Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Cfr. Edwin Fagan (1863-1883) Broruer Epwin or JESUS" CruciIFIED. March 18sh, Province of St. Joseph. God, who wills that all shall know Him, not only as the author, but also as the preserver and upholder of all Religious Institutions, often, by one means or another, removes those in whom men _ place their trust and hope. Our Anglo-Irish province has frequently, during this year, received this proof.of the Divine Providence. This young student for the Priesthood is an example. The purity of his life, the innocence which showed itself in every act and look, caused both superiors and equals, Priests and Lay- Brothers to presage a happy future for him; but though all hoped great things of him, God had already ordained, that early and at a few hours’ notice, he should pass into Eternity. He was born in Dublin, in the March of 1863, and from an early ave expressed the desire to enter a Religious Order. Often of late years the young have shown much inconstancy and changeablencss in their vocation; to remedy this great evil, it was decided in the last General Chapter to open in Dublin a small Seminary, to which only those who expressed their desire to enter our Congregationcould be admitted ; they were to wear a simple secular dress, but, as far as youth permitted, to be accustomed to a methodical and regular life. They were to receive a thoroughly good education and special attention was to be paid to their Latin instruction, and they were to be well watched, in order to find out their ideas, tendencies and inchuations, after which probation if they retained their desire of entering the Religious life they were, when arrived at a suitable age, ty be received into our Congregation and sent to the Novitiate. This young Seminarict grew up and was cducated in this school and having given every indication of a firm vocation, was sent to Broadway, where he took the vows on the 27th of November, 1381. Ie was named for the Retreat at Sutton, where he studied philosophy with the other Clerics. There Ly bis discretion, his love for observance of the Rale in a short time he beeame an example to lus fellow- students, and the Fathers that lived in that Retreat placed great hopes on his future success. His whole career seemed. promising but, on the 16th of March, a feast of Our Lady of Dolors, as he was making the Stations of the Cross, without any previous warning he was attacked by a violent spitting of blood; in a few hours his illness declared itself mortal, and his brethren anxious to give all the consolation they could, hastened to administer all the last rites his state permitted of. The pious youth perceiving his last hour was at hand, resigned himself devoutly to the Divine will, and tranquilly breathed his last about 11 a.m. on the day above mentioned.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.