SATURDAY, JANUARY
THE W. A. RECOIL170.
4, 1919.
The Martyrdom of Nurse Egan ARCHBISHOP KELLY'S PROTIST-NON-CATHOLIC
COMMENTS.
wish that a tent. A hospital nurse entered, and who refused her dying nations." And during that period the explained t:-.at a wounded sergeant was priest might be permitted to grant her of am speaking not of an home Governments have thousands and he was asking for a priest. Absolution. I oft a type. Priests are times given the highest tokens of hon- dying, "Sergeant O'Brien says that it is a individual, but diswho chaplains to respect epidemic, and when and this of hit our afraid life not his gives man a if thing strange and save them from Where none she loved might climb to tinguished themselves for bravery lines and has to die Without people go forward to benefactors? country his to front the in Let men the to public hold 'her hand, for service a priest," were the words of the nurse. it, are they not here the at have to we are whisper outrage upon and And this face battle. against her of out Nor kiss "We have no us cry said: Commander The that of sacrificing her in Australia a recrudescence end: priest." The nurse said: "He is rav- the rights of a heroine "Farewell, until we meet at God's brutal militarism which we have down- ing about this the whole evening. He life for the public health, and having And if small nations as far as un-Christian ed in Europe? made command." The her death will die happy if he gets a priest!" by those rights, so have individuals; they priest was far away behind the it could be made un-Christian Grace gave her longing, keen desire to have nearest their save to right There the her. have surely was who had authority over say, their enemy lines. But a special train way the in did them Why save police. and of my souls, for cordon the obtainwas permission special a Once more, I'm truly sorry equipped, this had they was interconscience approves; sinthe transit of that train through not the priest run when he for ed and Ministers and have doctors could I before He stopped. to attend the dying cepted? Then, after Absolution, robed in white, right A men generally started on the enemy lines, I know the Quarantine. To welcome Christ, the clean -purged "pow -wow" usurpation of all civilised sergeant. That was stated in the gone. baleful their could have brought me to oars of pair within. Commons. of heart, House of rights these lose they ladder do -foot Nor eight right. any part of it. An How a Government Rewards a A thousand priests would step into the conscience merely because Doctor this would enable me to scale the wall. It Heroine. breach have eccentric views that Minister or would have been only a sensation, and Now, out at North Head, there was (What soldier ever braver than the on religious matters. And is AustraNurse Egan would have had a priest to bravely in world the gone priest?) a nurse who had lia to be. the one country in by her death -bed. epilaws harsh the of State of spread dying the to the powers staying the ministry in ere assist But in which priestly "There was never such an ungrateful might change, as a violation of law? Can demic. She had counted the cost, and or impious refusal. God grant it will regarded is Her tortured soul, from earth, was it be that we are become infected with she had to pay the cost. She did not be the last. Blessed are the dead quick released. care for this life, but she wanted the who die in the Lord. Let the friends that very brutality, that utter disrewe which of religion for her soul. rights consolations trouindividual haunting, for gard console themselves. cry-that sad nurse of this dead But that For four days the president of Manly have combated so successfully abroad? bled cryGod is everywhere, and God is ever The go. to blot foul permission this that asked flowing believe College and We cannot petitions. His ears are Is carried by the wind sympathet- present to our to on the fair name of Australia will be local authority said he was the the desires of our tide always open superior the moment in even last the at ic, but miracle permittted long to remain, To lands far out, whereon men are en- hearts. If He had to work anecessary the forbidding which to word sent obstruction of officer form modified give her all the found value trance of the priest to quarantine. It He would rest Eternal death. holy for a Who amour bear for Christ the Cru- it has been reduced. Our people fairgraces was then Monday, and on Tuesday will be hers. their character as fair-minded, We will now have the cified. grossly Egan died. We read are Nurse they and afternoon alcitizens, will dealing We with military benefit of her prayers. Yet, through that cry, grand things misrepresented by this stupid official- to -day she was burieddied ways have the light of her example. wished may yet be seenshe she tamely not Before will and 'honours. Others will do ism. They cannot priest We glory in her fruits. doing (Some in the mouth of hell have the same, acquiesce in this thing and let it go out to have her Confession.overThe the same. Others are the wire: looked to-day)to her a sample as message a nations sent civilised consistentthe to When pray. must lay we but be will You Faith's fires alight, where once you. and for Mass intelligent say young, will a "I the temper of God. ly with the public good religious conashes dead. progressive democracy. Those who all right." She is all right, please solation is not permitted to be given Fields, gold with sheaves of Christian so sullied the name of Australia. was it right to bar the priest? to the dying, it is an un-Australian But have chivalry. its soul of dying one that deny wronged to Was it right and so cruelly thing, and unworthy of any Christian -ARRAH LUEN. noblest women, must be brought to the object of her most anxious wishes- community." At the conclusion of his Their the one thing she made choice of bepeople. indignant an by book NATURE. Grace's sermon, the congregation knelt AGAINST THE LAW OF candlestick must be removed, and their yond all other things in life? Death is and recited the "De Profundis." Remember, man, Protest of Archbishop Kelly. place in our public affairs know then always appalling. The protest of his Grace Archbishop no longer. thou art but dust, and unto dust thou was AT ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL (says the "Catholic Press") stand shalt return; thy body will go back to CHAPEL. ARCHBISHOP KELLY'S SERMON the earth from which it was taken, a dramatic and dignified AT REQUIEM MASS. for the rights of conscience and for the soul will go back to God Who Her Catholic Fellow -Nurses' Sympathy. your and But the separation is the supremacy of the moral law in teeth A Requiem Mass for the late Nurse His Grace the Archbishop chose for gave it. You Egan was celebrated at the devotional of a stupid regulation which forbids his sermon the following text from :he most terrible thing in nature. and to the sick worm. a kill ministrations priestly little church of the Sisters of Charity, would not willingly of Judges (chapter xix., verse It is not an exaggeration to Book dying. had seen Death is a terrible doom, and there- known as St. Vincent's Hospital Chapel. everyone when "And 301: is Australia consolations The public ceremonials of the Church say that practically all this they all cried out: There was fore religion has prepared with the Archbishop in this stand. The never such a thing done in Israel from for the dying and the Holy Oil and were already observed at St. Mary's community at large is convinced that the day that our fathers came up out Unction are used to give alleviation to Cathedral, when a Solemn Requiem the Federal regulation was a blunder; of Egypt, until this day; give sentence, all mental distress, and to impart Dirge and High Mass were solemnly that it was grounded in bigoted pagan- and decree in common what ought to bravery and fortitude to endure the or- celebrated at St. Mary's Cathedral on ism: that it was a distinct violation of be done." "You know what has hap- deal of death when consciousness re- the previous day. In the name of reChristian conscience, and that it was pened," said his Grace. "A Christian mains-and consciousness remained ligious liberty, his Grace the Archbisa matter bringing the stigma of shame lady on the verge of death cries for with Nurse Egan. hop, also on behalf of the Hierarchy, to our country. We certainly never clergy, and Catholics people of Austrainstituted for Sacrament Becoming Inhuman? We the that Are days In regulation. such before heard of any lia, had made a loud protest because benefit of dying persons might be Oh, my dear brethren," cried out former years, When our city was vi:it. the At the same mo- the Archbishop, with deep emotion and Nurse Egan was denied the Sacraments for her. ed with plague, or when isolated cases procured deeply has the lie that of her Church, for which she craved so ment. a priest is ready. intensity of expression, of small-pox were treated in the quar- Sacred Viaticum, the Holy Oils, and is moved the vast congregation, "one can- piteously in her dying moments. The antine area, no such difficulties were prepared to remain in the pest house, not believe such a thing can happen only day, however, on which the raised concerning the last rites of re- and glad. because there is question of amongst rational beings. War must nurses, who were her companions in duty in ligion for the dying. Priests were adto a dying Christian the trea- be a brutalising thing. Military dis- training, could get freed from morning. mitted on the sole understanding that affording a body, was on Saturday of Christ de -humanising thing the blood a by be must purchased sures cipline the to they conformed in all respect,: They asked the consolation of assisting is question of an immortal soul in some instances when we have to regulations of the Quarantine Station, There at a quiet Mass for the dead in sufin the likeness of the Ador- deal with such an occasion as this. After nor have we ever heard it even re- created one No destiny death there is judgment. frage of Nurse Egan's soul.' They eternal an having Trinity, able danger new motely suggested that any were joined by the Sisters and by most of welfare or of woe, at the same time knows whether he is worthy of love or conthe On resulted. For of infection before death-because nature hatred with God. Nurse Egan plead- of the medical and surgical staff, trary, for Catholics, anyhow. the very cowering her on is priest Nurse Egan was not only a favourite for a death, and before passionately cower ed does they that have Sisters, but with confidence they would about judgment." death-bed, but the incredulous official with the nurses and she came in conwould receive all the blessings and anxious all those with whom said 'No.' We have had communicaLord Roberts and the Priest. discharge of her graces of their faith when in danger . to the in seem they especially and tact, Ministers, from tions Nt::-e cried to priest," a ,trength of have me source "Let O'Haran of death, will be a regard us as though we had asked nursing career. Monsignor Egan. The priest is waiting; but inthem in their grim struggle with a terleave to visit. We ask to go and as- celebrated the Mass for the dead. Few and rible disease. In his speech to the credulity is installed in the watchtotowfor residence in now ask We 100 nurses of the there. see sist and remain er, and the priest is not allowed military officials at the gates. his Grace the quarantine. attached to the nurses' training home That is what has leave to form part of the dying nurse. a Many touched on these points: "Your regu we absent. were were necessary at St. Vincent's of happened. NVe are here in reparation, and if classification lation," he said, ''is against the lawam would be willing. There would be a fervent prayer went up to heaven in irrepan the I repair to God. of possible, be law it if the and nature priest in each class. God forgive the that devout little chapel to replace the able. and we are here to ask religious convinced that the presence of a chap say, 'We have no denial of the rites of the Church to the liberty for Australia. Nurse Egan is person who would The priest would dear departed one. plain will be a source of blessing and accommodation.' cannot We his duty. But, her to patients." martyr a your to well-being It was learned that Nurse Richardsearch the designs of God; but God is lie on the ground. protest notwithstanding. the Govern"How could it happen at all? War son, also a trainee at St. Vincent's Hosto ment persisted in its stupid iefusal un- a loving Father. Yet, is incredulity We after having been transferred people. pital, some denaturalise public opin- must til forced by the weight of public opin- be allowed to stand before have to rise up and tell them that we from the Military Hospital, Randwick, ion in an attitude such as this? Thereion to give way. Over the quarantine do we Medic, had fallen a victim to the that to the his wife are not mere machines; gates. as over the gates of hell, there fore, as the Levite said when fell disease. Miss Richardson was edand not die like the flies or brute beasts. was to be inscribed for Catholics the was slaughtered by the citizens, in ucated at the Sacred Heart Convent, on the There is such a thing as liberty legend: "Abandon hope all ye who en- when she was found dead Was Rose Bay. She took up nursing only out our salvation. threshold of his door, "See what has workingEgan ter here." so was that she as an accomplishment. She never inoutcast an Nurse what and say sentence, give happened; Home. at her tended to make a profession of nursfor they have given Liberty Abroad, Oppression be done." At the end of the treated? No.honours. should a past. years four deserved ing. Having passed the A.T.N.A, tests long She a During full military in waged being was war century, last period which seems now one long South Africa. On one occasion a her military honours. They might she promptly offered herself for milihave arms our tary duty abroad. She was in every laid the Victoria Cross upon her nightmare of horror, great Commander-in -Chief (Lord Rob- have way generous-souled and heroic, and been fighting for what we called "justomb. But God forgive these people of his door at the a knock heard erts) small tice. righteousness. the rights of
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