DEATH OF PRIEST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22389, 8 April 1936, Page 14

DEATH OF PRIEST

THE REV. FATHER A. BOWEN MISSIONARY TO. MAORIS - One of the most respected Roman Catholic priests in the Auckland Dio-, cese, the Rev. Father Aloysius Bowen, died at the Sacred Heart College, Pon* sonby, yesterday, aged 65. Father Bowen, who was s member of the Mill Hill Fathers, had been engaged in missionary work among the Maoris for more than 30 years. Born at Birmingham, he began his studies for the priesthood in 1890 at St. > Joseph's College for the Foreign Missions, Mill Hill, London, and was ordained by Cardinal Vaughan in 1898. The next two years lie spent in teaching at St. Joseph's College, and then was assigned to his society's Maori mission, arriving in New Zealand at-;-the end of 1900. In the course of his missionary career, Father Bowen was stationed at many places in the Auckland Province, first at Whangaroa and then successively at Whangarei, Rotorua, Tau- , ranga, again at Whangarei. and at Dargaville, Coromandel and the Bay of Islands. In 1931 he was appointed to St. Peter's College for Maori Boys at Northcote, and the following year was placed in charge of diocesan collections for the Maori Missions. This work he carried out for the remainder of his life.

Father Bowen was a very zealous priest and was much-loved by the Maori people to whom he ministered. His gift of humour and powers as a raconteur helped to make him many friends in all parts of the Auckland Province. As the result of wide travels he had an almost unrivalled knowledge of every corner of North Auckland. The death -of Father Bowen is the third that has occurred among the priests of the diocese within less than a month, the others being Fathers F. J. Dignan and J. O'Hara. of Thames and Waihi respectively. The funeral will take place fit the Panmure Cemetery this morning, after solemn requiem mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral.