News has just been received of the death of Fr. Peter Knowles OP from pneumonia. At the time of his death he had been residing at the Dominican Priory in his native Adelaide. Fr. Knowles, like the late Fr. Wilkinson, was a great supporter of the Library and presented talks here on several occasion.

Fr. Knowles was an archpriest of the Byzantine Rite since October 2005 and had served the Russian Catholic chapel in Kew. He was an accomplished and published expert on Eastern Catholicism, having written and presented papers on the history of the Catholic Church in Russia and Eastern monasticism. He had also made several visits to churches and monasteries in Eatern Europe and Russia. Previously Fr. Knowles had served as Master of Mannix College for eight years.

With his passing from this world the Church has lost a great priest, whose devotion to the liturgy, hospitality and commitment to the monastic ideals of prayers and penance, ingratiated and inspired countless souls.

Fr. Knowles' funeral service wil be held this Friday and the Most Rev. Peter Stasiuk CSSR, Bishop of Sts. Peter and Paul Eparchy, will be the principal celebrant.

May Christ our true God, Who rules over the living and the dead, place the soul of His departed servant, Peter, in the abode of the Saints, grant him rest in the bosom of Abraham, and number him among the Just, through the prayers of His most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy Apostles, of our venerable and God bearing Fathers, and of all the Saints; may He have mercy on us and save us, for He is gracious and loves mankind.
(From the Divine Liturgy)

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for him
St. Dominic, pray for him
Sts. Cyril and Methodius, pray for him

As this holy season of Lent draws to a close let us bare in mind the words of Fr. Knowles who often remarked that "to keep the fast is to keep the feast and to keep the feast is to keep the faith."

Blesed is the servant whom when the Lord shall come, he shall find watching.

It was with much sadness the Library received news of the death of Fr. John Wilkinson CM on February 19th, in the ninety-third year of his life and seventieth year as a priest.

Fr. Wilkinson had dedicated the greater part of his priestly ministry to the education and formation of Catholics. After his ordination he studied at the University of Dublin and remained there teaching in two Irish seminaries. Returning to Australia he first taught at St. Stanislaus', Bathurst and was then appointed rector of the Vincentian seminary in Perth. Thus began thirty-six years instructing and inspiring generations of priests in Australia, New Zealand and even Lebanon. He then returned to St. Stanislaus' for four years before taking up the role of chaplain to Macquarie University. When not teaching he was active in missions, retreats and relief work for other priests.

Fr. Wilkinson's other great love was history and it probably explains his long-standing interest in the Library. He contributed to the Australian Catholic Historical Society and to the history of his own order. In fact his last few years were spent preparing a history of the Vincentian mission in Fiji.

The funeral mass for Fr. Wilkinson was held at St. Joseph's, Malvern on February 25th and his mortal remains laid to rest at the East Malvern Cemetery.

O God, who didst endow they servant John with apostolic power for the preaching of the Gospel and for promoting the honour of the priesthood, grant that he may attain unto the everlasting fellowship of him whom he imitated and proclaimed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever. Amen. (Adapted from the Collects for St. Vincent de Paul and a Deaceased Priest.)