Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Fr. Francis Bamber (1826-1883) Faruer Fraycts oF THE HEART or JESUS. Barch 204 Province of St. Jose jin. Not two entire days had passed ere this Province experienced a loss much eraver and sadder than the last. Father-Franceis of the Heartof Jesus,in the world, Rev. Henry Bamber, at the comparatively early age of fifty-seven, ended a life devoted to God and Religion, by a peaceful and happy death from a lingering consumption. . He was born in March, 1826, in Manchester, and belonged to a very old family. - But the chief glory of his house was that amongst his ancestors there was a glorious Martyr for the Faith in the person of the Rev. Edward Bamber, who in 1647, suffered dgath for Ins constancy to the true faith and his devotion to the Moly Roman Church. Father Francis from his earliest years showed a love for ; learning joined to his hereditary devotion to religion and virtue. TTe was sent by his parents to various colleges and in all was distinguished hy his docility and great modesty, he was respected anil esteemed by his fellow-students, and tenderly loved by his- superiors. As he advaneed in age he expressed a great desire to become a Priest, and accordingly was ordained by the Bishop in 1882. Long before he was raised to this noble and high diznity he fully understood the glorious office of the Priesthood. Tnstrueted by Jesus Christ in Tis Chureh his role of conduet was to Inbour for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Destined at first tu the charge of a parish, such was the edification he gave by his life of spotless purity, aud Ins zeal for souls that a woman did not fear to sayin public of lim “T eould adore the ground he treads on.” After some time devoted to the fulfilment of all the offices of his sacred calling, he resolved to leave the world and center our Congrega- tion, The late Cardinal Wiseman very reluetantly accorded him the required permission, and he entered our Novitiate at Broadway, and made his vows on the 8rd of March, 1863. Seeing himself arrived where for years he had so desired to be he set ‘himself to fulfil with the greatest exactitude all that was required by the rules and such was lis punctilious observance that in a short time he was chosen as Master of Novices. In lis great humility he conceived so great a dread of this responsibility that the Superiors touched by his distress, while they knew him quite fitted for the office relieved him from it; but they could not leave him in obscurity knowing so well the great qualifications of his mind and heart, so he was sent to our Ilvuse in Parts.
As there are many English who for matters of business dwell in this gay Capital, it was decided by the Icclesiastical Authorities to establish some Religious Community who could exercise their uinis- tration im the Enghsh language. The proposal was meade to our Community, and the Anglo-Lnish Province undertook the work, and opened there a pretty httle Chapel and a House for our Religious. At the present time the Enghsh language is spoken by so many different nations, that in a short time this little chapel was frequented by great numbers of the faithful who made use of that languave in confession, or who wished to listen to sermons in English. This was the work given by our Superiors to this good Father, and in which for more than sixteen years he laboured, counting as nothing the ditficulties and fatigues he encountered. As a prouf of the appreciation of all for lus teaching, we have not only the number of attentive listeners to his simple and pleasing discourses, but the nuber of penitents who sought his confessional whcre he was to be found every day and for many hours. We remained at his post. in Paris during the siege. Every one has heard to what an exorbitant price provisions rose at that time. He, together with others of the Community who remained, were obliged to subsist on horseflesh. These privations, jomed to his arduous Apostolic labours undermined his health, and ina short time symptoms of cousumption were clearly observable. In the hope of saving him the Superiors sent him first to London and then ty Dublin, but nothing availed to arrest the strength of the malady. Knowing well himself that his days were numbered he set himself daily, as an aid to the weakness of nature, to meditate with sericus- ness and resignation on death and the necessity for it, as without it, he could not sce God or know Him as he is, and enjoy THis presence without the fear of ever losing Itim. Comforting his heart with these reflections, and furtified by the Last Sacraments, 1n uninterrupted peace he left this sad world to enjoy eternal happiness on the z0th of March.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.