Obituary Notice
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ha Fr. BENEDICT Donegan (1864-1951) - , OBITUARY oe . FATHER BENEDICT OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN FATHER BENEDICT of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose death took place in Belfast on April 10,1951, was not only the doyen of the Province of St. Patrick, but was one of the oldest Passionists‘ in the whole Congregations His passing at the venerable age of eighty- seven years has removed a familiar figure from our midst and has broken another link with the past generation. Born at Burnside, Co.Antrim, on April 16th, 1864, William Donegan made his first acquaintance with the Passionists at Ardoyne, where the new Belfast foundation of Holy Cross had been established in 1868. | At the age of seventcen he was acéepted as a postulant, and on June 14, 1882, he made his religious profession at St. Saviour's Retreat, Braadway, Worcs., taking the name of Benedict of the Blessed Virgin. Less than five years later, having obtained a major Papal dispensatien for age, he was ordaincd by Most Rov. Dr. Tlsley, Bishop of Birmingham on December 21st.,1886. Fr. Bonedict was at first ongaged as Lector, but was soon much in demand for missions and retreats. About this time he became personally acquainted with the Scrvant of God, Father Charles of Saint Androw, Concerning whem he gave valuable ovidence in the Proccss for the Beatification and Canonisation. In 1900 Fr. Benedict voluntcered to go to Australia, whcre he romained for some nino or ten years, bcing stationed at Glon Osmund, Adclaide, S.Australia. His principal work was again missions to the people and retreats to tho clorgy and roligious communitics. For this task Fr. Boncodict was woll suitod, and hoe preparcd himsclf with very remarkable assiduity. All his mission scrmons, moditations and instructions wore carefully writton out in full, and his rotroat lectures wore cloar, logical and well considered. These were all found aftor his death, carcfully indexcd and annotated. A special notcbook containcd a full children's rotroat, with othcr scrmons for the young. In addition, more than 200 scrmons wore carefully prcparod, ranging from a discourso on !Mixed Marriages! to an addross on 'Scicnee and Revelation! . , ; Not content with this methodical proparation, Fr. Boncdict. kepta sorics of scrap-books, in which he collcetcod all mannor of »lippings, ancedotes, and historical points to illustrate his sormons.: Ho knew © that the succcssful missioncr must have a woll~-stockcod mind, and must continually prcpare fresh matcrial. Not for him the lazy man's mcthod of sotting out confidontly en a mission with a handful of mcdiocre sermons; proached throadbare by constant ropctition, or trusting to the inspiration of the moment for a meditation on tho Passion or a. noccssary instruction. Incidontally, the clippings revogl the width | of his sympathics and the cxtcnt of his interests, ranging from Free- -masonry to Birth-rato statistics, from Charlcs Dickens to Hilaire Belloc. For his work in Australia, Fr. Boncdict carnced the gratitude of many Bishops and tho cstcem and regard of both clorgy gnd people. On his roturn homo in 1910, ho was again active for many yoars in the
eee * wee, * at b Congenial work of the missions, and later resumed tho dutios of Lecter at Sutten and Broadway. On the croection ef tho Prevince of St. Patrick in 1927, Fr. Benodict roturned to Ireland, first to St. Paul's Retroat,: Mount Argus, Dublin, and later to Holy Cress Rotroat, Ardoyna, | Bolfast, whore ho spent his last.yoars. Here hoe had tho great happiness: ef cclebrating twe Jubilcos, his Gelden Jubilee in 1936 and his Diamond Jubilee in 1946. On each occasion he himsolf was the celebrant ef the Solem High Mass, and amongst tho many messages of ccngratulation wore one from Pope Pius XI and one from Pope Pius XII, cenveying tho Apostolic Benodicticn. ; . Fr. Benedict continued active duty at. Ardoyne until about a year before his death, when his Superiors relieved him of the burden. Abeut last Christmas, he expérienced the return of an old malady, new become acute. Early in the New Year he was removed to St. John's Nursing Heme, where a radical cporation was performed. Frem this, contrary to all expectation, he made a geed recovery and seemed to regain his strength. Finally he succumbed to a heart attack, and within a few minutes peace- ~fully passed to his reward. Almest his last words were:"Plaese thank all these who were kind te me when I was sick," It was indeed characteristic of his cemplex character, this very thoughtful gratitude to those whe had aided him. It may be said of him that he never fergot a kindness, and that he forgave, but did not forget any injury which he endured. Gifted in full measure with that stubborn tenacity of purpese charactoristic of the Nerthern femperament, Father Benedict did not easily give up,but felhowed to the bitter end any course ef action which his conscience approved as right. He was by nature gentle and kindly, but he could blaze with indignation when he heard of any real or even apparent injustice. ; Like St. Francis of Assisi, he leved.all living creatures. He was especially fond of birds and liked to listen to their song. In winter: it pleased him to put out crumbs in the garden to provide for the wants of God's little creatures. Children tee he loved, and even in his last illness, ho could give a little gift of chocolate to some small children who were brought to see him and to receive his blessing. To the poor he was generous, to the sick, thoughtful; te these in sorrow he gave comfort, and te the troubled, wise counsel and sage advice, His devoted remembrance of his aged sister, Miss Jane Donegan, still — living in the shadow of Ardoyne at the age of ninety-three years, was entirely characteristic of his self-sacrifice and his thoughtfulness... He leaves bohind him the fragrant memory ef a man of forthright sincerity and entire devotion to duty, a priest of tireless zeal and boundless energy in the service of the Master. Fr. Benedict was a Passionist of the old, traditional type, a faithful son of St. Paul of the Cross, ever faithful to his ideals and to his example. A large and representative congregation, at which mahy ef tho diocesan clergy were present, attended the obsequiecs, which took. place at Holy Cress Chucrh, Ardoyne. The Solomn Requiem Mass was celebrated by Fr. Maurico Donegan, C.P., of &t. Jeseph's Prevince, a nephew of the deceased. May he rest in peace Benavonture ef the Five Wounds, 26/6/1951. . Rector.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.