Rev. Fr. Felix (Hawarden,) C.P. We regret to announce the death of Rev. Fr. Felix (Hawarden), C.P., of St. Joseph’s Province, which took place at St. Anne’s Retreat, Sutton, St. Helens, on March 13th. Known in the world as Francis Joseph Hawarden, the late Fr. Felix was born in Cheltenham, Glos., on January 8th, 1870. Whilst still a youth, he sought admission to the Passionist Congregation, and having completed his year of probation, he made his profession on October 13th, 1887, at the age of seventeen years. At the conclusion of the usual course of ecclesiastical studies, he was raised to the priesthood, and was attached to the community at St. Mary’s Retreat Harborne. Subsequently, he was transferred to St. Anne’s, Sutton, where the greater part of his Passionist life was spent. A large proportion of the parochial duties at Sutton fell to his care, and he was untiring in his efforts to promote the spiritual and temporal interests of his flock. From 1904-1911, he was Rector of St. Joseph’s Retreat, Highgate, London. Shortly after the outbreak of the War, he volunteered his services as Chaplain, and in 1915, he was. appointed to his new post. For the next three years, he ministered to the spiritual needs of the troops at various base camps in England and France; and he also saw active service on the Western Front. His last years were spent at Sutton, where he was a well-known and popular figure. For some time. past he had been in failing health and his death was not unexpected. Many Passionists from English and Irish Retreats were present at the Solemn Requiem Mass and obsequies. R.I.P. We regret that, at short notice, we were unable to obtain a photograph of the late Fr. Felix. C.P. (The Cross, Vol. XXVI, 1935-36; p. 523) J.X.P.., St. Ane’s Retreat, Sutton, St. Helen’s. June, 1936 FR. FELIX HAWARDEN, C.P., R.I.P. For the second time within the comparatively short period of four months, the hand of death plunged the community of St. Anne’s Retreat into mourning, when, within a week of becoming ill with pneumonia and pleurisy, Fr. Felix passed away shortly after midnight on the morning of Friday 13th March, 1936. On he previous Saturday, he had complained of pain in the side and back. During the day pneumonia developed, and the same evening he was removed to the Providence Hospital in a critical condition owing to his heart, which had been in a weak state for some years. For a few days he struggled with an indomitable spirit against the encroachment of the disease, but on the fifth night he became much worse. On the Thursday afternoon it became apparent that the end was near. He had, however, always expressed a wish to die on a Friday, the day of Christ’s Passion and Death, and his wish was granted. Passing into a state of coma, his breath coming in short gasps, it did not appear humanly speaking for him to live until midnight. He did in fact so live and it was not until fifteen minutes past the hour that he died, the end coming peacefully, his relatives and some of the sister of the Hospital joining fervently in the prayers of the dying, recited in turn by Fr. Rector and Fr. Vicar of t. Anne’s. To those who knew Fr. Felix only superficially it might seem difficult to reconcile a character that appeared at times brusque almost to the verge of roughness with a convent school education. To the many, however, of every condition and age, who had reason to experience how gentle he could be, how charitable towards the poor and sympathetic towards the ‘down and outs’, it would seem but congruous that a heart, which at bottom was tender an affectionate, should have received some of its earliest impressions through the influence of religious. Born at Cheltenham on 8th January, 1870, Francis Joseph Hawarden received his early education a the hands of the Sister of La Sainte Union at Bath, who considered him a fairly bright young boy. Afterwards he continued his studies privately. The seed of his early religious training son bore fruit, and at the early age of 16 he entered the Passionist Novitiate, drawn to our congregation, in the first instance, under God, to the conversations he had with the late Bro. Benignus, C.P., who in the course of his questing, would sometimes call at the home of the Hawardens. Professed in the following yea, as Conf, Felix of Our Lady of Good Council, he received ordination to the priesthood after the usual course of studies, working afterwards zealously for souls in various of our retreats, particularly in Belfast, London, Sutton and Harbourne. As a missioner and retreat giver he had few superiors, his deep knowledge of Holy Scripture, o which he read a portion regularly every day, imparting to his words a strength and authority as marked as it was forceful. His constant theme was the Holy Mass, and it was remarked that not matter what the subject of his discourse, his deep love of the Holy Sacrifice would find a way, for the most part apt and to the point, of bringing into his sermon some reference to the Mass. The early years of the present century found him entrusted with the Rectorship of St. Joseph’s, Highgate, and the things he accomplished during his tenure of office there showed him to be man who realises his responsibilities to both parish and community, and endeavoured to acquit himself of them with energy and zeal. He undertook the burdens of building a boys’ school and repairing the dome of the church, besides obtaining from the London County Council the establishment of a soup kitchen in face of considerable opposition. On one occasion, when he appeared before members of the London County Council to press his claims for the poor, he found it necessary to employ language that was none too polite. They quickly found that they had a man to deal with who knew what he wanted, who knew that his claims were just and who intended to get what he sought – and he got it! When the Great War broke out, he found a new field for his activities, and took advantage of it to the full, to bring the consolation of religion to many a sick and wounded soldier. Slightly wounded in France, gassed and twice torpedoed on board a hospital ship, he saw service also in Egypt and Palestine, to return after the Warm his health indeed shattered but his spirit as indomitable as ever. Stationed once again in Sutton, he devoted the remaining years of his life to the service of the poor. In spite of the intense pain he often suffered, owing to the wounds and gassing he had received during the War, he simply lived among the poor of Sutton. If anyone wished to speak to him, he would watch out for Fr. Felix cycling along the meaner streets of his district, or would seek him in the houses of the sick and suffering. Fr. Felix generally managed to get round his district every day, besides cycling over the Providence Hospital or St. Helen’s Hospital or the Whiston Institution, as occasion demanded. However tired or ill and whatever the state of the weather, he was always at the beck and call of anyone in difficulties, whether of poverty. sickness, folly or human frailty. He distributed his favours with an even hand, and both Catholic and non-Catholic learned to love and respect him. Every morning from 6.30 until after the last Mass, he heard confessions, waiting in the confessional even though no penitents approached. lest anyone should come and find no priest at hand. On Sundays, after saying the 6.30 Mass, he would cycle round his district, calling upon such as were slack or negligent and urging them to get out to Mass. Small wonder that in the headlines of the local papers announcing his death, he was referred to ‘The Friend of the Poor’. He died as he had lived. In the morning that he was taken ill, he had said his Holy Mass. That evening, he himself asked for the Holy Viaticum, receiving it in the presence of assembled brethren with edifying fortitude and devotion. During his illness from time to time he arranged for urgent matters to be attended to concerning the spiritual welfare of parishioners living in his district, and before his death he expressed himself satisfied that all had been properly attended to, and that his mind was fully at peace. Surely he had “fought the good fight” and had “finished the course”, that like the Apostle of St Paul there might be laid up for him by the Just Judge at crown of imperishable glory. May he rest in peace.