Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
19 : his Memory was very retentive, and his under- . standing both clear and penetrating. Upon the completion of his course as a stu- ‘dent, he was at first appointed to teach for a while; but perhaps on account of his truly angelic life, he was chosen Vice-Master of the Novices, in. which office he remained for about two years, at the same time revealing rare abilities as a preacher, and without doubt he would have ‘signalized himself as a missionary had health and length of days been accorded him. It is not éasy to understand why such a concourse of persons gathered round his holy body when it was. laid out for burial, and why they were so deeply and unusually affected, so as to be loth to leave him, accompanying the corpse to its distant grave outside of the city; especially when we remember that Father Peter was but slightly known outside of the Retreat; unless we allow that this outburst of regard and veneration had its origin in a heavenly impulse, to reward even here on earth so blameless a life. His remains are-interred in a grand chapel called Our Lady of Servants which was offered to our religious by one of our devout and generous benefactors. 7. Hather Colman of the Holy Cross. Died in London, February 14, Province of St. Joseph. Father Colman was sick only seventeen days
20 with blood poison, and was ordered as a last re- sort to be brought to the hospital of the Sisters of Mercy by the doctor, in the meagre hope of saving so valuable a life; but be survived only three days, when he passed from this world by a holy death. Perceiving that his end was at hand, he prepared for it as became a good re- ligious and a priest. The day before it took place, he asked for the last Sacraments, and spent his remaining time in most fervent acts of faith, hope and charity, repeating devout aspirations of every kind, and most frequently this one: My Jesus, mercy! These were the last words he uttered. Let us hope that Our Savior was truly mereiful to him, for Father Colman was specially noted all his priestly life long, for his charity towards his neighbor, assisting the needy as far as he could both in soul and body. - He was born. on Christmas Day, 1860, in Shandrum, County Cork, Ireland, of Michael and Mary Noonan. At an early age he gave signs of an ecclesiastical vocation, and was sent by his good parents to the diocesan seminary at Fer- moy. But God had selected him to be a Passion- ist, and Jobn (as he was called in the world), obeyed the divine inspiration, receiving the holy habit in 1881, and on the 12th of October, of the year following, he consecrated his whole life to the service of Christ Crucified. He pursued his clerical studies in our London retreat and was
21 - ordained priest in due time. Shortly after this, in-1888, he was appointed, together with Fathers Alphonsus, Patrick and Marcellus, for the new foundation of our Congregation in Australia. There he had to endure a great deal, and his companions speak of his fortitude in the highest terms. He had a good head, but what was better, he had a good heart; aud these qualities made him ap apostle of souls, enabling him by means of retreats and missions in a period of eleven years to reap a goodly harvest for Jesus Christ throughout the whole of Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, , After this he returned to England, and was stationed in our retreat at London, where for the last six years of his life, he was parish-priest. What he-had been in the Antipodes, he continued at St. Joseph’s. He looked after the souls con- fidéd ‘to him with exquisite care, never consult- ing his own ease, but rather, solicitous for those who were ransomed with the life-blood of a God. He concerned ‘himself not only with their spirit- ual.welfate, but likewise did his utmost to furth- er their temporal interests. He thus secured the esteem and love of all. This was very evident at his death; his loss was universally lamented. When he was buried, our London church, tho’ very capacions, was literally packed with people; his catafalque was covered with memorial wreaths and bunches of flowers, and more note- worthy ‘still, a good many priests hastened to
22 say Mass for one whom they respected and loved. Since then too, Masses continue to be ordered by priests and people, for the repose of their friend. By reason of his continual labors, both as missionary and as pastor, good Father Col- man could not follow our day and night observ- auces; yet, he never forgot that he was a son of St. Pan! of the Cross; and if our sainted Founder saw, in spirit his dear children laboring in Eng- land, and knew them one by one, he would gladly have recognized Father Colman as a true son of the Congregation, one who preached Jesus Cruci- fied by his words, and by a lifetime of works that harmonized well with them. f. Hather Camillus of the Jmmac. Conception. Died on February 25,In the Retreat of Our Lady of Cornlano Addolorata Province, We are assured from the days of our first Fathers, that if one lives like a good Passionist, he will die like one. This was verified in the case of our dear Father Camillus: regular and fervent his whole life was: edifying and consoling was his death, strengthened as he was with the last Sacraments and blessings of Holy Church. He was born at Itri, of Caserta, April 4, 1841, and in baptism received the name of Dami- an. His parents were Francis. Ruggieri and Archangela Solis. When he was 16 years of
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.