We gather here today to pay our last respects in this funeral mass to Fr. Con O'Shea. Also we are here to support his family, Brothers Donal & Sean and Sisters Ann and Breda his nephews and nieces. We welcome his Bishop John Magee as well as his Brother priest from the diocese. A special welcome to his class mates from around Ireland and to all the people from various parishes he served.
Con was born in Newmarket in 1938. From early days he set sight on priesthood.
In late 1950s he went to Rome to study. Bishop Magee was a contemporary of his
there and last night at the removal he related some memories of Fr Con's student
days. Those were the day's of Pontificate John XXIII and any time the Pope gave
an audience, Con and his classmate Michael Smith presently Bishop of Meath,
had some penchant for ending up beside him on the podium. This meant crashing
through security to get there.
Fr Con was ordained in 1963, the year Vatican Council II was initiated by the
same Pope. " Semper fidei, Semper reformandi"the church "always
faithful, always renewing" as the Latin dictum puts it. The church had
to change as society around was fast changing and while there was great excitement
about it, it also brought headaches and hard work for the priest. Institutions
were taking a buffeting, the safety nets were gone. The priest had to redefine
himself in order to remain relevant in a society that at best questioned everything,
became more liberal and at worst became indifferent. This was the template into
which Fr. Cons priesthood was launched, and he faced this new "zeitgeist"
with fervour.
Scripture tells us "not by bread alone does man live but by every word
that comes from the mouth of God".(Mt. 4.4). Sometimes however the corollary
of this may well apply to the priest because while the priest must be rooted
in Christ through prayer and sacrament, he is a human being too and to be of
any use should have good hobbies. It was in pursuit of our hobbies that I encountered
Fr. Con. We both shared an interest in GAA and horse racing. Often times we
would be on opposing sides at football matches, he with Kildorrery, me with
Killshannigh. He contributed much to GAA clubs in every parish in which he worked.
He founded juvenile GAA in Clyda Rovers. One time we travelled to Cheltenham
together stayed in Bristol and would commute by bus to the races everyday.
On the third day we were there he intimated to me that he had a horse running
there that day. As luck would have it I also had an interest in a nag running
the same day. Trouble was, I was praying for rain because my horse needed soft
ground, whereas he wanted fine weather and fast going for his horse. Not for
the first time God must have been confused by us.
However throughout all his pursuits he kept a great sense of propriety and managed
to bring the ministry of priesthood to all these areas, often reaching people
on the margins of society.
In 1997 Fr. Con was made Parish Priest of Ballyhea. After three years his health broke down, forcing him to retire prematurely at the age of 62 in the year 2000. He accepted the cross of illness with great patience until finally he succumbed to a stroke and after one week in a coma the Lord relieved him and took him to the room he prepared for him in Eternity. Throughout his illness, Fr Con knew that the way of the cross was the way that leads to Christ.
As Pope John Paul II said in his homily at the Beatification of Padre Pio, " It is a strange mystery of God that sometimes He permits those He loves most to suffer most" and then he said "It is in the crucible of suffering that one learns to love"
Fr Con can say with St. Paul " I have fought the good fight, I have run the race to the finish, I have kept the faith".(2 Tim. 4.7)
Sagart Dílis a ba Con
Air dheis de go raibh a anam