DEATHS & OBITUARIES
Fr Ralph Eastwell SJ
Fr Vincent Sermin SJ Albert Vincent Sermin – known as Vincent – was born on 26 July 1914 in Sheffield and went to school at nearby Mount St Mary’s College. He was particularly strong in science at school, and went on – after entering the Society of Jesus – to achieve a 2nd Class Honours Degree in Physics. He was admitted into the Society of Jesus in 1932, studied philosophy and theology at Heythrop College, which at that time was in Oxfordshire, and was ordained to the priesthood in September 1946. For 30 years from 1939, he was engaged in teaching, first at Mount St Mary’s College, then Beaumont in Berkshire, followed by Stonyhurst College, St Francis Xavier College in Liverpool, and finally at Leeds College. His principal subjects were physics and mathematics. After teaching, Fr Sermin worked for a time for the Diocese of Nottingham, before being transferred to Sacred Heart Parish in Wimbledon, south west London. He served as parish priest there in the mid1970s, and then spent two years at Corpus Christi Church in Boscombe, Dorset. His latter years were spent as parish priest at St Michael’s Church in Hythe, Southampton, after which he retired to Worthing in West Sussex. Fr Vincent Sermin died on 16 March 2008. May he rest in peace.
Ralph Henry Eastwell was born in Calcutta, India on 22 April 1916. He studied at the Jesuit colleges of St Joseph’s in Darjeeling and St Vincent’s in Poona, before moving to the UK in 1931. After three years with the Benedictines at Ealing Priory, Ralph worked in advertising production, then served in the Infantry in Britain, India and Burma during the Second World War. Ralph entered the Society of Jesus in September 1948 and was ordained priest eight years later. Between 1950 and 1957, he studied Philosophy and Theology at Heythrop College, Oxon. After working for a time at Sacred Heart parish in Wimbledon, he began working in a ministry to which he was to devote much of the next 17 years: the Christian Life Movement and Sodalities. During the 1960s, he was National Director of both movements, and also gave the Spiritual Exercises while at Southwell House in Hampstead. After stepping down as CLM Director in 1978, Ralph continued giving the Spiritual Exercises at St Ignatius parish in north London, where he worked and was based until 1991, including a four-year period as Rector. Ralph’s last assignments were to Our Lady and St George, Enfield, and Hengrave Hall in Suffolk, where he was Chaplain from 1991 to 1997. For the past 10 years, Fr Eastwell has suffered ill health. He died at Farm Lane Care Home on 10 May 2008, and his funeral took place at Farm Street Church in London on 16 May. May he rest in peace.
Please pray for those who have died recently - May they rest in peace. Mrs C Irving
Mr G Brittain
Fr Michael Groarke
Mrs M D Hoole
Mr John Baines
Mrs A O’Connor
Sr Carmelita Gouveia
Mrs Mary Grzedzicki
Mrs Miranda Bardelli
Mrs C Dullea
Mr William Lingard
Sr Rocha Mushonga LCBL
Dr H T Foot
Mrs Monica Marumbeyi
Mr N H Ford
Mrs Elizabeth Bull
Mr Terence Haworth
Mrs Elizabeth Anne Stevenson
Mr D Mather
Mrs Ann Carter
Miss K A McCabe
Mrs Lydia Enslin –
Mr and Mrs E Snape
Mother of Fr John Enslin SJ
Mrs C Rossi Mrs H Bailey Mrs Theresa Dennis Mrs R Mason Mrs U Stables Mrs Martha Anniston Prof K McCarthy 22
Mrs Anne Slavin –
Sister of Fr McQuade Mr Denis P. Haines –
Cousin of Fr George Croft SJ Mrs Doreen Howell Mother of Fr Adrian Howell SJ Mr Lajos Andras –
Jesuits & Friends Summer 2008 www.jesuitsandfriends.org.uk
Father of Attila Andras SJ Mr Eric Curtis – Uncle of Fr Tim Curtis SJ Mr Stephen Mutimutema – Father of Clemence Mutimutema SJ Mr Jerome Emilian Kanaakulya – Father of Fr Kizito Kiyimba SJ Mrs Margaret Wheeler – Sister of Fr Charles Praeger SJ Mr John Spence – Brother of Br James Spence SJ Fr Michael Rose Canon Kevin McHugh Fr Liam Greene SJ Fr Vincent Sermin SJ Fr Vincent McAtamney SJ Fr Ralph Eastwell SJ Brother Francis Fitzsimmons SJ [full obituary in the next edition of Jesuits and Friends]
Canon Kevin McHugh Kevin Peter McHugh was born on 25 October 1927 and was educated at St Ignatius College in Stamford Hill and Finchley Grammar School. He served his National Service in the Royal Air Force before studying at Campion House, Osterley. After entering the Society of Jesus in 1952, Kevin studied at Heythrop College and served his novitiate at Manresa, Roehampton. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1962, after which he was appointed Superior and Headmaster at St John’s Beaumont. In 1971, he decided to leave the Society and applied to the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. The following year, he joined the Columban Fathers’ Special Educational Needs Centre in Lima, Peru. On his return to the diocese in 1986, Kevin served in a number of parishes, and spent three years as Director of the Renew Process – an initiative involved faithsharing in small groups. He was created an Honorary Canon by Bishop (later Cardinal) Murphy-O’Connor in 1989, and from 1997 till his retirement in 2002, was Chaplain at Gatwick Airport. Canon Kevin McHugh died on 17 April 2008, and among those who celebrated at his Funeral Mass were the Cardinal and Bishop Kieran Conry of Arundel and Brighton. Fr Kevin Donovan SJ represented the British Province of the Society of Jesus and paid tribute to Canon McHugh at the end of the Mass. May he rest in peace.
Fr Vincent McAtamney SJ Hugh Vincent McAtamney was born in Glasgow in 1915 and was educated at St Aloysius’ College in the city. On leaving school in 1932, he joined the Society of Jesus, studying philosophy and theology at Heythrop College as well as undertaking a period of teaching at the Jesuit school in Sunderland. After ordination in 1947 and his final year of formation, (Tertianship), he taught mathematics for five years at Preston Catholic College. In 1956 he was appointed Superior to the Jesuit retreat house, Corby Hall, in Sunderland where he was involved in organising retreats and giving the Spiritual Exercises. In 1961 Fr McAtamney was sent to Leeds University as Chaplain, and then to Scotland where he cared for the spiritual needs of the Catholic students of Aberdeen University, opening a new chaplaincy building, Elphinstone House, in the process. After ten years as chaplain in Aberdeen, he was appointed parish priest of St Mary’s Stonehaven in 1977 and remained there for the next 20 years, during which the parish grew in numbers as the oil industry and its ancillaries expanded. Fr McAtamney retired to Glasgow in 1998 where he continued to work in St Aloysius’ parish, until moving to Nazareth House in 2004. He died at Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, on 29 March 2008. May he rest in peace.