Death of Pere Henri,
pp. 34-35 · Read in the full issue
of Tahiti
IT was with deep regret that the people of Tahiti learned on February 24, that Pere Henri Le Guerannic, for 25 years Cure of the Cathedral in Papeete, and loved and respected by all sections of the community, had passed away in his sleep.
Pere Henri, as he was affectionately known by all Papeete, was born in Brit tany 57 years ago and arrived in Tahiti in 1912, becoming Provicaire and Cure of the Cathedral five years later. Here he quickly won the respect of all—Catholics, Protestants and free-thinkers alike—for his infinite Christian bounty, his under standing of the problems of life, his courage and his enthusiasm. He devoted his whole life and work to the service of God and of France, and was an ardent patriot. He gave considerable study to the lives of Joan of Arc, Bayard, and Foch, but of recent years, when he had been deeply grieved at the occupation of his homeland by the Germans, he became a staunch supporter of General de Gaulle and the soldiers and sailors of Fighting France held first place in his mind.
Tributes to Pere Henri have been paid by all classes of Tahiti residents. Maitre Pierre de Montluc said: — “Someone said to me this morning: ‘Poor Pere Henri —he waited only for vic tory, the liberation of our territory and the restoration of France to her former glory. He will never see this now.’ But I do not agree. We see things through mortal eyes, but Pere Henri, in the serenity of eternal peace, and knowing all, will be able to say, Tt has already come to pass.’ ”
Mr. A. C. Rowland, of Papeete, thus pays tribute to this well-loved man: “Pere Henri was one of those saintlv fathers of the church whose love and charity and service knew no frontiers of creed or circumstance. I knew him, dur ing 30 years, and learned to honour him as a priest and reverence him as a saint.”
It is expected that the Bishop of Melanesia (Rt. Rev. Walter Baddeley, DSO, MC) who is still carrying on mis sion work in the Solomons, will be able to visit Australia and New Zealand shortly.
Warrant-Officer E. D. Davis, who prior to enlisting was a valued officer of the APC in Papua, recently returned to Port Moresby after a three-months’ furlough in Australia.
Sir Philip Goldfinch, executive head of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co., Ltd., died suddenly in Sydney on April 7, aged 59.