Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Fr. Oliver McKenzie (1916-1994) HOMILY AT FATHER OLIVER'S REQUIEM =- 7.4,94 MES KEMESE Last week, Holy Week, when we commemorated the death of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, we were shocked and saddened by the sudden death on Wednesday evening of Father Oliver, a Passionist for fifty-one years and a priest for almost forty-six years. We would like to think of him taking part with the Risen Christ in the heavenly celebration of Haster as Christ's victory over sin and death! u“ We are not likely to find Father Oliver's name in ‘Whos Who, nor in the obituary columns of. The “Times"nor even of the tabloids, but we confidently trust and pray that his name is written in heaven, his true home. The old song tells us that "theré’s no place like home't - that is far more true when the home is heaven, for that is in every sense ‘out of this world' - because it is God's home, Father Oliver McKenzie was born on the 24th September 1916 in Toomebridge, Co.Antrim, Ireland. Later the family (four sons, three daughters) moved to Belfast where they lived in the Passionist parish of Holy Cross, Ardoyne, and Frank McKenzie, as he then was, attended St.Malachy's College. Having decided to try his vocation with the Passionists in England; he went to the (then) Juniorate at Blythe Hall, Ormskirk, Lancs. in 1937, This is where I first met him in 1938 when I was sent there after ordination to teach. When he had completed his preliminary studies for acceptance into the Passionists, he entered the novitiate in Broadway, Worcs. in 1941, and was professed as a Passionist a year later, He was ordained priest, along with four other students, in St.Anne's, Sutton, on 4th June 1948, The bulk of his priestly life was spent in Sweden for almost nineteen years.and in Herne Bay for almost eighteen years, He and Brother’ Gabriel were among the first to be appointed to the Passionist Mission in Sweden, and’this was in 1951. We are very pleased that Brother Gabriel is with us from Sweden to pay his final respects to his fellow labourer in the self-sacrificing, demanding, and often lonely work in Sweden, On his return from Sweden he spent much shorter periods in Highgate (London), in Carmarthen (Wales), and in Ormskirk (Lancs). Then in 1976 he was appointed to Herne Bay, and he has been here ever since. Before ill health overtook him he did valiant work in this parish, where, over the years, he became well known and well respected, first of all especially in Herne, and then in other areas. It had been a particular cross to him that, because of illness, he had been inhibited in recent years from taking a full, active part in the work of the parish, but he helped in any way he could, He will be sadly missed by so many parishioners,
2 6 I am not here, needless to say, to canonise Fr.Oliver, but to ask you to pray for the happy repose of his soul. Like the rest of us, he had his faults and failings. Even the Apostles who enjoyed the closest companionship with Jesus still had their share of faults which climaxed dramatically during the Passion of their Master, — He could be blunt and brusque at times; he was straight and direct and said what he thought with few frills or flowery embellishments. A typical little instance of this was that shortly before he died he said to the doctor (not his usual one) "Who are you" ? - and then noticing a bruise oft his hand caused by an injection, he asked "What did you do that for" 7? One could hardly say that he was the master of the soft answer that turns away wrath ! A confrontation between Ian Paisley and himself would have been intdresting, noisy and brief } I doubt whether the said Ian would have had the last word ! But, beneath the blunt exterior was a person who cared, a Passionist who was concerned, a priest who would often go to great lengths to help someone in need, Humanewise he had his likes: and dislikes - for instance he liked the old steam trains - perhaps his interest stemmed from the fact that his father was a Station Master for many year's on the N.Ireland Railways - he liked watching (on T.V.) the odd game of football or snooker and even boxing, but cricket was beyond him (it seems to be beyond some of our cricketers too !). He disliked hassle, waffle, loneliness and change, Father Oliver had a simple faith, not to be decried because simple as though simplicity itself. were a fault, He was a faithful child of God, a faithful son of the Church, a faithful Passionist and a faithful priest. He had a- childlike devotion to Our Blessed Lady - one of his very special pleasures some few months ago was going to Lourdes on pilgrimage ~ this was a real highlight for him, More recently he was being more and more affected by the combination of diabetes and heart trouble, more and more confused and distressed, So the good Lord must have thought he had had enough, and at about 6.30 last Wednesday evening said to him in effect, if not in precise words, "Do not let your heart be troubled nor let it be afraid, Trust in God still and trust in me ~ there is plenty of room in my Father's house ~ so, come home with me, so that where I am you may be also", Eternal rest give unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him ~- may he rest in peace ..., see Amen.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.