The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-10-27

to the dying he would run 80 fast in the burn
ing sun that the messengers who calleo ana
accompanied him could rarely keep pace with
him and often lost their breath in the vain at
tempt. People often wondered and remarked
that he raced or flew rather than walked
through the deserted streets. Though he had
never had the fever, nothing conld induce
him to spare himself or husband his strength.
He would not even use an umbrella or street
car, much less stmulants, tonics or other pre-.
cautions against the oontagion. In this res
pect he resembled and even surpassed good
Father KlshoIz, old Father Nagel and other
mortified Redemptorists of the good old stock.
Finally be himself fell q willing victim to
disease ard death. Last Friday, October 18th,
after performing the double funeral of Michael
and Rosina Loohert, brother and sister, the
good Father was seized with the yellow fever
in it's most malignant type. Though he always
hoped to recover, he wss resigned aud prepar-
ed to die. Doctors Layton, Carter and Chop.
pin exelted all their skill and attention to
ease his 80 fferipgs and save his precious life.
In like manner Philip Antoni, Joseph Stadler,
Thomas Mulvey and Captain French nursed
him and Brother Benedict with more than q
mothers gentle care and love. All seemed de-
termined to save the Fathers well as the
Brothers life; but God appeared equally
resolved to take the one and leave the other.
On last Sunday evening, the third day OF the
illness, Father Neithart administered Extreme
Unction and the Plenary Indulgence which the
patient received with edifying devotion, res
ponding aloud to all the prayers for the dying.
On Tuesday, the 6fth day of the sickness, the
black vomit appeared, and all hope of recovery
vanished. Every morning, till prevented by
the black vomit, the patient received Holy
Communion in the form lof Viaticum. His
patience, humility and piety on his death bed,
as well as during life, were such as to excite
the admiration of all that saw him. He never
complained amid the keenest tortures, bat ST.
ways moved his lips in silent prayer. In health
he had compiled two little books of prayer for
happy death these prayers be constantly
recited, and be requested that the books be
placed under his pillow and buried with him
after DEATH His agony was short and pain
less; in fac, he was unconscious during the
last FIVE or six hours, and evidently saw, heard
and felt nothing. Meanwhile Fathers Nett
hart, karcher and Giesen repeated the pray ers
for the dying three four times, few min
utes before his death he gently opened and
CioeSu LIS eyes hLu CoutraCLeO LIS lips 8S II To
smile. ALI who were present felt that it was
the cslmest death scene they had ever witness
ed. Thus, with the lighted candle in his right
hand and the crucfx and rosary in his left
and the picture of the Madonna of Perpetual
Help before him, good Father Heidenreich
calmly breRthed his last, in the holy habit of
his Order and surrounded by his brethren at
12i p. NJ, on Thursday, October 24th, 1873.
which was the thirtieth anniversary of the
foundation of the New Orleans Redemptorist
Convent.
The deceased was buried on the same
evening in the sanctuary of the convent
church amid impressive ceremonies and an
immense conoouIse of fearful friends and peni-
tents. Father Neithart preached the funeral
sermon, from which the facts in this brief
sketch were collected.
1t is indeed painful to reflect that the Re-
demptorists have buried no less than twenty
from their convent since their arrival in this
city. OF the deceased twelve were Priests, five
Brothers and three Servants in the house. In
the last twelve years alone sixteen were carried
off by death Of the total number only three
fell victims of the yellow fever.
May our dear Lord spare the mourning sur
vivors, and grant eternal rest to the noble |
dead "Blessed are the dead that die in the |
Lord, for they rest from their labors and their |
works follow sfrer them" Apoc. OBJ. xiv. v. 13. |
Our Physicians.