The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-07-22
TRAGIC SCENE IN
A HOB0KEN CHURCH
Rev. Stephen Kealy Was Stricken
at the Altar.
WORDS SEEM PROPHETIC
ra~sIonist Provincial Was Taken Ill
While Preaching "a "a ConErcEa-
tion-Mas APparcntls in the
Hest of Health

] IA
to give an account OF your steward
ship not knowing at what hour you
will be called to the eternal judgment
seat"
with that solemn admonition, Very
Rev stephen Kealy, provincial Of the
Passionists' order in the United states.
concluded his sermon Sunday morning
in West Hoboken Passionists' monas-
terry church Fifteen minutes later he
lay cold in death
Stricken al the altar with heart fail
IRE, F,dher Kealy barely survived un.
III he had been carried 10 his cell in
the monastery There while the
priests. brothers and students. il
whose ears his warning words were
still ringing. knelt and chanted the
prayers for the dead. the beloved
priest. who was the executive head Of
his order in America. passed away
As life fled. Father Barry, another
member OF the order, who had taken
the stricken priests place at the az.
tar. chanted the concluding portions OF
the mass, which dismissed the big COZ
gregation. wondering at the suhstitu'
ton OF the celebrant, but ignorant q
the tragedy that had befallen the
charch.
Father Kealy seemed in the best OF
health when he entered the chancef
rail Sunday morning to celebrate the
six O'Clock mass. Through the early
portions Of the mass his voice rang
sweetly solemn through the church.
and when he mounted the pulpit there
was particular eloquenca and force in
his sermon. which was preached on
the text.
Give an account OF your steward
ship
The discourse was brief. and ended
with the strangely significant warning
which q few minutes later was 20 have
So dramatic an illustration.
AS ne walked 20 the altar, the
priests steps suddenly fal;ered. and
groan escaped his lips He whispered
family 20 an altar boy, who hurr.edly
summoned Father Bertrand Barry
Il an ilh" whispered the dying
priest on the arrival Of Father Barry.
do you administer communion"
Father Barry assumed the Office.
and. dragging his feet heavily. Father
Kealy went to the sacristy On the
threshold he collapsed His vestments
We're hurriedly removed 70 give him
air
Take me away" he murmured.
Il am dying"
Carried 20 cen.
The priest was hurriedly carried to
his cell, but an examination showed
that he was past all aid Then the
solemn procession OF priests and stu
cents filed into the narrow cell ana be.
gan the chant OF the dying. and while
the music Of the closing mass foated
up from the church. Father Kealy.
having received the last rites OF the
church, passed quietly away
When the death OF Father Kealy was
made known 10 the congregation at the
later masses. the deepest grief was
manifested by the members OF his
flock. Practically all OF his priesthood
had been spent in the community in
which he died and it is expected that
his funeral viii be made the occasion
OF a special mark 81 reverence on the
part Of his congregation.
The funeral services will he held on
Wednesday in the monastery. with
Bishop OConnor. OF Newark. presia.
ing At $3.50 a. m the solemn Offices
for the dead will be said. ami at ten
O'Clock the solemn requiem mass will
b. celebrated.
Interment viii be made in the vault
under the main altar OF the church.
and Immediately beneath the spot
where Father Kealy was stricken. In
The meantime the body Will lie In state /
In the church Father Kealy was born
az Kyle. Ireland in 1919 He came 10
while child. ana in 1870 en-.
tered the passionate monastery az
Pittsburg In 1877 he was ordained a
priest by the late Archbishop CORR. |
gan. then bishop Of Newark. the or.
tination services being conducted in \
the monastery az West Hoboken. 4
where he died Since then Father
kealy had filled every Office OF honor
IN the Passicnist order in America. Hs
had been the executive head of the
order for five years.
The position Of provincial is only for
three years Father Kealy. however.
vas elected for a second term, upon the
expiration OF his first His successor
~ill be Rev. Father Felix Ward. first
,onsultor to the provincial. The rules
II the order provide that the first con.
,ultor shall succeed a provincial in
,ase OF death without an election TO
All his unexpired term. The FIRST cleo