OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 9, 11 March 1925, Page 35

OBITUARY

SISTER MARY BRENDAN (LANGFORD), SOUTH DUNEDIN. After a lingering illness extending over two years, Sister Mary Brendan passed peacefully to her rest as the convent hell was tolling the mid-day Angelas on Thursday sth inst. The deceased Sister, who was the daughter of Air. and Mrs. Francis Langford, of Centre Bush, having passed with distinction through the Invercargill High School, entered the teaching profession under the Southland Education Board. Early in 1911 she resigned the position she held in the Nightcaps Public School and came to Dunedin, where she was enrolled amongst the students at St. Philomena’s College to prepare for the Teachers’ C. certificate which she obtained in February, 1912. She then resolved to devote her life and talents to the service of God and with this end in view began her term of probation in the Novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy. On December 10, 1914, she was professed by the late Right Rev. Monsignor Coffey. For some years Sister Mary Brendan was engaged in the work of education at the Head House of her Order. Later she taught in the schools attached to the Branch Convents at Alnsgiel, Gore, and Alexandra, until three years ago when failing health forced her to relinquish active duties. Strengthened by the graces and consolations holy Church gives to her suffering children, the dear invalid bore with exemplary patience and resignation the trials of a long illness; and, when all hope of recovery was gone, she cheerfully awaited the coming of the welcome Angel of Death. At 7 o’clock on Saturday morning, when Solemn Requiem Mass was offered for the repose of the late Sister’s soul, there was present in St. Patrick's Basilica a large congregation, including Airs. Langford (mother), Airs. Hamilton, Centre Bush, and Airs. Robins, Gore (sisters); Air. Langford (brother), Air. and Airs. Joseph Langford, South Hillend (aunt and uncle of deceased). His Lordship the Bishop presided in the sanctuary; Rev. C. Collincs (Holy Cross College) was celebrant; Rev. B. Kaveney (St. Joseph’s Cathedral) deacon; Rev. E. H. Rooney, subdeacon; and Rev. J. P. Delany, master of ceremonies. A choir of children from St. Vincent’s Orphanage sang the solemn incidental music. At 11. o’clock the funeral left the Basilica for the place of interment in the Southern Cemetery; Rev. E. H. Rooney, Rev. T. Hally, Rev. Brother Murphy, Rev. Brother Higgins, Rev. Brother Hynes, and Rev. Brother Goggins acted as pall-bearers, and Rev. Father Delany officiated at the graveside.—R.l.P.

SISTER MARY I MELD A (O’NEILL), O.S.D. With sincere regret we record the death at the Dominican Convent, Toschemakers, of Sister Mary Imelda (O’Neill). The deceased Sister was born in Ireland 68 years ago, and entered the Order at St. Dominic’s Priory, Dunedin, some years after coming to New Zealand. Her religions life, strongly colored, 1 as it was, by an especial devotion to the Holy Rosary, was a never-ending

source of edification both to her sisters in religion and to those of the outside world who came into touch with her. It has been said, and truly, that a volume of marvellous beauty might be compiled on the death of a Dominican religious, and those who witnessed the death of this revered Sister assure us that there would be no more beautiful chaptor in that marvellous volume than that which would record the circumstances of Sister Mary Imelda's last hours, fraught, as they were, with the promise of a peculiar blessedness. May she rest in peace.