RIP Father Belway

Father Belway, a grand old retired priest in the Diocese and a member of SMM died this morning. I first got to know him at the 7.15 AM Masses on Tuesdays and Thursdays. While I was preparing to say just such a Mass, he passed away peacefully at his retirement home. Fr. Brinton, Vicar of the Cathedral, was taking the lead on pastoral care to Fr. Belway as his health declined. He called me this morning to tell me of Donald's passing and to ask that I attend to the body with appropriate prayers--he himself was traveling to Ottawa for the day and wouldn't back until the evening. Fr. Harold had just arrived back from vacation (though he's not back "officially" until Saturday), but I figured correctly that he would want to come with me as we paid respects to the kind priest.

I was aware that Fr. Brinton had already given Donald "last rites" (actually, Anointing of the Sick and Ministration at the Time of Death), so the purpose of our ministry this morning was to mark the passing with prayer, to commend Donald's soul to God, and to comfort the caregivers and friends who joined us in the small room. As we were going about the retirement home preparing to do this, a number of people on seeing me in my collar spoke of Fr. Belway's kindness and good humor. He was a charming man and well liked for his gentle sense of humor and sharp wit.

I'll never forget the time over breakfast some months ago when Fr. Belway was commenting on our new music director of the time, Kevin K. "We're so lucky to have him; he's a fantastic musician. (pause) But I wish someone could explain why he dresses the way he does."

"Father, have you ever heard of 'Metrosexuals'?" He laughed over his soft-boiled egg (Professor Blisset's specialty) while I explained the fashion movement reflected in Kevin's Sunday best. He always found these kinds of surprises delightful and was ready to laugh.

In his room this morning, looking over his pale body, Harold and I lead a little service with some of the nurses and nurses' aids that looked over him in his last days. I brought a BAS with me, but I took two more off of Donald's desk and handed them around to the group.

A big portion of the mini-liturgy we did was the Litany at the Time of Death. Interestingly, this is precisely what I had prayed over Donald a few days earlier when he was still alive, but barely arousable. I was sitting alone with him as he slept and decided that I should pray for him. I didn't have a BAS, but borrowed one from the desk next to his bed as I did again after his death. First I read some Psalms picked randomly. Then I prayed the litany. It's a patient prayer that mysteriously combines a sense of progression with timelessness. You can pray a litany forever, marching through the lists of heavenly beings and spiritual virtues and every manner of distress from which one ought to be delivered. It's a holy thing to sit in a chair next to the dying and quietly bid in turn all manner of grace to comfort them.

Donald was extremely happy for as long as I knew him. He liked to say that he was "blessed." Indeed he was.

Rest eternal grant unto him, O Lord,
And let light perpetual shine upon him.
May his soul, and the soul of all the departed ever rest in peace. Amen.

-t