REV. FR. GABRIEL (M’DARBY), C.P. We regret to announce the death of Rev. Fr. Gabriel (M’Darby), C.P., which took place on Friday, April 8th, at St. Gabriel’s Retreat, Blythe Hall, Ormskirk, Lancs. A member of an old Carlow family, James M’Darby, as he was known in the world, was born on August 4th, 1874. Having received his early education from the Christian Brothers, he proceeded to St. Saviour’s Retreat, Broadway, Worcs., where he made his Religious Profession on May 7th, 1893. He was raised to the Sacred Priesthood by Most Rev. Dr. Whiteside, Bishop of Liverpool, on September 8th, 1901. SHORTLY after his ordination he was appointed Director of Students at St. Paul’s Retreat, Mount Argus, Dublin, subsequent to which he was engaged in parochial and missionary work in London, Broadway and Glasgow. In June, 1915, he went as Superior of St. Joseph’s, Avenue Hoche, Paris, where he remained twenty years. Here he baptized more than a hundred adult converts and was the host to Cardinals, Bishops and priests from all over the English-speaking world. It was during this period that he served as a Chaplain to the American and British Forces and was a personal friend of Marshal Foch, General Pershing and other notabilities of the Allied High Command. At the request of the British Ambassador, he received the Cross of the Legion of Honour from the President of France. In 1934 he was recalled to England to fill in turn the offices of Provincial Consultor and Rector of St. Joseph’s Retreat, Highgate, London. On September 8th of last year he had the happiness of celebrating the Golden. jubilee of his ordination when he received the felicitations of those amongst whom he had ministered during fifty years of fruitful priestly life. His last days were spent at St. Gabriel’s Retreat, Blythe Hall, Ormskirk, Lancs., where he passed away. The obsequies took place. at St. Anne’s Retreat, Sutton, St. Helen’s, Lancs. May he rest in peace! (The Cross, Vol. XLIII, 1952-53; p. 28.) FATHER GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OP SORROWS (MACDARBY), C.P. (1874-1952) Father Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, known in the world as James Joseph MacDarby, was born in Carlow, Ireland on Aug 4th 1874, He entered the novitiate at Broadway in 1892, and made his Religious Profession there on May 7th 1893. He was ordained priest on September 8th 1901. Shortly after his ordination he was appointed Director of Students at Mount Argus, Dublin. Later ho was Vicar at St.Gabriel’s, The Graan, Enniskillen, and also at St.Anne’s, Sutton. He was engaged for some time in parochial work in Highgate, Broadway and Glasgow, Then for a number of years he was busily occupied conducting missions and retreats. In 1915 he was appointed Superior of St.Joseph’s, Avenue Hoche, Paris, where he remained for nineteen years. Here he received into the Church over a hundred converts of many nationalities, some of them public figures, whose conversion made news at the time. Throughout his long time in Paris Father Gabriel endeared himself to Cardinals, bishops, priests and lay notabilities, to whom he acted as host. In 1934 he was awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honour by the French Government in recognition of his services both during and after the 1914-1918 War. In 1934 he was appointed Provincial-Consultor and came to live in London. From 1935 to 1938 he was Rector of St.Joseph’s, Highgate. He was then transferred to St.Gabriel’s, Blythe Hall, Ormskirk,where for some years in spite of failing health he continued to give retreats and carry on an active priestly life. He became, well-known figure in the neighborhood, and was highly respected as much by non-Catholics as by Catholics. Four years ago he underwent a serious operation, which left him more or less a permanent invalid. But for some time afterwards he continued to take his turn in preaching and hearing confessions, and he finally gave up active work only towards the middle of last year, when his illness compelled him to do so. His biggest cross was, of course, when -about last Christmas – he had to give up the celebration of Holy Mass. In September of last year Father Gabriel had the happiness of celebrating the golden jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood. Besides the blessing of our Holy Father the Pope, messages of congratulation and prayers for his recovery reached him from many parts of the world. Among the many tributes to him was a golden chalice, specially made to order for the occasion, funds for which had been contributed by a group of American friends, including some non-Catholics. It was a generous token from those outside and inside the fold of the esteem and respect in which they held one who had helped all indiscriminately on their way to God. Father Gabriel continued to be up and around for some time each day until about two months before his death. It was a happy fortune that he did not suffer great pain at the time, but towards the end he was afflicted with a grievous hemorrhage that made breathing difficult. On April 18th at 5.30 p.m. he passed peacefully to his rest. Solemn Requiem Mass was offered at Blythe Hall for the repose of his soul by his cousin, Rev.J.Byrne, Witham, Essex. Priests from various retreats of St.Patrick’s and our own Province wore present, as well as a number of local clergy. The interment followed at St.Anne’s, Sutton, St.Helens. Those of us who knew Father Gabriel only in his later years have often been impressed by the volume of correspondence with which he dealt each day. Morning after morning letters came to him from various parts of the world, especially from America and France. Day after day Fr. Gabriel devoted a good deal of his time faithfully replying to each. To us this large correspondence from people who had long since passed from his immediate influence bespoke a former spiritual relationship that was sufficiently strong and practical to be maintained across the years. To make friends is not too difficult : to keep them demands humility on both sides : to retain an intimate friendship across the void of both space and time suggests a relationship founded in God. Unconsciously Fr. Gabriel must have established in the hearts of his friends a conviction of his own worth before God. How otherwise can be explained the continued appeal to his judgment from people who had not seen him for ten, twenty, thirty years? We have known of young people, whose only contact with Fr. Gabriel was that their parents knew him and trusted him, and who now themselves, following almost a family tradition, looked to him as their spiritual guide, even though he lived thousands of miles away. This argues a priestly humility, a distrust of self, so pleasing to Him who alone can search the heart. We have witnessed more than one notable conversion of lapsed Catholics wrought through his instrumentality in his declining years. Souls who had almost been abandoned by others seemed to find in him a confidante, whose friendship they would not willingly give up. He had a peculiar way of dealing with certain types of people, whose ideas of holiness and heaven had long been clouded by material success. Slowly and patiently through human friendship he gained, their confidence. Still more slowly and more patiently he waited for the word that meant so much to his heart – the return to God. However long it took to cultivate the friendship – and we have known him to take several years on one case – it seemed to him a necessary preliminary to permanent conversion. He had a horror of “pushing” a soul too quickly, lest the conversion be merely superficial, No wonder that, towards the end, when news of his immediate danger got round, inquiries came from many who realised that their best guide was passing from them. The simple humility of the man was more than ever obvious in his last illness, Fr. Gabriel was of a nervous disposition, and one might readily excuse a murmur of complaint in the illness that came to him after twenty years of unbroken glowing health. But no complaint escaped his lips. On the contrary we remember how before he entered hospital for his operation he spoke with feeling of God’s will for him, of his readiness to meet death if God wanted him. His illness was of a nature that wold try one’s patience severely. – more and more indeed as time went on and the body weakened – but never did he show any sign of irritability. Far from complaining he rarely spoke at all of his illness. Instead he continued to be, as always, a noted first visitor to any one of the brethren who fell sick. And so, serving others as best he could, he waited patiently for what he knew could not be too far off. He spoke of his death sometimes, and always with a disarming simplicity. When eventually he was forced to take to his bed, he faced death with a holy calm. His complete resignation to God’s will and his great confidence in God’s love and mercy edified us all. May his soul rest in peace. Cornelius of the Sacred Heart, Rector.