Early today Cannon James Morrow, the indefatigable Pro-Life campaigner, passed to his eternal reward in the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow. Fr Morrow was not a foolish man. He was possessed of genuine learning in all areas of knowledge germane to his priesthood, he had in his time taught in seminary and had a great love of St Thomas. But Fr Morrow was an innocent man, a painfully and terribly innocent man. He never lost his surprise and dismay that his countrymen could stoop to murder babies and to connive at their murder for any reason and least of all mere hedonistic indulgence. He was filled with a great sorrow for this crime and for those who perpetrate it and those who tolerate it. He was always genuinely surprised when other clerics failed to assist or even opposed him. He never forgot that a law that violates the law of God is null and void and he always acted accordingly, often finding himself on the wrong side of the civil power. Once he memorably appeared in court for barricading an abortuary with Elizabeth Anscombe as his codefendant and John Finnis as his representative. Drowned as we are beneath four centuries of reformation legal positivism the officers of the law were at a loss to deal with the assertion that, as the Abortion Act is invalid, Fr Morrow had merely been acting to prevent unlawful killing of infants. I once discussed this problem with him and he insisted, quite correctly, that the only thing Parliament can do is to acknowledge the terrible gravity of its sin and the invalidity of its ‘Act’ and enact a formal declaration of repentance before issuing Acts of Attainder against such of the instigators as may still live. I would like to say Fr Morrow was delighted when Benedict XVI was elected Pope, and he was, but he did not experience the euphoria of others because, trusting as he did in the Holy Spirit, he assumed this would be the outcome of the conclave. He predicted exactly the ballot on which he would be elected and the name he would take. He was a wonderful confessor and he did me the charity of saying mass for my intentions and allowing me to serve him on one of the most frightening mornings of my life. Saints are vastly rarer than funeral eulogists would have you believe and I have no power to look into men’s souls, but pray for him fervently and if he doesn’t need your prayers I’m sure the Lord will be happy to take his suggestions on where to redirect them.
September 18, 2010
Of your charity pray for the soul of Father James Morrow
Posted by aelianus under Catholicism, gaudium in veritate, Scotland, The Abominable Sands[28] Comments
September 18, 2010 at 7:06 pm
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September 18, 2010 at 7:34 pm
RIP.
September 18, 2010 at 7:35 pm
What a beautiful eulogy!
September 18, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Profiscere, anima Christiana, de hoc mundo!
Go forth upon thy journey, Christian soul!
Go from this world! Go, in the name of God
The omnipotent Father, who created thee!
Go, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
Son of the living God, who bled for thee!
Go, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who
Hath been poured out on thee! Go, in the name
Of Angels and Archangels; in the name
Of Thrones and Dominations; in the name
Of Princedoms and of Powers; and in the name
Of Cherubim and Seraphim, go forth!
Go, in the name of Patriarchs and Prophets;
And of Apostles and Evangelists,
Of Martyrs and Confessors; in the name
Of holy Monks and Hermits; in the name
Of holy Virgins; and all Saints of God,
Both men and women, go! Go on thy course;
And may thy place to-day be found in peace,
And may thy dwelling be the Holy Mount
Of Sion :—through the Same, through Christ, our Lord.
September 18, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Such innocence is a very powerful weapon.
September 18, 2010 at 9:25 pm
He was my brother and a truly holy priest
September 19, 2010 at 12:37 am
“Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, He will gird Himself and have them sit at table, and He will come and serve them.”
September 18, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Father James was not afraid to live the Gospel, May He now Rest in Peace.
September 18, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Prayers for the happy repose of Fr. Morrow’s soul.
September 19, 2010 at 10:09 am
The man who saved my soul. A good, solid, practical and most importantly holy priest and friend. We have a new intercessor in Heaven now.
September 19, 2010 at 7:06 pm
To me he was Father and brother. I worked with him for 20 years and I shall miss his sage advice and his dry humour. He gave his life for the children – they will be lining his route to heaven.
September 20, 2010 at 10:13 pm
Beautifully said, Liz. He was an amazing herald on this earth, and surely the Lord upon seeing him said: “Well done – my good and faithful servant!”
September 19, 2010 at 8:13 pm
A loving endearing person who will be sadly missed by all.
Will be sadly missed at Nazareth house.
September 19, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Father James was my uncle and I believe he was a prophet sent to preach the prolife message. May he rest in peace.
September 20, 2010 at 10:12 pm
I am sorry for your loss — and I believe you are very right…he was a rare prophet in our times! RIP
September 20, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Though we lived an ocean apart, I always knew he remembered me in his prayers…a very holy, holy priest, and I am richer for having known him. May the angels lead you into paradise, and the heavenly host welcome you, dear Father Morrow!
September 20, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Uncle, Father James, your time on this earth has ended … your good work will continue in your memory. Rest in Peace
September 21, 2010 at 1:58 pm
A truly holy man. I will never forget the prayer, care and effort he put into every letter, journey, outreach, prayer, plea and all that he did. He was such a brave priest and always stood firm, and at the same time he was the gentlest soul I knew. Those several months working with him were among the most formative in my life, but then, later, he stayed by me through some really tough, difficult years, sending letters that would see me through the hardest of times I could ever imagine I would have to live through as a mother. I remember his tremendous stamina on long journeys, tackling cases, posting those mail-outs and keeping vigil at those Calvaries of today. And then his sense of humour as we watched Seven Brides and Seven Brothers for the seventh night running to see us through what was left of Breamar evenings after a full day of Humanae Vitae House work in anticipation of the next missionary journey…
September 21, 2010 at 3:45 pm
My brother Fr.James was a most holy and intellectual priest who devoted almost his entire life to protect the unborn and prevent unlawful deaths.
He was an inspiration and example to all.
The Lord will welcopme him!
RIP
September 22, 2010 at 3:44 pm
The pro life movement will be much poorer with Fr.James’ passing. We must redouble our efforts on behalf of our unborn brothers and sisters as a fitting memorial to Canon James.
September 24, 2010 at 11:45 pm
The noblest of the Romans! Kind, honest and holy. I suspect Fr James’ time in Purgatory will be brief indeed. The zeal with which he pursued the pro life cause stand-in strong contrast to the apathy of most bishops on this issue. I am confident that light perpetual will shine upon him.
September 28, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Father was part – an important part- of my life for 35 years. I am devastated at the loss of him. But overwhelmed am I with gratitude for having known him. Thank you Father. I agree with above comments and appreciate especially those of Father’s brothers. Somehow, I think Father won’t let us stand idle after his passing! And as he was so devoted to St Therese, methinks he too will spend his Heaven doing good on earth.
October 3, 2010 at 3:04 am
I was told by an old friend of Fr James that his Requiem in Paisley Cathedral was very well attended and that the celebrants included one Archbishop, two serving bishops and one retired bishop. The friend commented wryly “If only Fr James had been so well supported by the Scottish episcopate whilst he was alive.”
October 16, 2010 at 12:07 am
The first seeking of the withdrawl of food and fluids from a patient occurred when the Airedale Hospital in Yorkshire petioned the Court to allow a comatose young man to have sustenance withdrawn. Father Morrow,hearing of it arrived outside the hospital gates with protest banner(they would not allow him inside the hospital grounds). I lived only 10 miles from the hospital and anonymously drove into the hospital car park and sat there saying the Rosary. Many weeks later the Court gave the go-ahead and the young man,named Bland, was killed by euthanasia.
I met Father Morrow on other occassions and was inspired by his humility.
A Mass for the repose of his soul will be offered at our Knaresborough parish at 7pm on Tuesday, 26th October 2010.
November 28, 2010 at 4:27 am
A man of incredible humility. Father Morrow did suffer scorn for his unswerving dediction to The Faith. He was a man who sacrificed so much of himself rather than betray the Faith.
I was shocked to learn of his death. I am honoured to have known him personally.
A truly great man who was a great, outstanding, example. Rest in peace James.
Vincent Elliott (Wigan, Lancs)
September 21, 2013 at 10:17 pm
vince, is that you, its kathy here, from chorley aa, please contact me at kathy1001@hotmail.co.uk, would love to catch up with you, sincerely and hopefully you get this message xx
September 18, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Remembering Fr. Morrow on this the first anniversary of his death, 18th.September 2011
Eileen Gunning, Greystones, Co.Wicklow. Ireland.
December 27, 2011 at 5:36 am
I just came across Father Morrow’s obituary. I was priviledged to have him connect with our group in Medugorje in September of 2006. His holiness and prolife fire were so striking and his skill in handling a friend’s conundrum was exemplary. After having returned to the Catholic faith in 1992, it is such a gift to meet all these wonderful priests and religious, especially at the end of their lives when they have so much wisdom to share. Fr. Morrow’s prolife version of the stations of the cross was such a special moment. How much he must have contributed to the conscience’s of his fellow Scots.