Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Br. Benignus Reidy (1870-1925) On the Feast of the Translation of the Holy House of Loretto, at the Retreat of St, Saviour's, Broadway, Worcestershire, Brother Benignus. of Our Lady of Sorrows, Passed to the Better Life. For many years. he had been an invalid, suffering much,especially in the winter monthes At the. beginning of the present Winter, he took to his bed; but we. hoped that with the coming of Spring, he would again be up and doing, Got willed it otherwise: th His great pity, He spared fis faithful servant further pain " Pain which by nature leads. us. omly to ourselves, carries. the Christian mind from the thoufBht of self to the contemplation of Christ, His Passton, His His. Herits, His pattern mn So had suffering acted on Brother Benignus, Self was forgotten, and almost his every thought was. on Christ and on Him crucif ted: We.all knew him as.a man of prayer. He was for many years. Sacristan 3 § this. Office gave him opportunities. of spending golden hours. th prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Ye remember him, é as. we have so often seen him, with up / | lifted face, gazing with yearning eyes towards the Tabernacle, Someone has said. that our true character betrays. tteelf in dying, Our Doctor, a Protestant, said after. Brother Bentgnus! death that he had never goile to the sick Brother's cel? but he found hin praytné, During the last six and thirty hours of his life,he prayed without ceasing : his last breath was. an act of consecration of himself to the Naster Whom he had served so faithfully. "0 Sacred Heart of Jesus, I
(2) consecrate anew my body and soul to Thee " With these words on his parched lips the Souk of Brother, Benignus. entered imto the Presence of thigt Sacred Heart, Which, inthe words of St. Bonaventure, ts. the Heart of a King, the Heart of a Brother, the Heart of a Friend. Fron that Sacred Heart he had learnt to suffer and be silent: humility end as.a consequence, gentleness. in manner: love of the poor; sreat hb zeal for, souls, for the conversion of sinners, He prayed fervently, nuch, to win souls. for Chriet. And not only prayed, but fasted and disciplined his. frail body knowing that there is only one way to win souls for Christ, and that is ” bive | Christ from day to day.” He. was regarded by all who knew him as a most saintly Religious. He joined our, Congregation in 1901, then.in his 22nd year. Only two Relatives of his, of whon we know, are Doctor Reidy of the United States, his. Brother, and | a Cousin, Sister Mary Auguét ine, of the Redemptor ist tne Convent at Drumcondra, | Dublin. On Friday, the entire Office of the Dead was. said for the repose of Ak his soul 4; and on Saturday, January the 2nd, at 10 a.ma Solemn Requiem Hass nas. sung by hta. Confessor, Fr, Brendan, Vicar, who was assisted by Rev, Fr. Lamb dH. and Rew, Pr Conteth, Rev. Fr, Oswald acting as Master of Ceremonies. The Cantors were y, Rev. Fr, George,and Rev. Fr, Cormac. After Nass the renains of Brother Benténus were laid to resty antd the weeping ofmany who. loved and reve - Peverenced him, near the door of our Chureh at Broadway, He lies in the same grave as. Brother Isidore, of holy memory. This favour he had asked from Pre Rector a few days. before his death, and the Rector kindly granted tt. " Sacred Heart of Jesus, Which Thy servant Benignus did love so tenderly have pity «on his soul mo
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.