Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Fr, Alban Cowley (1828-1891) Father Alban of St,Anthony, £4.Dec, Provineé of St.Joseph. Fr.Alban, ote of the oldest priests in the Province of St.Joseph was born of Protestant parents in Englané on the 27th of Jan.1828 and was called Alfred Cowley. After his conversion to the Catholic faith he was called by Almighty God to our Congregation, clothed in the holy habit in July 1851 and professed in the following year. Several times he was elected Rector and likewise Superior of our House in Paris. In the last years of his life he went to live at Evesham where a new mission was established in 1887 of which he had the care. When he went to that town there were only eleven Catholics, but by reason of the zeal and energy he showed he increased the number to 80 before he died. His weak corstitution and increasing infirmities rendered the work too difficult for his strength, but wishing as he said to die in the field he exerted all his endeavours to remain at his post till the last, and when he was saying Mass for the last time the as~ sistance of two seculars was necessary to help him from the Altar. Perceiving that his end was not far distant he went to Live with his brethren in Broadway to prepare himself for death and there gave edi-~ fication by his fervour and resignation to the Will of God, who was pleased to call him to his reward on the vigil of Christmas,whilst | the religious were solemnly chanting the lst Vespers of that Feast.
CONGREGATION OF THE PASSION OF SESUS CHRIST. Reg.Charity 234436 Tel: 0171 272 0848 Fax: O1T1 272 0848 Answering machine Finance Admin. Office St Joseph's Retreat Highgate Hill London, N19 5NE August 2ist, 2001. TO THE BRETHREN . Dear Brethren, Fr. Alban Pearce, C.P. _ Born: July 28th, 1929. | Professed: February 2nd, 1949. © Ordained: July 22nd, 1955, Your charitable prayers and remembrances are requested for the repose of the soul of Father Alban, who died at his mission in Botswana, South Africa, on the 21st of August. RIP. B, CP...
22/07/2001 Father Alban's speech to his Parishioners | must apologize for not being with you for Mass today. But as a good priest | must obey my doctors orders. In all our lives there are days we never want to forget. Next Saturday 28" July 2001 is. one of those days for me. It is the day | was born- my birthday. | won't tell you what year | was born. If | did you would be telling me its time ! retired. Today the 22" of July is also a very special day in my life. A day | never want to forget. It was on the 22"% July 1955 that | was ordained a priest. Today | am looking at the photographs of my ordination and | couldn’t believe how young and handsome | was. How many Masses have | said in all these years, | do not know. What I do know is that I have never grown tired of saying Mass. Every time | stand at the alter | give thanks to GOD the FATHER for calling me to be a priest. For using my hands and my voice to bring CHRIST his SON into our lives and souls. 46 years | have been a priest. Today | thank GOD for the privilege of living 37 years of those years here in Botswana. | have informed the Bishop that no matter what happens to me, it is my desire and wish to end my days in Tsholofelong. GOD has been very good to me. He has blessed me with two families. My family in England who | love very much, here in
Tsholofelong you are also my family. | love you all very deeply. You are my family , my brothers and sisters and children. | thank you for your prayers, your loving concern that have given me strength, faith and hope. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL
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On the 16" August Fr. Alban phoned me to inform me that he has been discharged from the hospital and he would like to see me. We met that very day. He told me that he has cancer; he said the reason he is telling me is that he wanted someone in the Parish to know and to pass on the message to the Parishioners when the time comes. He said to me ‘the doctors have told me that I have about six months to live as the cancer I have is a rare type that spread very quickly." He went on to say, " Tefo, I have only one month to live and I am ready to go to my God. I don't want you to tell anybody as I do not want my congregation to think 1 am dying now, then start worrying and feel pity for me." This was too heavy for me; I broke the promise and shared this with two church elders. During the month we talked about a lot of issues, among them his dreams and Parish accounts. One of his dreams was to extend tile Church as you can see it is too small. Tsholofelong Parishioners we have to make this dream come true. I saw Fr.Alban on the morning of Tuesday 21st our usual communication of a smile and squeezing of my hand was no longer there I knew it was time as it was just over a month by a few days. Anne broke the news of his death to me " It was a month and he is gone" Fr.Alban was a father, a brother and a friend to each and every member of his congregation. 1 would like to thank the Bishop on behalf of Tsholofelong for sending Alban to us in 1995. He was a good shepherd. | don’t have to spell out what he did for us, you call all see for yourselves. Morena Mobishop - I pray that the Holy Spirit should guide you once again to give us another Alban. Ma- Tsholofelong we should count ourselves lucky and blessed to have had Alban as our Priest. He has taught us the importance of working together, being a family and the rewards of trusting in the Lord. Above all he has built us spiritually, he left us a gift of Faith, Hope and Love - the greatest is Love, let us cherish these gifts. His inspiring sermons will live with us forever. It is now up to us to continue where he left us not to go back, his spirit will always be among us - "Together we stand, divided we fall.” He loved music so much - Tsholofelong Church Choir you owe this to him - You know what I am talking about. Tshepong Care Group is his idea - A youth group for all churches in Tlokweng - taking care of the needy and HIV/AIDS infected and affected families. He provided all office and garden space. His last wish on this was for Tsholorelong Youth/Chiro to join - I hope you won't let him down. 1 would like to take this opportunity to thank the general community (family) of Tsholofelong for the support they gave Fr.Alban and his family during the difficult times. Le ka moso ba gaetsho. I would like to thank tile Bishop and all the Priests for talking care of us - we had all our Masses as scheduled - I know this was not easy for you. Thank you Dr.Akarele and your family and Dr.Tendon, you were always there for us no matter what time you were called, you made yourselves available. Brother Brendan, you were like a younger brother to Alban, thank you very much. Lastly - Anne, thank you for coming -"Beloved Sister" at such a short notice, you came at the time we needed you most. Remember you have another home in Tsholofelong. I thank you all Batlokwa and the Catholic community in Botswana for your support and cooperation. REST IN PEACE FR.ALBAN.......ccssssseessseees -AMEN. Saturday 25/08/2001 Tefo Lionjanga Chairperson - Tsholofelong
A MEMORIAL MASS in thanksgiving for the life of FATHER ALBAN PEARCE C.P. 28th July 1929 - 21st August 2001 iMay he rest in peace - Robala ka kagiso ST PETER AND PAUL'S CHURCH WAKEFIELD Thursday 15th November 2001 at 11-30 a.m.
ifeof Father Alban P . Fr A Pearce C.P. was born on 28 July 1929 at Ossett, the second son of Joseph and Hilda Pearce he went to school at St Ignatius, Ossett, English Martyrs, Lupset and St Austin's, Wakefield. From an early age Alban expressed a desire to become a priest and entered the Congregation of the Passion. He first went to Blythe Hall, Ormskirk, then Myddelton Lodge, Ilkley followed by St Saviour's on Broadway. On completing his spiritual and academic training he was ordained a Passionist Priest on 22 July 1955 at StAnne's Retreat, Sutton by Most Reverend William Godfrey, then Archbishop of Liverpool. His first Mass was at St Austin's, Wakefield his home parish. His first post of responsibility was Assistant Director of Students at the Passionist Junior Seminary in England. In 1964 Fr Alban sailed to (what is now) Botswana and taught for five years at St Joseph's College, Kgale. On leaving St Joseph's in 1970 he was given the task of establishing and building up the Catholic Community in the mining town of Selebi-Phikwe where he lived and worked for thirteen years, several spent in a caravan for it was utterly barren and only dirt roads down to the capital, Gaberone. He built a wonderful church, community centre and finally a home. It was the start of the mining town opening, he opened several outstations to be served from Selebi. In 1983 he took up the post of Parish Priest at St Theresa's in Lobatse where he served for eight years and opened a wonderful school and again several outstations. Father Lawrence Byrne C.P. joined him when the parish grew so large. While on a Sabbatical year in 1986/87 the Passionist Congregation asked him to serve as Superior of the Passionist Student Residence in Kerela, South West India. He could only get a working permit/ visa for three months but the authorities extended it for an additional three months. In 1989 Father Alban was elected by his Passionist brothers to be their Superior and during that time he was once again resident at St Joseph's, Kgale helping with pastoral duties in the neighbouring parishes. There followed two years as Parish Priest of Corpus Christi, Broadhurst where once again he set up several outstations. In December 1995 he arrived in Tsholofelong. Once again he became a builder restoring the falling building into a beautiful church, built a bungalow "to retire in" and the most wonderful community centre that is now used for every occasion you can think of,by all denominations. His beloved parishioners helped him to make a wonderful grotto to Our Lady of Lourdes and finally this year for the first time some of them are actually visiting Lourdes. He remained in Tsholofelong where he died on 21 August 2001. Two brothers and four sister's, nine nieces, six nephews, thirteen grandnieces and seventeen grandnephews survive Father Alban. His elder brother, Gerard, predeceased him by nine years. ‘Well done. Good and faithful servant, come and share your Maker's happiness’. Matt: 25:23 A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Thursday 15 November at 11.30am in SS Peter & Paul's, Sandal, Wakefield. They are very kindly allowing us to use their church as St Austin's is being refurbished. Father Nicholas C.P . Provincial and several other Passionists will be concelebrating.
Father last s h is Parishioners I must apologize’ for not being with you for Mass today. But as a good priest I must obey my doctor’s orders. In all our lives there are days we never want to forget. Next Saturday 28th July 2001 is one of those days for me. It is the day I was born, my birthday. I won't tell you what year I was born. If I did you would be telling me its time I retired. Today the 22nd of July is also a very special day in my life. A day ] never want to forget. It was on the 22nd July 1955 that I was ordained a priest. Today I am looking at the photographs of my ordination and I couldn't believe how young and handsome I was. How many Masses have I said in all these years, I do not know. What I do know is that I have never grown tired of saying Mass. Every time I stand at the alter I give thanks to GOD the FATHER for calling me to be a priest. For using my hands and my voice to bring CHRIST his SON into our lives and souls. 46 years I have been a priest. Today I thank GOD for the privilege of living 37 years of those years here in Botswana.I have informed the Bishop that no matter what happens to me, it is my desire and wish to end my days in Tsholofelong. GOD has been very good to me. He has blessed me with two families. My family in England who I love very much, here in Tsholofelong you are also my family. I love you all very deeply. You are my family, my brothers and sisters and children. I thank you for your prayers, your loving concern that has given me strength, faith and hope. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.