Obituary Notice
This obituary notice has been digitally processed from a scanned archival document. Some words may be imperfectly rendered.
Fr. Paschal Marshall (1928-1978) A LETTER FROM BETHANIE: PASSIONIST FR CELECTINO, CASA DELL'AMICIZIA PP Passionisti, Box 19087,Jerusalem — ( Israel ) Translated by Fr Claudio Moscatéelli, CP — Highgate. 00000000000 Fr John Marshall - News of Fr Paschal from the Holy Places. Born 4 March 6th, 1928 - Professed Oct.,28th, 1944 ~ Ordained Priest — May 27th, 1950. 00000000000 Fr Marshall was on a journey from Francistown's Mission in Botswana to Belfast,his native city, to take a rest and a holiday. On the way, he stopped in Jerusalem in order to visit the Holy Places, but here he found a strip of earth ready to receive him 4 while he awaits the heavenly Jerusalem's manifestations Fr Marshall left Johannesburg on March 10th 1978, and he stopped in Malawi ( Blantyre ) and after in Kenya ( Nairobi)» He reached Tel Aviv ( Israel) on Palm Sunday night 19/20th March, 1978. From there he came on his way to Jerusalem, where he was to stay with his Pentecostal friends. During the journey from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, he caughta bad colds The following days — because of the cold = he didn't go around very much. However he felt serene in his soul and.all day long he was praying and singing " Jesus, Allelulia," with his friends. On Thursday, March 30th, he got worse in the early afternoon. While he was being taken to St Joseph's Hospital, he was in a comae The Sisters there sent for a Franciscan Father, Fr Talatinian, and he gave him the Sacrament of the Sicks Fr Talatinian got to know from a picture of his Silver Jubilee, that Fr Marshall was a Passionist Father and so hé informed the Passionist Community at Bethanie. ] Fr Celestino and Fr Leoni dwent at once to the hospital. They watched at the bedside of the patient all the times. At 5 pm , the Doctor Dipsi told Fr Celestino that the patient was unable to get better and in a few hours he should be dead. While Fr Marshall was cared for by the Passionist brethren as well as Pentecostal fricnds, a telephone call was made to Rome to inform the family and the brethren of his Province. All night long, Fr Leonie, Fr Joseph, a Maronite priest and a nurse called Irene looked after him with great charitys. The action of the Nurse, who did all she could with a great love and continous prayer from the afternoon Fr Marshall arrived at the hospital till the moment when the body was laid in the coffin,was most admirable. ; Also the Sisters and the Doctor followed one another at the bedside of the patient without a break throughout the nights In the morning at 5 o'clock, Fr Leonie and Fr Joseph left for Fr Celestinos. About ten past five, Fr Marshall had fallen into such a fit of convulsions, that they thought the moment of his meetigg with God had arrived.
Letter from Bethanic — Fr Paschal John Marshall CP — RIP. page 2s ; 00000000000000000000 The patient , who was getting a little better after the Absolution and the special blessing, passed away placidly at ten to six. On the report, the Doctor wrote - as the cause of death — " cerebral- malaria vivo—blackwater." After the patient's death, the Brethren tried to find out how they could transfer the body to Belfast, but they encountered many diff-— iculties. First of all, the body would have to be embalmed, then to find a suitable coffin, then to have the body in a cold store for a foreseeable time of one month, ( to make things worse the Hebrew Sabbath was just beginning). At noon on March 31st, Fr Constante, the Provincial of the Province of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Fr Filippo, Rector, came back from Jordan and heard the news of Fr Paschal's death. On the same night, they decided the the time of the funerals It took place on the Saturday morning »« A vigil was held over the body» The first of April at 9-30 am , the funeral took place with a solemn concelebration, presided over by the Fr Provincial and with all the Community present. At the funeral there were many from the nearby communities present as well as Fr Paschal's Pentecostal friendss Fr Paschal was buried in the little cemetery in the shade of the park and small garden of Bethanie Friendship House. Fr Paschal's care and treatments costs were kindly given by the Sisters in charge of the hospital - the coffin was offered by " Custody ( Guardianship ) of the Holy Places”, and the Passionist Community offered all the other things connected with the care and burial as a contribution to the Missions and with a hope that they will have a new Protector, who will implore the Divine Graces over the new initiative for local vocations which is beginning in the Bethanie Friendship house of the Passionists at this time. Re Ta Pe 0000000000000000000000
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.