Obituary Notice
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Fr. Killian Sheridan (1894- 1940) Kilian Sher claw _ Very Rev Fr Killian of the Holy Souls. sane BE ‘This neerological notice of Very RevRr Killian of the Holy Soulss ise long overdue, The delay will be fruitful if it serves as a reminder to pray for the repose of his soul. | | Many of the brethren have probably been anxious to get the exact facts ‘about his deaths . - He was dua to return to Broadway from Glasgow on Jan 4th 1940. We expected him about half past gevent He did not arrive as expected, but ho one was perturbed as we all knew bis happy knack of missing traing, At about So'clock a policeman called to inquire if a ‘Fr Masters lived here, A little eorrention enabled him to settle the ‘matter of tdentity and the policeman then bluntly informed us that they bad found Pr Killian dead in a train at Evesham. It was alstunning hlow as he had never complained of illness and seemed the Quintessence of life; . ‘The doctors attributed his death to cardiac heart«troubles As far as we could ascertain, he was in no distress at Honeybourne Junetion,so his death must have come very suddenly, as the journey ftom Honsybourne to Bveshem tekes only about 5 minutes? . | Providence arranged that he should be discovered immediately on arrival at Bvesham and Fr Proudman, the parish prhost, was soon on the spot and had given the Last Sacrements before the arrival of the doctor. Fr Killian was borfi et Dennistown, Glasgow, on Mar Ist, 1994. His father, James Sheriden, was a cattle salesman from Castloderg?
His mother was a Miss Mary Donnelly from Fintona, Go Tyrone. Fr Killian's was a late vocations He gerved all through the last war on Hi Mi S Orotava and’ took part in the Battle of Jutland: After the war he went to Osterley, then to our almuniate at Ardoyne and finally to the noviciate 4n Enniskillen. He was professed on Sept Ibth, 1922, and ordained on Jan 13th 1929. Pr Killian was a wonderful blend of the natural ang the supernatural: He was essentially human open-faced and open-hearted, friendly almost to a fault, and incapable of bearing maliaes He achieved Ohristien Ohildhoods It 19 true to say. in an enviable Bonse, That he never grew ups He was a child to lis mother until the ends He listened to her with all the reverence and dbedience of a scoolsboys His devotionte her was so outstanding that although the monks appreciated and admired it, it became nevertheless a source of good-humoured banter and the phrase "* Motherwill be very pleased" passed tnto currency in community~ Language in whatever house he BAK happened to be stationed, Fr Killian hed an unfailing sense of humour: however perturbed he was, a joke would always elicit a smile and 9 swift react- ion. His reminiscences and sea-stories were 9 never»failing spuree of emusement. | | He wes a typical Jack-Tar and had acquired (or inherited in the home of a big femily) the jolly spirit of tomradeship that is so noficeable a characteriatice of sailors: | Fr Killian wes devoted to the Congregation and after a successful mission he was often heard to say "I did not let the
Congregation downs -_ Hig faults were those of a childand were on the surface His virtues were those of child and were deep, fe had a childlike faith ahd a spirit of tender devotion. He had an outstand~ ing love of the Blessed Sacrament, Qur Lady and the Holy Souls, He was an indefatigable worker and revelled in working himaott toa stand» still on the missions, His power of sympathy made him a popular and helpful confessor. | “He was always an optimiat and preferred to look on the bright aide of things, Gloom and Fr Kill@an were never on friendly tome, and one of his favourite sermong was on "Holy Joy". Hasentially a community+man, he had no patience with the secretive solitary: Duplicity was so utterly foreign to his nature thathe hardly ever apprehended its presences At the time of his death he was Master of Novices. He had been in nonecanonical offices almost from the time of his ordination, He was director of students at Sutton and was loved by his students, | Afterwards he was Vicar at Highgate where he made many friends among all types, then he was Vicar at Ilkley and finally came to Broadway, sdmawhat overawed by the importance of his task. Never a disciplinartan, he preferred to lead not drive: Forgetful, inel1ned to overlook minutie, he was a natural enemy of formalism and rod= tape: His novices caught his spirit of cheerful simplicity and there is every reason to hope that his work will be enduring. -
rad Fr Killian will long be remembered by his brethren and many a stwry will be tola@ of him If we did not believe in the Communion of Saints, we should be inelined to say that the Province has been made distinctly poorer by his death, _ Home simplex et rectus ac timens Deun- “May he rest in peace Alfred of the Blessed Sacrament OVP, Ra sala skit ete Senet ele all men mee met et ee ee a ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee eee
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.