Farewell Homily for Fr Eamonn Monson by Deacon Duncan Brown

Farewell Homily for Fr Eamonn Monson

(Readings: Ezekiel 47 : 1-2, 8-9, 12 | 1 Cor 3 : 9-11, 16-17 | John 2 : 13-22)

It’s not easy to say goodbye to someone like Fr Eamonn Monson —
not just because of the years he’s spent with us,
but because of how he’s spent them:
fully, generously, and at times delightfully unpredictably…
especially if you happen to be a pigeon.

Yes, it’s fair to say that Fr Eamonn has always had a generous heart —
and apparently a generous spare room too.
One pigeon took up residence in the presbytery,
another decided the church itself would do nicely and most recently a pair started hanging out in the porch
Whether they came seeking spiritual guidance or just good company, who’s to say?
But they clearly recognised a kind soul when they saw one.

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The River of Life – Ezekiel 47

In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel sees a trickle of water flowing from the Temple —
a stream that grows deeper and wider
until it becomes a river bringing life wherever it goes:
“And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live.”

That image captures the heart of priesthood.
The grace that flows from God’s presence isn’t meant to stay within these sanctuary walls —
it’s meant to spill out into the streets, the homes,
and the ordinary moments of people’s lives.

For eight years, we have watched that river flow through this parish —
through Fr Eamonn’s ministry, his prayer, his humour, and his humanity.
Sometimes that grace has been a quiet stream of compassion;
sometimes a joyful rendition of 1970s hymns!
always from the heart, always unmistakably his.

His preaching, like that river, has brought life.
He doesn’t speak from a distance or hide behind theological fences.
He shares from his soul — his struggles, his joys, his moments of faith and of doubt —
and in doing so, he makes the Gospel real.

And perhaps nowhere does that water flow more freely
than in his bond with the children of the parish.
They absolutely love him — and rightly so.
Children have a kind of radar for authenticity,
and they found in Fr Eamonn someone utterly genuine,
who saw them and loved them as they are.

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A Foundation in Christ – 1 Corinthians 3

St Paul tells us today:
“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Fr Eamonn has built on that foundation with care and patience.
His ministry has never been about himself, but always about Jesus.
He’s shown us that faith is not an abstract idea but a relationship —
a daily choosing of trust, forgiveness, and joy.

He’s also reminded us that we ourselves are the temple of God’s Spirit.
As Paul asks: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
That truth has been visible in the way he’s included everyone —
the young and the old, the searching and the struggling —
helping each of us see that we are living stones in God’s house.

And his compassion has stretched far beyond these walls.
When Samuel, a homeless man, pitched his tent outside the church,
Fr Eamonn didn’t see a problem to be solved but a person to be loved.
He offered food, friendship, and dignity.
His kindness to Jack, another man who had lost his footing,
showed the same Gospel heart —
a quiet mercy that never made headlines but changed lives.

People in his former parish of Shankill told us how much they missed him when he left —
and now we understand exactly why.

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Zeal for God’s House – John 2

In the Gospel, Jesus drives out the money-changers and cries,
“Zeal for your house will consume me.”

That holy zeal — that love for the Father’s house — burns strongly in Fr Eamonn.
But unlike the merchants in the Temple, his zeal isn’t loud or angry;
it’s tender, steady, prayerful.
It’s seen in the way he celebrates Mass with reverence,
the way he greets people at the door,
the way he listens — truly listens — when someone needs to talk.

And, of course, there’s the joy he brings —
sometimes in words, sometimes in song,
and sometimes in that twinkle in his eye that tells you he’s about to go off-script.
His joy has filled this parish in so many ways -
It’s contagious — and it’s holy.

He’s led us through challenging times too, none more so than during the Covid 19 pandemic.
And who could forget that legendary day when we gathered outside the church
to surprise him for his 40th anniversary of ordination —
only to be politely moved on by the police!
Yet even as we were being moved on,
we were also being moved to tears —
by the love we felt and by the humility with which he received it.
The joy of that day couldn’t be contained —
not by distance, not by regulations, and certainly not by the authorities!

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A Word of Personal Thanks

For me, as his deacon, serving beside him has been both a joy and a lesson in grace.
He often remarks on how different we are —
his heart tuned to the spiritual and contemplative,
mine more focused on the liturgical and practical.
And yet, from the start, it has worked.
Our differences have never divided us; they’ve balanced us.
It’s been a partnership of prayer and laughter, incense and improvisation —
and I will always be grateful for it.

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Remembering Fr Emmanuel

We cannot gather today without also remembering Fr Emmanuel,
who was to follow in Fr Eamonn’s footsteps
but was called home to God far sooner than any of us expected.
A dear friend and protégé of Fr Eamonn —
a man of warmth and generosity.

His sudden death reminds us that our lives, our ministries, our friendships —
all of them — rest in God’s hands.
And we believe, with quiet confidence,
that he now rejoices in that eternal temple not made by human hands.

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A Blessing and a Sending

Fr Eamonn doesn’t yet know where he’s heading next —
though I suspect he’s quietly thrilled at the thought of escaping parish administration.

But wherever he goes, the river will go with him.
The living water that has flowed through his ministry
will continue to bring life and joy.

So, Fr Eamonn, thank you —
for the way you’ve preached the Gospel,
not only in words but in friendship;
for the laughter and the love;
for making space in your heart for all of us.

You have shown us what it means to be a dwelling place for God.

And to borrow St Paul’s words again:
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
May that Spirit keep flowing — through you, through us, and through this community —

Prayer

Loving God,
we thank you for the gift of Fr Eamonn —
for his faith, his wisdom, his humour, and his humanity.

Bless him in the next chapter of his priestly journey;
fill his heart with peace,
his days with joy,
and his soul with the knowledge of how deeply he is loved.

We pray, too, for Fr Emmanuel —
that he may rest now in your eternal embrace,
rejoicing in the life that never ends.

And bless us, Lord,
that the living water of your Spirit may flow through us all,
building your temple here —
not of stone, but of love.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Duncan Brown