Much-loved County Derry priest was a 'marvel' to everyone who knew him

Mourners at the funeral of a much-loved County Derry priest have been told he was a 'wonderful example of what and how a priest should be'.

Tributes have been paid to Kilrea-born Fr Patsy Mullan since he passed away last week, and the congregation at his funeral at Star of the Sea Church, Faughanvale, heard him described as a 'marvel'.

“Fr Mullan was a wonderful example of what and how a priest should be, and a great colleague to minister alongside,” parish priest Fr Noel McDermott told the congregation.

“We never had a row or disagreement, and for me, that certainly was a first. It gives us a glimpse of the extent of Fr Mullan's patience, tolerance and forbearance. He was a marvel.

“The primary purpose of a priest's life is to make Jesus present among the people he serves. Fr Mullan made Him present each and every day when he offered the holy sacrifice of the mass.

“He made Christ present in his unfailing care for the sick, the troubled, the lost, the forgotten. Even after his retirement, he continued to minister to the sick in a very special way.

“He was a lifelong pioneer and when anyone asked him to say a prayer for them, I can assure you he certainly did. He was a man of prayer.”

Fr Mullan spent the first six weeks after his ordination in Faughanvale and Lower Cumber, before moving to serve as chaplain at Nazereth House on Derry's Bishop Street.

From there, he went on to serve in Pennyburn, Greencastle, Altinure, Buncrana and Dreggish, County Tyrone, before returning to Faughanvale for his final appointment.

Fr McDermott said he was intensely dedicated to his work as a priest.

“Maybe it is something we take for granted, but which I think is remarkable, is the fact that in his 55 years of priesthood, Fr Mullan's service was unbroken; he never took a sabbatical,” he said.

“He never took extended leave, or time off, except his day off each week, his annual priest's retreat and his holidays.

“When he retired from active ministry in 2018, we were delighted as a parish community that he decided to remain among us.”

Similarly dedicated to his family, Fr McDermott made reference to the death of Fr Mullan's mother, and how he had been grateful for the support of those around him in its aftermath.

“His mother's death in 2014 left a void in his life, and I know how much he appreciated the love, support and kindness of his relatives and friends at that time,” he said.

“For an only son, the call to priesthood is a particularly sacrificial step, in that it denies the parents of the possibility of having grandchildren.

“The Mullan family gladly made that sacrifice and in doing so, remind us of the eternal rewards that await those that in faith, forgo the earthly pleasures and passing things of this world.

“While our hearts are heavy with sorrow this afternoon, they are also full of gratitude for Fr Mullan's life, his friendship, his kindness, his approachability and the sheer joy of his life.

“We let him go reluctantly, but in the knowledge that his death is the fulfilment of the vow he took on his ordination day in Maynooth; faithful until death.

“May you be reunited with your beloved parents in the blessed land of heaven. May your gentle and faithful soul rest in peace,” he added.

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