Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
la ee Fr. Egwin Wilkes (1862-1933) | Te Xe Pe The Late VERY REV. FR. EGWIN (WILKES) 0. Poe ek eat rte ek may Site oxcte tink ak et vile Vaile Ame ely Seale pd aK Ue Me wea ote wea te nn rk ry SO DCTS SSS Ss SE RE Re ee So eg eae: . The Province of St. Joseph suffered a severe loss last July in the.death of Pr. Newin of the Bacred Heart, of Jesua, Restor of Sty Soseph's Retreat, thé Mother-iHouse of the Province. Even when not tinexpected, Death.is never a very weldome visitor, and particularly was this so in the ease of Fr. Eegwin, who in his short term aa Reotor of 8%. Joseph's, had endeared himself to Ais community, and wad much ‘beloved by his parishioners. His b brethren of the Provinée of St. Joseph mourn the loss of an exemplary religious, an éarnest midsioner and a considerate aupobior. . ; OO . | Fre, Egwin, Known in the world as Henry Herbert Wilkes, waa born in London on January a6th., 1862. His family intended him foxy @ business career, bub the designs of Providence were otherwise, and, feeling the aall to the reldgious life, he entered - phe. Padsioniat Congredation, and, after completing the necessary | Ptudies, was ordained to the Priesthood at St. Anne'a Retreat, Button, St. Helena, in 1894, He began his priestly life at St. yoseph's. After dome years he wad transferred to St, Baviour's tetreat, Broadway, where parochial duties enyaged his attention, and for. a considerable tine hé attended to the heeds of the then atPuggling parish at Rvesham, where hia Lsbours will alwaya be — remembered in the dedication of the new Church to his patron St. Hawits He was engaged frequently in giving migsions and retreats, & Work which made apéclal. eppeal to Fre Hewin. No work was too arduous, no journey to long, no incinvenlence too great in the fulfilment. of these duties, Amid the distracting labours of his life, Pre Egwin never lost his love for monastic observances These characteristics, a6 outatanding in his life, marsed him out ad @minently suitable aa a religious siperiar, and Livia not dure prising that for thifty. years he was called uso, time after tine to aseune responsible offices, Ne was succesively Roctor of Bt. Mary's, Carmarthen, St. Marr's, HWarborne, and St. Anne's, Button Where his principal wore for the material welfare of the Province ié @een in the handsome Monastery, for the @rection of which he (CGontd.)
een Byte was padpongible,. For a tera, he was Master of Novices, and, later, Provincial Oonsultop, The raspect and esteem in which hia brethren held tin 1a ahom in his elaation, at the last Provinalal dhaster, to tha Rectorship of Bt, Jodeph'a. hough the honour was fully daferved, the burden proved tee mugh, and, alaost from the beginning, the shadows of approaching, }liness began to draw nigh, His indomitable apirit, however, fought courageously the Approaching danger, bub a life, warn by incessant labour for the salvation of soula and the welfare ef the Congregation, was unequel to the contest, The firat serious blow was dealt him when, om the first Bunday of last December, while preparing to aing Mass, he was atpioken with & woakness that never left him, He was at once transferred to &@ nursing home, and the Highep Superiora left nothin undone to paostablisgh hig health and reatdre hin te active life, God willed otherwiae, and, after nine months of waning vatality, he was stricken wlth paralygis on the mopning ef July !4th, The last pites of the Ohurch wore administered by Fr. Clement. He lingered for sane days, surrounded by the loving care of his brethren, with the students, to whew he was go devoted, keeping constant watch by hie bedside. Tha end cane on Wednesday morning, July i9th. The obsequied took place on Friday, July, 2)at, Solemn Requiem Mass was aung by the Ve Rev, Pr. Provincial, and there were present representatives frou the other Houses of the Province, and from the Province of dt. Patrick, 44 well aa a lavges uumber of clergy, sacylar and regular. His life and example will not easily be forgotten, and the memory of hia many virtues will be cherished by hie brethren, Ag @ religious, he was exact and self-saorifioing in the observance of ule aa 8 priegt and missioner, he was unsparing in-hia efforts for the welfare of souls; aga” | superior, he was kind, considerate and encouraging, and ‘hia interest in the work of others eased many a heavy burden, and gontributed to the accomplishment of many a difficult task, May he vest in peace,
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.