Mass for Fr. Eugene O’Reilly
Corcaghan, 11.00am.
11 June 2011
Fellow-priests and dear friends,
I am glad to be able to attend this Mass this morning in a personal and a representative capacity. On my own behalf and on behalf of the priests of the diocese, I offer our sympathy and respect to Fr. Eugene’s family, his brother Pat and wife Mary, his brother Peter and his wife Jane as well as his four nieces. We also offer our sympathy and respect to Fr. Eugene’s colleagues in St. Patrick’s, Kiltegan. We know the pain you feel at the loss of an outstanding member of your Society.
Fr. Eugene never forgot his roots in Corcaghan and was a loyal past pupil of
St. Macartan’s College. He gave distinguished service to the people of Kenya, on your Central Council, to the people of Zambia, as Assistant Regional Superior for Central Africa, as Regional Superior and in later years to those in Zambia suffering from Aids. He was a humble man with great warmth of personality. He was a gifted priest and a man of vision. He had the respect and affection of all those he worked with as well as those he served. He was a credit to his own people, to the Society of
St. Patrick in Kiltegan and to himself.
It is entirely fitting that we should gather around the table of the Lord here in his native parish of Corcaghan this morning his family, neighbours, friends and colleagues. It was the Lord who graced and nourished Fr. Eugene at this table and empowered him to bring God’s love to so many people. It is to the same risen Lord that Fr. Eugene has returned. We pray that his journey will be gentle and smooth.
May he rest in peace.
+Liam S. MacDaid
Bishop of Clogher
