Obituary Notice
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Fr. Albert McKillop (1847-1920) | | Death of Fr, Albert of St, Aloysius It was with feelings of deevsst sorrow and a sense of personal loss that the religious of St, oseph's, Highgate, ned of the death at a nursing home in Scotland, whither he had @enr gone for a change of air, of Fr, Albert, the senior rriest and oldet mamber of the Highgate Community. Porn at Airdrie, Scotland, on the 14th June, 1847, Michael | Aloysius MeKillon, in religion, Albert of ®t, Aloysius, entered the noviciate of the Passionists in 1869, and was professed on July 10th of the following year, On leaving the Noviciats to take up his studies for the Priestheod Confrater Albert carried with: him into his student life the lessons he had so well imbibed as a Novice - a tender childlike devotion to Mary the Immaculate Mother of Godm and a love of the religious observances laid down for us by our Folg Father and Founder St, Paul of the Cross, marked in an é@special way the life of Fr, Albert from the time of his -rofession 50 years ago. After 7 years of close application to his books, and faving attained a noted proficiency in his etudies, he had the great happiness of being ordained Priest in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Liverpool, on Sunday the 4th February, 1877, The first scene of his priaetly labours was St. Mungo'd Retreat Glasgow, where he spent five years of zealous and active work. The little children of the Parish were the object of his great- ‘ast sollicitude - indeed up to the time of his death, Fr, Albert like his Divine Master, loved ehildren, and thought no trouble too heavy and no preparation too tedious if only he could impress én theyoung minds around him, the knowledge of our Holy Faith, and the practical application of Christain Vite Virtues to every- day life. From St. Mungo's, which every held an important affectionate place in his heart, Father Albert, want, at the wish of his Superiors to St. Paul's Retreat, Dublin, in order to devote himself to the work of giving missions and retreats. Here was a great opport- unity to sow in yet a larger field a davotion which was the absorbing one of his life - a love and devotion for the Pacrion of our Lord, His meditations on the Pasrion, as they are called amongst us, were aver prepared with the minutest cara - in fact, one who knew him well tells us that "they were written and rewritten, revised and revised for almost svery mission and retreat. At Mount Argus, as at St, Mungo's, the children again received his tender afféetion, and an addrese from the membere of the
om Owe Mount Argus Christain Doctrine Society, dated July 1884, testifies to the apnreciation with which his loving attentions and fatherly solicitude were received. From mount Argus Fr, Albert was traneferred to Highgate, London, and it was while there, that in 1888 he was appointed Superior of St, Mungo's Glasgow, the place he loved above all others, the scene of his labours as a yotng Priest, But his unceasing activity in trying to improve one of the larrert missions in his native diocese, soon had its affect on hie health, and he was obliged to return to Mount Argus at the buse bidding of hie Physicion, At Dublin his health so irproved that he was coon able to undertake the duties of Vice-Rector of St. Paul's Retreat, and in 1893, at the Provincial Chanter held that year, he was elected Master of Névices, ; It wae during his term of office as Master of Novices that the firet signe of the disease which was to comrel him to comnaritive retirement, appearad, It was goitre, and it seriously affected his heart, However, he still followed all the Community Exerciess daily, until a stroke of paralysis depréved him of theuse of his right arm, and seriously interfered with his speech, Fr, Albert suffered for 15 years, until death released him, from that paralytic stroke. His fortitude and resignation under the terrible cross, proved to all that met him bow deeply religious he was, Never did he comnlain of his hard lot. Naver did he acj for excectional treatment. In fact, up to the day he left St, JosepH's, Hirhgate, to so for a few weeks to breathe his native air, Fr, Albert, did not ack for anything different from that eupplied to the ordinary Community of the Retreat, Dearived for a time, owing to the useleseness of his right arm, from offering the Holy Sacrifice, his joy at receiving svecial permiseion from the Holy Father to say Mase privately, was touching in the extramea, It. wae an edifyirg sight to see the stricken Priest rising morning after rorning at 5-30 a.m, dressing with ‘difficulty, and refusing to imcommode others, or make himeelf | a burden by asking or accenting any helr, although he knew that that help would only too willingly be piven, and making his way slowly with the aid of a walking-ctick to the choir, there to prepara to offer the Holy Sacrifice. Up to the time he left St, Josepr! se for Scotland, “Father Albert gave the Community of that Retreat a brillant axamnle of resignation to the Divine «411, Never a comolaint escaned his Lips, doing everything for himself, he was , although the only invalid in the house, the religious, most conspicious for the even uncomplaining (enor of hic life. Fe, Albert, left St, Joseph's, Highgate, on Sune end, of this year, to spend a few weeks at Larqs, the well known watering place
~ 3m on in Scotland, The month of June vaered, and,the 6th July, the Religious heard, at Highgate, the eanexnected rfewe that Fr. Albrt was ill, and kad been taken, by the Rector of St, Mungo's, Fr, Alban, to a Nursing Home in Glaegow. It acnears the dead Priest celebrated Mase as usual on Sunday, July 4th, but after- wards had a sudden siezure. On Monday he went to the Church to say Mass but was not able - the doctor who attended him pronounced him seriously ill, and ordered him to a nureins home. He arrived at the home that same night, fortified by ‘he Sacraments of the Church. The following Thureday morning the religious of ©t, Mungo's received an urgent telephone message that Fr, Albert was failing. Fathers Alban and Ke\vin were coon in attendancé and found the ratient sinking fast, but rerfactly conecious, He followed the recitation of the Prayers for the Dying with great. davotion and attention, and just after the conclusion of the last act of Faithm while the Kyrie of the Litany was being said, he breathed his laet, Surely a fitting close to a life of 50 years in religion snent for God and for hic fellow men, a life noted for its piety, charitableness and patient endurance of heavy crosses, Of Fr, Albert, it can be truthfully said that he fulfilled the invitation of his Divine Master "Take up my yoke uoon you, and learn of me, hecausa I am meek and humble of heart" May he rest in peace,
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.