Obituary Notice
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~ Fr. MAURICE Donegan (1888-1963) Obituary Notice ~~ Fr. Maurice Donegan, C+Pa On one of the opening pages of hie Bible, a Pasaionist priest who died of recent years had writtent "Ha led him about, and taught him! and he kept him as the apple of his eye." (Deut. 32.10.). A fitting epiteph for his own life, these same words sre applicable, in many ways, to the life and edifying death of the late Fr. Maurice Donegan. He was born on May, 16th, 1888, in Belfast, of parents revered for their religious fervour and charitableness, As far ae his decision to join the Passionist Congregation is concerned it is easy to see the influences that moulded hie choice. There was the religious atmosphere of his own home, from which , in courses of time} four of his sisters would join various religious Congregetions; there was the long association of his family with the Passtoniats and also the fact that he slready had an uncle in the Congregation. So it must have come ag no great surprise when, havgng completed his studies et St. Malachy's College, he left home to present himseff as a postulent at the Novitiate in Broadway, Worcestershire. There he wae professed on January 30th, 1908, going from there to Mt. Argue, Dublin, where, in company with Fras Brendan and Cornelius, of hallowed memory, he was ordained to the priesthood on December 21st, 1913. After Ordination he was, in the course of his life, stationed in various of our houses in Ireland, Scotland and later on in Englané. Worthy of passing mention is that fact that he wae editor of ' The Cross ' sometime around 1917. The year following he went to Australia, where he ramained for seven yearey engaged in giving missions, retreats, and in pioneering misalonary work. But the life in Austrelia would seem to have imposed 4 strain on his health from which he never reslly recovered. In 1925 he returned from Australia. It was ehortly after this date that the division of the Provinces became effective, and Fr. Maurice chose St. Joseph's Provinces Thereafter he was stationed at one time or another in Broadway, Harbonne, Highgate, Carmarthen, Ilkley! even yet in various of these places there are to be found those who atill remember hie srudite and eloquent sermons and Gospel homilies. Talented as he undoubtedly was, it ie e matter for some regret that he did not use to greater public advantage the Bifts thatwere hia - probably the explenation fa to be found in ill-health from which he suffered so much, 80 longe On the credit side, é
26 there is the goodly number of converts whom he received, and whose fervour and perseverence testifies to the thorouchnesa of the inetructions received. Nor can one pasa over in silence the priests of our own Province who generously admit their debt to him for the example and instructions he gave them on the art of sermon construction. And this perhaps above all ~ his reputation ag a wise an d sympathetic confessor. But the ill-health that cast a long shadow over his life demanded long periods of hospital treatment; indeed one such period ended only in 1962, when, e few deys before ‘Dominic's Sundsy', he came, de familia, to St. Paul's Retreat Tlkley.e Quitely he returned to community life arain, pleased and thankful to be once more with his brethren. In his periods of better health he was most willing and obliging and now bac again, he expressed on more than one occasion his eagerness to be engaged in the works of the Retreat. But the years were beginning to take their toll, and it was obvious to all that the end was approaching - indeed Fr. Maurice himeelf realised it, for on the various occasions when he spoke of his Golden Jubilee due to be held on 2let December, 1963, it was more often than not conditioned by, "If I em spared to see it." Without show or ostentation he hegan to make his remote prpparations; the majesty of approaching death neither appalled nor affrighted him; the same quiet composure and unfuffled calm that he had exhibited in St. Joseph's, rocked and shakened by wartime bombs, wae again evident. The hard bitter Winter of 1963, followed by the miserable Summer was for him the end. Once again he returned to hospitel, this time to receive the professional nursing and attention that hia condition demanded. And som on October Ath, the feast of St. Francis, after some three weeks sojourn in the hospitel of the Brothers of St. John of God, in Scorton, and after heving received Holy Viaticun, he passed away. Conscious to the end he joined in the prayers for the dying, and with his last breath said! "Blessed Dominic, pray for me." Let us hope th e first Pessionist, but not the last to seck and find mercy through the intercession of Blessed Dominic, the Father and Founder of our Provinces The Communion antiphon of the Mass preceding that of October Ath, reade! "He led him about, and taught him? end he kept him as the apple of his eye"(Deut. 32.10. Fr. Maurice Donegan, 0.P. Born 16th May, 1888. Died 4th October, 1963, in the fiftieth yesr of his priesthood, May he rest in peace.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.