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In the retreat of our Province dedicated to him, the festival of St Paul of the Cross has been, in two successive years, marked by a death of a son who had served his Congregation through many and devoted years. Last year Father Gregory of St Joseph, this year Father Pius of the Holy Ghost was called to his reward, at Mount Argus, on the Saints Festival.

Father Pius of the Holy Ghost - in the world James Devine - was at Aclare, Co. Sligo, on the festival of the Epiphany, 1838. He made his classical studies at the seminary of his native diocese, Achonry, and then went to Maynooth where, after four years study, he received Minor Orders. But it pleased Almighty God to bestow upon him the grace of a vocation to the religious life; and soon two things turned his thoughts to the Congregation of the Passion, one was a retreat given at Maynooth by Father Vincent Grotti, the founder of Mount Argus, and the other the chance perusal of the life of Father Paul Mary Packenham, its first Rector, who had died soon after the arduous labours of a mission given by us in Rathmines Parish Church. Father Pius entered the Novitiate in the autumn of 1858 and was professed on September 29th of the following year. In 1861 he was ordained priest at St Joseph's, Highgate; and immediately commenced that career of Professor of Theology which he was to pursue so successfully through many years. When, in November, 1867 all the students of the Province were gathered in Dublin, under the presidency of Father Ignatius Paoli, afterwards Archbishop of Bucharest, Father Pius was truly his "right hand," and a guiding spirit in raising our ecclesiastical studies to a very high level. This purpose he was able still more to further by his directorship of the Retreat from 1869 to 1872. During his term of office he was sent as the Visitor - General to our houses in the United States, a high responsibility, successfully discharged. As Rector of Mount Argus, he had felt keenly the inadequacy of the brick chapel first erected, though the old family mansion had been adapted to form one structure with it, and now he generously volunteered to cross again the Atlantic to raise funds for the erection of a suitable church. For this he lectured in many cities of the United States, and afterwards begged in Chile, and, crossing the Andes on a mule by the old Pioneer Road to lessen expense, also in the Argentine Republic. On his return home, he was elected, in 1875, Rector of Holy Cross, Belfast, where he commenced the building of the present monastery. At the close of this term of office, he returned to the work most congenial to him, teaching, which, interspersed with missions, and retreats to religious communities, engaged his gifted and active spirit as long as health remained. For it pleased Divine Providence to lay upon him during the last 10 years of his life a trial most heavy, because the crucifixion of his strongest characteristic, the cross of inactivity. Stealthily but surely gout seized upon his strong frame with relentless grip, crippling him so that he could no longer say Mass, and painfully affecting his memory. To his nature, inactivity and helplessness were bitter indeed, and through these years many hours silent and lonely shrunk but did not quell his cheerful spirit. These were the crown of his work, and the purifying of his love for God; in him "patients" had "it's perfect work." The end came without pain, and was in perfect peace. He had received the last sacraments on April 26th, festival of Our Lady of Good Counsel, and on the 29th, comforted by the presence of his brother, Father Arthur, and in full possession of his senses, he calmly resigned his soul to his Maker.

Father Pius's gifts were great and many, and had received from earliest years effective training. His knowledge of the classics was that of the old school, delighting to fit occasion with apt quotation. He spoke several modern languages: in Gaelic he was a foremost scholar and authority, it was the tongue of his childhood and that in which his last earthly prayers were breathed to God. In the sacred sciences he had the large and accurate knowledge that comes with years of teaching. His outlook on all things was broad; on all men was kindly. To his ready pen we owe several works of great interest, notably the "Life of Father Ignatius Spencer," "Eutropia," or instructions for converts, and the "Life of St Paul of the Cross." He had been present in the great basilica at the canonisation of St Paul not as a spectator, but with the assistant clergy as a torch - bearer, and his description not only is of a thing seen in the glow of faith, but rises to a high order of literary excellence.

 His early years in the Congregation were spent with the first fathers of our Province, men who had much and hard work to do and who, as true leaders, did it thoughtless of themselves, and reliant upon God: he had their spirit: his going is the breaking of a link with the past: a past that cannot altogether fade from our vision, for their memories are happily with us, while themselves and their reward are with God.

(CROSS, Vol. III, p.77f.)

https://passionistarchives.ie/index.php/fr-pius-devine/

In the early 17th century, as a result of continued persecution of Catholics, it was illegal for women to train in Ireland as religious so many opted to travel to Spanish Flanders, France or Spain in order to fulfill their calling. This was the case with the foremothers of our community. They travelled to the Poor Clare monastery in Gravelines, then in the territory of Spanish Flanders, modern-day Northern France. Some of them had brothers who were already Franciscans in the Irish Franciscan College in Louvain. That college had been founded in 1607.

The Poor Clare monastery of Gravelines was founded in 1609 to provide a house for English women who wished to become Poor Clares.As the Irish friars were already established in Louvain they provided spiritual assistance to this monastery before their Irish sisters arrived. Our foremothers joined this community in the early 1620s and by 1626, they numbered five sisters. In that same year on the 20th of May they left the Gravelines community and set out to found a separate house specifically for Irish women in the neighbouring town of Dunkirk. As circumstances changed they eventually decided to return to Ireland in 1629 now numbering seven. After a short period in Dublin they eventually settled in a rural part of Co. Westmeath not far from Athlone. The monastery was appropriately called 'Bethlehem' to emphasise the central focus of Franciscan spirituality, namely the poverty and humility of the Son of God in taking on our human flesh and becoming one with us in the Incarnation.

As the number of women joining the community grew daughter houses were established in Galway, Drogheda, Athlone and Wexford.

We thank God for the life and witness of our sisters and for their faith, courage and dedication to Christ and His holy Mother after the example of St. Francis and St. Clare. We pray that whatever our state in life, we may be faithful to God as they were and that our lives may bear great fruit as theirs did.

This year, 2022, marks the 400th anniversary of the solemn profession of blood sisters Cecily and Eleanor Dillon on the 8th of September 1622. . Sr. Cecily was the Abbess of Bethlehem monastery, the motherhouse of our Galway monastery at the time that the foundation was made in 1642.

Thomas Joseph Prendiville was born in Ballymacelligott in County Kerry on 27 November 1924. His early education was in the local national school and later at the Capuchin College in Rochestown, County Cork. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in October 1944 and took Bartholomew as his religious name. He obtained a BA degree in philosophy from University College Cork in 1948. He completed his theological studies in Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal and was ordained to the priesthood on 12 June 1952. He returned to St. Bonaventure’s Friary in Cork and obtained a Higher Diploma in Education (UCC) before travelling to Norther Rhodesia (now Zambia) for missionary work in 1953. He spent eighteen years in Zambia. In 1971 he was transferred to the Cape Town mission in South Africa. His years in Zambia mainly involved work in the education sector, first as a manager of schools at several mission stations, and later as education secretary in Livingstone. In South Africa, he served as parish priest in several churches in various Cape Town suburbs including Langa, Belgravia and Parow. He served as consultor to the Regular Superior of the Cape Town mission on two occasions (1971-4; 1974-7). He was elected Regular Superior in 1977 and held this position until 1983. He died in Parow, Cape Town, on 7 July 2004 and was buried in Maitland Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Thomas Joseph Prendiville
Religious name: Fr. Bartholomew Prendiville OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 27 Nov. 1924
Place of birth: Ballymacelligott, County Kerry
Name of father: Michael Prendiville
Name of mother: Hanora Prendiville (née Scanlon)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1944
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1945
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1948
Date of ordination (as priest): 12 June 1952
Educational attainments: BA (1948); Higher Diploma in Education (1953)
Missionary activities: Travelled to Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia) on 26 Aug. 1953. He was transferred to Cape Town, South Africa, on 12 May 1971.
Leadership positions: Regular Superior, Cape Town Mission, South Africa, 1977-83
Date of death: 7 July 2004
Place of death: Parrow, Cape Town, South Africa
Place of burial: Maitland Cemetery, Cape Town, South Africa

Peter Quinn, the son of Thomas and Teresa Quinn, was born in Rhode, King’s County (Offaly), on 3 December 1888. He joined the Capuchin Order in the novitiate at Rochestown, County Cork, in August 1906, taking Raphael as his religious name. His degrees were taken at the National University of Ireland, and he also spent some time studying in the Gregorian University in Rome. Following the completion of his ecclesiastical studies in Rochestown, he was ordained to the priesthood in Holy Trinity Church, Cork, on 5 July 1914. After working for some years in Kilkenny, he travelled to the United States in 1919. He was appointed Pastor in Ukiah, California, in 1922. Here his energy was devoted to the building of St. Mary’s Church and supervising improvements to the adjoining presbytery. The church was opened and blessed by the Most Rev. Edward J. Hanna, Archbishop of San Francisco, on 25 March 1924. Fr. Quinn was also responsible for the building of St. Anthony’s Parish Church in Willits (just north of Ukiah) in Mendocino County, California. Aside from his parochial duties, he was also well known for his ministry to Native Americans (most notably the Pomo Indians of California). In 1925 he was elected Pastor and Superior of Sacred Heart Parish in Lincoln, Nebraska. He remained in Lincoln for nine years, building a new parish church and school. He was also responsible for bringing the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Dubuque (Iowa) to teach in the local parochial school and served as chaplain in the state penitentiary. In 1932 a fire (caused by a faulty radio) engulfed the Lincoln parish rectory building. Adam Sassenberger, the parish caretaker who was staying at the house at the time, perished in the blaze. Raphael Quinn suffered serious injuries in the incident from which he never fully recovered. He returned to Ukiah in 1934 and remained there until his death (following a long illness) on 6 February 1940. He was buried in the Catholic Cemetery in Ukiah.

Baptismal name: Peter Quinn
Religious name: Fr. Raphael Quinn OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 3 Dec. 1888
Place of birth: Rhode, County Offaly (Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin)
Name of father: Thomas Quinn
Name of mother: Teresa Quinn (née Dunne)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 26 Aug. 1906
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1907
Date of final profession: 21 Jan. 1912
Date of ordination (as priest): 5 July 1914
Educational attainments: BA, 1911
Missionary assignments: Travelled to the United States in Nov. 1919
Date of death: 6 Feb. 1940
Place of death: Ukiah, California

Baptismal name: Hugh Quinn
Religious name: Fr. Salvator Quinn OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 21 Feb. 1918
Place of birth: Ardkeen, Portaferry, County Down (Diocese of Down and Connor)
Name of father: Patrick Quinn (Farmer)
Name of mother: Elizabeth Quinn (née Dynes)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1938
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1939
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1942
Date of ordination (as priest): 20 June 1946
Educational attainments: BA, 2nd class hons, University College Cork (1942)
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Prefecture of Victoria Falls, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia) on 29 Nov. 1946; Guardian, Christ the King Mission, Maramba, Zambia; Vicar General of the Diocese of Livingstone, 1950-72; Secretary to Bishop Timothy Phelim O’Shea, Bishop Adrian Mung'andu and Bishop Raymond Mpezele in Livingstone.
Date of death: 15 Aug. 2000
Place of death: Raheny, Dublin
Place of burial: Dardistown Cemetery, County Dublin

George Albert Ratigan was born in County Roscommon on 4 October 1906. He entered the Capuchin novitiate at the age of twenty-four and took Robert as his religious name. He spent the three years of his simple profession at St. Bonaventure’s Hostel in Cork and took his philosophy degree from University College Cork. He was solemnly professed as a Capuchin friar on 4 October 1934. Following four years of theological study at Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal, he was ordained to the priesthood in St. Eunan’s Cathedral in Letterkenny on 19 June 1938. His first assignment was in Kilkenny (1938-41) which was followed by two years with the Church Street community in Dublin. He returned to Kilkenny in 1943 and he remained there until 1952. He volunteered for missionary work in the Irish Capuchin custody in the United States in 1955. He did parish supply work in several parishes on the East Coast of the United States while stationed at St. Patrick’s Friary in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1964 he spent some time at Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame, California. From there he went to St. Joseph’s Parish in Oregon. He also conducted missions and was active in parish work in Ukiah, California, and in Roseburg, Oregon. He returned to Ireland in 1969 and was appointed once again to Kilkenny where he remained until his death on 1 February 1983. He was buried in the Capuchin plot in Foulkstown Cemetery, County Kilkenny.

Baptismal name: George Albert Ratigan
Religious name: Fr. Robert Ratigan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 4 Oct. 1906
Place of birth: Rathmore South, Kilbride, County Roscommon (Diocese of Elphin)
Name of father: Michael Ratigan
Name of mother: Catherine Ratigan (née Doyle)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1930
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1931
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1934
Date of ordination (as priest): 19 June 1938
Educational attainments: BA (1934)
Missionary activities: Travelled to the United States mission in 1955. He returned to Ireland in 1969.
Date of death: 1 Feb. 1983
Place of death: Kilkenny
Place of burial: Foulkstown Cemetery, County Kilkenny

Baptismal name: James Rice
Religious name: Fr. Canice Rice OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 26 May 1870
Place of birth: James Street, Kilkenny (Diocese of Ossory)
Name of father: William Rice (Police Constable)
Name of mother: Jane Rice (née Kennedy)
Date of death: 23 Feb. 1896
Place of death: Church Street, Dublin

Joseph Rice was born in County Laois on 28 May 1881. He joined the Capuchin Order on 1 May 1913 and took Fidelis as his religious name. The greater part of his religious life was spent in Rochestown Friary in County Cork where he worked as a cook. However, he also spent time in the Kilkenny community where he was entrusted with the training of lay brother candidates and novices as Brother Master. He also spent shorter periods in St. Bonaventure’s Hostel in Cork and in Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal in the early years of these foundations. His later years were spent in St. Mary of the Angels on Church Street in Dublin. Afflicted by long periods of ill-health, he died on 9 August 1963. He was buried in the cemetery adjoining the Capuchin Friary in Rochestown in County Cork.

Baptismal name: Joseph Rice
Religious name: Br. Fidelis Rice OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 28 May 1881
Place of birth: Ardateggle, County Laois (Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin)
Name of father: Martin Rice (Farmer)
Name of mother: Mary Rice (née Heffernan)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 1 May 1913
Date of first profession: 1 May 1914
Date of final profession: 8 Sept. 1918
Date of death: 9 Aug. 1963
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork