Argyll & Isles Diocesan Choir had a very sad liturgy to attend this week – the funeral Mass of one of its members, Mrs. Celia MacDonald of Lochgilphead who was affectionately known in the choir as “Lady Gilphead”. Celia had gone into hospital for a hernia operation but died suddenly from complications arising from the surgery.
Her funeral Mass was held in St. Margaret’s church in Lochgilphead on 16th March, and it was a measure of the affection in which she was held that, 20 minutes before the Mass was due to start, the church and porch were full to overflowing, and members of the choir had travelled from all parts of the Diocese and beyond to attend. The concelebrants were led by Fr. Michael Hutson, Director of the Diocesan Choir and former Parish Priest of St. Margaret’s.
Celia was a warm and joyful person and she will be sadly missed in the Diocesan Choir. Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time.
The same week saw the funeral Mass of one of the oldest retired priests in the Archdiocese of Glasgow, Canon Thomas Mannion who was in his 91st year. Canon Mannion was in fact an honorary Canon of Paisley Diocese in recognition of his services to the Diocese where he lived after he retired. He had been, among other posts, a teacher at Blairs College, and Archbishop Conti and Bishop Devine were both present at his funeral. The music of the Mass was led by the St. Mungo Singers.
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