Obituary of Reverend Father Theodore of Saint Gabriel. When Father Theodore entered a Nursing Home on Monday, 20th March, it was thought to be nothing more that a routine check for his chronic heart condition. But upon his admission to hospital, it was quickly ascertained that his condition was causing anxiety to the doctors; his strength rapidly deteriorated and his death took place rather unexpectedly on the following day, Tuesday, 21st March 1967. A native of Belfast, where he was born on June 19th, 1904, James Anthony Matthews grew up under the shadow of the twin towers of Holy Cross Church, Ardoyne. Living in the Passionist parish, incidently the only parish in all Ireland entrusted to the care of a religious Congregation, young James Matthews was well acquainted with the Fathers. In fact, his elder brother, Father Frederick, had already entered the Congregation. Yet when he was deciding upon his own vocation, his choice fell upon an exclusively missionary Congregation and he entered the Society of St. Columban commonly known as the Maynooth Mission to China. His preliminary studies were made at St. Columban’s College, Dalgan Park, but as time went on, his vocation matured and his path became clearer. He decided that his future lay with the Passionist Fathers. Entering the novitiate at St. Gabriel’s Retreat, The Graan, Enniskillen in 1924, he made his religious Profession on June 7th, 1925, taking the name of Theodore of St. Gabriel. Was this, perhaps, an indication that St. Gabriel had helped to direct his vocation to the Passionists? He completed his theological studies at St. Paul’s Retreat, Ilkley, Yorkshire, where he was raised to the Priesthood by Rt. Rev. Mgr. R. Cowgill, Bishop of Leeds, on January 13th., 1929. The chronicler has noted that ‘it was the largest ordination seen for many years in the Diocese of Leeds’, sixteen Passionists being ordained on that occasion. Immediately after Ordination, Fr. Theodore pursued a course of post-graduate studies at the Angelicum University, Rome, where he received his Doctorate in Theology. On his return to Ireland, he was appointed Lector of theology at St. Paul’s Retreat, Mount Argus and also Vice-Rector of Holy Cross Retreat, Ardoyne, Belfast. Most of Fr. Theodore’s priestly life was, however, devoted to the missions and in the event, it can be seen that his vocation was truly providential. In 1936 he volunteered for work in the Passionist Prefecture of Kondoa-Irangi, where he acted as Educational Secretary for the newly-established mission. Writing of his first impressions in The Cross, Fr. Theodore said: “I shan’t say that I have to smile now when I recall the Africa that I had pictured to myself, but I will say that it is very different from the Africa that I found – the real Africa. Not that there is not jungle and native and scorching sun, aye and missionary and mudhut, too. But civilisation has been doing its best to make an impression for the last forty years, and has to some extent succeeded” (The Cross, Oct.1936, page 237). It is curious to think that those words were written more than thirty years ago – and how much Africa has changed since then! But for Fr. Theodore, Africa was the main and abiding interest of his life. “We Passionists are not finding it any easier than other missionaries,” he wrote a little later, “and although we are doing our best, we all realise there can be little hope of progress without the assistance of those at home.” When World War II broke out in September, 1939 and more especially when Italy became a belligerent in May, 1940, the mission situation became one of extreme difficulty. Because the Italian Passionists were technically ‘enemy aliens’ they were interned by the British authorities and at one blow the mission was stripped of its effective personnel. Fr. Theodore found himself in a position of great delicacy where the most exquisite tact and the most expert diplomacy were required to avoid offence to anyone’s susceptibilities. The Holy See appointed him Apostolic-Administrator for the duration of hostilities. Fr. Theodore appealed for the services of some Irish Passionists, who, being from a neutral country, were acceptable to the British authorities. He then successfully carried on the work of the mission with a skeleton staff. Finally, when peace was restored and conditions returned to normal, the Italian Passionists were able to resume their work on the mission, now the Diocese of Dodoma, Tanzania. It had been saved for the Church and the Congregation by Fr. Theodore’s courage and enterprise. It was, therefore, only to be expected that when a new mission in Bechuanaland was entrusted to the Province of St. Patrick, Father Theodore should have been appointed to lead the pioneer band to the new territory. His experienced hand guided the first steps of the mission and laid the foundations for future progress. It is a measure of the success of those early efforts that the territory is now erected into the Diocese of Gaborone under Bishop Urban Murphy C.P. Personally of a retiring disposition, Fr. Theodore was never one to seek the limelight of publicity. He was sparing in speech and gentle in manner. At the same time, he had a keen sense of humour which occasionally flashed out in a witty comment or a quiet remark. In later years, his heart complaint did not permit much strenuous work but he was much in demand for convent retreats. For this highly specialised task, his wide experience and sympathetic character rendered him eminently suitable. It is no small tribute to his life that two flourishing missions in Africa owe much of their success – and in one case their very survival – to Fr. Theodore’s strength of character and unswerving devotion to duty. He has indeed, served the Congregation far beyond the call of duty and for that reason alone he has earned our undying gratitude and our unfailing remembrance. To his two brothers, Father Frederick and Father Kevin, our sympathy is extended in this bereavement. MAY HE REST IN PEACE. THEODORE MATTHEWS, C.P. On March 21 the death took place rather unexpectedly of Rev. Father Theodore Matthews, C.P., at the age of sixty-two years. For some years past he had been suffering from a heart condition; but upon his admission to hospital, his condition rapidly deteriorated. Born in Belfast on June 18, 1904, the late Fr. Theodore was one of three brothers who entered the Passionist Congregation. He made his religious profession at St. Gabriel’s Retreat, The Graan, Enniskillen, on June 7, 1925, and was raised to the priesthood at St. Paul’s Retreat. Ilkley, Yorks, by Rt. Rev. Mgr. Cowgill, Bishop of Leeds, on January 13, 1929. He pursued a course of postgraduate studies at the Angelicum University, Rome, where he received his doctorate in theology. and on his return to Ireland, he became Professor of Theology at St. Paul’s Retreat, Mount Argus, Dublin. At a later date he was Vice-Rector of Mount Argus, and also Vice-Rector of Holy Cross Retreat, Ardoyne. Belfast. Much of Fr. Theodore’s priestly life was spent upon the missions. During the war years, he laboured in the Passionist Prefecture of Dodoma, Tanganyika, where for some time he acted as Apostolic Administrator of the territory. Subsequently, in 1952, he was leader of the Pioneer band of Irish Passionists who established a flourishing mission in what then known as Bechuanaland. It is a measure of the solid success of those early efforts that the territory has now been erected into the Diocese of Gaberones, Botswana. Of somewhat retiring disposition, Fr. Theodore was never one to seek the limelight of publicity. He was much in request for retreats to convents, a task for which his wide experience and sympathetic character rendered him eminently suitable. To his two brothers, Rev. Fr. Frederick, C. P., and Rev. Fr. Kevin C.P. sympathy is extended in this bereavement. May he rest in peace (The Cross, Vol. 58; 1967-68; No. 1, page 37)