Mr John Hume, the former SDLP leader and Nobel laureate has died aged 83. Mr Hume, who is viewed as the architect of the 1998 Belfast Agreement, had been ill for a long time. He is survived by his wife Pat and his children Terese, Aine, Aidan, John and Mo, his brothers and sisters and grandchildren. May he rest in peace.
Below are statements issued in response to his death and the preliminary information on his Funeral Mass:
“The death of John Hume, one of the greatest peacemakers and champions of social justice of our time, will be felt by many people locally and around the world. He dedicated his life to the welfare of this community, at no small cost to himself. His name became a byword for dedication to the cause of peace, whatever the obstacles or criticisms.”
Bishop Donal McKeown
Click here to read Bishop Donal McKeown’s statement on the death of John Hume RIP
“A great sadness has descended on my home city of Derry today as we learn of the death of one of our greatest sons, Mr John Hume. That sadness ripples out to every corner of Ireland and all around the world where the mere mention of the name of John Hume evokes admiration, respect and thanksgiving for a life dedicated to peace and social justice. Today we are remembering a paragon of peace, a giant of a statesman whose legacy of unstinting service to the Common Good is internationally acclaimed, even though it is still perhaps only unfolding.”
Archbishop Eamon Martin
Click here to read Archbishop Eamon Martin’s tribute to John Hume RIP: “A paragon of peace”
“Motivated by a strong personal faith and responding to the needs of the community, John was a champion of Human Rights. He actively sought to protect the most vulnerable across society. He exercised and exemplified a model of civic leadership through dialogue. John had a visionary capacity to view the local political and societal challenges through the wider prism of human dignity and International partnership.”
Bishop Noel Treanor
Click here to read Bishop Noel Treanor’s statement on the death of John Hume RIP
Funeral Mass of John Hume RIP:
Media information for the Funeral Mass of John Hume RIP