The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-08-07
OGDEN, UTAH.
CSpecial CorrespOndence,)


throughout the state have paid sincere
tributes of appreciation to the memory
of DR.. Francis Everard Roche, VINO was
buried from ST. Joseph's church last
Monday morning at 10 o'clock.
All reports have chronicled the place
and date of mis- birth, Castletown
Roche county, Ireland, June 19, 1872;
his graduation from Dublin university
his experience as surgeon major in the
British military service; his association
as land commissioner, and his profess
sional services through out this west
ern region. But none have touched
adequately upon the varied literary
merits of. one whom in many respects
we cannot refrain from likening to that
other poet-physician, Oliver Wendell
Holmes. Genial by nature, great heart
ed and sympathetic, DR.. Roche reSem-
bled the gentle autocrat," but pos-
sessed in addition to the graces Ct ma
ture the inestimable gift of a deep, liv-
ing, active faith which rendered his
broad humanity truly Christ-like.
DR.. Rache was recognized through
the intermountain states as a forceful
public speaker. clear, entertaining
lecturer and poet of no mean ability.
He was thoroughly at home in gath
erinSs of the knights of Columbus,
where his utterances were marked with
veracity and courage. His lecture de-
livered before Ogden Council TT on
the French question was a most lucid
exposition of that terrible church crisis.
short time after his return to Ogden
in 1907, there appeared in the columns
of the Evening Standard his poem en-
titled AN Arrangement" 1t had been
printed previously in the Boston Pilot,
from which paper 1t was copied by per-
mission fof &c NH iTaS 9,
soul escaping from the bonds of earth
arraigning i'll grief her mortal tene-
ment. Full of deep philosophy, the
poem carried in it's strong blank verse
construction the theology of Justice
tempered by
Mercy SO vast, the thought of finite
mind
Can never hope its measures to de-
fine"
His longest work, THE Exodus, an
Epic on Liberty" appeared in May,
1906, and Won from thoughtful readers
unstinted praise. The period of the
poem antedates the Trojan war, and
covers eighteen days. It is written in
pentameter couplets and contains
wealth of imagery, learning and re-
search not often found in a poem by
modern author. In the first book the
Angel Gabriel is viewing the earth, and
as his gaze rests on America he COM
munes on its final destiny as the home
of liberty. One passage especially typi-
f1es the lofty ideals of the author, who
may well be classed among those he de-
scribes as
"Unnumbered patriots pure,
Whose steadfast soul no influence base
can lure,
minds a bright integrity shall
guide,
That base designs and faIsehood spurns
aside.
Whose acts from no controlling aims
shall spring,
But such as round answering justice |
cling,
Whose noble hearts no slavish thought
shall stain.
But restless love of Liberty enchain;
Whose sympathies no narrow wall |
shall bound.
But all mankind in quickened love sur
round,
Whose sterling faith and worth supe-
rior spring
% gifts which furtune's varying favors
bring,
Whose generous hearts no higher meas
ures know
Than such as from the common inter
hat joy sublime which ONLY those can
feel
Whose thoughts are centred in the
common veal.
IN such just Heaven inscribes with
fairest scroll
he enobling signet of patriots soul"
Better than all his works was DR..
soche's life-one long, beautiful poem.
n epic of the soul. He waged war
galnst injustice and strove to free his
elbow men froh the slavery of public
pinion. God, duty, home we're his
.atchwords With the strong, epic
uaiity of his life were blended lyric {
otes of tenderness and trust. There
re mnay who may not have known
Is literary worth, but there are few
ltn whom he came in contact that did 7
ot feel the force of his noble life
ooking for the last time upon the
rong face, as he lay surrounded by
ose he loved, we felt c
How excellent to bear unto an old age
ne poets ardor and the heart of
youth
} keep to the last sleep the voice of =
truth
nd leave to hands that grieve a glow
ing page"
Sacred Heart Academy. Ogden. Utah
Many floral tributes telling of the love
I'd esteem whichc the deceased is held
: hosts of friends, made St Joseph's
ltholic church beautiful for the funer-
of DR.. Francis e. Roche this morn {
g. Requiem mass was said at 10
clock. The Ave Maria was sung by
hitter Banchman, and Miss Margaret
ill sang Face to Face" The church
DIR was present. Father Cushnahan
cached the funeral sermon, which was
plete with kind thoughts of the be- =
red physician, and words OF i:heer and h
to the solrow1ng friends h
d relatives. Intermeht was in City =
netery, and this service was conduct y
by Father Ryan. The honorary pail
arers were: Doctors Baker Joyce.
rdon, Rich, Powers and Condcn. The
sket was carried by members of the
nights of Columbus. Don Mcclure I