The death was announced today of Kerry writer and philosopher John Moriarty. As readers of this blog will know John was a man who profoundly influenced me,and while his struggle is at an end it is a great loss that we will no longer benefit by his presence amongst us. The gentle soul of John shepherded many bruised pilgrims along the Celestial path and it is now his moment to enter in fully to that Heavenly City which he so long had sought.The excerpt below appears in Johns latest publication,Serious Sounds. In context ,a neighbour of Johns ,Michael McCahill lay dying in Clifden hospital surrounded by his neighbours and family.."Parkinsons disease having made him as rigid as a board, diabetes having blinded him and,now,as though it was in competition for mortal honours with the other two,gangerene was spreading,at times rushing,throughout his body.He had within the last few days been abducted from us,carried off into a solitude and silence that was at once infinitely far from us yet unreachably near to us.His body was a rigid lost cause and as far as we could see the man we had known was unspeakably crucified to it."Into this scene of lingering awfulness enters Fr. Herity, the local parish priest and "in a clear and firm voice" uttered this final blessing on the dying man. John Moriarty would settle for no less a benediction for his last great journey...
O CHRISTIAN SOUL
Go forth upon thy journey from this world, 0 Christian soul:
In the name of God, the almighty Father, who created thee,
In the name of Jesus Christ, his Son, who redeemed thee,
In the name of the Holy Spirit who sanctifieth thee.
May thy guardian angel succour and defend thee,
May the prayers of the blessed saints help thee,
May thy Redeemer look upon thee in pardon and in mercy,
May thy rest be with him this day in Paradise.
Depart, 0 Christian soul, out of this world.
2 comments:
A fitting tribute for a man whose genius was anchored to a humble heart.
I heard John Moriarty speak a few years ago,I was part of a group of nurses involved with the care of the dying. John spoke compellingly about the dignity of being human and his certainty of an after-life ! That talk profoundly influenced me both in my personal and professional life,and today with you I mourn his passing _ R.I.P.
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