On Tuesday 30th January the
oldest member of our Region died. Fr Hilary (Gerard Patrick) Doran would
have celebrated his 95th birthday in a few weeks' time. A large number
of friends joined with the community at the Mt Carmel Retreat Centre to
celebrate his long and faithful life of service. Bishop Peter Ingham of
Wollongong presided at the funeral and Fr Hilary was laid to rest in our
cemetery beside the community chapel. Fr Gerard, the Prior at Varroville,
delivered the sermon[Full transcript and chronology
here]
[Left] Fr
Hilary's last visit to the chapel. In front of the Paschal Candle stands
a table [Above] with several items symbolic of
his life as a Teresian Carmelite: the Bible he read day to day; a copy of
the writings of the great spiritual teacher St John of the Cross; the cross
he received on the day of his profession 75 years ago; the rosary beads he
used; a copy of the Carmelite Rule and constitutions; and beneath them a
priest's stole worn during the daily celebration of the eucharist.
