OBITUARIES 2012
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BR JOHN FOREST HOLDEN BREATHES HIS LAST
- Fr John Forest Holden
At about 8 o'clock in the evening of 31st January 2012, our Brother John Forest Holden was taken very gently to God by Sister Death. It was so gentle as to be barely perceptible. He had had a very long struggle, being totally reliant on an oxygen machine for the last months of his life, but he showed tremendous fortitude and humour through it all. May he rest in peace.
On Wednesday, 8th February 2012 at 6.00 p.m. the body was received into St Edward's Church, Gordon Road, Nottingham NG3 2LG. The following day, Thursday, 9th February 2012 at 12 noon, the Funeral Mass took place, followed by interment at Wilford Hill Cemetery. There was a Buffet reception after the Funeral in Greyfriars.
To read an appreciation of the life of Br John Forest Holden in the funeral homily given by Br Michael Copps click here
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Br IAN LAURENSON, O.F.M., R.I.P.
- Br Ian Laurenson, O.F.M.
In the early hours of Palm Sunday, 1st April 2012, our Brother Ian Laurenson, O.F.M., passed to his eternal reward. He was 77 years old and had spent nearly all his priestly life in South Africa as a member of our mission, now a Province of the Order.
Robert Laurenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 14 May 1934. He became a novice in our Province on 6 September 1951 taking the name Ian, made his first profession the following year on 7 September 1952, his Solemn Profession three years later on 7 September 1955, and was ordained a priest on 22 March 1958. Soon after that he offered his services to our mission in South Africa where he remained until his death.
In South Africa, he was for many years the Provincial Bursar, the Provincial Secretary, and the editor of the Province's news magazine Inter Minores.
The Funeral
Our reporter has sent us the following account from South Africa:
The funeral took place on the morning of Wednesday, 11th April 2012. The friars celebrated Ian’s funeral Mass at the Franciscan Pius X parish in Pretoria. David Barnard, the Minister Provincial, presided and Franciscan William Slattery, Archbishop of Pretoria, preached. With Archbishop Slattery was our own Bishop Paschal who gave the eulogy, the retired Archbishop of Pretoria, George Daniels, and the current Bishop of Dundee, Graham Rose. Our brother Eunan flew up from Natal to attend, Robert and Finbarr were with us, and Br Christopher Kiernan was the MC.
Missing from the celebration was the Guardian of Santa Sophia in Pretoria – Anselm Prior. He had organized the whole celebration but on Monday evening had a fall. He has been making a good recovery from a hip operation. His fall did him no good – he was being operated on while we were at the funeral.
After the Mass many of us took the hour (and more) drive to La Verna, our retreat house on the Vaal river to the South West of Johannesburg. There we buried our brother Ian with due ceremony.
I think Ian will be pleased, as all went well. I think his only regret might be that there were not more bishops in attendance! It was wonderful to see people there from Witbank, the Ladysmith area and other places where he had exercised his ministry.
As was well known, Ian had been in considerable pain all over his body for quite some time. He was quite open about being ready to embrace ‘Sister Death’. We thank God for his great service to the friars and to the Church here in South Africa.
- Bishop Michael Paschal Rowland, O.F.M., emeritus Bishop of Dundee, gives the eulogy.
- Concelebrating are Archbishop George Daniels, emeritus Archbishop of Pretoria, Bishop Michael Paschal Rowland, O.F.M., Fr David Barnard, O.F.M., Minister Provincial, and Archbishop William Slattery, O.F.M., Archbishop of Pretoria.
In Scotland
A Memorial Mass in Celebration of the Priesthood and Life of Fr Ian Laurenson and of Prayer for the Repose of his Soul took place on Monday, 14th May 2012, at St Cuthbert's High Cross Church, Melrose, in the Scottish Borders region. This would have been Fr Ian's 78th birthday. Fr Ian was well-known in this area because whenever he was on leave home in Scotland he helped the parish priest in these parts, Fr (now Canon) John Creanor, who acted as MC on this occasion, as well as concelebrating. Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, was the principal celebrant, with Mgr Tony Duffy, Mgr Gerard Hand, Fr Edmund Highton, O.F.M., and Fr Boniface Kruger, O.F.M. concelebrating. The Eulogy was given by Fr Eddie Highton. The Cardinal mentioned that he and the two Monsignori had been Scouts under Fr Ian's leadership. There was a large gathering of people, including many members of Fr Ian's family.
The Entrance Hymn was Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? The Ordinary of the Mass was sung to the Roxburgh Mass Setting. At the Preparation of the Gifts the song was Take me, Lord, use my life in the way you wish to do. The Communion Hymn was Make me a channel of your peace and the traditional South African Thuma mina, thuma mina, thuma mina Somandla. A member of the congregation sang solo Panis Angelicus (Cesar Franck).The recessional hymn was The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended.
After the Mass, all were invited into the Hall for refreshments.
- The Cardinal, Concelebrants and Servers before the Mass (Picture by Paul McSherry)
- The Cardinal with members of the family and friends after the Mass (Picture by Paul McSherry)
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BISHOP MICHAEL PASCHAL ROWLAND R.I.P.
- Bishop Paschal Rowland, O.F.M.
Our brother Paschal Rowland was called to his heavenly home on Sunday morning, 23rd September 2012, as he had long desired. He was in the Little Company of Mary Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, as he prayed for the Lord to take him. His funeral and burial took place on Saturday, 29th September 2012, the Feast of St Michael Archangel, at Maria Ratschitz, in accordance with his wishes. At the same time our Provincial, Michael Copps, celebrated a House Mass in Grays with the Rowland family.
Michael Rowland was born in Grays, Essex, on 10th March 1929. He entered the Franciscan novitiate on 12 October 1945, taking the name Paschal, and making his first profession on 13th October 1946. His Solemn Profession followed at East Bergholt on 20 March 1950, and there he was ordained priest on 21st March 1953. He volunteered to join the mission in South Africa and when the diocese of Dundee was set up he became the first Bishop on 17th September 1983.
The Provincial has written, "It was always good to see Paschal on his visits because he was great fun to be with. He achieved great things in South Africa and gave a good start to the Diocese of Dundee. He never lost his sense of fraternity with the friars and brought humour to every occasion. May he rest in peace."
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To hear the outstanding homily preached by Mgr William Slattery O.F.M., Archbishop of Pretoria, on 29th September 2012, Feast of St Michael, at Bishop Michael Paschal Rowland's funeral at Maria Ratschitz where the burial also followed, click on the following link:
http://youtu.be/MI4_8jqX88M - Part I
http://youtu.be/VpbULeIeg-I - Part II
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To view a PowerPoint presentation of the funeral by Bishop Paschal's brother click here.
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