DEATH OF THE REV. FATHER VEREKER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 41, 18 February 1898, Page 19

DEATH OF THE REV. FATHER VEREKER.

With deep regret we have to record the death of the Rev. Father Vereker which took place at the presbytery, Winton, on Monday morning. Father Vereker's lamented death was caused by an acute attack of meningitis, supervening on excessive work and a probably neglected cold or attack of influenza. On Tuesday week, his condition had become s.o critical that his old-time friend, Father Coffey, who had b"en attending the synod jit Dunedin, was summoned to Winton by telegram, to administer the last sacraments to him. He was attended with the utmost care by the nurse and Doctors Riiey (Winton), Young and Hunter (Inveivargill), but despite their unremitting care, he passed away early on Monday morning, consoled to the last by the affectionate ministrations of Father Coffey.

Father Nicholas Vereker — who was a brother of Mrs. OXeill, Mornington. Dunedin — was only ii."> years of age. He was born at Kilmacow in County Kilkenny, a few miles from Waterford city. He attended the Christian Brothers' school in Waterford for some time, and then went to the preparatory school conducted in the same city by the Rev. Father Phelan. Finally he entered St. John's College 18 years ago, and after a distinguished course, was called to the priesthood in 1883. lie came to New Zealand in the same year, and was stationed at Invercargill for 6 months, after which he was attached to St. Joseph's Cathedral for three years, and subsequently had charge of St. Patrick's Church, South Dunedin, where he remained for about 18 months. While there he inaugurated the admirable system of weekly collections for the handsome new Bascilica, the foundations of which were subsequently laid during Father Hunt's ministry there. It is now being rapidly pushed towards completion by the Rev. Father O'Neill. In 1890 Father Vereker proceeded to Riverton, where he remained till 1892, when he was transferred to Invercargill, in which parish he remained for a period of five years. Perhaps in no place did his zeal and administrative abilities find fuller scope than in Invercargill. In an incredibly short period he succeeded in paying off a debt of £l."> 00 that lay upon the parish, while, in addition, he purchased property to the value of £400, built two churches at a cost of about C.SOO, and freed them entirely from debt. At the end of 181)0 he was transferred to Winton. Here, again, he promptly set to work beautifying God's house, and in a short time raised ovor £GOO, which enabled him to re-build and enlarge the church. He also commenced a new church atFernhill. and it was his intention, when he had completed that undertaking, to establish a convent of Dominican nuns at AVinton.

Father Vereker was one of the many zealous and gifted ecclesiastics whom the old Alma Mater of St. John's College, Waterford, has given to the diocese of Dunedin. Though of by no means robust tramp, he was a man of restless zeal and untiring energy, and had the happy art or inspiiation of throwing himself into his good work with an enthusiasm which was singularly contagious. He has left behind him many monuments of the absorbing devotion to duty to which, in all human probability, he has sacrificed his young life. More than this : he will live in the heaits of the people, to whom he endeared himself by his gentle and winning disposition ; and in the hearts of the fellow-priests, to whom he was a type of every priestly grace. His early death leaves a void in the diocese of Dunedin which it will be difficult to fill.

The funeral office and Solemn Itcqutem Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph's Cathedral on Thursday, the 18th instant. The panegyric will be preached by the Very Rev. Dean Burke. The interment takes place at 2.150 p.m.

We have great pleasure in directing attention to the advertisement of St. Patrick's College, Wellington, which appears elsewhere in our columns. It is needless to refer to the splendid work done by the Marist Fathers in the education of youth. The college has had unequalled success in preparing students for civil service, law, university, and musical examinations. All this is coupled with magnificently appointed college buildings which have not their equal in Xew Zealand, and with all the safeguards which the best religious training can throw around the career of the youth committed to the care of the Marist Fathers.

It is interesting to notice how some minds seem almost to create themselves, springing up under every disadvantage, and working their solitary but irresistible way through a thousand obstacles. Nature seems to delight in disappointing the assiduties of art, with which it would rear legitimate dulness to maturity, and to glory in vigour and luxuriance of her chance productions. She

. jatt ts the seeds of genius to the winds, and though some may perish among the stony places of the world and some be choked by the 1 horns and brambles of early adversity, yet others will now and then strike root even in the clefts ot the rock, struggle bravely up into sunshine, and spread over their sterile birth-place all the beauties of vegetation.