RIP, Arthur Stidwill MSC
Stephen Hackett has written that Arthur Stidwill died a short time ago.
He was 94 years old, had been a vowed MSC for 56 years and a priest for 53 years. May he rest in peace.
At the celebration of 50 years or ordination at St Mary's Towers with his group, Arthur at centre.
Arthur was one of the first group in 1966 of ‘late vocations’. They did an accompaniment program that year with Frank Fletcher MSC. They made their novitiate with Bob Mitchell MSC in 1967, making their first profession on 27th February 1968. The group then moved to the Sacred Heart Monastery, Kensington, the venue for the first year of St Paul’s National Seminary for Late Vocations with Jim Cuskelly MSC.
With Len Helm who died last week and Ed Travers at the jubilee celebration
Arthur was ordained on 21st August 9171. He has spent most of his priesthood in parish work, especially in Papua New Guinea, Eastern Papua. In more recent years he has been at Kensington but has done much parish supply work in Lismore diocese, more particularly in Casino.
News to hand in addition: Arthurdied peacefully earlier this evening, sitting in his chair. He felt unwell today and didn’t join the community for lunch. Instead, Peter Guy took lunch to his room. He died about 5:30 pm. On hearing the news of his passing, several of his community members went to his room to pray for him until the doctor arrived. He was wearing his Swans scarf.
And 2023, an outing with Patrick Sharpe and John Franzmann.
