Fr Willie RIP

It was about midnight on Sunday night, July 19th 2015. I had arrived home earlier to mind the dog for mum for a couple of days. I decided just to have a quick flick through Facebook before I went to bed. I was not prepared for what I read. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I cannot adequately put words to how I felt. I was reading on the Parish Facebook page that Fr Willie had passed away. I didn't believe my eyes. Only it appeared on the page it did I wouldn't have believed it. I searched the internet frantically to see if the news appeared elsewhere. There was nothing anywhere else, not even on the diocesan website. This gave me hope that the Parish Facebook page was wrong. But I went to bed knowing in my heart that he was gone. 

Growing up in Tullamore Fr Willie was our Parish Priest. In 2004 he stepped down as PP and was moved to Mornington as a curate. It was my understanding that he was semi retired with the view of retiring fully in a couple of years. As things materialised Fr Willie continued in his role in Mornington right up to his death. His passing was totally unexpected, he took ill on Tuesday and passed away on Sunday. It brings me comfort to know that he didn't suffer, it wasn't a prolonged illness.

I don't remember much of Fr Willie as I was growing up. I do remember that he was very kind and good to me. He wasn't my school chaplain in primary school but he still got an invite to my 1st Communion celebration after the ceremony. This is a sign that we got well for it was me who had invited him. I am lucky to have pictures from that day of him and I, a lovely way to reminisce. I even have a couple of photos from my Confirmation. It was Fr Willie who was the back bone of the setting up of the Gospel choir in Tullamore in my early teenage years. This was something I had the opportunity to be part of for many great years. If memory serves me right (my memory is not great) the Tullamore Gospel Choir was not long off the ground when Fr Willie moved to Mornington. A year or two after he had left Tullamore he invited us up to sing at mass in Mornington. This is one outing with the GC that I won't forget fast. Fr Willie had been entrusted with a very important job that day, a job I think he was given just before mass or just after. This was a job that I wished Fr Willie hadn't been entrusted with, that the person concerned delivered the news themselves. However, I am glad that it was Fr Willie who had been entrusted to deliver the news not anybody else. 

When Fr Willie first left Tullamore we lost contact. However, a few years later it was the Lord's will that we reconnect and how glad I am that we did. Since reconnecting with him I would often meet Fr Willie. My visits to him ranged from popping in on my way back from the North, going up to Drogheda especially to meet him, meeting him when I was in the area or popping in just to say hello because we spontaneously decided to visit the area. I never got away with just popping in to say hello. Every time I met him food was involved, he would insist. I remember mum and I been in the area a number of years ago. We went to mass in Mornington on the Saturday night so that I could pop over to him after to say hello. There was a meeting going on in his house that night but when he heard that mum and I were going for dinner he insisted on coming, he ditched his meeting so that he could join us, it was lovely. 

The last time I seen Fr Willie was May 2014. I had a retreat in Navan one weekend, stayed with a friend in Navan for a couple of days and then I was to head up North, I was meeting Fr Willie in Drogheda on my way up for lunch. Unfortunately I had to cancel going up North as I wasn't feeling the best. I considered cancelling my lunch with Fr Willie, I gave it a thought for 2 seconds. I couldn't cancel seeing him, I hadn't seen him in a while and was really looking forward to seeing him. So I left Navan on the Tuesday morning and made my way to Drogheda to meet my friend. I wasn't in great form that day but was delighted to see him and we had a lovely lunch. We even spoke about the fact that Fr Tony and his PP were sitting a bit behind me. Fr Tony came over to say hello before he left. Fr Willie really liked his sweet and always insisted I have a sweet after our main meal. Strange because when we met for lunch I always had a sandwich and having a 'sweet' after seemed weird. What he called a sweet I called dessert. So now any time I hear sweet referring to dessert I will think of him and grin. I wouldn't be surprised if I start saying sweet rather than dessert. Before we parted ways he mentioned that I was always welcome to visit him and if I wanted to bring a friend he would be happy to meet us both for a bite. I had no concrete plans but was looking forward to meeting him this summer. I had even intended on introducing a friend to him. Sadly I won't be meeting him in Drogheda this year. The next time I meet him will be in paradise. Somewhere I believe he went straight to. I can imagine he met Peter at those pearly gates Sunday and Peter said "Hello Willie, welcome" and stepped aside to let him straight in.

So what did Fr Willie mean to me? In two words, 'the world.' He was such a kind, warm man. When you were with him you were his priority. It was always a pleasure to be in his company. I think it was only in the last few years that I really appreciated the man. I had grown up, was becoming more mature. I was blessed to have Fr Willie in my life and it was an honour to be able to call him a friend. People we call friends come and go in our lives. A sign of a real friend is somebody who has left your life for a period but then comes back and it is as if ye had not spent a period apart. That was Fr Willie, we reconnected all those years ago as if it was only a few days since we talked. A part of me died last Sunday with the news that I would no longer meet this friend in this world. As I prepare to say my last goodbye I will always cherish all the memories I have of him. I am glad to have known him. And I thank the Lord for giving him to me in this life for so long. I regret not having been in contact with him over the last few months but I thought I had all the time in the world, this man was not going to die any time soon. I always asked others that knew him about him and thought of him often. He was a gentleman in every way, the nicest I have ever met. 

A prayer that I hear he prayed regularly, I don't remember him ever saying it:

May the Lord support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and all our work is done. Then in His mercy may He give us safe lodging, and a holy rest ad peace at last.

Rest in Peace Fr Willie, a great friend, a total gent. I will never forget you. Sleep well my brother, you will always be in my heart.