Obituary Notice from entry by Salvian Nardocci in the Liber Defunctorum Congregationis Nostrae Religiosorum (Central Archives, St. Paul’s Retreat, Mount Argus, Dublin, Ireland) Revd. F. Xavier of Bl. Virgin F. Xavier of the Blessed Virgin Mary, alias Joseph Kelly, was born at Blanchardstown Co Dublin, Ireland on the 21st of December 1843 Received the habit of our Congregation in Broadway, Worcestershire, England, on the 1st of August 1864, and made his profession on the 5th of the same month of the following year. He died in St Joseph’s Retreat in Baltimore, America, on the 8th of September 1875. Copy of Circular: St. Joseph’s Retreat Bal. Sept.8th 1875 Last night at half past 12 o’clock our beloved Brother, F. Xavier of the Blessed Virgin Mary after a long and painful illness quitted this world for a better one. He had received all the sacraments and the other consolations of holy religion. Being convinced that God called him to our humble Congregation, he was invested with the holy habit in our Novitiate of Broadway. Shortly after his ordination the first symptoms of the malady which resulted in his death appeared. He was sent first to our English house in Paris, and thence to Mexico for a change of climate. That wild climate seemed to agree with him, and he applied himself with great earnestness to study the Spanish language that he might be able to labour for the spiritual good of the poor Mexicans, whom he soon learned to love, and among whom he wished to live and work for the remainder of his days. But this was not to be. The tyrannical Government of that unfortunate country banished our Fathers from it and with them F. Xavier was compelled to seek refuge in the United States, where he arrived a year ago. Although he seemed more dead than alive when he reached New York, yet such was his fervour that he went fasting from the ship to our monastery at West Hoboken in order to celebrate Mass and it was near noon when he got to the Retreat, He was sent at once to this Retreat of St Joseph as the best suited for a person of his condition. During the two years that he lived here, he has edified us all by his regularity, patience, freedom from human respect, and disregard for worldly consideration. Notwithstanding the pitiable state of his health, his zeal was so great that his superior had to restrain him for fear of shortening his days. He preached in several churches of the city and for a good while attended the industrial school hard by with great assiduity. On his death bed, at his own request, some boys from the latter institute were brought into his room and he gave them a piece of pious and pathetic exhortation which he desired than to repeat to their companions. But he was ripe for Heaven and Our Lord, having purified him by prolonged sufferings called him to Himself Your Paternity is requested to have the usual suffrages offered for the repose of his soul. It is to be remembered that the General has declared him transferred from the Anglo/Hibernian Province to ours and therefore he is entitled to the prayers and Masses as prescribed by the Holy Rule for a religious of the same Province, and it will depend on your Paternity’s charity to have something additional done for him in consideration of the fact that once he belonged to your province N.B. By order of the Most Revd. F. General, all the suffrages are to be made for Fr, Xavier, as if he belonged to this our Province. .