DEATH OF MONSIGNOR PAUL, V.G.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 14, 6 April 1905, Page 20

DEATH OF MONSIGNOR PAUL, V.G.

(By telegraph from our Auckland correspondent.) Gcineral regret was felt among Oatholics and nonCatholios alike when it became known that the Very Rev. Mgr'. James Paul, V.G., of Onehunga, was dead. The McMisi^noi look ill some months ago ; he was compel l«d to refirtain from active duties several times during that pariq|d p but he had often rallied, ajnd while recognising that his condition was critical even his most intimate friends were not fully prepared for the worst, remembering tfoat during the pasit few years he had, one might say, (periodically been seized with very severe attacks, always, however, recovering in a remarkably qirick manner. This led to his lasit illness being treated lesis seriously. ' His advances age and the frequency of the attacks Md their effect an an otherwise strong comstit'utioin, and the end came at half past three o'clock last Friday miarr.ing at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. The Rigfht Rev. Mgr. O'Reilly, of the Thames, who was a close friend of the deceased, made numeroas visits tto him dtinng his ill-ness. There ware few prelates who have comrrvandecl mwe reaptect and veneration of people of all shades of religious belief than the late Mojnsignor Paul. He was of a quiet, unassuming manner aJvd avoided taking part in public functions as nvueh as possible,i but nevertheless he was enabled to reach the hearts of his people and more especially the pec^ie of Onefiunga, in whose midst he lived for forty-eight years, for Momsiginor Paul may be considered the ' Father of QnetfJun'ga,' as there fere flvrobaibly no ol'dqr residents. It may be mentioned in this connection tfr&t he had watchad the growth of three generations i-n Oneh'unga He had btup-tised and married the children of the early serf/tiers, their children, and their children'^ children. During the same period he had followed the remaims of memlbers of four generations to theiir last resting place. The Monsignpr thus had ties with his popple which cohild never be broken in life, and in death the slorrow of tJhe whole community went out to him. Mansignor P'ajul, at tihe time of 'his death, was S3 years of age. He was born in County Qarlow, lielar.td, osn November 10, 18122. After a successful course of sUur dies at St. Patrick's College, Carlow, he was ordained to the priesthood oin July 15, 185t5, and immediately after his ordUwation came to the Aiifckland diocese in A.nril. 185,6, of which Dr. Pom.pallier was the Bifchop. His firsti a,u'ties were performed at Rangiawhia, Waikato. In 18,55,, after a convparati'vely short stay, he was transferred to Otahuhu, While for the past fortyeignt years 'he has been in charge of o<ne/h,i>np:a, ad. ministering to the spiritual wamts of ilie Oath,ol"c commAinity without arid until the last two o«r tnree years, during which time he had the assistance of a curate. The beaiutif'ul Chiirch of tihe A»s,umipUon wus buolt by him free of debt, aoijd it will stand as a lasting monument to his. memory. Monsignor Paul also built the boys'' and .girls' slchrwls. He took an active interest in the education of Catholic youth, and siiiperintenided the Siund'ay ca,techism class up to withim two ar tlhree years of hiss death. In 18fl2 he was appointed VicfcuvGeneral of the diocese of Auckland, and in 1894 he was raised to the rank of Monßigji&r by the late Pope Leo XIII. Dluring the absence of the late Bishofp Luck in Etnglaifld and Europe he administered the diocese, and acted in the same capacity when the present Bisfoioo, Dr. Leni'han, went to Rome a few years ago In 1867 M\onsli|ejnor Paul accompanied Dr. LenilHaji to Melboiuxne to attend the opening of St. Patrick's Cathedral there, anil tlhem went to Sydney where he was the guest of Cardinal Moran. He served under the five Bishops of Auckland— Drs. Pom[pallie>r, Crolke, Steins, Luck ('all diepeftseid), and Lenihein, and "was Vicar-General for the two lastt-name'd. The deceased was tlie last of the priesits who came here in Bishop Pom,pallier'is time. In 1898 he bluried the last of his colleagues, the late Very Rev. Mgr. Walter McßohaM. of Panmure, ard the Very Rev. M. D. O'Hara, of Otahiuhu. The Monr signor slpent forty-nine years of his life in the service of the Church in Auckland, ajid had he lived till July next he wqulld have celebrated the golden jubilee of his priesthood. Recently the clergy of the diocese assembled i!n Aii'iaklanld anjd decided to siu'bs'cribe towards funds to enable iftieir making a suitable presentation to the venerable pastor in recognition of his signal service t o the Ohu'ron, atad the laity had also decided to rnaVe a suitable presentation t o him on tne occasion of his jubilee. Monsije^oir Paul was brother-in-law of Mr. H. 'Cavanagn, of Wellesley street, who is in his 90th year. Mrs. Caivawagh, the Monsign'or's sister, died about 25

years agio at Helenstville and was buried in the Catholic cemetery, Omehjunga, near her brother's cnurch. One of the nephews) of the deceased is Mr. H ; Cavanagh, jun., of the Crown Lands Department, and' another nejphew is en)giag)ed iji farming pursuits in the Kai,a,p)a»ra,/diS'tirict v At tall ftlhe Catholic churches in the city and suburbs on last Friiday Masses of Requiem were celebrated for the repose of hip solil. The Obsequies. The rema'i'nls were taken to Otiehunga, where tiiey lay iin state in the Churoh of the Assumption since Friidav aftornoan. The flags on m.any private and jvubJic builidings floated at half-mast out of res/pect for one of Oinehunga's oldesit and inmost revered residents. At 10 o'clock the dhiurch, whioh was draped in morning, was overcrowded, htiWdreds of olfl residents, now living away from Ifhe town, being present to assist at the Solemn Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of the deceased, whiLh was celebrated by the Right Rev. Mgr. O'Reilly, a life-long friend of the deceased. At the comcDusiion of the MJass Monsignor O'Reilly delivered an address om the life of tCie 'departed priest, the congregation being \isibly affecteki. Althouigh the interment was timed, to fake pllape at 3 o'clock crowds of people were wending their way to the church two hews earlier, and the huge concourse of m'omirners testified fco the high esteem in which the deceased Driest was held. At 2 o'clock the church wjas filled to overflowing, an r d the mumber present ca.i;M nlot Wave been less than 2000, while f.ully 2,000 peoi;3e co)ald mot gain admittance. Vehidular traffic was greater than has been obser\ed for many years, peci. la coming from all the neighboffkng villages. The old pcd.le wiho had 'known the late Father Paul (as he was generally galled) for nearly half a century to the young dnesf of the last generation were among the m.orti'intfns of one, who was beloved and re,veired. lAmong those r|rese\nt were the Hon. Sir G. M. O'Rorke, Hon. T. Thiomc Horn. J. A. Tole, and Mr. F. Lawry, M.H.R. Bis^hap Leniham ofllciatefl at the solemn obsequies, and was assisted by Very Rev. Dean Hackett, Very Rev. Father Brodie, and Rev. Father Gillan. The other ipriesits present were the Rigfht Rev,. Mgr. O'Reilly, Rev. Fathers Pattters.on, Holbrook, Cahill, Kehoe, Duffy, Dignan, A. McMillan, O'H'ara, DoJlan (Melbourne), Meagjher, Buckley, and Very Retv. Dr. Egan- Tne Auckland amid OmeWunga brainches of the Hibernian Society mustered in g)reat fource His Lo/rdsihip IHthop Lenihan, addressing those presieiat, siairi ' 'We are all gathered in the Church of the Assjumipjtion tio piay the lajst tiribsute to the late Vttty Rev. Mgr. James Paul, the coffin and remains of whiom lie beilore us It is impossible to calculate the time he hsas spent devoting himself to benevolence anid. the sa\ mg of so'.ils. With the excoptLoti of eigliteen montl-is or less sjpent at Naprier and Otahuhu his whole lime has- been p>assed in Cneb;unga, wnere lie wcorked and prayed for ttie benefit of the people. Mowsdignor Pai-'l mught be termed the last of those early priests wdio .preached Christianity in th'Js Colony. To see him was to Lo\e him, to know him was to admire him, for his infinite worth and goodness. He worked for Ihe public goe'd and was a friend to one an*l all. Well do I rememiber after arriving at Auckland im 1882 that it was the custom for all young priests, ta,king up wop!; in the diocese, to visit Mtfnsignor Pa-ul and receive his advice and assistance. He w.as a good father to us all. Monsia^nar Paul is now gone from our mildst, after nearly 50 yealrs of untiring work in the diofcese, venerated and loved by all. His o<ne great work was for tihe Salvation of solils 1 He is now to be laid at last in the church he laved so well. Thrauglhio'it tihe Ausifraliasian colonies there wias no Ibetter ptriest ; he was their model, and a model of the pne^thofcid, and hks hands were 'filled with good worViS. The cofPn was then carried to the last resting plare and lowered alongside the remains of the late Bishop Luck in the western wioig, after which the thousiaiVd'S assembled silently passed the opeta vawlt for a last lciok at the cofTin. The chief mourners were Mr. II Ca'uajiagh, senr. (brofher-iin-law), Messrs H. and E. Oa^aniag'h fneiihews 1 ), Miss Cava;nagh, Meslsrs H!an4s (grandVr-iep^ews 1 ), arid H. Pola;nd (Qhairmfaii of Oniejiun^a County Coumcil), who is marri^Q to a gramd-nieire. At St. Patricfk's Cathedral o>a Sutiflay' evening tihe Bishop gave another touching a r ddres\s on the life of the deceased. At the oonfel'irsion of V aspens the De&d Matfofh fttom ' SanJ ' wa& played..— R.l. P.