Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Br. HILARION McGuinness (1898-1966) Obituary Notice of Brother Hilarion McGuinness C,P. wounen sat ee eed A religious, returning after Mass from St. Winifred's Convent, on the morning of 19th March, 1966, wondered why there should be two fire engines, _ an ambulance and three police cars outside the Retreat, He was soon to learn the reason, Brother Hilarion had died earlier that morning as a result of a fire in his room (ess), Though the Commmnity had been up and about from 6 a, m, nothing amiss was noticed until 8 a.m, approximately, when Brother's room was found to be on fire. When Brother was eventually brought’ out, Dr. Lennon, who had been called, oertified him as being dead for at least four to five hours. It was a tragic end for a religious who had shown such care and devotion to the sick and dying, throughout his life, It was the Feast of St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church and of the dying, Brother Hilarion McGuinness was born in Belfast om the SiIst August, 1898. As a boy he served on the altar at Clonard Monastery. Yet when called by God to serve Him in religion, it wes the Passionist Congregatio he entered, He was professed on the 25th August, I9I5 at the Graan, Enniskillén, After profession he was sent to Broadway and later to Mount Argus, It was in 1920 that he came to St. dnnets, Sutton where he was to spend the next twelve years as the Brother Quester. In this apostolate he rendered untold material assistance to St, Anne's, and endeared himself to people and clergy alike of the Idverpool. Diocese. Towards the end of his life, it was a source of great joy (and emisement) to him, when people and clergy who came to visit the Tomb of Blessed Deminia, told him they . renembered the old Brother Hilarton of the 1920's, When St. Gabriel's Retreat, Blythe Hall was cbtained, Brother wes sent to prepare it for the Mrst Comunity, Whilst there, he played no small part in the founding of the Woods Trust, which has been such a financial hejp to St. Gabriel's over the years, When St, Nons was founded, Brother was agein sent to prepare it for the opening ceremony
At various times Brother wes stationed in almost every Rotreat of the Province, Wherever he was placed, he quickly adapted himself to his new surroundings and gave himself unsparingly to the work of that Retreat. But it is in Sutton and Herne Bay that he will be remombered best. The owkbreak of World War II saw him stationed in Herne Bay, where he became known and loved by the whole town, Catholic and non - Catholic alike, He was never of a strong constitution and at was after the war that his health finally broke down, For some seven years he was to undergo operations and treatment in sanatoria and hospitals. Remembering ' his frail body, one wonders how he survived so much surgery. Suffering was yet another aspect of his apostolate, In 1958 he returned to his beloved St, Ame's, Sutton. Although it was obvious to all that his health had failed. yet he never admitted that fact. He was never happier than when he could help in the Comunity, whether 41+ was answering the door bell, the telephone or working in ' his counting house', He had the privelege, not given to many, either priest or brother, of celebrating his Golden Jubilee in 1965, Brother Hilarion was first, last and always a Passionist. He had many fine qualities and of these, his love for his Mother the Congregation was outstanding, His simple Faith and childlike trust in God and His Holy Mother, attracted people to him and enabled them to confide in him in their difficulties and trials, | Though suffering so much himself, or perhaps because of 4t, he had the kind, the cheerful, the consoling word always for those in trovublé, To God alone is know the many souls he direoted to the Confessional and the many souls he was instrumental ( under God), in bringing into the True Fold, In his tragic death, St. Joseph's Province has lost one of its great characters, and an ardent lover of our Mother the Congregation, May he rest 4n peace. Fe: bilo ¢? (RectoJ
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.