Patsy McGarry,
Religious Affairs
Correspondent
The government of Burundi will be represented at the funeral Mass of Archbishop Michael Courtney in Nenagh, Co Tipperary at noon today by Mr Athanase Gahungu, the country's finance minister.
Archbishop Courtney was assassinated in Burundi last Monday.
The Mass at St Mary of the Rosary Church will be celebrated by Cardinal Francis Arinze, who will be assisted by Cardinal Desmond Connell, the Catholic Primate Archbishop Seán Brady, the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Lazaratto, and other bishops. Burial will take place afterwards at Dromineer. Archbishop Courtney's remains were received at a crowded St Mary's church in Nenagh last night by the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, accompanied by Bishop John Kirby of Clonfert.
"A long journey from Burundi has ended as we welcome back Archbishop Michael into the building from which his initiation into the church began some 58 years ago with his baptism. Just three short years ago we sent him out joyfully to Burundi. . . . we welcome him back this evening in sadness," Dr Walsh said. The Archbishop's coffin was carried into St Mary's by a bearer party from the Irish Army's first Southern Brigade, military police company, based at Collins barracks, Cork.
The Taoiseach was represented at an earlier Mass for Archbishop Courtney, in Loughrea, by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen.
Mr Cowen was one of a large number of public representatives, clergy and laity at a Mass which was celebrated by Bishop Kirby at St Brendan's Cathedral.
Also present were members of the late archbishop's family and friends. A mitre on the late archbishop's coffin had been prepared by the people of his titular diocese of Annaghdown and was to be presented to him in a special ceremony there next summer. In his sermon Bishop Kirby remarked that this death represented the second such tragedy for a priest of the diocese, the smallest in Ireland, to happen within the past ten years. The previous violent death of a priest he referred to was that of Father Joe Walsh, who was killed by Brendan O'Donnell.
Bishop Kirby said the late archbishop was not just a diplomat, he was also a priest, a pastor and a carer. He noted that Archbishop Courtney's life had "a very, very strong pastoral element", and that most of the countries in which he served were part of the developing world. Burundi, he pointed out, was one of the poorest countries in the world. He said that although it was over 28 years since the archbishop had served as a priest of Clonfert diocese he had always kept himself informed about events there.
"He was extremely good at maintaining friendships," Bishop Kirby said. Speaking of the late archbishop's work in Burundi, he said he had good rapport with all sides and "I will never understand why they wished to kill him".
Officiating at the Mass with Bishop Kirby were the Archbishop of Tuam, Michael Neary, the former Archbishop of Tuam, Joseph Cassidy, the Bishop of Galway, James McLoughlin, and Archbishop Tom White, former Papal Nuncio to Rwanda and Burundi.
Among the politicians present were Mr Noel Treacy TD, representing the Government, Seán O'Neachtain, MEP, Mr Paul Connaughton, TD, Mr Joe Callanan TD, Mr Michael D. Higgins TD, Mr Brendan Smith TD, Senators Micheal Kitt and Ulick Bourke.
Also present was Supt Michael Mulryan, representing the Garda and Mr Charles McDonald, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbanus.
The archbishop's remains arrived at Dublin airport on Thursday night and were removed in a Tricolour-draped coffin from the airport mortuary to the chapel for a brief service conducted by Cardinal Desmond Connell. Also present were the coadjutor Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, and the Papal Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Lavarotto.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, attended, as did former Attorney General Mr Harry Whelehan, a personal friend of Archbishop Courtney, who accompanied members of the late archbishop's family.
Present too were former Fianna Fáil minister, Mr Michael O'Kennedy, broadcaster and commentator Vincent Browne, film censor Mr John Kelleher and Mr Justin Kilcullen, director of Trócaire, as well as members of the diplomatic corps.