When Father Sigebert Cody passed away on May 1st, a devout death fittingly closed the humble career of a good monk, a pleasant companion, a zealous missioner. Born at Bath in 1852 John Cody, after early schooling at Ampleforth, took the monastic habit at the age of eighteen, spent the usual four years at Belmont, returning to Ampleforth to study and teach for a few years, and then left for the mission on the morrow of his priesthood (1877). He threw himself cordially into parish work, becoming a popular and successful priest of whom many memories yet survive at Warrington, Edge Hill and later at Cardiff, but he was not so much attached to active work that he could not return gladly to conventual life. Ever an idealist keen on monastic life and not merely on external observance, he had come into the order when the rising tide of Belmont principles was making itself felt, beating ineffectually for a time against the barrier of older ways; so it is not surprising that he volunteered for the new venture at Fort Augustus, where his elder brother Dom Elphege, a Gregorian, was already prominent. Fr Sigebert, however, remained loyal to the Congregation and even before the secession of the new community he had returned to apostolic work with the English Benedictines, first at Bedlington, then at Hindley, Brownedge and elsewhere.
Fr Sigebert, a product of his period when simpler ways and homelier manners prevailed, was a light-hearted, genial companion, popular with his brethren, with a turn for innocent, never ill-natured jests, a blithe spirit from heaven or near it, pouring out sallies of unpremeditated wit. Heart-easing mirth like his is meant to be an alleviation of serious occupation; and many an hour of dull routine was lightened by his high spirits, many a solemn discussion relieved by his hearty laugh at his own harmless jokes. Underneath and alongside it all, however, was a fund of solid piety and a deep sense of duty. Faithful always to early monastic ideals, simple, almost austere in life, unworldly in habit and outlook, Fr Cody was a kindly, careful director of souls and an acceptable retreat-giver, interested in spiritual matters and conventual observance and always a conscientious missioner. Of such a life, spent mostly in humble spheres, not much trace is left in time, but much in eternity.
Warwick Bridge saw the longest period of his pastoral work, some sixteen years in a trying parish with arduous Sunday duties, as there are three stations to serve as well as the convent. Here he lived to a good old age, a patient sufferer under growing infirmities, with failing strength but unfailing cheerfulness continuing his exacting duties till within a few weeks of death. He died on May Day, 1934, in the Nursing-home at Whalley Range and lies buried at Brownedge, waiting for his reward from the Lord who loveth a cheerful giver. Requiescat in pace.
JOHN SIGEBERT CODY 1 May 1934
1852 26 Jun Born Bath
1863 Educ Ampleforth
1870 5 Oct Habit at Belmont Prior RB Vaughan
1871 6 Oct Simple Vows
1874 17 Dec Solemn Vows Ampleforth Prior S Kearney
20 Dec Minor Orders Belmont
1875 18 Sep Subdiaconate Ampleforth Bishop Cornthwaite
1877 24 Feb Diaconate
18 Nov Priesthood Bishop Hedley
1878 St Alban's Warrington
1879 Fort Augustus
1880 Bedlington
1882 St Anne's Liverpool
1890 Hindley
1891 St Alban's Warrington
1897 St Mary's Canton Cardiff
1905 14 May Blackwood NB
1912 St Mary's Brownedge
1917 Feb Warwick Bridge
1918 Aug Superiorat Warwick Bridge
Chaplain to Holme Eden Abbey from its foundation
1933 Oct Parbold, in failing health, semi-invalided
Dec Nursing Home Whalley Range Manchester
1934 1 May Died at Whalley Range Manchester
Buried at Brownedge