Fr. Gerard (O’NEILL), C.P. As I pause over the typewriter, having written Father Gerard’s name at the head of this obituary, I can hear a gentle voice speak softly into my ear, saying “You’re an awful man.” He knows what I am about. I am about to praise him; and that would be his kindly way of deprecating his own worth and asking me to leave his memory unsung and his great good life unpraised. We who knew him well have heard him use that or a similar expression, accompanied by a characteristic little lift of the head, to turn away praise from himself or his work. It was his way to give praise generously and to leave it unsought himself. Gerard of the Mother of Sorrows was his full religious title. In the world he was Henry O’Neill and came of a well known family in Dublin’s building trade, whose father was amongst the pioneers of the builders of suburban Dublin in the Rathmines and Rathgar area. As a boy he attended St. Mary’s College, Rathmines and was proud of the fact that he had played on the rugby team. It remained to the end his only sporting loyalty. In 1914 he entered the Passionist Alumniate, then at Sandymount, Dublin and, having matriculated, went to the Passionist Novitiate where he was professed on 29th July, 1917. The next. five years were spent at Mount Argus, where he finished his studies for the priesthood and was ordained on 23rd December, 1922. Immediately following his ordination he was appointed to the Mission staff and for a brief period was stationed at St. Saviour’s Retreat, Broadway, Worcestershire. In 1925 he. was transferred to St. Mungo’s Retreat, Glasgow, where he was taken up principally with parochial duties. It was here he began to give evidence of what was undoubtedly his outstanding trait – an ever ready willingness to give help, no matter what the need. Along with Father Patrick (Aylward) who predeceased him he laboured untiringly for the poor and down-and-outs of Glasgow. The summer of 1929 saw him back again in Mount Argus where he lived and worked until 1953. He spent the last two years of his life attached to the community of Holy Cross Retreat, Belfast. Last August he came to Dublin gravely ill but still his old smiling self. He only survived a very serious operation five days and then gave back his good, generous, simple soul to God on 20th August, 1955. All over Ireland in Convent and Parish Church he preached retreats and missions during twenty-five years. He was Gerard of the Mother of Sorrows. I know he would like the last words of this half-filled memoir to be about Her – his Mother. During the last days of his life when formal prayer became impossible, all his prayer was distilled and concentrated into oft-repeated Memorares. His last night prayer was a Memorare, said with a boyhood friend and fellow priest. Maybe his friends would perpetuate his memory by a faithful devotion to that lovely prayer. He would ask no richer monument. May he rest in peace. (The Cross, Vol. XLVI, 1955-56; p. 148.) FATHER GERARD OF THE MOTHER OF SORROWS The announcement on the 20th of August of the death of Fr Gerard of the Mother of Sorrows caused great sorrow among the brethren of the congregation. Although he had been feeling unwell for some time, no one realised, until a few weeks before his death, that there was anything very seriously wrong. Even then, the trouble was not thought to be as serious as it eventually prove to be. He took part in the different duties and observances of the retreat and gave missions and retreats almost up to the end. His last mission, given in Balinasloe, of Co Galway, finished on 12th June, and he was listed for a Brothers retreat which was to finish on 14th of August. This retreat was ultimately given by another of our fathers. He spent a short time in St John’s nursing home, Belfast, where the trouble suspected by the retreat doctor was confirmed, and an operation was considered to be the only hope, if his life was to be saved. Out of consideration for his family, he obtained permission to come to Dublin for his operation, which was performed on the Feast of our Lady’s assumption. The malignant trouble was found to be much more serious than had been anticipated, and although his heart – not thought to be too robust – stood up well to the trying ordeal, he never seemed to make any definite progress. On 19th August he received the Last Sacraments, and quite conscious and resigned to the end, gave up his soul to God early on the morning of the 20th of August, 1955. He was buried in the cemetery attached to St. Paul’s retreat, Mount Argus on 23rd of August, after solemn Requiem Mass which was sung by very Rev Fr Fergus, Provincial. Known in the world as Henry O’Neill, Fr Gerard was born in Dublin on 7th May, 1891. After studying, under the Holy Ghost Fathers, at St Mary’s College, Rathmines, he spent some years in business in Dublin, with a well-known Grafton Street firm. Even here, it seems, he was praying for a religious vocation. When our Alumniate was opened at Claremont Park, Sandymount, Dublin, in 1914, Henry O’Neill was one of the first alumni and, as he was then 23 years of age, he was made dean of the students. Proceeding to the novitiate in July, 1916, he was professed in St Gabriel’s Retreat, Enniskillen on 29th July, 1917. Shortly afterwards he arrived with the students at St. Paul’s retreat, Mount Argus, to pursue his ecclesiastical studies, and was ordained at Clonliffe on 23rd December, 1922. In May 1924 when his class was dispersed, he was appointed “de familia” to St Saviour’s Retreat, Broadway, Worcs, but shortly afterwards was appointed to St Mungo’s Retreat, Glasgow, where he spent about seven years of his priestly life. After a stay in Glasgow he was recalled to St Paul’s Retreat, Mount Argus, where he was destined to spend the greater part of his life as a Passionist priest. In 1953 he was sent to Holy Cross Retreat, Belfast, to which he was attached at the time of his death. It is hardly likely that anyone will challenge the statement that Fr Gerard was one of the most lovable and beloved members of the province of St Patrick – both outside and inside our retreats. Although naturally, of a shy and retiring disposition, he was always a welcome member of any company, and was ever ready to join in any innocent fun in the recreation. His outstanding virtues where his kindness and his charity. With Fr Gerard, these are aware not newly acquired virtues. Those of us who knew him as a student will recall his “habe caritatem” when anyone was inclined to be the least bit uncharitable, and no uncharitable word was allowed to pass his own lips. We would be surprised if these traits did not show themselves in especial manner in the confessional, but we do know that in the tribunal of penance they were outstanding. Whether in St Mungo’s, Glasgow, in St Paul’s, Dublin or in Holy Cross, Belfast, he was found by penitents to be exceptionally kind and sympathetic. Although his stay in Holy Cross was short, letters were sent here after his death, from regular penitents, who lived in many miles from Belfast, bemoaning the fact of his death and their own great loss of a confessor so full of kindness and sympathy. During his 33 years as a Passionist priest, Father Gerard conducted very many missions to the fateful and retreats to a religious communities mostly in Ireland, and his kindness and sympathy were manifested to all to whom he administered. After other missioners, perhaps more learned or more eloquent than he, had been forgotten, the memory of Fr Gerard seemed to remain. May the kind and compassionate Lord whom he served and whose virtues he always tried to imitate, have mercy on his good soul and grant him eternal rest. Peter Paul of the Seven Dolours. Holy Cross Retreat, Belfast