Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Fr. Constantine Gregory (1840-1883) cas nehaPenbrtip Omar rt eee SEAR EO RED RERANCH ec on Farner Constantine of tHe Hory Cross. Murch oth. Province of St, Joseph: God in THis divine Providence has demanded heavy sacrifices from this provinee during this year; one is, the early and sudden death of this Priest. His name in the world was Patrick Gregory, he was born in April of 1840, at Navan, Oo. Meath in Ireland. As he grew up he felt drawn to the ceclesiastical state and applied himself seriously to saered studies. [His modesty, recollection, and especially his detachment from all worldly affairs clearly indicated his vocation to the Pricsthood, therefore, his Bishop, perfectly satistied with his conduct admitted him to Holy Orders, Wis zeal for the conversion of souls was so great that he decided to enter. some religious community and devote himself to preaching. There being two ITouses of our Cougregation in Ireland, he knew that St. Paul of the Cross had founded the Congregation with the one ereat object of giving to the Chareh of God holy and devoted Missionaries whose lives were to be spent amongst the faithful, in giving Missions and spiritual exereises in public and in private, and filing there what he wished he determined to seek an cntranee inte it, ned on October drd, 1872, made his Profession at Broadway. Our Superiors well knowing the zeal and capabilities of this Priest most readily acceded to his wish of devoting himsclf entirely to preaching. Persuaded that preaching to reach the hearts of the hearers and to bear fruit must be aceompanicd by good example, he condueted himself in such a manner as erined for him, not only amongst the Clergy but also from the people, in a few years the name of “the truc Missioner.” When a Mission was to be given in our Chureh in Dubhn, during the mouth of February of this year the Superiors decided he was the fittest Priest tu: send there. Ile conducted this Mission, given to a large and seleet audience so as to be productive of great good to many souls and made all respect the habit with whieh he was clothed. God secing the pure intentions and zealous industry of Ts Missioner permitted him to terminate this Mission on the morning of March 4th, with great fruit and extreme satisfaction to the -people. But this was to be, without his knowing it, his last apostolic work and the end of his sacred miustry. On the following morning during the reerea- tion with the community he was seized by an apoplectte fit: which was soon to close his life. [fis brethren secing his mental faculties were unimpaired, comforted his spirit by administering all the last Sacramouts; an hour after having received them he died, to the great sorrow cf the whole Community.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.