DEATH OF MONSIGNOR JAMES COFFEY

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 3, 18 January 1923, Page 23

DEATH OF MONSIGNOR JAMES COFFEY

V' It is doubtful if there was another Dunedin citizen the news, of whose death -could have caused such widespread sorrow as was caused by the announcement that Monsignor Coffey had died on January 10 at St. John’s Hospital in Limerick. There was genuine grief among the Catholics for one who had labored for them so unselfishly for many years, and non-Cathoiics, who had learned to love and respect the genial Irish priest, felt that a

was sent to Gore 'as assistant to . Father Newport, and during his two years in that parish he gave evidence of the zeal ;, for souls. and the thirst for work "which• were his to the last day of his life. ; From;Gore he was transferred to Lawrence, where he was for ■ some four years curate to the- late Monsignor O'Leary. ' Few better priests or. nobler Irishmen than Monsignor : O'Leary ever left the old. land for New Zealand, ■ and it is safe to say that

great figure, a leading citizen, a wise counsellor was lost to tho \Ciolo city. ■ ' ,

About fifty-seven years ago, Monsignor Coffey was born at Newtown in .the Co. Tipperary, Ireland. He made his theological studies r at St; > John’s College, Waterford, and was - - also ordained there in the year 1890. 'ln the same year he left Ireland, arriving- in New Zealand before Christmas to take up his duties as a missionary priest under, the . jurisdiction of Bishop Moran. / Father Coffey

during the four years "spent in .Lawrence,., in the house of tho parish priest, Father Coffey had ever before him a -shining; example of priestliness and patriotism which influenced greatly his subsequent career. ; : < , v.-

* -His next mission ,was South Dunedin, to which Bishop v erdon, who had in the meantime succeeded Bishop Moran, appointed 1 him ,in 1897..... As, Administrator of that I rapidly growing. mensal parish, ,he . had ample ; scope for his great gifts /of organisation, and from hia work in his new 'Sphere

of duties it soon became evident that his financial ability was as great as his zeal. Debts disappeared before him,' and undertakings that were full of terrors for ordinary people were only child’s play to him. .

, The Administratorship of St. Joseph’s becoming vacant in 1905, the Bishop’s Consultors recommended Dr. Verdon to appoint Father Coffey to .the position. In response to his superior’s wishes, the ever obedient priest left South Dunedin and came to the Cathedral tq, fill the post which was his until he left for Ireland a year ago'.

What he accomplished during these seventeen years no man but the late Bishop could fittingly tell. That venerable prelate found him the prop of his old age —haculum

ability with which the entire function was carried out; and it goes without saying that Father Coffey was the moving spirit in it all. ‘ /;’ N “

Then, after thirty-two long years of, constant fvork, Father Coffey’s thoughts turned to Ireland, where his aged mother was still living and still hoping for a sight of him before God called her to Himself.. One thing and another made it impossible for him to go before a year passed, but at the beginning of 1922, he started joyfully, and with many a prayer of his safe return, for. a long holiday. '

\ In Australia he met many .old friends once more. On the steamer he was, once his morning Mass was over,

scncctutis suae. Whatever one man could do to lighten, another’s burden Father Coffey did for him, and while still holding the reins of government with a firm and just hand, the aged Bishop depended more and more on his devoted Administrator as time went by. Dr. Verdon was a man who seldom praised anybody during his lifetime. What ho thought of Father Coffey was made plain when it was found in his will .that bo named the Cathedral Administrator as, Administrator of the Diocese after his death. , ; •

v Dr. Verdon died towards the end of the year 1918, and for two years, until the Consecration of Dr. Whyte, Father Coffey’s broad shoulders bore the burden of the charge of. the Diocese of Dunedin. In this high office he exhibited the zeal and kindness always characteristic of him, and when occasion brought him into close touch with the members of the Hierarchy, as representing the Diocese of Dunedin, they, like the priests and people in the south, always found him helpful and practical and a' sago counsellor. :

To his joy, a new Bishop of Dunedin was appointed in 1918. To Father Coffey now fell the task of organising the reception of Dr. Verdon’s successor. It happened that Dr. Liston, who was just then appointed Coadjutor-Bishop of Auckland elected to bo consecrated in Dunedin on tho same day as Dr. Whyte. The unique ceremony of a double episcopal consecration in Dunedin called for special preparation and for special display. The visitors here at that time can bear ample testimony to the efficiency .and

ready; for any sport during the days that pass so quickly at sea. In Spain, where he left the boat, he was delighted by the sight of the great churches and palaces, and by the faith of the people of the old Catholic land. From Spain he went to Lourdes where for a week he steeped his soul in the wonderful ;supernatural atmosphere which it . is useless to describe ,to those who have never felt its charm and wonder. Along" the burning and dreary Midi line he went to Marseilles, and thence, through the magic, fairyland of the Riviera di Ponente, between the sunny blue of the great midland' sea. and the groves of oranges and the olives on the slopes of the; hills, - past beautiful white cities, and amid vistas that recall the Garden ,of Eden, lie" went into Italy and on to Rome. • - 1:

* In Rome we can imagine his delight in the monuments ' which for all time are eloquent of the greatness and the

permanence of the Catholic Church. His simple Irish faith would lead him To. linger long ,before the • Tomb of the Apostles, in the Coliseum, or in the dark galleries of the Catacombs. And Irish traditions would draw him. lovingly to San Pietro in Montorio where the chiefs sleep' their long sleep, and to . St. Isadore’s where Hugh’s sword is still v kept bright, and to the . Irish College which is as vigorous to-day-as it was when it sent forth Oliver Plunket to be its proto-martyr. Rome had a welcome for. him ho did not expect; for when he knelt at the feet of-the Successor of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ on earth received him with open , arms f and, in appreciation of* the work of the long years that passed since 1890, made Father Coffey

a Domestic Prelate with the title of Monsignor. A cable; from Rome notified us of the fact '" immediately, ~ and a subsequent letter from the recipient of the honor was characteristic of the, man: "Did you hear of the trick they played on me , when they got me here," was the way he put it. ,'.'.'. ■'•••■•. ; >;' •. • ' ' ..'•-. ' ; News that his mother's health was failing hurried him to Ireland., There, among his friends, he spent nearly' all

B. Kaveney (Gore), J. O'Reilly (Port Chalmers), R. Graham and A. Fenelon (Oamaru), E. Andersen (Mosgiel College), J. Delany, P. O'Neill, E. Rooney (South Dunedin), M. Magan,. S.J. (Sydney), D. O'Neill (Riversdale), M. Howard (Milton), S. Marlow. J. Foley, F. Marlow, J. Fenton, M. Spillane, J. Kelly (St. Joseph's Cathedral). The funeral discourse, .preached by his Lordship Dr. Whyte (Bishop of Dunedin), was as follows:

the time since last May, only going away once to visit: the Passion Play at Oberammergau. And in Ireland, finally, . after, all his labors and travels, the"call came to him to* go forth to receive the reward of the faithful servant. And, so, by the banks of the Shannon, near which he was born, James Coffey's work was ended. The Brothers' School, their new house, Waverley Orphanage, the churches at Kaikorai and Mornington, the North-east Valley School, and in some way or other almost every Catholic institution in the city of Dunedin are his monuments. But more lasting than stone or bronze is the monument he has made for himself.in the hearts of a devoted flock. :; .THE REQUIEM, MASS. -.* , On "Wednesday morning, in St. Joseph's Cathedral, a. Solemn Pontifical Requiem Mass was celebrated for the repose of the soul of Monsignor Coffey. The Cathedral Choir and the clergy sang the parts of the Mass in a devotional and impressive manner, and a very large congregation of mourners was present. The celebrant was the Right Rev. Dr. Brodie; the deacon, Rev. James Foley; subdeacon, Rev. P. J. Smyth; master of ceremonies, 1 Rev. D. Buckley. The following clergy were in the sanctuary: Their Lordships Bishop Whyte and Bishop Brodie, Very Revs. Dean Regnault, S.M., Dean Burke (Invercargill), Dean O'Donnell (Ashburton), P. Walsh. (Sydney), P. M. Lynch, C.SS.R., P. J. Smyth, S.M., and James Eccletoh, S.M. (Wellington), J. O'Connor (Addington), , Madden (Greymouth), ; McEvoy (Lismore), P. O'Donnell (Gore), . James O'Neill (Waikiwi), G. Hunt (Alexandra), P. O'Dea (Omakau), W. McMullen (Ranfurly), A. Farthing (Law- ; rence), W. Monaghan (Lawrence), D. Buckley (Riverton),

'■-■ "Carefully study to present' thyself : 1 .approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to' be ashamed, rightly handling'the word of truth" ii Ep. to Timothy, Chap, ii, v. 15. 'x. This exhortation addressed by St. Paul to his fellowworker is frequently addressed to priests, especially at their annual Retreat. The devoted priest'whose lamented death has brought us together this morning often heard" and often read those words and assuredly heard and read them to advantage. For he strove to approve himself unto God, he was a. workman worthy of his Master, he preached the word of truth with earnestness and conviction and with much fruit, and his life was a still more telling sermon than any sermon lie preached from the pulpit. It is no exaggeration to say that no priest on the New Zealand mission has died amidst more general and sincere manifestations of sorrow. And I take this opportunity, speaking on behalf of my priests and myself, to thank the, bishops and priests of the whole Dominion for their messages of sympathy with us on the death of our confrere. As for you, my dear people, you have the sympathy of us all, for you have lost a friend who knew so well how to rejoice with you in your hours of happiness and console you in your times of sorrow. - Not much need be said about Monsignor Coffey's services to religion .in this diocese. His activities have been valuable and varied and are known to all. His onerous work in connection with the .orphanage brought him , into nearly every Catholic home in the diocese. The ready response made to his appeal for funds was, a tribute to his own sterling character as well as to the generosity of our people. \, His laborious collecting tour was but the

beginning of his work for the orphanage, for up to the day we last saw him his interest in our orphan boys and girls remained undiminished. Thb Home for the Poor is another diocesan institution thdt will miss his genial and welcome visits;;} The prayers bf the orphans have already ascended like incense to ask God tfa pardon him his-offences, and the aged poor at Anderson’s Bay have raised their withered hands' in a piteous appeal for mercy upon his soul. :' - , ; s

As for educational work, several fine buildings in this parish; mutely testify to his zeal for Catholic education and all it stands for, Nor was his interest in the pupils limited to their school life. Their after-career he watched

The bishops of. New Zealand greatly esteemed our departed friend. The touching messages of sympathy that all without exception have sent showed beyond all doubt that they regard his death as a grievous loss not merely ■ to Dunedin, but to the Dominion. Of the loss to myself personally I cannot trust myself to speak. Some interesting rays of light, however, will bo thrown upon his character if I mention a few recent facts; \, .

When he wrote congratulating me on my appointment to the See of Dunedin, after promising me a hearty -welcome which he subsequently gave in abundance, he ominously said that he wished me. as much happiness as a bishop could hope to have. I little thought at the time

with much eagerness, and in many instances he held the ladder for them to attain the high positions to which their talents and exemplary life entitled them. His desire t 0... give our talented children the best educational advantages is well-known and all Catholics, worthy of the name, recognised with him that those advantages are best given to their children in the Catholic schools whether secondary or primary.

His triumphant success in his ‘ difficult undertakings is often spoken of to his great credit, but the source of his success is not so often mentioned. It was due, under God’s Providence, to his unselfishness which itself had its origin in strong faith and fervent piety. His zeal for souls also sprang from the same source. And you, my dear people, realising how little thought he gave to himself, how ready he was to think of you, how earnest and zealous he was, aided him with your money and your service and enabled him to achieve' those great things that we contemplate with pride.

In his relations with his brother priests, he was kindness itself. There is not one who cannot recall delicate acts of kindness that he delighted in doing for them. The death agony of more than one priest was sweetened by his presence, and it is worth .mentioning here that he travelled all night on more than one ' occasion to assist priests in their last moments. We cannot well begrudge his aged mother the sad comfort of seeing him die; but, if his death had occurred here,, his death-bed would have been surrounded by priests who remembered the wellknown stories of his charity. -

that the death of a wise counsellor and generous friend like himself was one of the means that Almighty God sometimes employs in order to diminish the happiness of a bishop’s life.

You remember how grieved he was at parting with you a year ago. For many years he had put off a wellmerited rest through heroic loyalty to duty. Many times afty arranging to leave, he expressed regret at the step he had taken. It was only the keen longing of his big heart to see his mother that kept him to his arrangement. As showing how great a part humility and obedience played in his priestly life, I must mention that he said he would willingly take up any position to which I might appoint him on his return. In his letters from his old home he stated more than once that he would return as soon as I summoned him. “The obedient man . shall speak of victory,” says the inspired writer. “He is ’not fitted to command who has not learned to obey,” says the Imitation of Christ. His obedience had shown his aptitude for ruling, and hence God blessed him and all his undertakings during the period .of his administration of the diocese. In connection with the title conferred on him by the

Holy See last year, the humility of the man appeared in strong light. When our present Apostolic Delegate conveyed to him the news that he had been made Monsignor, Father Coffey strongly but respectfully demurred arid said he preferred the simple title of “Father.” This objection was overruled, and Father Coffey then asked whether his bishop’s consent had been given. . On being: assured of my approval, he yielded though reluctantly If I mistake * V - ' h:, .. . , "• ’ I

Dot, these little incidents will be appreciated by "you all, but particularly by the priests.

He has gone to his reward, the hearted and tenderhearted priest. Like St. Paul, ,he had the brave heart of a lion and the tender heart of a woman.

You . have lost an old and valued friend and I. have lost a wise, unselfish counsellor. But Ave are not to mourn as those who have no hope. . God can draw good out of apparent evil. His death teaches us the uncertainly of life. The thought of death and the possibility of its being near are never adequately brought home to us till we lose a near friend. The death of Monsignor Coffey will assuredly remind us of the necessity of being always prepared to die. For a while, at least, it will teach us to pray more devoutly and to keep our souls free even from ' venial sins. Me, priests, shall, read the Divine Office more

the sick-room, in the pulpit, in the confessional —and hence, too, the widespread mourning when their ministrations have come to an end. . . ‘

r The words so familiar to priests through reading the Divine Office may not inaptly be applied to our deceased brother. “Beatus vir qui inventus est sine.macula, etc.” “Blessed is the man that is found without blemish, and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money and treasures. Who is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful things in his life.” The priest in whose behalf the Holy Sacrifice is now being offered up was truly a man of that type v May his /wonderful works of charity towards the poor and the orphan, his wonderful Avorks for religion and education, and his unselfish, untarnished career plead for him at the judgment seat of Almighty God. •

attentively and every morning prepare ourselves more fervently for the due celebration of Holy Mass. It is a very significant that at two of the most solemn parts of the Mass, that is, in the prayers immediately preceding the Consecration' and the Communion, Ave petition Almighty God to save us from being eternally lost —an eloquent daily reminder to us to be faithful to our vocation.

Ho is dead, but he will live in the memories of bishops, priests, religious, and people throughout the Dominion. The recollection of his exemplary life will stimulate the priests of this diocese to cultivate the priestly virtues as thoroughly as he did. Each of the , dioceses of New Zealand has recently lost one or more of its senior priests, men who had helped to build up the Church here, men “who had borne the burden of the day and the heats.” Their loss to the Church can redound to the glory of the Church if their example serves as an inspiration to the younger priests. There is : no : new. way of saving souls. The way appointed by our Blessed Lord is the only way and the correct way. - Neither is there a new way of saving our own souls. And our power of saving the, souls of our people is in proportion to our strivings to sanctify ourselves. Monsignor Coffey and men of ,his stamp strove to make themselves' pleasing to God. to make themselves workmen that had no negligence or inactivity to be. ashamed of. Hence' their usefulness in the ministryin

New Plymouth

(From our own correspondent.) . " January 12. A Missa Cantata Midnight Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph's Church at Christmas. The church was crowded for the occasion, whilst the decorations of the altars reflected great credit on the altar, society. Large numbers approached the Holy Table. The music for the Mass, ren- ■ dered by the choir in their usual fine-.'' style, was "The Mass of St. Cecilia" and Novello's "Adesto Fidelis." It is with regret that I have to chronicle the death of Mrs. J. Parker, who died recently at the age of 70 years. Deceased, who is a convert to the Church, set a fine example by her self-sacrificing devotion and attention to her, church and her regular attendance at Holy Mass. ' —R.I.P. , ■ . ' n .:, ; ;- We are pleased to learn that our new parish priest, Rev. Dean Thos. McKenna, is making rapid steps towards .a complete recovery of health, and.hopes to be with us - 1 early in the new year. J ' ./ "S, '/",.. The St. Joseph's Literary and Debating Society held ./ a very successful competition evening -prior to the holidays, ' the competitors being limited to youths under 20 years, ■'.; and who ..gave very interesting speeches and. debates on various subjects. - ,