Homily of Bishop Leo O’Reilly
at the Funeral Mass of Canon Liam Gaffney
St Ninnidh’s Church, Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh, 15 October 2011
The Word of God in the Mass today proclaims a message of hope in the face of death. The prophet Isaiah speaks of a heavenly banquet of rich food and fine wines, a place of unbounded joy where there will be no more tears and no more sadness. The Gospel tells the story of the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, their faces downcast in their grief at the recent death of Jesus. The stranger who joins them on the road helps them to put words on their grief, to tell the story of their loss. And then he brings them to a new understanding of their story in the light of the scriptures. With burning hearts they begin to see that Jesus’ death is not the end of the story, but in a real sense only the beginning. He is risen. He is still with them, though in a different way than he was before. They eventually recognise him in the breaking of the bread. Their hearts are warmed and their hopes renewed.
God’s word consoles and strengthens us and gives us new hope as we gather today to mourn the death of Canon Liam Gaffney. For some here he was a much loved uncle, grand-uncle or close relative whom you will miss a lot. For others he was a very devoted pastor. For all he was a good friend. He never forgot his native Killeshandra and he always kept very close to his family. His devotion to them was more than adequately repaid by their care and love for him, and that was never more obvious than last Saturday night when we was entering the final stage of his last illness. Despite his pain, he managed a broad smile and struggled to articulate his last coherent words to his nephew and niece – words of love and thanks and appreciation for all their goodness to him.
Like most priests of his generation he began his ministry abroad. After ordination in 1947 he spend his first six years in Edinburg before returning to take up his position as curate in Aughawillan in 1953. In those few years in Edinburg he made friendships that he maintained throughout his life. He made a final trip to Edinburg just a few years ago, to the parish where he began his ministry, St Ninian’s. With a determination that was typical, and despite having to use a walking aid, he managed to make his way up to the grave of his former parish priest, Fr Peter Higgins. He had remained friendly with him till his death and he now wanted to say goodbye. He met former parishioners who were teenagers when he knew them, but were now pensioners themselves. Their love and affection for him was testimony to his hard work and his effective ministry among them.
He moved to my native parish of Kill in 1958 where he remained for 7 years and where he is still fondly remembered as a holy, hardworking priest, and a man who was fully involved in the life and activities of the whole community. After Kill he went north – as curate to Kinawley – in 1965, and the rest of his priestly life was to be spent in Fermanagh: eleven years in Kinawley as curate, seven in Killesher as Parish Priest and the rest here in Derrylin, where he was Parish Priest until 1998 and Pastor Emeritus since then. It’s no surprise that, to some, he was known as the parish priest of south Fermanagh.
In the 46 years he spent in Fermanagh he has made an indelible mark on the lives of the people in all three parishes. Whether it was setting up the boxing club in Kinawley and giving young people a positive outlet for their energies, or revitalizing amateur drama groups in all three parishes, the Canon knew how to draw the best out of people whose talents might otherwise never have come to light. He got to know everybody, young and old. When he met young people he could call them by their names, and when he met their parents he would always be interested in where their children were now and how they were doing.
Canon Gaffney had a great commitment to Catholic education and made a huge contribution to it at primary and post-primary levels in this area. He was a real believer in Thomas Davis’ maxim, ‘Educate that you may be free’. He saw that a good education for young people was the way to better lives, not only for the young people themselves, but for the whole community. The teachers, members of Boards of Governors, students, parents and all associated with the schools – and especially St Aidan’s High School – recognise and appreciate his contribution to education not only in the parish of Knockninny, but in the whole surrounding area.
We will remember Canon Gaffney for many things but most of all for his incredible to devotion to his priestly duties, his prayer, his celebration of Mass and the sacraments, his attention to the sick people of the parish and all the many things that make up the daily routine of a parish priest. He would also want us to remember him in our prayers. He was a holy man and he was a Canon but he wouldn’t want us to canonise him just yet! He knew better than anyone that he had his faults and that was a sinner in need of God’s mercy. He was fortunate in having a community and a group of helpers and friends who stood by him with great loyalty and went far beyond the call of duty in their care for him. I would like to take this opportunity of acknowledging and paying tribute to all of you who were such a help and such a support to him in the years of his illness.
As we celebrate the Eucharist today – the Eucharist which meant so much to Canon Gaffney throughout his long life – we renew our faith that Jesus walks with us today as he did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. His words in the Gospel speak to us and warm our hearts and stir up our hope. We pray for the faith to recognise Christ as we hear his Word and receive his body in Communion. And we pray for the faith to know that the death of Canon Liam is not the end of his story, but really only the beginning of a new life – the life of the resurrection.
I offer my deepest sympathy to his nephew, his nieces, his relatives, parishioners past and present, his classmate and close friend, Monsignor P.J. McManus, and his many friends. May he rest in peace.
