Jean died unexpectedly the Saturday before last at the age of 91 just before her 92nd birthday. Her funeral took place yesterday with a crowded church, with people packed in every conceivable space . As Father Martin is on holiday I had the privilege of taking the service. Jean had left instructions that it was to be a straight forward Funeral Service and had chosen the hymns to be sung. (We hope to arrange a Requiem Mass for Jean when Father Martin returns from his holiday. A Requiem was celebrated by Father Martin in Spain at the same time as the funeral was taking place in the UK)
At the beginning of the service I read out a letter which I had received from Father Martin welcoming people to St. Augustine’s, celebrating Jean’s life and saying the important role she had played in the life of St. Augustine’s since she first started attending in 1953 .This was very much appreciated by the family and those attending
I used the reading, 1 Corinthians, 1-13 as the basis for my sermon and appreciation of all the Jean had done in the life of the parish. Later in the service there was a moving Eulogy written by members of the family. At the end of the service I gave the Final Commendation, sprinkled the coffin with Holy Water and blessed it with incense before the cortege left Rush Green and went to the South East Essex Crematorium for the committal.
There was a really wonderful buffet in the hall when the family and other mourners returned to the parish
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