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More than 40 members of the clergy attended the funeral Monday. (VINCENZO D'ALTO/The Gazette)
Beloved priest given a fine send-off
Church is filled for McEntee's funeral
Alycia Ambroziak
The Gazette
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
More than 40 members of the clergy attended the funeral Monday. (VINCENZO D'ALTO/The Gazette)
Father Thomas McEntee was known to often comment on how he would like to see a church filled to the brim with parishioners again. And more than 1,000 people did just that Monday as they paid their final respects to McEntee who died May 29. He was 84.
Every pew in St. Edmund of Canterbury Church in Beaconsfield, where McEntee was pastor from 1974 to 2000, was filled, as some mourners had to stand outside the church during the service, which was preceded by an open-casket visitation.
Besides McEntee’s family, mourners appeared to be an eclectic group made up of soldiers in uniforms from every branch of the armed forces, members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Boy Scout representatives, members of the Knights of Columbus, others wearing the bright green sashes of various Irish societies, priests and nuns and monks, leaders and members of various organizations, politicians from every government level and just plain people – all together to pay tribute to McEntee, known for his many good works, as well as for his good sense of humour.
“He was a priest and a gentleman and the most authentic person you could ever meet,” David Potter, who wrote a poem in McEntee’s honour, said following the service. “If you’ve ever seen the northern stars or a rainbow over the ocean, you’ve seen the spririt of Father McEntee.”
Potter, a Navy reservist, first knew McEntee, who joined the Canadian Navy in 1941, as chaplain to HMCS Donnacona and later through the Knights of Columbus.
“I remember when we we delivered food together during the ice storm in 1998.”
Among other things, McEntee was also chaplain of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, chaplain of the Navy White Ensign and instrumental in the founding of local chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous, Big Brothers, Big Sisters West Island and the founder of the the West Island’s Executives Available.
“He was a holy man in all senses of the word,” said Victor Chartier, director of Executives Available. “He was never short of giving. And someone in need would ever hear the word ‘no’ from him.”
Martin Shaw, a counselor with Executives Available, described McEntee as “the most unforgettable person I ever met.”
In true Irish fashion, the funeral began with a powerful rendition of O Danny Boy. David Fitzpatrick, McEntee’s best friend and fellow priest, delivered the homily with touching and often humourous tales of the adventures the two shared, including a story about a “bum” asking for a handout but who instead ended up giving the priests a quarter because they had no change.
“How is someone holy?” Father Fitzpatrick asked.
“You become holy by loving, and you are all here because He has loved you.”
McEntee, who was ordained in 1954, was awarded the Order of Canada in 1990. Among many honours, McEntee also received the St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal Community Service Award and the United Irish Societies’ Simon McDonaugh Humanitarian award. McEntee was named Irishman of the Year in 2002 and has a scholarship in his name at Concordia’s Irish Studies Foundation.
Mourners remembered McEntee in various ways.
Rosemarie Simpson, who works as a cook at St. Ignatious parish, described McEntee as a good, kind man who always rememberd.
“He will be missed.”
Menelaos Pavlides, a member of the provincial Scouting movement, described McEntee as “a gentleman.
“He was always the first there when something needed to be done.”
Beaconsfield Mayor Bob Benedetti remembered McEntee as “a great priest and a great person ... who told terrible jokes.”
Sister Anastasia of the Little Sisters of the Poor, remembered McEntee as a kind human being and recalled the last Mass she had seen McEntee preside over.
“It was so beautiful,” she said.
Wendy Downie Wilcox recalled when McEntee attended her father’s funeral in 2000.
“Father McEntee was a lovely, special man.”
Fitzpatrick said his final good-bye to his good friend.
“Now Tom is at rest and has finally seen God face-to-face,” Fitzpatrick said. “He saw the face of God in every person he served.”
WHERE WAS HE BURIED????