THE LATE MONSIGNOR COLEMAN.

Evening Star, Issue 8116, 16 January 1890, Page 2

THE LATE MONSIGNOR COLEMAN.

The very sudden death of the Right Reverend Monsignor Coleman will, we feel sure, excite a universal feeling of sorrow throughout the City and district, where for so many years he has been known and esteemed. An ecclesiastic of marked ability and devoted to the duties of his office, he y/as at the same time the most genial of men whilst the’.brcadth of his charity knew no difference of country or l creed. Father Coleman, to use his more familiar designation, since it is only quite recently that he was advanced to the prelacy, will be sadly missed in the many households where his visits brought cheerfulness and comfort, and his loss will be deplored wherever there was personal knowledge of his high qualities. His valued friendship extended beyond tpe sphere of hi o own communion, and there are sore hearts to-day among many who knew him only as a friend and fellow citizen. The loss to the Roman Catholic Church in this diocese, and we may with truth say in Hew Zealand, is a very serious one, and much sympathy rajist needs be felt with the Bishop and clergy now assembled in Synod. The late Right Reveraned Mopaignop William Coleman, domestic prelate to°the Pope and archdeacon of the diocese of Dunedin, was born fifty-six years ago on the hanks of the Blackwater, County Waterford, Ireland, between Lismore and Permoy. As a boy he was educated at the seminary of the Vincentian Brothers in Cork, and thence proceeded to Maynooth, where ho highly distinguished himself in his ecclesiasIjc^l' studies. Being ordained when he arrived dt the age, he held several tiuragfegTh fhe diocese of plpyne. and subsequently was appointed to Ballymacada, ip County Cork, where be was parish priest when Dr Moran was translated from the Cape to Dunedin. Knowing that the Bishop waa much perplexed to obtain clergy t > accompany him to .so distant a part of the world, Father Coleman, in a spirit of complete self-sacrifice, gave up home, kindred, country, and very excellent prospects, volunteering fo accompany the Bishop, whose right-hand ipsn be has been since his

Arrival in 1871. Appointed Vicar-General almost immediately, important work in connection with the organisation of the new diocese was at once thrown upon Father Coleman, and discharged with the ability and energy which were his characteristics. In 1874 he was despatched by the Bishop on a mission to the Old Country in order to provide for the increasing needs 6f the diocese, in which mission he was eminently successful, returning with several r young priests and nuns of the teaching order whose educational labors are so highly appreciated. la October, 1876, Father Coleman was appointed to the charge of the Oamaru district, in which ho has labored since that date, having only within the last year or two bad the assistance of a curate. In 1882 the Bishop created Father Colemon archdeacon of the diocese, being the highest honor in his power to confer ; and on his recent visit to Rome would appear to have made such representation in the proper quarter that the archdeacon was advanced to the dignity of a, monsignor and appointed a domestic chaplain to the Pope, the rank conferred being only inferior to theepiscopate, and placinghim among the prelates of the church. The congratulations on his well-merited elevation have hardly ceased; and now, having “fought the good fight,” he has finished his course.

As regards the manner of Monsignor Coleman’s death, the immediate cause was serous apoplexy. He arrived from Oamaru on Tuesday forenoon, apparently in good health, to attend the meeting of the Synod on Wednesday. At the early dinner, where the clergy of the diocese and several visiting priests were the guests of the Bishop, the monsignor, generally the life of such a party, was observed to be not in his usual spirits, indicating rather that he was a little fatigued with his journey in a crowded train. After dinner he complained of a slight headache, which he thought would soon go off, and he accompanied two or three of the fathers to the Exhibition. Soon after entering he developed symptoms which somewhat alarmed his friends, having difficulty at times in keeping his feet, but he resisted their wish to drive back to the Bishop’s residence, and after a short stay in the Exhibition they returned on foot. It would seem then that be did not feel equal to sitting up, and he accordingly retired to bis room, where he was left for a time undisturbed. At 10 p.m. Father Walsh, going in to see him, was so alarmed by his appearance that he at once sent for Dr Ferguson, who was by the bedside in afew minutes. The doctor realised at once the serious nature of the attack, which was one of apoplexy, and gave no hopes that he would pull through. Tim last sacraments were accordingly administered, and at two o’clock yesterday morning be breathed his last.

The late Monsiguor Coleman, by his will dated in 1874, leaves all his real and personal property absolutely for church purposes in the diocese of Dunedin,