Today is the anniversary of the death of Paul Hynes.
Paul died in Dublin on June 1, 1985 at the age of 51.
He joined the Irish Dominicans in 1951 and was ordained a priest in 1958.
Paul Hynes was an exceptional person, a man who was ahead of his time.
He was, I believe, one of the finest Dominicans of his generation.
Before my priestly ordination he strongly recommended that I begin my working career as a teacher. He argued that it gave a priest a great discipline. He said you have to be on the job every day and be prepared because if you are not, the students will quickly see through you.
I did begin my working career as a teacher.
He was forever saying that far too many priests did not know what it meant to do a day’s work five days in succession.
He also stressed that it was important that when priests officiate at baptisms, weddings and funerals they be well prepared and do so in a dignified, prayerful and upstanding manner.
In 1973 he said: “In the years to come it will be the only time that most people will be inside a church, so make sure to do a good job.”
Paul was adventurous, innovative, a hard worker, a fine preacher and a man of prayer. And guess what, he also had a temper and had no time whatsoever for spoofs or Holy Joes.
He was neither a spoof nor a Holy Joe.
He developed cancer in part of the brain that sends signals to other parts of the body.
He suffered excruciating pain. His illness meant that he was susceptible to falling and stumbling. on many occasions out walking people would think he was drunk. On one occasion the gardaí stopped him, thinking he was drunk.
And while he would be frustrated and angry, he eventually learned to live with it.
No comments:
Post a Comment