Tuesday, 07 February 2012

January 14th 2012 marked the second anniversary of the death of Father James Ryan who was, for 37 years, parish priest of Our Lady and St Paul's, Darn Hill, Heywood.

A memorial Mass was celebrated in the parish by Canon Anthony Kay, Vicar General, attended by many of the parishioners.

Two years ago Father Ryan had announced his forthcoming retirement and had gone for his post-Christmas break to his native Ireland to a family wedding. On his return journey he died peacefully in his sleep in Dublin. Approximately a thousand people came together for his funeral in Heywood. 

A Memorial plaque was blessed and dedicated by Canon Anthony Kay at Mass at Our Lady and St Paul's, assisted by Father Paul Daly, parish priest of the new parish of Our Lady and St Joseph, Heywood, Father Tadgh Mullins, former curate in Heywood and long-time friend of Father Ryan, and Father Andrew Starkie, resident at the presbytery in Darn Hill.

On a happier note, on the same occasion Canon Kay, on behalf of the Bishop, presented the Papal Awards Benemerenti to two people who had worked so well with Father Ryan. The Award was presented to Mrs Kathleen Pender, for many years Father Ryan's housekeeper and still a very supportive parishioner and Mrs Patricia O'Rourke, for twenty-five years a teacher at Our Lady and St Paul's Primary School and, in recent years, its Headteacher.