Obituaries Australia

From the London Tablet, September 1, we take the following: —

'We regret to have to record the death of Judith, wife of Reginald Vaughan, of Glen Trothy, who passed away to her eternal home on Saturday, after six weeks of suffering, borne with great patience and Christian fortitude. The funeral service took place on Tuesday in the beautiful little chapel attached to the family house of Glen Trothy. Cardinal Vaughan was prevented from coming; and, in the absence of Bishop Hedley, who regretted not being able to take a share in the grief and prayers of the family, the Rev. Kenelm Vaughan, assisted by the Rev. Father Moore, of Monmouth, and the two sons of Mr. Godfrey Radcliffe, sang the Requiem Mass and gave the Absolution. The choir was conducted by the Rev. John S. Vaughan and the Rev. Father Mottay, the chaplain of the family. After the Requiem service was over the remains of the departed were carried in procession along the road, which winds up and down by the side of the Trothy brook, to the little Catholic cemetery of Dan-y-Creig. The cross, borne by Mr. Godfrey Radcliffe, a near neighbour and a devoted friend of the family, headed the procession. Then followed the acolytes bearing torches, Father John Vaughan, his assistants, and the choir, who chanted the suffrages for the dead as they went along. Then came the remains of the departed one, borne on the shoulders of the tenant farmers and the labourers on the estate. Closely following walked the chief mourners, Mr. Reginald Vaughan and his motherless children, Roger, Ellen, John, Mary, Julia, Reginald, William, Kenelm, and Gwladys, all carrying in their hands garlands of summer flowers. The air of peace and even of happy resignation that lit up their innocent little faces— the effect of their religious training was the astonishment and edifiation of every one. Then came Colonel Vaughan, Courtfield, and his three sons, Charles, Herbert, and Francis, the friends of the family, and the neighbours from around. Mrs. Radcliffe and companions followed in a coach. And last of all came a carriage bearing tokens of love and sympathy in the form of many beautiful wreaths and floral crosses from Courtfield, Llanarth Court, the Greig, the Woodlands, Bany Greig, and other country houses in the neighbourhood. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. John Vaughan, who, standing at the edge of the open grave, made a touching address to the assembled throng, of which the following is a short extract: —

Before us lies all that is mortal of Judith Vaughan, of Glen Trothy, near Abergavenny. For well nigh twenty years she has been the life and central figure of a happy and peaceful home. Her life was one of singular simplicity, of genuine but unostentatious piety. She sought holiness where the Catholic Church ever teaches us to look for it — not in extraordinary actions, or unusual practices of devotion, but in the faithful and persevering discharge of the ordinary and daily duties of her state of life; the bringing up and the educating of her children, and the careful attendance to her household duties. She proved herself to be a devoted wife, and a gentle, tender, and loving mother. And as years glided on and God permitted disease to come upon her, and to rob her of her strength and power of action, she bowed her head to the divine will, and bore all with exemplary patience and true Christian fortitude. She died fortified by all the last rites of the Church, and the Papal Blessing conferring a plenary indulgence at the hour of death. A priest was in constant attendance upon her, and a nursing sister prayed by her side.

The discourse being concluded, public prayers were offered up for the dead; and the members of the family, including even the little children, having sprinkled the grave of their loving mother with holy water, cast their garlands upon it as the last tribute of their love and devotion. R.I.P.

Some Personal Particulars

As the Tablet very curiously, and in marked contrast to its usual practice, gives no personal particulars of the deceased lady, we supply the omission. The deceased was the youngest daughter of the late Martin Shanahan, Narroon, Victoria, one of the Irish Catholic pioneer squatters in the Wimmera district. Mr. Shanahan took up station property when that part of Victoria was opened up to pastoral enterprise. He was very successful with his station, and out of his wealth was able to make handsome provision for the members of his family. The late Lady Jennings, who died in Sydney on March 1, 1889, in her 42nd year, was Mr. Shanahan's eldest daughter. Mr. Reginald Vaughan came out to Australia shortly after the appointment of his brother, the late Most Rev. Roger Bede Vaughan, as Coadjutor-Archbishop of Sydney, and was married to Mr. Shanahan's second youngest daughter in this city. Mrs. Vaughan left almost immediately for England with her husband. The deceased lady, who had only reached her 40th year, was a native of Victoria. Mrs. Vaughan did not at any time return to Australia, but she saw her eldest sister on each of the occasions Sir Patrick and Lady Jennings visited England. It is worthy of note that Father Vaughan, who preached the burial sermon reported in the Tablet, was for a considerable period attached to the diocese of Sydney. Mrs. Vaughan left 9 children, one of whom is named after the late Archbishop of Sydney.