TS-CAGB-0148

Record Date: 
26 July 2012
Exact wording of epitaph: 

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Have Mercy On The Soul Of
VERY REV. PHILIP MORRIS
Parish Priest Ballingarry 1983-1999
Born and Baptised Thurles July 1923
Ordained in Maynooth 19th of June 1949.
Also served God and Gods People in
Hexam and Newcastle 1949
Cashel 1954, Cappamore 1957
Killenaule 1972
Associate Pastor Ballingarry 1999-2001
Died 1st December 2001

Requeiscat In Pace

Memorial Type: 
Cross
Grave location
County: 
Latitude: 
52.58783
Longitude: 
-7.5408880555556
Number of people commemorated: 
1
People commemorated: 
Name: 
Very Rev. Philip
Surname: 
Morris
Date of death - day: 
1
Date of death - month: 
December
Date of death - year: 
2001
Age: 
78
Notes: 

HISTORICAL PEOPLE OF BALLINGARRY (courtesy of www.ballingarry.net)

VERY REV.PHILIP MORRIS , A.P.

Born Thurles , 26th July 1923.
Studied at St Patrick’s College, Thurles and St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.
Ordained on 19th. June 1949 at Maynooth
Temporary mission, Hexham and Newcastle 1949 — 54
Chaplain, Presentation Convent Cashel 1954 — 57
C.C, Cappamore I957 — 72
C.C, Killenaule 1972—83
P.P. Ballingarry 1983 — 99
A.P. Ballingarry 1999—2001

Died 1st. December 2001.
May he rest in peace

This ariticle was first published in Luceat Magazine, in St Patrick's College, Thurles. This is an annual magazine that is sent worldwide to all past pupils of the college. Fr Morris studied for one year in St Patrick's College, Thurles before transferring to St Patrick's College, Maynooth.

Saturday, December 1st 2001 was a sad day in the parish of Ballingarry, as news came down from Dublin that our beloved pastor, Fr. Philip Morris, had died. He had been our Parish Priest for sixteen years and, from his retirement in 1999, had continued to work as A.P. in our parish. During that time he had endeared himself to the hearts of all, young and old alike. That evening, the packed church waited in a profound silence to receive his remains. For two days parishioners and visitors filed past his coffin, and on Monday at 2pm the church was overflowing, as Archbishop Clifford led eighty-five concelebrating priests in the final Requiem Mass. There was a tangible feeling of sadness and loss, and a profound sense of grieving, but, as the day went on, and people stood around exchanging stories and reminiscences, the smiles returned as friends recalled their experiences of this wonderful man.

Philip Morris was born in Thurles on 26th July 1923. The Ireland in which he grew up was not very affluent, but it had a deep faith in and love of the church. These were times when it was still regarded as a special blessing to have a priest in the family, so his parents must have been very proud that their three sons, Philip, Tom and Pat all chose to dedicate their lives to God and His people as priests. That all three should do so is testament to the love and respect for God and the church and the deep religious commitment that was in the family in which they were reared. Our Father Philip was ordained in Maynooth in June 1949. All his life he maintained a profound respect for the priesthood, evidenced by the fact that even within the family the brothers always spoke to and referred to one another as Fr. Tom, Fr. Pat and Fr. Phil.

Fr. Morris began his ministry in pre-Vatican II days. But all his priestly life, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was the very centre of his life. The poet Kavanagh says, “in a crumb of bread the whole mystery is” and that was certainly so for Fr. Morris. One could not attend his Mass without being conscious of his deep love and devotion; the Mass was the wellspring from which he drew his very life.

By the time Fr. Morris came to Ballingarry, Vatican II changes were well and truly established. Milton advises

“Be not the first by whom the new is tried,
Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.”

This piece of advice Fr. Morris definitely did not follow. He delighted in things new, and had a fascination with the latest gadgets and technology, from electronic bells and electronic car windows, to the complex world of the computer, to which he took like the proverbial duck to water! He also embraced the changes in the ceremonies of the Church, and loved to make the liturgy more immediate and meaningful for the faithful.

However, while accepting the changes, he did not pander to the new liberalism that was creeping into interpretation of church doctrine. He held tenaciously to the old values, and embodied the truism that eternal truths never change. On controversial topics like divorce and contraception, many a time he said words of the form “It would be easy for me to say it is all fine, and that you can make up your own mind. But if I did that, I would be failing in my duty as your pastor, and endangering my own soul by not telling you what is right. It is my duty to teach the word of God, even if that is not popular or easy. I have to tell you the truth, and the truth is…” That did not mean that he did not understand the troubles people had in life. He was a most kind, understanding, considerate man, and preached the mercy and forgiveness of God, but truth was truth, and could not be compromised.
He also held on to some of the old devotions: the Rosary, daily Stations of the Cross and the prayer to St. Michael after Mass were dear to him throughout his life, and when people found out that he came early to make The Stations before evening Mass, many of those coming to Mass also began to come early to join him. But to those who, one Sunday morning, were leaving Mass early, he gave a reminder that the day would come when they would be wheeled out, feet first, and “you might not be in such a hurry to go!”

One of the endearing qualities of Fr. Morris was his childlike simplicity and delight in everything. He had a great rapport with young people. He knew all the children of the parish by name, and was proud of the fact that he could trace all the other members of their families. Because of this every child who spoke to him felt special, felt that Fr. Morris had a personal interest in his or her family. At Christmas, he could arrive into the Primary School dressed as Santa Claus; he would have a tin whistle and play a few tunes for the children, and I saw him one day entertain a crowd of small ones by showing them how he could wiggle his ears! His party piece was walking on his hands. He loved music, and often filled in to play the organ in the church.

He also had great kindness and care for the sick and the elderly. In latter years, when he had the free transport – which he loved – he would take the bus to Clonmel and walk up to the hospital to visit the sick. One member of the parish asserts that Fr. Morris had healing power. This young man was in hospital in Dublin awaiting surgery for the removal of what the Doctors believed to be a large cancerous growth. Fr. Morris visited him before the surgery, took him to the hospital chapel, laid his hands on him and prayed, and assured him that he would be all right. Afterwards, to the amazement of the entire medical team, all tests on the removed growth came back negative. But, whatever about his healing powers, all those who were suffering or troubled received from Fr. Morris strength, consolation and healing of the spirit.

Fr. Morris was a man of many parts, but his delight in simple things, and yet his interest in the latest technology, were best illustrated in the celebration of his Golden Jubilee. He was like an excited child, full of smiles and waves, as he was transported from his house to the church in a horse-drawn carriage; he was profoundly touched by the music, singing and dancing at his jubilee Mass; and then was equally delighted with the parish gift of a computer and digital camera.

Recently, in Secondary School, I had a religion class with 2nd years. We were studying St. Luke’s gospel, and were taking a look at the apostles Jesus chose. I gave them the task: if Jesus were living in the 20th/21st century, whom would he choose as His apostles, and why. Each student made a list, and the possibilities varied from Adi Roche to the Pope, to Mary Robinson and the Mayor of New York. But in many lists, Fr. Morris was named. Why? Because he was so kind; because he was great fun; because he was so good; because he had such time for young people, and so on, were the answers I got. If truth comes from the mouths of children, then all we can say of Fr. Morris is

“He was a man, take him for all in all,
We shall not look upon his like again.”

Carmel O’Brien.