|
| ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||
Site search click here |
||||||||||||
Copyright © Society of Saint Francis, European Province |
| Obituary notices | |
|
Brother Harry SSF, RIP
Allow me to trace back some of Harry’s own life. He was born on
28 September 1928 in Ashton-under-Lyne, the second child of Albert
and Lena Marshall. His sister, Lily, was seven when Harry came
along. Those depression years, felt so keenly in the North of
England, meant that Harry’s growing-up opportunities were quite
limited and he left Ashton Secondary Modern School in the midst of
the Second World War. But in 1946, aged eighteen, he joined the RAF
at Cosford, doing six years, first at home, training as an airframe
mechanic, and then he went on to Ceylon thoroughly to enjoy himself
with those flying-boat transport planes: perhaps these were among
the happiest days of his life.
These were also formative days where the Spirit of God touched
his life distinctly. He was confirmed in the RAF and built up a
determination to study and read, so that when he returned to
civilian life in 1952 and had become an insurance agent, he also
signed on for correspondence courses and evening classes to attain
four ‘O’ Levels and an ‘A’ in Religious Knowledge. This gave him
access to be trained as a Lay Reader in the Manchester Diocese,
where he was admitted as a Reader in 1957. He had already become a
server at his local Church and sat on the Diocesan Committee of the
Church of England Men’s Society.
Harry Marshall was instinctively part of the Church. Though it was not his family’s tradition in that post-war era of recovery and concern for secular stability, Harry sparkled within his local community. We might imagine him full of that sense of fun and adventure, youth-hostelling, cycling, joining in and, as a Churchman, introducing that love of the Lord that landed him finally, after his career with British Rail as a clerical officer, towards a vocation as a Franciscan. Harry had been a Brother since 1970 – nearly 30 years. We love
him not simply because he made us laugh, but also because he was
completely himself! The reason we are all here today to show our
regard and respect for a truly humble friar is because, I suspect,
you knew where you were with him. He really did think very little of
himself and he never quite understood how much he was valued and
loved. People were immensely fond of this entirely non-threatening,
self-effacing gentle Brother. Visitors to Alnmouth Friary would
enquire immediately, “How’s Harry?” He was always there, available,
interested; and folk met him as an entirely reliable person. At
meetings of the local Council of Churches, he was always there. With
Companions and Tertiaries he was conscientious and affirming. And he
was so easy to tease . . .
Evidently, because of the somewhat inadequate wall-partitioning
up on the top floor of the Friary, it is inevitable that we overhear
some of the more personal conversations next door! Out of the sleepy
greater silence kept by the brothers in the early light of day was
heard the voice of our Brother as he rose to open his curtain, “Good
morning, pigeon; good morning, seagull!” There would be a moment’s
silence, then again, “Now, Marshall,” he’d say to himself, “Where
did you put yer teeth.” The morning ablutions completed, he would
arrive just in time at the chapel door before the Angelus was
rung. His was a formal, confident entry into chapel, and checking
his appearance and removing that imaginary bit of fluff from his
capuce in quick successive brushes of the hand, he introduced the
morning office: ‘The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a
perfect end.’
One of Harry’s great joys was a glass of cider – but a glass
and a half one famous lunch time down here in the village proved
imprudent as he hit the bracing fresh air off the North Sea. The
memory of him, fast asleep in the Friary hall, legs thrown over the
arm of the chair, and massive brown boots hanging down and looking
as if they belonged to somebody else!
How happy, the Gospel declares are the poor in spirit, the
gentle, the pure in heart: they shall see God (Matt 5). I
asked Brother Daniel how long Harry might have to spend in
purgatory. “Only until 3rd October when St Francis would collect him
at the Gate of Heaven”! And he added, remembering Harry’s employment
with British Rail, “and if he misses that connection, he would be
able to meet up with Father Algy on 23rd November”! Yes, the glory
of the latter house shall surpass the glory of the former. And we
rise today from our sadness and grief to an awareness of the true
treasures of life – that through the merits of Jesus the Christ, and
from our devotion and loving service offered through him, we trust
God will take us on in our journey of faith and show us, as St
John’s epistle states, how we are to become like him and to see him
as he really is (1 John 1).
One last story about Harry when he appeared on a television
programme with Gary Rhodes. Harry, this time in the rôle of
bread-maker, was given the task of being a busy brother, kneading
the dough on the kitchen table, making up the daily tally of loaves,
while Brother Peter Douglas and Gary were creating some delectable
dish on the same work table around the Aga cooker. The action was
meant to be with Gary and Peter, but as the camera followed the
ingredients, so Harry shuffled round, following the eye of the
camera to stay in focus, edging his way round the table and throwing
the dough with masterly thrusts of energy, to stay in the
picture!
Harry, that’s just how it was. You were always there, busy with
your responsibilities, painstakingly working for the common good –
with the dough, with the silver, with the concerns of your heart for
the best for everyone. So just as St Peter spoke at the Beautiful
Gate beside the Temple in Jerusalem, we, your brothers and like you
also, have no silver or gold of our own; yet, what we have we give
to you, our thanks, our love, our prayers, that you may walk now
towards your reward in heaven, for in that place will be granted you
prosperity and peace. f
|