Mass of Commemoration honors life of Msgr. Liam Minogue
By Scott Alessi
Staff Writer
HILLSBOROUGH — Fellow priests, family members and the many friends of Msgr. Liam Minogue gathered at Mary, Mother of God Church March 8 to remember the parish’s departed pastor at a Mass of Commemoration.
Bishop Emeritus Edward T. Hughes, who appointed Msgr. Minogue as pastor of Mary, Mother of God 14 years ago, presided at the Mass. Bishop Hughes stated that he was proud to have chosen a pastor who achieved such success and was so beloved by the parish community.
The honor guard for both the Mass of Commemoration and funeral was comprised of members of the George Washington Assembly 653, Somerville, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, which represents several councils.
Spiritan Father Sean A. Broderick, parochial vicar at Mary, Mother of God, offered the homily. Father Broderick revealed that he was personally selected by Msgr. Minogue in his final days to be the homilist for the Mass and admitted that speaking about his close friend and colleague would be a difficult task.
Although he was overcome with emotion, Father Broderick fondly remembered the relationship that Msgr. Minogue had with the family of Mary, Mother of God Parish. “I found that Msgr. Minogue empowered people in this parish,” he said. “Everybody recognized the depth of the faith that he had, and he passed on that faith.”
Father Broderick also stated that Msgr. Minogue brightened the spirit of the parish in a way that was contagious, spreading his jovial nature to all those who came in contact with him. “That rectory over there is a place where nobody stops laughing,” he said.
At the conclusion of the Mass, Father James Costigan of the Diocese of Savannah, Ga. came forward to offer his memories of Msgr. Minogue. Father Costigan, who had known Msgr. Minogue since their days together at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Ireland, recalled the charitable and giving spirit of his late friend.
“He never thought of himself, he was always thinking of someone else,” said Father Costigan. “He had a unique and special gift when you were in his presence to make you feel like you were the only person in the world.”
Both priests stated that they were inspired by the way that Msgr. Minogue handled his impending death in the late stages of his battle with cancer. Father Costigan recalled that Msgr. Minogue said that he was offering up his suffering to God for the recovery of others.
“I was praying that God would take him to save him from his suffering and pain, but after I heard him say that, I changed my prayer,” said Father Costigan.
Father Broderick stated that Msgr. Minogue never complained throughout his illness and exhibited great strength in standing before the people of the parish to say his final farewell. He also believed that Msgr. Minogue felt a sense of contentment in his last days.
“He was totally reconciled,” Father Broderick said. “If he had to live his life all over again, he would not have changed one single thing.”
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law