Fr. PAUL MARY of the Immaculate Conception (O’Neill) 10th Aug. 1911 John Joseph O’Neill, as he was baptised, was born in the parish of St. James, Dublin on 24th July 1862. He did his Secondary studies at the Carmelite College, Clondalkin. He was professed a Passionist at St. Saviour’s Retreat, Broadway, Worcs., on the 14th June 1880. He read his Philosophy course at Holy Cross Retreat, Ardoyne, and his Theological course at St. Joseph’s Retreat, Highgate, London. Here he was ordained priest at the age of 24 (1886), by Dr. Weathers, Bishop of Amycla. Fr. Paul Mary’s eyesight was poor, the weakness of his eyes at times causing him some pain. This cut out much reading or writing, and his chief external apostolate was pastoral and parochial work. The poor of Highgate experienced his patience, kindness, and charity. He attended the sick a lot, both in the local Hospitals and in their homes. He went after the negligent with zeal and charity. In St. Mungo’s, Glasgow, his was the same type of apostolate for many years, and in addition he did 3 years as chaplain to two prisons: Duke Street and Barlinnie. There were no trams in those days nor buses, and going to Barlinnie involved him in many a long, long walk in all weathers, lest the prisoners miss his ministry. Quiet and unassuming in his work, he spoke little of it, though he was doing single-handed work that in less strenuous days afforded work for many persons. “There is nothing grand or heroic to record of his life, but we can say that it was a life spent for God alone. He suffered bodily afflictions without complaining, he bore the sufferings of others like a St. Paul, he had a patience of a St. Gregory or a St. Peter Damian, the claustral observance and Passionist spirit of St. Paul of the Cross, the charity of a St. John Chrysostom or a St. John the Evangelist, and he resembled our Divine Lord himself in his ministry to others.” (THE CROSS) Sources: Anglo-Hibernian Catalogue (1917) No. 23 ‘THE CROSS’ 2 (1911-12) 175-6, plus half-tone portrait. OBITUARY FROM THE CROSS:- THE Passionist Congregation has suffered another sad loss by the death of the Rev. Father Paul Mary, which occurred on August 10th, in Glasgow, where he had been Vice-Rector of our Retreat of St. Mungo’s for the past three years. Father Paul had been in failing health for some time, and had grown so seriously ill that a few days before his death his medical adviser considered it necessary to have him removed to St. Elizabeth’s Home, with a view to an operation. for some internal complaint from which he suffered and which was the cause of his death. It was discovered at the Home that he was too weak for an operation, and after a few days, strengthened by the last Sacraments and by all the rites of the Church, he yielded up his soul to God at 3.30 in the afternoon of the above-mentioned day. His death is deeply regretted by all his brethren, and it is equally regretted by the members of the Passionist congregations in London and Glasgow, where he lived and laboured during the greater part of his priestly life. Father Paul’s name in the world was John Joseph O’Neill. He was born in Dublin, of respectable and devout Catholic parents; on the 24th of July, 1862. It was in Dublin also that he received his elementary education, and he made his classical studies at the Carmelite College, Clondalkin. He entered the Passionist Congregation at the age of seventeen, and made his religious profession on the 14th of June, 1880, at St. Saviour’s Retreat, Broadway, Worcestershire. After his profession he went through his philosophical studies with his companions at Holy Cross Retreat, Belfast, and his theological course at St. Joseph’s Retreat, Highgate, London, where he was ordained, at the age of twenty-four, by the Right Rev. Dr. Weathers, Bishop of Amycla. He was a bright and happy student, but even at that early period he suffered from weakness of the eyes which often occasioned great pain, an affliction which troubled him till the end of his life As a priest, therefore, he was unable to devote himself to much reading or writing, and his chief external occupation was found in pastoral and parochial work. He was always a most exemplary religious, remarkable for his charity, cheerfulness, prudence and zeal. The poor of Highgate experienced the advantages of his patience, kindness, and charity. Day and night he attended to them and their needs, spiritual and temporal, during the years of his residence at Highgate at two different periods. He attended to the sick in the Infirmaries as well as in their own homes, he visited the poor and the negligent with untiring zeal and with a charity like to that of his Divine Master. He was “all things to all men.” The same duties he performed during his residence of many years in Glasgow. And in addition he discharged for three years the duties of chaplain to the two prisons – that known as the Duke Street Prison in Glasgow, and the other at Barlinnie, outside Glasgow – years during which the work required a great expenditure both of bodily and spiritual energy. The long walk to Barlinnie (they were pre-tramway days) was taken daily with cheerfulness in all weathers that the poor prisoners might have the benefit of his kind care and ministrations to which they were gently led to respond. And by his discreet management he gained the high esteem of all the officials of these institutions as well as of his ecclesiastical superiors. Especially characteristic of the man was the quiet, unassuming way in which he did his work. He spoke little, and probably thought little of it, though in his time he did single-handed an amount of work which in less strenuous days affords sufficient occupation for several priests. It is with deep sorrow we chronicle the loss of this gentle, unworldly-minded priest at the comparatively early age of fifty, when it was fondly hoped he would be spared to the Congregation to continue his labours for God’s honour and glory and the good of souls. There is nothing grand or heroic to record of his life. but we can say that it was a life spent for God alone. He suffered bodily afflictions without complaining, he bore the sufferings of others like a St. Paul, he had the patience of a St. Gregory or a St. Peter Damien, the claustral observance and Passionist spirit of a St. Paul of the Cross, the charity of a St. John Chrysostom or a St. John the Evangelist, and he resembled our Divine Saviour Himself in his ministry to others thus reclaiming innumerable souls from the paths of error and gaining them to the standard of the Cross. — R.I.P. (Cross, Vol. II, 1911-12; pp. 175 f.)