The Baptism of the Lord - Year C - 13th January 2019
Our dear Fr. Eamon Raftery was born on the 14th November, 1935 in Woodlawn near Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, entered the Vincentians, the Congregation of the Mission, 1954, took his final vows in 1959 and was ordained priest on 8th April 1962.
As a community we are so appreciative of all your kind words, cards and prayers now that death has come within our doors as we grieve for a dear brother, whom Fr. Raymond knew in his school and rugby-playing days in the 50’s, who was mentor to Fr. Noel when he entered the seminary in 1955 and whom I first knew in 1966 before his first appointment to Nigeria.
The following is the list of appointments Fr. Eamon undertook in total obedience to the call of the Lord and his Provincial at the time. Each appointment is a story in itself. The sum of those stories made Fr. Eamon the person he became and who he has been for each of you in this parish over the last two and a half years. He modelled for us an exemplary role as a tireless missionary disciple filled with zeal for spreading the Good News in word, in charity and in pastoral care.
APPOINTMENTS:
1962 – 68 : St. Paul’s College, Sybil Hill, Raheny, Dublin 5, Ireland
1968 – 69 : St. Patrick’s College, Armagh, Northern Ireland
1969 – 70 : Owerri, Nigeria
1970 – 71 : Our Lady’s Presbytery, 101 Belmont Road, Hereford, England
1971 – 77 : St. Mary’s, 82 West Street, Dunstable LU6 1NY, England
1977 – 82 : St. Stephen’s, Sandy Lane, Orford, Warrington, England
1982 – 85 : Damascus House, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, England
1985 – 89 : St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, Co Kildare, Ireland
1989 – 92 : St. Justin’s, Otukpo, Ogobia, Benue State, Nigeria
1992 – 97 : Sacred Heart Parish, POB 38, Kogi State, Ankpa, Nigeria
1997 – 00 : Bl. Ghebre Michael House, POB 126, Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria
2000 – 07 : St. Louise’s, POB 123 Nchia, Eleme, Rivers State, Nigeria
2007 – 09 : St. Mary’s, 82 West Street, Dunstable LU6 1NY, England
2009 – 13 : St. Augustine National Seminary, Mabanga, Bungoma, Kenya
2013 – 16 : Christ the King Major Seminary, POB 1216, Nyeri, Kenya
2016 – 19 : Sacred Heart Parish, Mill Hill, London, England
Called to the Lord on the Feast of the Epiphany 2019.
Home-coming: We are so pleased that we will have Fr. Eamon’s requiem Mass here in the parish and that the Daughters of Charity have kindly offered their cemetery on the Ridgeway as his final resting place.
May he rest in peace. Amen.
Michael McCullagh c.m.
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