Homily of Bishop Leo O’Reilly

at the Funeral Mass of Fr Eugene Loughlin

St Patrick’s Church, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim 

3rd October 2009

We have come to pay our last respects to Fr Eugene Loughlin in this parish where he spent 25 years of his long and varied priestly ministry. We do so by offering Mass for him as he did for his people here and in many other places he served in 69 years of priestly life. The Mass was central in his life. His faith told him, as our faith tells us, that when we gather around the altar in Christ’s name he is here among us. He speaks his Word to us. He gives us himself to us in bread and wine as we receive Communion. Fr Gene believed in the words of Jesus in today’s gospel: “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him…This is the bread come down from heaven…anyone who eats this bread will live forever.” The Eucharist is our pledge of eternal life and happiness. It is our spiritual nourishment in life and our sure hope as we face death.

I know those words of Jesus, ‘whoever eats this bread will live forever’, were a great comfort to Fr Gene in his last illness, a source of hope as he felt the life and strength begin to ebb away from him. When I visited him last Sunday in St Patrick’s Hospital in Carrick-on-Shannon he had just received Communion, Viaticum, the food for the journey. He was at peace. He knew he hadn’t long left and he was ready to go. He was no longer able to recite the prayer of the Church – the breviary, which he had done so faithfully down the years. But the other great constant of his life was near: his rosary. He could still say that as he always had. He had a great and simple devotion to our Lady. How often did he pray in his long life, ‘Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death?’ I’m sure she was close to him when his hour finally came on Tuesday last.

We come today in sadness for the loss of a great character, a well-loved family member and a well-loved priest. Fr Eugene was a very gifted man from a gifted family. In those days it was a big adventure to leave his native Ballinaglera to go to St. Patrick’s College in Cavan and then even further afield to study for the priesthood. He got a first class honours English degree in Maynooth back in the thirties – at a time when firsts were given very sparingly. Even as a young man he was independent minded enough to get into trouble with the rather narrow-minded regime in the seminary of that era. His crime was, I believe, reading novels! He found a more congenial home in Carlow College where he had more scope for his literary talents as well has his theological ones. One of his projects back then was to single-handedly abridge Shakespeare’s Hamlet and produce it with a cast of fellow students. The authorities were concerned it might interfere with his studies. However, he allayed their fears when the exams came around by taking first place in several subjects! He kept up his interest in reading throughout his life. When I’d visit him occasionally in Ballinamore in recent years he would always have a book he was reading near him, and a few newspapers and crosswords to keep up to date and keep his mind active.

He was held in great affection in every parish he served in. He began, as so many priests of his time did, by spending six years in the diocese of Edinburgh and after that he was curate in Glangevlin, Glenade, Killinagh Milltown and Maghera. He came to Corlough-Drumreilly in 1974 and was Parish Priest here until he reached the retirement age of 75. I know that he was held in great affection in Corlough. He won the hearts of everyone as much by his weaknesses as by his strengths. He was a man of the people and people could identify with him and relate to him. He loved to be with people, to have a drink and a celebration with them, and he did that often. In his younger days he hunted and fished and played golf. He was very much a priest of the people and for the people, and people knew that instinctively and loved him for it.

In his later years as parish priest here, Fr Sullivan was his curate and living in Coraleehan. So when Fr Eugene retired as PP, Fr Sullivan became parish priest and Fr Eugene remained on here in Corlough as curate. I love the story about the bishop coming to tell him that he would have to retire at 75. Apparently the bishop didn’t tell him at that point that he could stay on in the house as curate, so the next Sunday he told the congregation here: “They’re putting me out on grass”. But a few days later Fr Sullivan told him that he was going to be the new PP and that Fr Eugene would be curate and continue to live in Corlough. He was delighted with that, so the next Sunday he told the congregation: “It’s alright. I’m back in clover!” He had a great sense of humour and could see the funny side of any situation.

When he eventually retired fully to Ballinamore he was very fortunate in having his devoted niece Margaret and her family nearby and they have been extraordinarily good to him and attentive to his needs. So too have his neighbours, the various social services in Ballinamore and especially Josie his next door neighbour. He was very grateful for the care of the doctors, nurses and staff in the hospitals in Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo. He appreciated every little service that was done for him. He accepted the limitations of old age with good humour and good grace and was extraordinarily content and happy in his retirement.

In this Year for Priests, as we mourn the passing of our oldest priest, we thank God for the three young men who have recently entered the seminary to study for the priesthood. We continue to pray that those who feel God’s call to priesthood in our diocese will respond generously. We thank God for Fr Eugene’s long life and for his ministry as a priest for nearly seventy years. We ask God to be merciful to him and to take him to himself in the glory of the resurrection. May he rest in peace.