ST. MARY’S RETREAT HARBOURNE BRO. GABRIEL (DONNELLY) Death has spared the Cmmunity of St Mary’s, Harborne, for nearly 17 years, but once more his hand has been felt in the death of Brother Gabriel of the Immaculate Conception, who died in a Selly Oak Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday, May, 14th. He had been a member of this Community for nearly 8 years. Brother Gabriel was born near Clogher, Co. Tyrone, on the 25th of November 1875, and thus had not yet completed his 60th year. He was known in the world as Michael Donnelly. Brother Gabriel made his profession as a Passionist on the 30th of May 1900 at St Saviour’s Retreat, Broadway. In his early religious life he was stationed for a while at the Mother House of the Province, St Joseph’s, Highgate, and finally came to Harborne from St Anne’s Retreat, Sutton. Nearly 3 years ago he had an operation and from that time his health failed. He suffered much from blood pressure, and later from heart trouble and other complications. In the spring of 1934 he was sent to Ilkley for a change, but returned after six weeks, scarcely better. Then in the summer of the same year he went to Ireland, breaking his return journey at Sutton, where he became worse and had to be treated in hospital at St Helen’s for some time. Eventually he was able, after six months absence, to return home to Harborne on the 15th of January of this year Since then he was he was quite disabled and with the difficulty went up and down stairs. At last it was thought that the end was drawing nearer and the Last Sacraments were again administered, on April 30. As hs condition became even worse, he was again removed to hospital, where he died within a fortnight of his admission. Brother Gabriel, being of an industrious nature, keenly felt his forced inactivity. During the earlier years of his residence at St Mary’s, he worked unsparingly in the garden, which was his hobby, as well as at various duties in the Retreat, where he was the only brother and where he showed himself in every way willing and capable. He was interred in the private cemetery at St Mary’s on May 16, after a Requiem Mass attended by the Rector and community. R.I.P. Kevin of the Sacred Heart,