ARCHDIOCESAN OBITUARY & FR TIM'S HOMILY FOR DEACON JOHN KEELEY RIP
ARCHDIOCESAN OBITUARY
The Archdiocese has circlated an obituary for Deacon John Keeley RIP - which you can read by clicking here.
FR TIM's HOMILY AT DEACON JOHN RIP's FUNERAL
Last Sunday was Good Shepherd Sunday and the world day of prayer for vocations. It seems to me that John had a very clear idea of the meaning of vocation. A hard-working craftsman, dedicated to his wife and family, I know that he also shared in the joys and sorrows of his large extended family, someone who was always utterly dependable. I know too that he was also dedicated to the parish family of Bishop Eton, so much so that when some of the parishioners sewed in him the seed of a possible vocation to the diaconate, he decided to test the water and discuss the matter with the then parish priest, Peter Brett. Peter’s response: something along the lines of “I thought you’d never come” rather took him by surprise, but it was all he needed to allow the Spirit of God to do the rest. In his training he was nobly supported by Peter and they remained lifelong friends. Of course, this was the time of Archbishop Derek Worlock and John was to become one of the pioneers of the Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese. If he had survived one more day his marital vocation would have reached its 51st anniversary. His vocation to the diaconate resulted in over thirty years of service, which included more than five beyond the official age of retirement at 75. I know that he treasured those years of ministry and the opportunities it afforded him to live his Christian life to the full.
In his introductory thoughts on the training of deacons in the Archdiocese today, Archbishop Malcolm emphasises the unique role of the permanent deacon, specifically in relation to his ability to be close to the people and identify their needs. This, of course, was the very reason for deacons in the first place. We know, from the Acts of the Apostles, that the apostles were being overwhelmed by some of the practical problems besetting the community, so they chose seven worthy souls to take care of these matters. John epitomised this role in our parish. I don’t think any of us will ever know how many people he took under his wing over the years: not only making sure that the housebound received the sacraments, but also ensuring that they were looked after in every possible way, and I gather this could sometimes include the use of his expertise in plumbing or in the face of other household crises. The Guard of Honour, organised by the SVP, is a fitting tribute to this side of John’s ministry.
Deacons also have a liturgical role and John fulfilled this side of his ministry with equal diligence. Not one for standing on ceremony, he was an impressive presence on the sanctuary and in the pulpit, exuding a spirit of calm authority. His unfussy approach was reassuring, and he came into his own particularly on the great occasions like Christmas and Easter. He knew his way around the Holy Week liturgies and was able to prepare the servers so that everything was carried out with reverence and dignity. And, of course, he always went to great trouble to prepare the Christmas crib and the Easter garden. This is the first year that we have had to try and assemble these without him.
The Easter Garden assembled by Deacon John from a few years ago.
He made no secret of the fact that his preaching, which in my opinion was excellent, owed much to the guidance of Peter Brett. However, make no mistake, John had his own inimitable style. He stood erect in the pulpit with that magnificent beard, looking like an Old Testament prophet, but his message was always the New Testament message of Christ’s compassion and it was very much a message for our times. On many occasions he would so touch my heart that I would be moved to share his insights with the congregations at St Mary’s later in the day.
The readings the family have chosen for today’s Mass take us into the heart of John’s personality. Ecclesiastes, the preacher, was a thoroughly down to earth character, who recognised that life is a mystery, a challenge, indeed often a drudgery and that we can never get into the mind of God. However, Ecclesiastes also recognised that in the midst of it all we can find real happiness: indeed, he describes eating and drinking and even our work as gifts from God. John loved nothing more than a good celebration and many of us are grateful for the hospitality that he and Maureen and the family have offered us over the years.
John was a man of faith. Following Paul, in today’s extract from his letter to the Philippians, I often heard him remind us that we don’t achieve salvation or perfection by our own efforts, but by being caught up in Christ, who can transform and redeem everything and everyone. And, ultimately, he knew that there is more to life than our human experience here on earth. We have just listened to the Lord at the Last Supper, promising that he is going to prepare as place for us, a place where there is room for all of us. That night he gave us the Eucharist, a foretaste of the banquet that awaits us in heaven. This is the mystery that John celebrated and ministered from this sanctuary. Now we thank God for John and lovingly entrust him to the Lord, so that the Lord may bring him to perfection. As we pray for the repose of his soul, we pray too for ourselves that our faith in these mysteries may be strengthened. We trust that John can now see more clearly than we can how Christ’s promises are going to be fulfilled. Meanwhile, we can only long for the day when all will be revealed and we can be united with our loved ones for all eternity.
Eternal rest….
