"God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust" (Wis. 3:5-6).
These words, my dear sisters and brothers in Christ, proclaimed in the First
Reading today and taken from the Book of Wisdom, remind us all that, in our
present earthly condition, we shall all be tested "like gold in a furnace"
(Wis. 3:6) if we hope to be proven to be worthy to be with the Lord. Life on
earth is a struggle for all of us. There is no plain sailing. To be worthy to
be with the Lord calls for us frequently to go against the tide of the current
trend and to hold on to the rudder tenaciously, keeping our destination firmly
in mind and sight. Trends may knock us off course and put us into rapids which
may lead to disaster. But, as Christians, so long as we can handle peer-pressure
and cherish a sense of personal freedom in living out our Christian commitment,
we shall live lives of value and virtue, not being swayed one way or another
by the latest trends and fancies. This we will do only through allowing God
to have a guiding role in our lives. With Him holding the rudder, we shall not
go astray and we know, as Scripture reminds us, that "the souls of the
virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them" (Wis.
3:1).
Death will surely come to all of us, sooner or later, and the manner in which
we leave this world and the legacy we leave behind will depend to a large extent
on how we have faced up to the challenges of life, in our relationship with
God and with one another throughout life. Indeed, St. Paul, in the Letter to
the Romans, puts it very clearly to all of us when he writes: "It is to
God, therefore, that each of us must give an account of himself" (Rm. 14:12).
Each time we attend a funeral we are reminded of this reality. Life is short,
eternity is long and between these two great realities there is the personal
encounter with the living, all merciful, all-loving God. St. Paul writes: "We
shall all have to stand before the judgement seat of God" (Rm.14:11). It
is worth reminding ourselves today of this as we attend the funeral of the late
Father John Cronin, here in his parish Church.
Father John was fully aware of what was before him. His whole life had been
one of never being taken unawares and as he faced serenely the passage from
his earthly abode to what lay beyond he did so in a matter-of-fact way. This
he told me during my last visit with him in hospital. He knew what he was facing
and knew it was not far away. He was ready. He had held his hand on the rudder
of faith throughout life and the Lord was there with him to unfurl the sails
and to guide him safely into port. He left us - family and diocese - quietly
and without fuss, just as would have been his wont.
Father John Cronin, a native of the Parish of Castletownroche, was ordained
to the Priesthood for service in the Diocese of Cloyne on the 21st of June 1959.
His first year of priestly ministry was exercised in the Archdiocese of Cardiff,
Wales before returning to the Diocese to take up an appointment in the Parish
of Doneraile. After almost four years of service there he was appointed to the
Parish of Macroom where for the next almost eleven years he grew into the Priesthood,
serving generously and faithfully the people entrusted to his pastoral care.
On the 1st of February 1975 Father John was assigned as Curate in the Parish
of Aghabullogue, where for the next thirteen years of his priestly life he worked
tirelessly in building up the Kingdom of God. He would often refer to the happy
years he spent in that parish. Among the first changes of personnel I made,
when I became Bishop, was the transfer of Father Cronin to the eastern side
of the Diocese, to the Parish of Midleton, on the 11th June 1988. Father John
left his mark in that thriving Parish as a man of great faith and dedication.
His assiduous visitation of homes in the parish and the warm-hearted and unthreatening
manner of his visits endeared him to one and all. He always carried with him
a cordless phone, strapped around him, making sure that he was always contactable
and available. Nothing would ever ruffle him.
Father John was well prepared to take up the challenge of guiding, as Pastor,
the Parish of Glanworth and Ballindangan when he was appointed Parish Priest
in September 1993. For the past almost eleven years he has been a Father to
the People of this Parish even though he was tested and tried, for much of the
time, by poor and failing health. He got to know the people through his visits
to their homes and particularly through the station Masses which he enjoyed
very much. His deep faith, coupled with a unique sense of humour, endeared him
to all. He was known to be very much down to earth and up front with everybody
and people would say there were no airs or graces about him. He was a man of
lightening-fast wit which indicated a sharp intelligence. Indeed, his one-liners
and great turn of phrase and quick thinking on his feet were signs of a very
active mind. He will be remembered as an astute judge of people and cherished
as a very wise counsellor to people and fellow priests alike.
Father John was meticulous when it came to parish administration - every drawer
contained a fact-file or prayer for every occasion. While his health lasted
he was a regular visitor of schools in his parish and was always welcomed by
teachers and pupils alike. The children loved to see him coming, as he used
to carry with him some "skittles" - a brand of sweets for them. I
have been told that anyone who met Father Cronin was always the better and richer
for the encounter. He was, they would say, "droll but unthreatening".
But it was his capacity to put people at ease and his evident closeness to God
that marked him out as a true Pastor of souls. His fidelity to his prayer life
and the Eucharist sustained him and all his pastoral work and for the forty-five
years of his priestly ministry in the Diocese of Cloyne he gave witness to a
life of dedication and service in the name of Christ.
Father John knew how to relax. He was a lover of nature and the countryside.
His garden was his haven of peace and tranquillity and any time I came to visit
him here he would delight in standing in his garden looking towards the river
'Funcheon' and across the fields. He relished the opportunity of strolling through
the fields and greeting people as he passed by. He was also a lover of horses
- for their own sake - and he enjoyed riding at an easy pace, always sitting
bolt upright on the horse.
Father John was a realist through and through and from his collection of aphorisms,
which he cherished, he could draw out an appropriate one which would suit the
occasion. One such, I think, from his collection would indicate the great mind
and soul of this man of God:
"The Clock of Life"
The clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power to tell us where
The hands will stop
At late or early hour.
To lose one's wealth is sad indeed
To lose one's health is more;
To lose one's soul is such a loss
As no man can restore.
The present only is our own
Live, love, toil with a will -
Place no faith in tomorrow for
The clock may then be still.
Father John, the hands of the clock have stopped for you. You have lived and
loved and toiled with a will. You have completed your earthly journey, serving
God's people with dignity and respect. You have given of the richness that was
within you for the good of all and the Lord Jesus has enabled you, as His Priest,
to give glory to the Father in heaven. May you now rest from your labours and
merit the reward of a faithful servant for indeed "God has put you to the
test and proved you worthy to be with Him" (cf. 3:5). Thank you for the
enjoyment of your company! Thank you for the witness of your faith! Thank you
for your fidelity to the priesthood! Rest in peace!
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