Obituary Notice
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Fr. Felix Hawarden (1870-1936) f Je K. P. St. Anne's Retreat, Sutton, ST. HELENS. June, 1986. FR, FELIX HAWARUBN, C.. P. R. I. P. rie a For the second time within the comparatively short period of four months, the hand of death plunged the Community of St. Anne's Retreat into mourning, when, within a week of becoming i111 of pneumonia and pleurisy, Fr. Felix passed away shortly after midnight on the morning of Friday 13th March 1936.. On the previous Saturday, he had complained of pains in the side and back. During the day, pneumonia developed, and the same evening he was removed to the Providence Hospital in a critical condition owing to his heart, which had been in a weak state for some years. For a few days he struggled with an indomitable spirit against the encroachments of the disease, but on the fifth night he became very much worse. On the Thursday afternoon it became apparent that the end was near. He had, however, always expressed a wish to die on a Friday, the day of Xst's Passiog and Death, and his wish was granted. Passing into a state of come, -his breath coming in short gasps, it did not seem humanly speaking possible for him to live until midnight. He did in fact so live, and it was not until fifteen minutes past the hour that he died, the end coming peacefully, his relatives and some of the Sisters of the Providence Hospital joining fervently in the prayers for the dying recited in turn by Fr. Rector and Fr. Vicar of St. Anne's. To those who knew Pr. Felix only superficially, it might perhaps seem difficult to reconcile 4 character that appeared at times brusque almost to the verge of roughness with a Convent School education, To the many people however, of every condition and age, who had reason to experience how gentle he could be, how charitable towards the poor and sympathetic towards the ‘down and outs', it would seem but -congruous that a heart which was at bottom tender and affectionate should have received some of its earliest impressions through the influence of _ Religious. Born at Cheltenham on 8th January 1870, Francis Joseph ‘Hawarden received his early edueation at the hands of the Sisters of La Sainte Union at Bath, who considered him a fairly bright young boy. Afterwards, he continued his studies privately. The seeds of his early religious training soon bore fruit, and at the early age of 16 he entered the Passionist Novitiate, drawn to our Congregation in the first instance, under God, by the conversations he had with the late Bro. Benignus, C.P., who in the course of his questing would sometimes call at the home of the Hawardens. Professed in the following year, as Conf. Felix of Our Lady of Good Counsel, he received Ordination to the priesthood after the usual course of studies, working afterwards 1,
zealously for souls in various of our Retreats, particularly in Belfast, London, Sutton & Harborne. As a missioner and retreat giver he had but few superiors, his deep knowledge of Holy Scripture, of which he read a portion regularly every day, imparting to his words a strength and authority as marked as it was forceful. His constant theme was the Holy Mass; and it was often remarked that no matter what the subject of his discourse, his deep love of the Holy Sacrifice would find a way, for the most part apt and to the point, of bringing into his sermon some reference to the Mase. The early years of the present century found him en- trusted with the Rectorship of St. Joseph's Highgate, and the things he accomplished during his tenure of office there showed him to be a man who realised his responsibilities to both parish and com- munity, and endeavoured to acquit himself of them with energy and zeal. He undertook the burdens of building a Boys' School and repairing the dome of the church, besides obtaining from the London County Council the establishment of a soup kitchen in face of con- siderable opposition. On one occasion, when he appeared before members of the London Comty Council to press his claims for the poor, he found it necessary to employ language that was none toc polite. They quickly found that they had a man to deal with who knew what he wanted, who knew that his claims were just, %., and who intended to get what he sought - and he got it! When the Great War broke out, he found a new field for his activities, and took advantage of it to the full, to bring the consolations of religion to many a sick and wounded soldier. Slightly wounded in France, gassed, and twice torpedoed on board Hospital Ship, he saw service also in Egypt and Palestine, to return after the War, his health indeed shattered but his spirit as indomitable as ever. Stationed once again in Sutton, he devoted the remaining years of his life to the service of the poor. In spite of the intense pain he often suffered, owing to the Wounds and gassing he had received in the War, he simply lived among the poor of Sutton. If anyone wished to speak with him, he would watch out for Fr. Felix cycling along the meaner streets of his district, or would seek him in the houses of the sick and suffering. Fr. Felix generally managed to get round his district every day, besides cycling over . to the Providence Hospital or St. Helene Hospital or the Whiston Institution, as occasion demanded. However tired or ill, and what- ever the state of the weather, he was always at the beck and call of anyone in difficulties, whether of poverty, sickness, folly or human frailty. He distributed his favours with an even hand, and both Catholic and non-Catholic learned to love and respect him. Every morning, from 6.30 until after the last Mass, he heard Confessions, waiting in the Confessional even though no penitents approached, lest any should come and find no priest at hand. On Sundays, after say- ing the 6.30 Mass, he would cycle round his district, calling upon such as were slack or negligent and urging them to get out to Mass. Small wonder that in the headlines of the local paper ennouncing his death, he was referred to as ‘The Friend of the Poor’. 2.
He died as he had lived. The morning that he was taken i11, he had said Holy Mass. That evening, he himself asked for the Holy Viaticum, receiving It in the presence of the aseenbled brethren with edifying fortitude and devotion. During his illness, from time to time he arranged for urgent, matters to be attended to concerning the spiritual welfare of vartwioners living in his dis-~ trict, and before his death he expressed himself satisfied that a11 had peen properly attended to, and that his mind was fully at peace. Surely, he had 'fought the good fight' and had 'finished the course', that like the Apostle St. Paul there might be laid up for him by the Just Judge a crown of imperishable glory. May he reat in peace.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.