Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Br. Columba McNamee (1877-1962) OBITUARY NOTICE of Brother Columba (McNamee) Ce fs, of the Secred Heart The end of the long road and of many journeys came at St. Poults Retreat, Mount Argus, Dublin for Troe Columba of the Sacred Heart at 5.30 on the morning, of Friday, Oct. 26th, 1962, That he hed survived so long was a mystery even to his Doctor and to his faithful iJurse, Licm Flynn, who had attend~ ed him with admirable devotedness for almost two yeors.e Death came rently to the poor old Brother whose last breath was as the contented sigh of the travel-worn pilgrim laying cside a leng-borne burden — and joyfully entering that place of refreshment, light ond peace where the Lord Uthom he had served so well would justly reward his labours. All through his long life time Bro. Columba strove manfully for Justice end Truth. It was his favourite slogan, often upon his lips, and now we mey feel confident thet, for him, the lovely words of the Sith Psalm have been realized: "Mercy and truth have met eech other: justice and peace have kissed", Known in secular life as Hichael McNamee, Bro. Columba was born ct Ballinascreen, Draperstown, Co. Derry,-on December 6th 1877. The district was at that time, ond indeed still is, a stronghold of the Catholic Faith and vocations thrive there. Two of Bro. Columba's brothers answered the call to the Secular Priesthood and both were ordained for the Diocese of Derry. One of them, Fr. Edward McNamee, is at present Parish Priest of Feeney. Bro. Columba, however, even at the ape of 22 hed not yet felt the first stirrings of the cell to Religious life. He betook himself in the year 1899 to the City of Bel- fast to try his fortune in the world. He retained vivid memories of the gay celebrations held on December 3ist 1899 when people laughed and sang and danced in the streets to usher in the new century, little dreaming of the horrors and hardships of war that the nevi century would bring. No sense had they of ills to come, nor care be-~ yond the day, For the next four years Michael McNamee held the post of bar attendant at a licensed premises in a densely populated district not far from the City centre. During those years he had ample oppor tun- ity to observe the vagaries of human nature. His position often thrust upen him the role cf confident, which gave him a keener insight into human problems and this hard won knowledge was to stand him in good stead in the years to come, Despite the attractions of city life, however, and despite the distractions which must have been part and parcel of his daily mode of living, the strong faith and the religious practice of the
Page 2 young man from Ballinascreen. suffered no diminution. Faithfully every week he went to Confession and received Holy Communion at the Church of the Passionist Fathers at Holy Cross, Ardoyne. He was present at the opening of the new Church there in 1902. Although he enjoyed the fullest esteem of his employer and had earned for himself the deep- - eSt respect of his customers, there was still some small dissatisfaction nagging and gnawing at his conscience, and characteristically, during a quiet hour one day he put the question squarely to him- self: "Am I serving Ged er the world here?" From whatever angle he surveyed the situation he felt convinced that it was certainly not God Whom he was serving, and on his next visit to Ardoyne he applied to Fr. Malachy (Gavin) who was then Rector, to be received as a Postulant Brother. He was eagerly accepted and a few weeks later he was installed at Holy Cross Retreat where he spent a year of Postulancy. Bro. John (Walshe) was there at the time, worn out by the herculeaen toil of a life time and no doubt, young Michael McNamee must have imbibed a preat deal of the spirit of that great _ pionder of the Province. Before leaving for Broadway, Worcestshire, England to make his Novitiate he hod a chance meeting with the Rector of Mount Argus, Fr, Wilfrid (O'Hagan) who on learning that the Postulant was from Co. Derry, suggested that his name fn Religion should be Columba. Sick and shaken after the boat and train journey the prospective novice arrived atBroadway where he was met with pony and trap by the Master of Novices, Fr. Hilary (Hara) that prince of preach- ers and matchless Missioner. 4nd so in a pony trap with Fr. Hilary at the reins, the future Bro. Columba at the age of 27 set out for the Novitiate. The patent sincerity and the sterling qualities of the new Novice delighted the Master of Novices, It was quickly observed that once Bro. Columba had made up his mind on any subject his views were expressed with down to earth directness and with devastating finality. He made the Profession of Vows on Oct. 23rd 1905 and shortly afterwards he was transferred to 8ts Paults Retreat, Mount Argus, Dublin where he was assigned to the quest. The task of the Brother Questor is at any time an arduous one, but in those early years of this century it was truly an endur- ance test owing to the poor condition of the roads and the limited means of travel. For close on 47? years Bro. Columba performed the duties of questor with conspicuous success, Never did he spare himself, and his understanding of people gained by practival experience made him a welcome friend and counsellor and his name was, and still is held in veneration wherever he visited. His simple genuine piety and his friendly unaffected approach endeared him to people of all classes and procured many generous benefactors for the Congregation, When one remembers the rosy-cheeked pleasant face and the genial smile, one is not surprised that he won his way to so many hearts.
Page 3 The welfare of the Congregation was his chief preoccupation, and it was with extreme re~- luctance that he accepted his retirement from Questing which failing health forced upon him in 1952. He spent the next four years at St. Patrick's Juniorate, Tobar Mhuire, Crossgar, in comparative quietude, but his eyesight began to fail; his health steadily declined and he was brought back to spend @t Mount Argus the few short years that remained to him. During the last two years of his life he was confined to bed under Doctor's care and attended during the night by his male Nurse, Liam Flynn. His indomitable spirit seemed to keep the spark of life in him, but, as the Doctor had predicted, the end came suddenly, and from the calm serenity of the dead face {t was evident that Death had brought a great peace. May God grant eternal rest to his faithful servant and may the singlemindedness of pur- pose which was a marked feature of Bro. Columba'is life be an inspiration to all of us his brethren in Religion. The Obsequies took place at the Church of St, Paul, Mount Argus on Monday, October 29th, 1962. Very Rev. Fr. Valentine, Provincial presided at the Solemn Requiem Mass which was celebrated by Very Rev. Fr. Dermot, 2nd Provincial Consultor assisted by Fr. Evangelist as Deacon and Father Clarence as Sub-deacon. Very Rev. Fr. Edward McNamee, Parish Priest of Feeney, Co. Derry, brother of the deceased, was present, but, understandably, declined to celebrate the Solemn Requiem Mass owing to the frailty of age. Many PaSsionist Priests and Brothers attended from St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's Provinces to pay their last respects to the greatly admired and highly esteemed Bro, Columba whose name and whose deeds will be long remembered. May he rest in peace. Ste Paul's Retreat, Mount Argus, . eee err re rere rer erro rer rere rere eee ee eee re ee, Dublin. ; : (Rector)
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.