FATHER FITZGIBBONS’S FUNERAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 August 1927, Page 5

FATHER FITZGIBBONS’S FUNERAL.

ELTHAAI’S TRIBUTE

MANY CLERGY PRESENT

Although a practical stranger, having arrived in Eltham exactly a- week beiore he was laid to rest, the late Father Maurice John Fitzgibbons was accorded a remarkable tribute by the people of Eltham and district yesterday. The widespread sympathy engendered by his tragic end was reflected in the large concourse which followed his remains to their last resting place. The service at the Catholic - Church, prior to the formation of the procession was most impressive, and included a very large assemblage of clergymen from far and near.

A -solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father Eccleton, cousin of the deceased. Father Cullen was deacon of the Alass, Father Heggarty sub-deacon, and Father McDermott master of ceremonies. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea (Wellington) delivered an impressive address on the life of the deceased clergyman, and touched upon the tragic circumstances surrounding its termination. As . the procession passed out of the church it traversed a double line of Convent school children draped in; -scarlet sashes, who, with the altar boys, headed the cortege on its journey through the town. Messrs. J. Walsh, J. Halpin, At. Bourke, P. Hammer-sley, D. : Nees .and P. Condon*were the pallbearers.

Immediately preceding the hearse were 20 Sisters of the Convent and. 27 priests. Then followed- a car carrying Archbishop ..O’Shea and Atonsignor Power (Hawera). Thirty members of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society were next in order behind the hearse. A long queue of about 50 cars, conveying representatives of other religious denominations, public bodies, and private mourners from all parts of the province, comoleted tlie -procession. The Rev. Father "Eccleton read the graveside service* at the Eltham cemetery. •

The Catholic Church was represented by His Grace Archbishop O’Shea (Wellington), Monsignor Power (IT-awera), Fathers Robertson, C.S.S.M. (Wellington), Sweeney (Opunake), McManus (Palmerston North), O’Dwyer (Manaia), Devlin (Takapau), Viband, S.M. (Wanganui), Heggarty' (Carterton), , Cahill (Stratford), Oashman (Pahiatua), Lynch (Patea), Doolaghty (Tailiape), Kaveney (Wellington), Menard, S.M. (Otaki), Cullen (Christchurch),. Forrestal (Inglewood), Griffen (Johnsonville), Breen (New Plymouth), McDermott (Foxton), McNogue (New Plymouth), Moore (Eltham), Ecdeton (Te Kuitig Venning, S.M. (Jerusalem), Doherty (Eketahuna), Harnett (Feilding), O’Sullivan (Wellington), and Uhlenberg (Masterton). The late Father Fitzgibbons was a native of Limerick, Ireland, 34 years of nge, and was ordained at St. John’s College, Waterford. During a 10 vears’ residence in New Zealand he had been stationed _at Wellington, Lower Hutt and Levin. He paid a visit to Ireland last year to visit Ills parents. On his return to New Zealand he contracted an illness, from which lie was onlv recovering when transferred to Eltham.