Fr. Bernard Smith, living in retirement at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Westmorland Road, Newcastle died on the evening of Wednesday, 8th December 1993. He was 84 years of age and had only been ill for a short period of time.
Father Smith was ordained priest by Bishop Thorman at Ushaw on 23rd July, 1933. Re was to serve as an assistant priest at four parishes in all - Whitley Bay, Corpus Christi, Gateshead, Silksworth and Stanley. In August 1952 he was appointed parish priest of St. Mary's, Forest Hall where he served for twenty-one years. In 1973 he moved as parish priest to All Saints, Ferryhill and remained there until June 1980. He spent the last five years of his life being eared for by the Little Sisters of the Poor at St. Joseph's Home, Newcastle.
The people of Stanley, Forest Hall and Killingworth, and Ferryhill, the places where Bernard Smith spent most of his priestly ministry would all agree that humility was one of the characteristics of his life. They would also say, perhaps a little sadly, that he was far too trusting. For a man who had a great deal of experience in dealing with people, who had been involved in building a new church and a large comprehensive school, Bernard Smith was not wise in the ways of this world. And in the last years of his life, his complete dependence on the Little Sisters of the Poor, who looked after him so devotedly, was a sign of his readiness to accept his own weakness. The child's hurnility is a pattern of a Christian's behaviour to all, and the child's trust and dependence are symbols of our need of God.
The concelebrated Funeral Mass took place at the Coisvent Chapel of St. Joseph's Home on Tuesday, 14th December and was followed by burial at the Convent cemetery.
May he rest in peace.
Canon F Kearney