BROTHER MICHAEL SLEVIN, C.P. WITH sincere regret we chronicle the death of Brother Michael of the Immaculate Conception, a member of St. Joseph’s Province, which occurred after a brief illness at St. Ann’s Retreat, St. Helen’s, Lancs., on June 9th. 1948. Brother Michael, formerly Thomas Slevin, was born in Dublin on June 13th, 1885 and made his religious profession at St. Gabriel’s Retreat, Enniskillen, on July 19th, 1910. As he had shown considerable artistic gifts, it was decided to give him fuller scope for the exercise of his talent, so he was sent to study at the School of Art, Belfast. Subsequently he supervised and took part in the redecoration of many Passionist churches throughout the Province. An outstanding example of his finished artistic work is the beautiful chapel of St. Paul’s Retreat, Ilkley, Yorks., the decoration of which was entirely carried out by Brother Michael. In his work, The Preachers of the Passion, the late Fr. Herbert, C.P., remarked: “Many who are judges of ecclesiastical art consider the work of this Passionist brother an attraction in itself to Myddelton Lodge.” For many years Brother Michael was attached to St. Mary’s Retreat Herne Bay, Kent, where his cheerful manner and genial character made him a popular figure. He was always proud of being a typical Dubliner, ever ready to lend a helping hand wherever assistance was needed, and ever alert for an opportunity to do good unobtrusively. His unfailing optimism had a tonic effect during the darkest days of the war, when Herne Bay was kept awake by the thunder of not far distant guns. His piety was solid and unaffected; he performed his spiritual exercises with unfailing regularity and with truly exemplary devotion. Particularly marked was his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, to the Passion and to Our Blessed Lady. Even when busily engaged in a multiplicity of duties, he would often make time for a brief visit to the church, or would find some quiet corner in the community choir where he might tell his beads undisturbed. Few who saw Brother Michael suspected that he was over sixty years of age, for he retained throughout the years the buoyancy and the optimism of youth. Never was he seen to be downcast or despondent; his very presence radiated cheerfulness and good humour. Many a time the community recreation was enlivened by his amusing anecdotes or reminiscences of bygone days. His death removes from our midst one who was universally beloved. May he rest in peace. (The Cross, Vol. XXXIX, 1948-49; p. 97) J. X. P. BROTHER MICHAEL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION In the brothers who have remained faithful to their vocation the province of St. Joseph has always possessed a rich treasure, and the death of one of them cannot fail to be felt as a heavy loss. It is, therefore, with a keen sense of such loss that we chronicle the death of Brother Michael of the Immaculate Conception, for of him it can be truly said that he remained faithful to his vocation. From the day when, as Thomas Slevin, he left his native Dublin to enter the Congregation as a postulant at Carmarthen, he was ever conscious of the high dignity of the life to which God had called him, and to the end he was a l”yal and exemplary Passionist laybrother. Brother Michael was the first to receive the habit at the newly-opened Novitiate at Enniskillen, the ceremony being performed in the reception room of the retreat, which was then used as a chapel. After his profession in 1910 he was sent to Sutton, and it was stationed here that he received the tragic news of the death of his sister in Texas. As a member of the religious congregation in charge of an orphanage, she had sacrificed her life in her efforts to save the children during the course cf a terrible fire. The death cf Brother Mark in 1914 left the province without an artist-brother, and it was decided that Brother Michael should spend same years in studying at the Belfast School of Art, s” as to be able to take on the role which Brother Mark had filled for s” long. The wisdom of the decision can be seen in the’ work of decoration and restoration which he carried out in the various retreats of the province after his course v w’as finished – especially at Ardoyne, Mount Argus, Ilkley, Harborne and Highgate. Though the particular style he favoured is not to everyone’s taste, his expert skill in it cannot be gainsaid. To that skill he joined a patient attention to the minutest details of his work and a true artist’s care in the selection and mixing of his paints. The last decorative work of any magnitude that Brother Michael carried out was at Highgate in 1925. Soon after this was finished he became one of the community at Herne Bay, and it was here that he spent the next twenty two years of his life. During much of that time he was the faithful nurse of the late Fr. Malachy. At Herne Bay there was not much scope for the exercise of his artistic gifts, but he ..will long be remembered by the parishioners for his tasteful setting each year of the Christmas crib. In September, 1947, he was transferred to St. Anne’s Retreat, Sutton. After so many years spent at Herne Bay, this complete change of atmosphere must have been a severe trial to him, but he met it with resignation, and the example of religious observance that he gave at Sutton was edifying in the extreme. It was not long, however, before his health showed signs of breaking up, and after a not very serious fall in the early part of May the condition of his heart and lungs deteriorated rapidly. He was moved to Providence Hospital, St. Helens, but recovery was soon seen to be out of the question. The end came peacefully on the morning of the 9th of June. He was 64 years old.. Brother Michael has left the record of his activities on the walls of our churches and retreats. Even when that has faded there will remain in the hearts of his brethren the much more lasting record of his lovable character, his simple but deep piety, his devotion to our Mother the Congregation, and his fidelity to the life which at God’s call he had embraced. R. I. P.