the new cemetery, Hillsboro', which is at the crest of a neighboring hill to the Pah, a column of children in blue from St. Mary's Orphanage, lined the roadway to the grave, and there, beside the recently-formed grave of another saintly pioneer (the late Mother de Chantal), was laid to rest all that was earthly of one of God's heroines in New Zealand, Mother M. Alacoque. The Rev. clergy intoned the burial service psalms, and the "Benedictus" being sung, the last "Requiem aeternam" was said and many a fervent prayer offered that the soul of the dear Rev. Mother might rest in peace.—R.l.P. MR. THOMAS WYNN FORDE, HEDDON BUSH. It caused a great shock to the residents of surrounding districts when it became known that Mr. Thomas Wynn Forde, a much-respected resident of Heddon Bush, had died in a private hospital in Invercargill on Saturday morning, July 7. The deceased, who was always in the best of health, motored to Invercargill on Friday, the 6th, accompanied by his wife. He seemed quite as well as usual, and attended to his business about the town until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when he complained of feeling unwell. This illness so developed that he was obliged to stay in town overnight. During the night, acting under medical advice, he was removed to a private hospital, where he peacefully passed away in the morning, fortified by the rights of Holy Church. The late Mr. Forde, who was born in County Gal way, Ireland, 58 years ago, came to New Zealand when about 19 years of age. He began road contracting with his brother, and later on his own account. About 25 years ago he acquired land in the Heddon Bush district, where he farmed successfully until his death. During his residence there he had witnessed the conversion of three or four sheep stations in the immediate vicinity from tussocky wilds into one of the richest parts of the province. He was a keen enthusiast in all kinds of sport. In his young days he was a fine athlete, being possessed of great endurance and. physique. Being; of a genial and kindly disposition, the late Mr. Forde never studied himself when he saw anyone in need of assistance, and his death at so early an age and when in robust health will be keenly felt by all. lie is survived by his widow and five of a family (two boys and three girls) to mourn the deep loss of so good a husband and father. The funeral, which left St. Mary's Basilica for the Eastern Cemetery on Monday, July 9, was the largest ever seen in Invercargill, which goes to show the high esteem in which deceased was held. Very Rev. Father Lynch, of Wrey's Bush (to whose parish the

lato Mr. Forde belonged), and llev. Father Woods officiated at the interment.—R.l.P.MRS. EDWARD CONWAY, WANGANUI. Death has deprived the community of a promising' young woman, in the person of Mrs. Edward Conway (nee Miss B. Haugh), who passed away at Wanganui on Saturday, July 28, after an illness of several months' duration, borne with piety and resignation. The deceased was born at Nenagh, County Tipperary, and was a daughter of the late. Michael Haugh, a sterling and upright Catholic and Nationalist. After spending some years in the "United States, the late Mrs. Conway came to New Zealand about twelve months ago, and was married on arrival. 111-health supervened, ending in her sad and early demise. The Sisters of St. Joseph's Convent were in constant attendance during her illness, and the Rev. Father O'Farrell, S.M., was unremitting in his attention to her, and administered the last rites of Holy Church. The remains were interred in the Catholic Cemetery, Wanganui, Rev. Father O'Farrell officiating at the graveside. The deceased leaves a husband to mourn his loss, also a baby girl seven weeks' old. The deceased was much beloved by all who knew her, and greatly respected for her great Catholic faith and love of country. —R.I.P. MR. ROBERT J. McCLINTOCK, ALEXANDRA. Mr. Robert James McClintock, proprietor of the Bendigo Hotel, Alexandra, died on Tuesday night, July 17, after a long and painful illness patiently borne. He was a native of Melbourne, and was aged 48 years. He came to New Zealand 22 years ago, worked for a short time in Invercargill, then went to Oamaru to manage a hotel. He was married in Oamaru in 1901 to Miss A. Tobin, of Arrowtown, and Mr. and Mrs. McClintock entered into possession of the Ballarat Hotel at St. Bathans. Subsequent movements were to the West Coast, Dunedin, and finally to Alexandra. It is nine years ago since Mr. and Mrs. McClintock took possession of the Bendigo Hotel, and both became deservedly popular in Alexandra. Mr. McClintock, who was known as a generous and upright man, took a lively interest in all movements for the betterment of the town. For seven years up to last April, when he resigned his seat on account of ill health, he was a member of the Borough Council, in which body he rendered much good service. He took a prominent part in bowling, of which he was a keen devotee, and in he earlier days of the club lent yeoman service. Mrs. McClintock is left with four young children, three boys and one girl. The first children of the union, twin daughters, died shortly after birth at St. Bathans, and it was Mr. McClintock's wish to be buried alongside these. In accordance with his wish the interment took place at St. Bathans, Rev. Father O'Dea officiating at the graveside. On Thursday morning the body was taken from Alexandra to St. Bathans, and a good number of residents attended the procession from the Bendigo Hotel to the railway station to pay their lastrespects to the dead. Members of the Borough Council acted as pall-bearers. On Thursday morning Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of deceased was celebrated in the Alexandra Catholic Church by Rev. Father Hunt. The deepest sympathy of a wide circle of friends is extended to Mrs. McClintock and family in their bereavement.—R.l.P.