Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Fr. Emidius Smith (1821-1898) seF# Father Emidius (Smith) of Gaint Paul. Father Emidius of St. Paul, in the world Daniel Smith, was born at twkk Tullycorbet in the Diocese of Clogher, Ireland, on February 28th 1821. Feeling from his early years a call to the ecclesiastical state, he made some prep- aratory studies in his native country and then proceeded to France where he went through the usual course of studies at the Irish College, Paris. Havihg been promoted to the priesthood in I845, he spent three years as professor of finglish at a College in the Diocese of Limoges and then returned to the Diocese of his birth. - Ireland was then suffering from the twofold scourge of famine and pestilence and the young priest mist have keenly felt the contrast between the even tenor of a professor's life and the life to which Providence now called him. fut he did not repine. Wherever duty summoned him there he was to be found without fail, ministering to. the sick and dying, careless of fatigue and unappalled by sk the danger of contagion. After having laboured zealously for many years as a secular priest, he experienced an attraction to the religious state. While a student in Paris he had met Ir. Dominic of the Mother of God (Barberi) and the impression made upon his mind by that holy man was not one to be easily effaced. It was no wonder then, that when his thoughts turned to the religious state, he should form the design of entering our Congregation. He applied for admission to fr. Wugene of St. Anthony who was then Provincial and was accepted. He made his novitiate at Broadway dnd was professed on May 3rd I871. ; On account of his rather advanced age he was not much employed in missionary work, but he filled the office of Vice-Rector at Broadway and at Holy Cross Retreat, Belfast. He also by command of his superiors coliected alms in France and Scotland for the support of the religious. Yr. Umidius was always a great lover of the regular observance. As long as ‘his strength permitted he was first at every choir duty- both by day and night, and when advanced years and infirmities obliged him to seek a dispensation from -tne night office, he never tailed to be present punchwalyy at every aot of the day observance. Yor many years he had been a great sufferer from rheumatisn, and for some time before his death was afflicted with other painful ailments. When he felt the end approaching he received the Last Sacraments with truly edifying dispositions. A little after midnight on Noveniber 5th (1898) he breathed forth his soul to his Maker without a struggle, leaving behind him the example of a well-spent life. may Dabet "2b Voyember PUG, Lounb Areus, Dublin! ee ne ee ee en ee re en ee
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.