At 3.30pm this afternoon Bishop Donal McKeown, Bishop of Derry, will process with concelebrating bishops, priests and other robed clergy from the sacristy of Saint Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, to the main door, where they will enter the Cathedral and process up the central aisle, to celebrate Requiem Mass for the late Bishop Edward Daly RIP. This Mass will be available to view online on rte.ie/news, the RTÉ News Now app (the link to view the Mass will be within the story about his funeral) and the RTÉ Player from 3.30pm. The RTÉ programme “The Darkest Days” reflecting the life and times of Bishop Daly will be aired this morning at 10:25am on RTÉ News Now.
Chief Mourners
Ms Anne Gibson (sister), Ms Marion Ferguson (sister), nieces and nephews of Bishop Daly.
Main Celebrant
Bishop Donal McKeown
Main concelebrants
Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Bishop Francis Lagan, retired auxiliary Bishop of Derry, Monsignor Amaury Medina Blanco (Chargé d’Affaires ai, Apostolic Nunciature in Ireland, representing the Holy Father Pope Francis.)
Other concelebrants
Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop Emeritus of Armagh, bishops, priests of the Diocese of Derry and from other dioceses.
Deacon
Reverend Malachy Gallagher
Choir
Saint Eugene’s Cathedral Choir will sing during the Mass. The Director of Music will be Sister Perpetua McNulty, who will conduct the choir. The Cathedral Organist is Mr Aidan Watkins.
Message of condolences from the Holy Father Pope Francis
At the start of the Mass, Monsignor Amaury Medina Blanco (Chargé d’Affaires ai, Apostolic Nunciature in Ireland) will read a message of condolences from the Holy Father Pope Francis. It will be published separately and closer to the time of the funeral.
First Reading: Read by Ms Marion Gibson (sister of Bishop Daly)
Isaiah 25: 6-9
A reading from the prophet Isaiah.
On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet
of rich food. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all
peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death
forever.
The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his
people’s shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so.
That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped.
We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us.
The word of the Lord.
Psalm sung by: Ms Anne Marie Hickey (Saint Eugene’s Cathedral Choir)
Second Reading: Read by Ms Yvonne Martin (Director of Nursing at Foyle Hospice, where Bishop Daly was chaplain for the last 22 years, after his retirement as Bishop of Derry.)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans 8:31-35. 37-39
With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but
gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not
refuse us anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen?
When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died
for us- he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for
us.
Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled
or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even
attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who
loved us.
For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists,
nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can
ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The word of the Lord.
Gospel
John 21: 15-19
Homily
To be preached by Bishop Donal McKeown. It will be published separately and closer to the time of the funeral.
Prayer of the Faithful
Bishop Daly’s nephews and nieces
Offertory Procession
Ms Marion Ferguson (sister of Bishop Daly)
Ms Betty Doherty (Bishop Daly’s housekeeper)
Ms Kay Duddy (sister of Jackie Duddy, the dying seventeen-year-old who was assisted by Bishop Daly on Bloody Sunday in Derry on 30 January 1972.
Burial
At the conclusion of the Requiem Mass, the pallbearers (priests of the Diocese of Derry) will carry the remains of Bishop Daly from the Cathedral to his burial place in the small cemetery situated in the grounds of the Cathedral. He will be buried next to his predecessor, Bishop Neil Farren RIP who was Bishop of Derry from 1939 until 1973 and who died in 1980.
Notes to editors
- Life and ministry: Born on 5 December 1933 in Beleek, Co Fermanagh, Edward Daly was a boarder in Saint Columb’s College, Derry, and subsequently studied for the priesthood in the Pontifical Irish College, Rome. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Derry on 16 March 1957. His first appointment was as a curate in Castlederg, Co Tyrone. In 1962 he was appointed curate in the parish of Saint Eugene’s Cathedral, which includes the Bogside area of Derry City, and his ministry coincided with The Troubles. In 1973, he was appointed Religious Advisor to RTÉ in Dublin. In 1974, he was ordained Bishop of Derry, serving from 31 March 1974 to 26 October 1993 retiring due to serious illness. In retirement, despite poor health, and up to earlier this year, Bishop Daly continued to serve as a dedicated chaplain to the Foyle Hospice in Derry. He also served as the diocesan archivist. As an author Bishop Daly published Mister, Are you a Priest?; Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled; and was co-author of The Clergy of the Diocese of Derry: an Index, and has contributed to A History of the Diocese of Derry. Bishop Daly died on 8 August 2016.
- Bishop McKeown was appointed Bishop of Derry in 2014. Bishop Francis Lagan is the retired Auxiliary Bishop of Derry. He was ordained bishop in 1988 and served as Bishop Daly’s auxiliary bishop.
ENDS
For media contact: the Catholic Communications Office in Maynooth on +353 (1) 5053017 or Martin Long +353 (0) 86 172 7678
