Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Fr. Augustine Hawkes-Sims (1836-1883) FatuErR AUGUSTINE OF THE SEVEN Donors. August 25th, Province of St. Joseph, This Province was still mourning the loss of so many of its members when death demanded yet another victim. This was the Rector of our Retreat in Dublin. In the world his name was John Hawkes Sims, and he was born in England, in June, 1836. Educated and brought up though’ not born in the Catholic religion, at the age of twenty he decided to enter the Religious life and knowing our Community he begged to be admitted. He was received and sent to the Novitiate of Broadway, being found quite suitable for our life, he was Protessed November 10th, 1857. During the course of his studies he kept in view the end for which he had left the world and entered Rehgton, and to complete the sacrifice he was ready and willing to serve the Community in its Sacred Ministry or in any of its duties. In the last General Chapter he had been chosen as Rector of St. Paul’s Retreat, Dublin, and having found the accounts in disorder he set to ‘work with prudence and ability to regulate them. A fall whieh he had had when a Student had so injured the spine that he found i¢ impossible to fulfil his heavy duties. Our Superiors unwilling to lose so soon one who had so well discharged the duties of his othee sent him to Italy, i ‘he mild chmate would reheve him, but having remained for some time at the Retreats of Lucca, Monte Argentaro, and Seala Santa without much benefiting by the change, he: returned to his own Province and remained a short time in London. His ilness increased so much that his Brethren seeing him in danger of death administered to him the last Sacraments. At the time his fresh looks and robust appearance might have seemed to indicate perfect health, yet the hand of death was upon him; fully conscious of this, entirely resigned to God’s holy will and full of thankfulness at being permitted to depart, surrounded by the Priests and Brethren of his Community, his soul returned peacefully ty God at the early age of forty-seven. Onis ? yr = e
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.