THE LADY ABBESS OF KILCUMEIN.

New Zealand Tablet, 24 July 1919, Page 28

THE LADY ABBESS OF KILCUMEIN.

The Benedictine Nuns of Kilcumein Abbey, near Fort Augusta, have sustained a severe loss in the’death of their Abbess, Dame Scholastica Weld, who had been their Superioress for 25 years (says the Glasgow Oh-scrrt-r). On Wednesday, April 30, she was laid to rest in Kilcumein Abbey cemetery, near her mother (Lady Weld) and her spiritual daughters who have already passed to their reward. It will be remembered by many that Dame Scholastica was enthroned as first Lady Abbess of Kilcumein Abbey by Bishop Bennett, of Aberdeen, as lately as September last. On the Saturday within the Easter Octave a somewhat lingering illness terminated in death, after the reception of the last rites of Holy Church. On St. Catherine’s Day, April 30, the funeral took place. The singing of the High Mass of Requiem and the ceremonial were carried out in as perfect a manner as possible by the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey. Stormy weather had prevailed lor some days previously, but Wednesday was warm 1 and fair, and one could not help remarking the beauty of the spring flowers in the monastic enclosure as the procession wended its way to the nuns’ cemetery, nob far distant from the shores of Loch Ness. Lady Abbess Weld was the fifth daughter of Sir F. A. Weld, G.C.M.G., of Chideock Manor, Dorset, and was born in New Zealand while her father was Prime Minister there, some 53 years ago. Her mother was Mena, daughter of Ambrose Phillips de Lisle of Gracedieu, the well-known convert. Dame Scholastica, in a marked degree, inherited the zeal and virtues of her saintly parents. She was the first professed nun for the foundation of St. Scholastica’s Priory, near Fort Augustus, recently raised to the dignity of Kilcumein Abbey. Her 27 years of Benedictine life prepared her well for her holy death : and her winning personality causes not only her Community, but numerous friends in Scotland and England, to mourn their loss. May * she have rest eternal and light perpetual,