Mourners remember Msgr. Faul, defender of Northern Ireland Catholics

Published: 2006-06-26

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- Irish Catholics gathered to mourn Msgr. Denis Faul, one of Northern Ireland's most famous human rights campaigners, who died at 74 after battling cancer. "A hunger for justice, for peace, for reconciliation was the driving force behind the life of Denis Faul. Over 30 years he was a prophetic voice for the Catholic community in Northern Ireland. He was the voice for the voiceless, the friend of the repressed," said Auxiliary Bishop Gerard Clifford of Armagh, Northern Ireland, in the funeral homily at St. Colmcille Church in Carrickmore, Northern Ireland, June 23. Msgr. Faul died June 21 at Dublin's Bon Secours Hospital. He served his last nine years at St. Colmcille Church. "He fought fearlessly on behalf of victims of violence no matter what the source. He is remembered as the priest who exposed the injustice of violence," the bishop said. "Today we mourn one of the great icons of priesthood in our diocese. We mourn a man committed to his priesthood and to his work for people. He was one of the great priests of our time."

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