DEATH OF THE VENERABLE ARCHPRIEST GARIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 1, 26 April 1889, Page 5

DEATH OF THE VENERABLE ARCHPRIEST GARIN.

(Nelson Colonist, April lo.)

It is with deep regret that we record the death of the Venerable Archpriest Garin which happened at half-past ten yesterday morning. His death, though not quite unexpected, came at last somewhat suddenly. He had been ailing for Bomo time and suffered from frequent attacks of bronchitis. On Saturday he seemed very unwell, although no immediate danger was apprehended. Dr. Leggatt saw him on Saturday afternoon, and his faithful old friend, Brother Claude Marie, who has been with him for nearly 40 years, sat up with him that night. On Sunday morning about 8 o'clock the difficulty of breathiug was so marked that Dr. Leggatt was sent for, and was speedily in attendance. Towards 10 o'c ock, the yen. priest grew rapidly worse, and passed quietly to his rest in the presence of the Sisters and the Rev. Father Mahoney, wbo at the time was reading the prayers for the sick, and who gave his venerable confrere the las: absolution. Father Garin, though unable to speak, was evidently in full possession of his mental faculties, following with his eyes the good priest, who has been his friend and companion for fifteen years, as he performed the solemn ceremonies for the dying. Antoine Marie Garin was born on the July 23,1810, at St. Rambert in the Department of Aio, near Lyons, and in the diocese of Belley. He was ordained on the 19th of. October. 1834, and had thus at the time of his death been a priest between fifty-four and fifty -five years. Father Garin had always a strong desire to be engaged in mis'ionary work, and in 1810 he joined the Marist Brothers, who had already established missions in various parts of the South Seas. In the game year he landed in the Bay of Islands. He had there an opportunity of showing his humanity and courage by rendering assistance to the wounded, while he himself was under fire at the battlp at Korokoreha in Heke's war. He many years afterwards, in 1878, gave a graphic description of the war in a lecture delivered in Nelson. After ten years spent as a missionary among the Maoris, Father Garin was sent at. parish priest to Nelson where he has been ever Fince. His purity and simplicity of life and character, his untiring laoour, and his wide charity have won him the affection and respect not only of the members of his own Church, but of the entire community. The Roman Catholics in Nelson have never been very numerous or wealthy, and it is marvellous what they have done with small means. For this much of the credit is due to Father Garin, and the fine group of buildings with the handsome church and flourishing schools, may be regarded as the best of all monuments to his memory. The famous epitaph to Sir Christopher Wren may be applied with tbe utmost justice to Father Garin. When he arrived in Nelson there was no Roman Catholic school, and only one small building for both church aod presbytery. He wa9 much interested in education, and established a private school, where excellent teaching was given to pupilq of all denominations. It was no slight advantage in the early days of the settlement to have a man of Father Gann's breeding and acquirements who was willing to undertake the duties of teacher, and in this, as mother things, his labour has borne good fruit. By labour and self-denial he was enable! to found the Convent in Nelson, and bring out from the Old Country Sisters who were capable of doing for the girls what he himself did for tbe boys Through his zaal the Chuich is now in possession if a line church building and presbytery, the Boys' Industnal School at Stoke, tbe Convent aid High fcchoul, and the uirls' Industrial School. He was a nun oi tbe largest hnd widest charity. When be saw distress he never asked the nation or creed rf the suffenr, but aid his best to give relief. He was utterly unsfliiah in money matter«, and though be spent little ou bim-elf he gave so freely to others that at tue time of his aeith he was possessed of little money. What he had he has lett fur charitable and religious purposes. Thj diaries cf the late pri^t are of more than ordinary interfst. They tell of long journeys on foot from Nelson to Blenheim in all kinds of weather, of pi nations of various kinds, cheerfully un leigone fui the sake ot duty, and from thpm can be traced the gradual growth and development of the work upon which his heart was set. They contain also many records of public transactions, many of which are set down with quaint humoui. These books contain inucn that is lustiuctive and entertaining, and from begin Ding to end tbeie is not a biaglc unkind word tor aoyone. Father Ganu was forborne vcaib a membtr oi the Central Bo.ud or Education, and as long a> his health permitted, an active member of the Committee of the Nelson Aid Soon ty, and he took the keenest interest in any public movement for a cnantablo object. For ins=tauce, he was an active canvasser for the Indian Famine Fund, and for the sufferers by the Motueka flood, etc. Aichbibhop Uedwojd was one of Father Garin s pupils, and the interesting ceremony attending the latter's jubilee on the IDthof October. 1881, will be well remembe ed, when his oil pupil conferred oa him the rank of Arcbpiiest of Nelson.

(Nelson Mail, April 17.)

Toe funeral of the late Venerable Archpriest Gann took place yes'erday hfternooD. and the so'emn rights of the Church were conducted in a very impressive manner. There was early Mass at St. Mary's yesterday morning, followed by the Requiem Higk Mass, with Office for the Dead, which ommenced at 11 o'clock, and which was a service remarkable for its solemnity. la the early morning his Grace the Archbishop of Wellington and a number of clergy had arrived by steamer from Wellington and Marlborougb, and all took part in the Requiem. The handsome church had been draped with black cloth, V. c sombre eflect being somewhat rehevtd by small white crosses. In the chancel, and fronting the centre of the sanctuary, the remains of the venerable archpriest, attired in priestly vestments, and with wreaths of white chrysanthemums and other flowers upon the birr, lay in state. The iii'cnptions in white letters upon th<> black cloth on the pulpit and in the .sanctuary, were conspicuous, an 1 moie particularly f<> on account of their appropriateness-. On the pulpit were the words. " Foi e v er with the Lord,' " Laudemu- uiot

gfarmox," " Well done, good and faithful servant," " Faithful unto death." Above the altar were two banners beariog the inscriptions, " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lorn," and " Beloved of God, and men,\vbose memory is in benediction." The altar and aide altars were draped in black, and candles were burning abont the bier. At the Requiem High Mass the Rev. Dr. Watters, Rector of St. Patrick's College, Wellington, was the celebrant, the Rev. Father Devoy, also of St. Patrick's College, acting as deacon. The Rev. Father Lewis, parish priest of Blenheim, acted as sub-deacon, and the Rev. Father Aubrey, of Blenheim, as director of ceremonies. His Grace the Archbishop occupied his throne, supported oy the Very Rev. the VicarGenerai of the diocese, Father Macnamara, of Wellington. Amongst the nther clergy present were the Rev. Father Kerrigao, parish priest of Wellington, the Very Rev. Father Mahoney, of Nelson, and the Rev. Father Landonar, of Nelson. Webbe's Mass, " Misa pro Defunctos," was selected, the " latroitus," " Kyrie Graduate." " Dies Irse," " Offertorium," " Sanctus Benedictus," " Agnus Dei," and " Communio " being taken by the choir, Miss Hall acted as organist, and Messrs. Frank and Harris were chanters, supported by the Misses Armstrong (2), Frank (2), and Mrs. Floyd. At the conclusion of the Mass the organist performed the " Dead March in Saul " most impressively.

The fnneral service commenced at half past two o'clock, when the Rev. Father Aubrey acted as organist. Daring the performance of the solemn processional the Archbishop and clergy entered the sanctuary, and the mournful service commenced. His Grace then proceeded to the head of the coffin, which he sprinkled with holy water, and then the censer wafted incense. In the succeeding portions of the service the choir took up the responses, and then his Grace assumed bis robes preparatory to giving the funeral oration, in tbe delivery of which he was at times so much affected that bis words were scarcely audible. The effect of his able eulogium was apparent on the congregation, for very many were moved to tears.

His Grace, on acsending the pulpit, uttered tbe words ot Scripture, " Well done, tnou good aod faithful servant, because thou bast bean faithful over few things, the master will set thee over many. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord." He then said, — My dear brethren : I scarcely know bow to begin, or what to say, on this veiy solemn and mournful occasion. It is bo hard for me to collect my feelings and gather my t boughts so as to address you in a worthy manner on one so dear to me and so dear to you all. I feel, indeed, that anything 1 can say must be so much below the mark, so inadequate, for the merits of him whose mortal remains lie before us were so high. You are the finest funeral oration that could ba made id his honour — your crowded numbers, the zeal with which you have sought to pay a last token of esteem. Our tears which mingle round hid bier and the thnll which has been occasioned by the news of his' death are the finest eulogy to this dear old friend of ours. It seems to me that the words I have quoted are most appropriate on this occasion, and that we may well say them of him. I believe it is not presumptuous to do so, though we cannot know the secretsof God, but' judging reasonably, we m ay interpret in his favour the words of our Blessed Mediator, Jesus Christ, who, on receiving a servant after a life of merit, of virtue, and of good works, expressed Himself satisfied with His servant, and. whilst placing a crown upon his head, said " Enter though into the joy of thy Lord." Indeed, our dear frieud was a good servant of God from his very infancy to the grand old a^e he attained. He came from a land renowned for its Clovis, its Charlemagne, its Saint Louis, and its support of the (Jrusades, a land of splendid heroes and saiate, who were honoured from one end ot the woild to the other, and he was no mean eon ot such a glorious race. If you were travelling on the Geneva railway from Lyons, you would see a little sol : tary valley, so small that there is hardly room for its village, its solitary road is toituous, and above the village for a certain height are vineyards, and above these wuods such as are seen in tbe European Alps Tbe name of this village is St. Rambert au Buer^n. and it was here that Father Garin fiist saw the lignt. llj was bora of good and highly-respectable parents, and from his very infancy he received as good a Catholic education as could be imparted. He was brought up with the greatest care by a good father and mothei . surrounded by sisters and brothers. He was bent, as French youths usually aiv. to an excellent college, where he was diligent in his studies, and where he gave evidence of a m»st amiable character, and tbe possession of every good quality. He made himself remarkable in many ;i< complistimcnts, which he remembered till his last da\ Then came to him a special call from God, and he strove to makt himsell woithy oL becoming a priest of His Church. One of the finest sanctuaries exutent was that of Walcombc ; its architectural beautit i were remarkable, and its tracery and carvings most beautiful. It took years indeed to realise their beauties, and Father Garin many a timu bas told me that he used to admire this work every day, bnt he con tinued finding new beauties. He was there three years, but he never exhausted them all. In that sanctuary it was he was appointed manager of ceremonies and deacon sacristan oi the sanctuary, so that he enjoyed all opportunities and scope for his piety under those lovely surrouudiDgs, and it was there he acquired that truly priestly spirit.. It was just then that a young Society began to extend its missions to Oceaniea. Young Father Garin was then an ordained priest, and already curate cf a parish, when he heard of tbe glorious and gool work to be done in these savage lands. He resolved to leave his fatherland and all who were dear to him, apd go to a land which was only then known as the abode of cannibals. He becanit one of that great and nob'c band of missionaries, which has been the glory of the Catholic Church. He made his vows to the Society ol Mary in 1840. The preacher then spoke of a beautiful letter which the liev. Father had sent him. when his Grace was leaving these shorts to prepare himself for the priesthood, and in which letter the Rev. Father gave him tbe most fatherly and the wisest of counsels, referring to his own admission into the Church. His Grace continued to s iy : I need not tell you what virtues the Rev. Father practised as, a-i a missiorary. There were no coaches or fine roads in New Zealand i hen, no railways .and no steamers. The missionaries were poor — poor as Jesus Christ Himself was when he gathered tbe cars of corn

SB he went through the fields of Galilee. They lived very much as the Maoris did, they bad the same shelter and tbe same food. They travelled in all sorts of weather and endured more than the soldiers. In order not to lobb influence with the native chiefs they bad to stifle their natural feelings, and eat of that which was revolting in the highest degree. You know, old colonists, what the Colony then was. Our poor friend was at Kororarekei at the time of the war between the Knglish and the Natives, and everyone present speaka of how he conducted himself — of his prudent, heroic, and noble behaviour. He ministered for over ten years for the salvation of the souls of these poor savages, but then there was an influx of whites in this island, and they had no priest to minister to them. Amongst others my own father was on the point of eelliog out and going to a country where they would have the service of a priest, for then old Father O'Reilly was the only priest who visited them, and his visits were bix or twelve months apart, and he was looked on aa an envoy from Heaven. The Bishop then brought Father Garin from the Natives, and made him priest of Nelson, an office which he held for nearly 40 years, and yoa know what he did. Here is an easy task for me. I see faces before me which I have known since I was a child, and they can tell what be did. By the bletsing of God I was one of tbe first to benefit from his tuition. I remember well coming from the Waimea on a load of wood when I was a boy of eleven or twelve, and goiag to Father Garin with others. He brought before as all the great truths of the Catholic faith. He enabled us by his training to see what we were made for and, man* highest scope of usefulness; he gave us noble aspirations. It was whilst with Father Garin I received that call from God, and there that I, with many others, received all the advantages of the education he imparted. He was fatherly, yet firm. I forgot to tell you that before he became a Marist Father Garin was employed as a teacher in his College, where he learnt his profession of a teacher, and was consequently enabled subsequently to do a work that cannot bnt be appreciated. Tbere are thousands and thousands who owe their education and success, under God, to Father Garin. I remember Beveral years ago Judge Broad said that more than 4000 bad been educated under Father Garin in Nelson either directly or indirectly, and therefore his influence extended over the whole Colony. This day a thrill of sorrow is passing through New Zealand at the loss of my old master. In coming here I met one man down whose face tears were streaming, and whose regret was he could not come to witness the laßt rites. Many a heart is thiobbing and many a tear is falling for my good old master. He was a faithful servant and a pattern of fidelity. Did you ever sea him fear or shirk from duty ; did you not ever find him ready in deeds of charity ; did you ever hear a hareh word from him ? True, he was a faithful servant in the Church, but he was of liberal mind. We might wish that all men had bis virtues. For this pariah it was incredible what he had done. Out of his own pocket, out of money which he alone was entitled to, he had Bpent over £2000 on the parish. It was amazing. Though he was defective in speech, he had left a lasting mark and an enduring gratitude in their hearts. He was a true and faithful servant, and they might all follow his teachings and his doctrine, and endeavour to imitate his virt ues. In set Ling forth, then, what Christ had said, " Well done.good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful in email things, I will set thee over groat ones ; I will give thee eternal glory, enter tbou into the joy of the Lord," it might be that purging fires would cleans^ and take away all dross, fjr nothing that was impure could enter Heaven. We can never be quite sure. He might yet be detained lor a time in Borrow, but if he were dptained he would have a view of God so great that God would be his happiness. It was as though a fire descended on the head — a regret that eternal life could not be partaken of at once. That was the fire of purgatory, which cleansed the soul from all impurities. The Catholic belief is a glorious one. Therefore, you Catholics, give way not only to tears and expressions of sympathy, but pray for him, and have Masses said for him, so that if it happens there is a period of detention, he may the sooner be admitted to the presence of God, for your prayers will benefit by the intercession of the Saints. Such is the Catholic belief, and a more touching and more beautiful ono could not be. The Jews, five hundred years before the coming of Christ ,aaid that it was a good and wholesome thing to pray for the dead, His Grace referred to the Maccabees and the sacrifices in the Temple to show the belief existed prior to the Christian era. Therefore, he said, pray for his soul, and in case it is not needed in his case your prayers will avail for someone else — they will go into the great heart of Jesus Ghrist. Now, his Grace continued, though 1 have said so little and spoken su inadequately, I ark you to dwell in thought on his viitues. As a gentleman, as a citizen, a 6 a friend, and as a pastor —in every capacity be was equally worthy of your esteem. Imitate his virtues, and in all our different spheres of lifts we shall have an example of Christian life, of charity and unselfishness Through him great blessings have been conferred on th,s city, and he has commanded the esteem of all parties, creeds, denominations, and callings. His name hid become a household word, his honesty and recitude of character bad been acknowledged by all. I have heard men say " Father Gann said so ; and so that is enough." Hisstraightlor ward candour had certainly set a splendid example to anyone, whatever his creed or calling. Try to imitate his unselfishness to your fellow-men, do good as far as your lights allow, ana the world will be the better, and you will derive happiuess that is incalculable. His Grace then read tha inscriptions round the altar, which, he said, referred eloquently to him who had gone. Continuing, he said :—: — But remember the wrappings of that soul will shortly become a piey to worms. Those wrappings, however, are holy and are sacred. They have been sanctified by baptism, communion, and acceptance into holy orders, and oue day that soul which is eternal will be united to these remains again, the body becoming spiritualised ; then it will remain glorified for all eternity, and may we, one and all, I hope, go to that eternal home, and enjoy his company for millions of yearsaye, through all eternity. His Grace then pronounced the benediction, and the service being completed in the church, the coffin was borne from the chance 1 , el lowed by tbe clergy, and carried to the hearse.

The funeral procession was speedily formed, Mr. Lightfoot acting si marshal, and was headed by a priest bearing aloft a cross. Following him were a number of acolytes, and then came the clergy, preceding tbe hearse. Next in order came the school children, with the Mother Superior and the Sisters of the Convent, and then a great number of carriages, horsemen, and followers on foot. In the foremost carriages were the Mayor and members of the City Council, his Lordship Dr. Suter, Bishop of Nelson, and clergy of the Anglican Church, tbe Rev. P. Calder, of the Presbyterian Church, and many prominent citizens. The procession passed through ColHngwood street, theoce along Hardy street to Trafalgar street, and by way of Bridge street to Collingwood street, and then via the Wood to the New Cemetery. All the business houses en route were closed, and tbe streets were lined with thousands of people. On arrival at tbe cemettry tbe Archbiaop and clergy chanted the service, and tbe coffin was borne to the grave, his Worship the Mayor (Mr. J . Sharp), Mr. 0. Y. Fell, his Honor Judge Broad, Mr. M. Haat, Dr. Daff . and Mr. Hoult, acting as pall-bearers. The sad ceremony baring been concluded, tbe mourners returned to town just before six o'clock.