FUNERAL OF MONSIGNOR FYNES.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 143, 18 June 1887, Page 5

FUNERAL OF MONSIGNOR FYNES.

A "solemn Kequiem Mass for the repose of the; late Monsignor Fynes was held this morning at St. Patrick's Cathedral, when His Lordship Bishop Luck officiated, being supported by Deacon Father Downey, SubDeacon Father Thomas, and Master of the Ceremonies Father Mac Donald. The coffin was brought from St. John the Baptist Church, Parnell, yesterday afternoon, arid deposited in the Cathedral, at halfpast three, the body lying in state throughout the night, being visited by numerous members of the congregation! The coffin is of lead, covered with black cloth, and heavily mounted with bi-ass work. The interior is upholstered in purple satin—the colour symbolical of the deceased Monsignor'srank. Mr C. Little is the undertaker.' At ten o'clock the mass commenced, when a large number of persons were present. His ■ Lordship the Bishop wore a white mitre, black cassock, and dalmatics, the deacons black dalmatics, and Father McDonald a black cape. The alter' was draped with black 'cloth edged with white, as were the walls of the cathedral. On the left hand of the alter, the coffin, covered with wreaths of flowers, stood beneath the black catafalque, the corners" of which were ■looped, up with bunches of white ribbon and

flowers. Bishop Luck, as celebrarit, gartook of Holy Communion in both kinds After the first part of the service, including Gospel of St. John, chapter 11, 21 to 23 verses, had been concluded, His Lordship the Bishop drew to the front of the alter, and supported by his deacon gave a funeral address, lie was not going to give a panegyric upon the deceased, but must say of him, as he had been so well-known and beloved by numbers of persons in Auckland, Panmure and Ho wick during the time that, in the absence of the Bishop, he had had ; the Church of God under his care, there were few persons he (the Bishop) had met with the zeal of the deceased, and he went on to say that there must be many out of the large congregation who had received the holy water of Baptisement at Monsignor Fynes' hands, and had received religious benefit under his protecting care. The deceased, amongst other good qualities, had that of straightforwardness, a quality which he (the Bishop) would be glad to see more common amongst persons. Monsignor. Fynes always carried out what he . attempted, although this course did not of course always please everyone. His truthfulness had indeared him to his parishioners. Bishop Luck | then dilated upon the good work Monsignor Fynes had done in the St. Mary's Industrial School. There was an eloquent sermon preached to them all in the coffin before them. It wasan unction of piety, goodness, and charity. The great life work of,the deceased had been in the cause of Catholic education, to which he had almost entirely devoted 20 years of his life. He had expressed his wish ,£hat his body should be buried in the Waikomiti cemetery ; in that part where his brother priests would be lain. Monsignor Fynes had been to him (the speaker) a dear and true friend, and he had had opportunieies of well knowing the worth of that friendship. After mass Bishop Luck and the attendent clergy went into the vestry, and His Lordship assumed the black cope, and then with cross-bearer and acolytes read the last prayer and psalm. The choir having then chanted the Psalms as set forth in the ritual, the Bishop read the collect, and then pronounced the absolution. The body was then borne out with the following procession :—First came the Children of Mary, under Miss K. Sheehan, the Sisters of. Mercy, and then the Marist Brothers. The cross - bearer came next with the attendant acolytes with . the , Bishop and clergy. The solemn, sorrowful wail of Miserere me, <kus, now burst from the choir the' officiating priests going through the sacred ceremonies from the oblation of the Host and chalice meanwhile. Father Higgins had charge of the manuals, and Fathers O'Gai'a and Lenihan left the choir. At eleven o'clock the wreaths being re.moved from the coffin, it was removed to the hearse, and a large number of carriages conveying many of our citizens followed it on its way to Waikomiti, where Bishop Luck performed the last offices. The weather throughout was wet arid cold in the extreme. . . '