Obituary Notice
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Fr. Vincent Grogan (1837-1900) of father Vincent (Grogan) of the.Sacred Heart of Jesus. "NY On Wednesday 7th November of this year (1900), a telegram was received at St. Joseph's Retreat, Highgate, from our Retreat at Marrickville, Sidney, New South Wales, announcing the death of the Very Rev. Fr. Vincent. News had already for some months _ previous reached the Province that our dear Father was in failing: health, but his death was not so soon expected. It was, therefore, with feelings of surprise and preat sorrow that we received the news of the sad event. Tha Passionists of the Province, and. his numerous and esteemed friends, were looking forward to welcoming him home to Wighgate, in the hope that he would be spared some time longer in our midst, and that he might end his days in this place, where he had labourec. with so mich seal and success from the early years of his priesthood. But it has pleased God to ordain otherwise, and to call to Himself the soul of that good and holy priest at the time and in the place where, in His all-wise Providence, He knew. it would be best for him and for us. By the death of Fr. Vincent our Congregation has lost a faithful, loyal and zealous son here on earth, but gained, we confidently hope, a saint in heaven, who by his prayers and intercession will continue to assist her and her children in that work for God and for souls, which was the sole purpose of his own priestly life, and in the dis- charge of which he literally spent himself. . Fr. Vincent was born at Croghan, in the parish of Rhode, King's Co., Jreland, on Sept. 22nd 1837, Ne was the son of Peter and Catherine Grogan, and received in Baptism the name of Peter. Form his childhood he was remakkable for his serious and golid piety, and gavé signs even in his early youth, of a priestly vocation, and of that life of self-denial and holiness to which he afterwards consecrated himself. After receiving the usual elementary education in the schools of his native parish, he entered St. Patrick's College, Carlow, where he went through his classical course of studies, and afterwards his full course of Ecclesiastical studies, philosophy, Theology, Scripture and Canon Law. The Very Rev. James B. Kavanazh, D.)., was Professor and President af Carlow College during the whole time of Fr. Vincent's curriculum, and he used to bear testimony ever afterwards of the young student's piety, regularity and attention to his studies. This distinguished Ecclesiastic became afterwards F.P. of Kildare, and shortly before his death he mentioned to one of the Passionist Fathers who called to see him, that on that particular day he had been looking over some MS. reports of the College during the time of his presidency, and paid special attention to Peter Grogans name. He invariably received the mark excellent for his good and exen- plary conduct, and good for proficiency in his studies. At the completion of his theological studies he was ordained priest in the Cath- edral at Carlow in I864, by Most Rev. James Walshe, Bishop of Kildare and Ileighlin, who to the end of his life retained a great esteem and friendship for Fr. Vincent, and who always cordially welcomed and received him at his residence "Braganza", Carlow, when- ever the good Passionist happened to be employed, as he very often was, in giving missions and& retreats in his native diocese. Immediately after his ordination, Fr. Vincent was appointed as Curate to the Rev. Joseph Murray, P.P. of Tinryland, Co. Carlow. This was the first scene of his missfon- ary labours. During the 3 or 4 yéars that Fr. Vincent remained on the secular mission, he was indefatigesble in all the duties of the ministry. He was beloved by tne people amongst whom he labourdd, and his memory is still cherished and revered by these good, faithful people, who correspondeds so well to all his instructions and ministrations, that Fr. Vincent frequently in after life spoke of them with love and grattitude as being his joy and consolation during the time of his sacerdotal life in the world. Tt may be said that Fr, Vincent, humanly speaking, at this time had everything to make his life as a secular priest happy and comfortable. He had the esteem and confidence of his bishop, the love and veneration of his people, and a greut field of labour for his missionary zeal. He was not, however, satisfied; he felt drawn to the religious life, and the vocation to consecrate himself to God in a religious order was stréng and certain. Ue sovght at length the permission of his bishop, who was at first unwilling to lose such an able and promising young priest. However, after some time for re- «
flection, recognising in his resolve and in his spirit of self-renuncation the will of God, Bishop Walshe placed no obstacles in his way and grentes hi the necessary per- missions | , So soon as all his worldly affairs were settled, and thepermission of his bishop duly eranted, Fr. Vincent entered the Passionist novitiate in October 1867; at St. Saviour's Retreat, Broadway, Worcs. During his novitiate, he was thoug! a priest inx Holy Ordersz#, one of the most humble. and observant of novices. He regardedm=x no duty ag menial or disagreeable, but accomodated himself to al the humiliations, offices and mortifications of Novitiate life. We was an example to all his companions, some of whom still live and speak of his great humility and charity during his noviceship. He made his profession on the 29th October 1868, and immediately after was appointed de familia at St. Joseph's Retreat, Highgate. For 9 years he fulfilled the office of Vice-Rector of that Retreat, and at the Provincial Chapter of the Congregation, held in I878, was elected Rector of the same Retreat. During his Rectorship the present monastery was completed, and through that love which he always had for the beauty of the house of God, he had the old church improved ahd decorated at considerable expense, the sum required having been contributed generously by the members of the congre; ation, who were always. responsive to any call made upon their resources by their beloved Rector. In-.the Provincial Chapter of I88I he was elected Provincial of the dAnglo- Hibernian Province of the Congregation. _ In this capacity he had a larger sphere of in- fluence for the good of the Congregation and for the good of souls, and so well did he discharge all tha duties of his office and retain the confidence of his subjects and superiors, that he wes re-elected Provincial in the Chapter of 1884, and again in the Chapter of I887. So that for 9 years he fulfilled the important and responsible office of Provincial in these countries. Durine those years he went before all by his virtuous ard zealous example. His rule was «entle and kind,.and he retained throughout the affection and respect of all his subjects. The duties of hie office were necessarily numerous and heavy: svch as the visitation of the several retreats and houses of the Province; the correspondence in connection with missions and retreats; and all matters of importance affecting the temporal and spiritual well-beins of the Province and its members came under his authority. And in all he showed himself a vigilant superior, a kind father and a prudent administrator. His gen) for the salvation of souls, however, did not allow him to confine himself to the immedhate duties of tne Provincialate, which may be said to.be sufficient for any one man. fe never relaxed his labours for the good of others. We attended the confessional, sang the late Masses on Sundaye and Holydays. of obligation, and took his share, and more thar his share, of preaching, like any of the priests of the community; and, added to these, at regular intervals, the heavy work of giving missions and retreats. In the catal- ogues of missions and retrents, we find his name frequently mentioned during those 9 years, and we know what a strain upon his constitution, which was never very strong, al] this work must have entailed. Me was simple-minded and wise. He wag self-denying and free from ambition. His sole motive of living and acting was the glory of God and the good of the Congrevation. He had great ideas, in the later yeurs of his Provincialate, of spreading the Gongreg- ation and increasing the number of Retreats. To him we owe. tie foundation of the Retreat and church at Werne Ray, through our most kind and generous benefactor, and Fr. Vincent's srest-friend, Mr. Broderick. A house of the Gonerexation was also establish+ ed by him in South Wales (first at Tenby and afterwards transferred to Carmarthen, where ti ere was a suitable church), which promises to be ea very fruitful and permanent establishment for the religious and for the work of the Congresation. St. Michael's Retreat, Wareham, was another of his’ foundations; but towards: the end of his life Fr. Vincent must have felt that this place disappointed the zealous purpose for which the mission was founded, and, contrary to his expectation, had proved in every respect a failure so far as the work for souls and the advantage of our Congregi:tion are con- cerned. ; In the Chapter of 1890, Fr. Gregory of St. Joseph (Callaghan), was elected Prov~ incial, and Fr. Vincent was relieved of the burden of tht office. He was chosen: to the office of first Consultor Provincial. For some time his heart had been set on the
Australian mission, and the spread of the Congregation in that Colony. It was while Provincial taat a few Passionicts, with the V. Rev. Ir. Abphonsus O'Peil at their head, had been sent out to establish a house of the Congregation at Sidney, at the invitation of His Eminence Cardinal. Moran, Archbishop of Sidney. Three houses were soon founded in Australis within the space of a few years. The V. Rev. l'r. Alphonsus was in fail- ing heelth, and Fr. Vincent volunteered for that foreign mission, and took his depart- ure for New South Wales towards the end of I890. There he had laboured as Vice~-Prov- incial for nearly IO years, with the exception of 6 months when, in the years '93, '94, he paid-a visit to these countries. Wis life and labours out there were an exact counterpart of what we have already narrated concerning his life and labours at home, until about a year ago, when, owing to his weakened constitution, he was replaced in the office of Vice-Provincial by V. Rev. Fr. Gregory of St. Joseph, and appointed local superior of St. Brigid's Retreat, Marrickville, where he ended his days in peace, sur- rounded by his religious brethren, and amongst them sone faithful, dear old friends of his, such as Fr. Gregory, and that faithful lay-brother, Br. Lawrence, who acted as his nurse and infirmartan during his last illness. From this short account of his life we may form some judgement of the character of fr. Vincent and his life-long labours, but no words can express his wonderful influence for good over those who came into personal and friendly relations with him. To know him was to love him In his monastery he was the tmie religious, devoted to prayer, to observance and the love of Christ Crucified. His favourite devotion was tuat of xk the Stations of the Cross, and he used often relate to some of the fathers the lasting impression made on his mind, when, as a secular, he visitéd our church at Mt. Argus, and saw all the religious of the community joinin;; in precession at the public service of the Way of the Cross... In after life he would allow no duty to call him away from this devotion on Friday evenings; and no matter how tire he might be after e hard dayts work, foll of care and anxiety perhaps, the congre,ation at Jligngete would always see him taking. part in this devotion. By his fervent devotion, his charity to the poor, and his geslous preaching, he enabrined himself in the hearts of that congreration in whose midst be spent the sreater part of his life as a priest. ‘They Loved his apost- olic preaching. He was no sounding brass or tinkling cymbal. Wis were not the per- suasive words of human wisdom, but the words of simplicity and truth, delivered with great faith and earnestness. God blessed the labours of this apostolic missioner in a most wonderful manner, as evidenced by the great number of conversions to the Catholic Church which he was instrumental in effecting. Nis words of instruction and exhortat- ion, whether spoken privately or from the pulpit, entered into the heorts of his heerers and always brought forth fruit, and will continue to bring forth fruit as long as his hearers lives; and the present and future generations oF the Wighgate people will have reason to praise God for the.24% years that He left Mis servant in their parish. Tt is a great privilere and = grateful duty, for one who knew him personally and most intimately, both in his private and public capacity, di ring his religious life, to ber testimony to his virtuous and saintly character. Holy and virtuous as hes was, there was nothing cold or austere about his virtue. He was the most open, the most single-minded, the most agreeable of companions, and the most affectionate and sincere of friends. Example and encouragement, and not domination marked his intercourse with hiz subjects. No prelate in the church was more free from the spirit of lording it over those under his jurisdiction. His ceaseless study was to draw forth, to develope and apply to suitable advantage, the intellectual, moral and spiritual good qualities of his priests; and in this way, by his kind words and generous recognition, he occasioned many valuable services to religion, and waintatnes the good name of the congregation which he had ever at heart. He thus endeared hincelf to all, and on this account the hearts of all his brethren and friends are moved woth the greatest sorrow and srief by the news of the death of that simple, good-natured, wise and saintly prres priest, who continued to the day of his death an exemplary, observant religious, and a worthy and true so of the Congregation of the Passion. At the time of writing, the particulars of his last illness and death have not reached us. From a letter written by one of his relatives in Australia, dated 26th August, we learn that Fr. Vincent was threatened at that time with paralysis. The
doctors attending him told our correspondent that Fr Vincent wus not the same since his last attack of a slight stroke of paralysis about two years ago; that at the time of writinz both valves of the heart were affected by valvular desease, and that his vight side was partially paralysed. He himmkkff-self complained of his hand being powerless; one of his legs heavy and stiff; of his right side being cold, and that he felt miserable when not in the sunshine. Notwithstanding all this, we are informed that at that recent date he was able to say Mass two or three times a week, and to go to a convent some distance off to hear the confessions of the nuns every week. We think, therefore, that he had not a very long or sevére last illness; and, as his whole life was a preparation for death, we may safely conclude that when his last end came, and that when he had reached that awful moment that seperates time from eternity, this faithful servant of God and true son of St. Paul of the Cross, was able to say from his heart: 'I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ!; and that he was found worthy to hear the consoling invitation of that same loving Saviour, ‘Well done, good and faithfull servant: because thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will place thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.! Signed: “Arthur, ¢.P." te re er er ee mr rm er et ee tee
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.