Rev, Father Feter, C.P., of Our Lady of Good Counsel. On Monday morning, February 8th, I960, at 10 o’clock, Father Peter died in a Birmingham Nursing Home, fortified by the rites of Holy Church, in the 64th year of his age, and the 40th of his Priesthood. He had been in the Nursing Home Just three weeks and during that time was regularly visited by his brethren from St. Mary’s, Harborne, one of whom, Father Bonaventure, Vicar, administered the Last Sacraments. During his illness he was much consoled by a visit from his Grace, the Archbishop, Dr. Francis Grimshaw, who keenly appreciated the good work for God’s glory and the salvation of souls which Father Peter had done in the Archdiocese since his appointment to Harborne in 1923. A ‘phone call from the Nursing Home on Monday morning, February 8th, informed us that Father Peter was sinking fast. His class-fellow, Father Leo, who was about to visit him before the reception of the ‘phone call, hastened to the Nursing Home and gave him the last Absolutions and every possible spiritual help. Although he had been in poor health for many years with heart and bronchial trouble, hopes were entertained that he would survive this latest attack as on previous occasions. But this was not to be. God called him to a better life, as already noted, on Monday, February 8th. Born in Glasgow, in the year 1895, William Lafferty, aa he was then known, was educated by the Marist Brothers at St. Mungo’s Academy. On the completion of his classical studies, and responding to the call to the religious life, he entered the Passionist Novitiate of what was then known as the Novitiate of the Anglo-Hibernian Province, St. Gabriel’s Retreat, Enniskillen, Co, Fermanagh, Ireland, and was professed as a Passionist on the Feast of Our Lady’s Assumption – August 15th, 1913. Following his profession, he pursued his studies for the Priesthood at St. Anne’s Retreat, Sutton, St. Helens, Lancashire, and St. Paul’s Retreat, Mount Argus, Dublin, and completed them at St. Anne’s, Sutton, where he was ordained priest by the Archbishop of Liverpool, Dr. Whiteside, on the Feast of St. Gabriel, Passionist, February 28th, 1920. Apart from brief periods as a member of the communities of St. Saviour’s,Broadway, Worcs., and Holy Cross, Ardoyne, Belfast, nearly all his priestly life of 40 years was spent at St. Mary’s Retreat, Harborne, where he was engaged for some years on parish duties. Subsequently, he was appointed Chaplain to Nazareth House, Rednal, six miles from Harborne, and thither for close on 30 years, in fair and foul weather, he wended his way every morning, by bus and tram, to cater for the spiritual needs of the Sisters and the many children entrusted to their care. Today, his loyal and devoted service to Nazareth House is fondly remembered and cherished. During the many years of his chaplaincy, hundreds of children were instructed by him and prepared for life in the world. Doubtless, many of them, in various walks of life, in many parts of England, will, on the notice of his death, pray fervently for his eternal repose. The passing of Father Peter removes a lovable personality, a worthy priest and Passionist, from the Province of St. Joseph of which he was a loyal and devoted member. Forty years of priesthood on earth is indeed a great blessing and honour. To stand at the Altar between God and men, to labour in His Vineyard for so long a period is, surely, an enviable record. But the record is still more laudable when, in all sincerity, we can say of the deceased Passionist – “Behold a great priest who during his life has fully pleased God.” A great and worthy priest, indeed, has been Father Peter during forty years in the sacred ministry, great and worthy according to the highest standards of priestly greatness. As his brethren can testify, he maintained to the end the fervour of the young Levite on whose hands the sacred oil of ordination has scarcely dried. The source of his perennial fervour must be attributed chiefly to his special devotion to the Holy Mass and its complement, the Blessed Sacrament. He evidently learned early on in the ministry that if he would “stir up the grace of God which is in him by the imposition of hands”, he must especially cherish the Holy Sacrifice and the Sacrament of the Altar; that if a priest is to be “another Christ”, he must continually draw close to his original Divine Model. Thus did Father Peter, for so many years, concentrate his energy, first and foremost, on the interior priestly life. Consequently, the ways of men, the transitory fashion of this world, held a very subordinate place in his life. He ever realised that “no man being a soldier ,to God, entangleth himself with secular business that he may please Him to whom he hath engaged himself” (II Tim. 11,4.). Linked to his vivid realisation of the importance of the Holy Mass and the Blessed Sacrament in the priest’s daily life, was a filial and constant devotion to our Blessed Lady under her special title of “Our Lady of Lourdes”. Actually, during the last days of his mortal existence, he expressed the wish that he would die on her Feast, February llth, commemorating her apparition at Lourdes. On that day, Solemn Requiem Mass was sung by Very Rev.Fr. Stanislaus, Rector of St. Mary’s, Harborne, for the deceased, assisted by Fathers Austin and Michael, of the Province of St. Patrick, as Deacon and Subdeacon respectively. On the conclusion of the Mass, His Grace, the Archbishop, who was present on the occasion, gave the final absolutions. Passionists from the various houses of the Irish Province joined their brethren of the Province of St. Joseph in their last tribute of esteem for and appreciation of Father Peter’s life and work as a priest and a Passionist. The interment took place in the little cemetery adjoining the Church, at which the Very Rev. Fr. Stanislaus officiated. May Father Peter’s soul rest in peace “PIE JESU DOMINE, DONA El RSQUIEM”.