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Father Dave Melly, parish priest of Our Lady, Help of Christians, Portico, died on the morning of Monday 23 January aged 76 and in the 48th year of his priesthood. Father Dave was a much loved parish priest and a popular figure throughout the archdiocese and in the world of Catholic education having served for forty years in the Christian Education Department of the archdiocese.
Funeral arrangements
Sunday 19 February 2023
7.00 pm at Our Lady, Help of Christians church, Portico Lane, Prescot, L34 2QT.
Reception of the body and Office for the Dead.
The Canons of the Chapter will lead the Office for the Dead following which Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP will celebrate the Vigil Mass.
Monday 20 February 2023
11.00 am at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L3 5TQ.
Funeral Mass celebrated by Bishop John Rawsthorne.
The burial will take place at St Lewis, Croft.
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David John Melly, the son of John and Mary Melly (née O’Callaghan), was born in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, on 20 February 1946. He attended Rochestown College, Cork, before going on to study Classics at University College, Cork. He entered the novitiate of the Capuchins at Cork and became Brother Thaddeus. After his initial formation, he came to the then Christ’s College, Liverpool, for teacher training, and afterwards briefly held a teaching post at St George’s Primary School, Maghull. Very early in his teaching career, he applied to the archdiocese to continue his studies for the priesthood, and he completed his formation at St Joseph’s College, Upholland. He was ordained priest at Christ’s College, Liverpool, on 8 February 1975.
Following ordination, he served as assistant priest at Holy Name, Fazakerley, from April 1975 until October 1978. It was then decided that more use should be made of his educational background, and he embarked on a course at the Catechetical Centre in Dundalk until the summer of 1979. That September, he was appointed to the Christian Education Centre of the archdiocese, becoming involved in catechesis and in the oversight of religious education in the Catholic schools of the archdiocese. For the next twelve years this was his principal work, though he did assist in the various parishes in which he was resident: Christ the King, Liverpool from 1979 to 1980; St Mary’s, Lowe House, St Helens 1980 to 1981; St Agnes, Huyton 1981 to 1986 and St Peter and St Paul, Crosby 1986 to 1991. He was renowned for his wonderful creativity, and his cheerful and positive disposition, both in his work for the Christian Education Department and in the parishes he served.
In January 1991, he was asked by Archbishop Worlock to take up the office of parish priest at St Leo, Whiston, in addition to his duties within the Christian Education Department. He returned, in January 1996, to St Agnes, Huyton, now as parish priest. After nearly four years, he moved on to Our Lady, Help of Christians, Portico in November 1999. He remained at Portico as parish priest for the remainder of his life, dearly loved by his parishioners and where he felt very much at home.
In his spare time, he loved to walk in the countryside, especially the Lake District and the Peak District. The last few years of his life were a great trial to him as his mobility was severely restricted and he was reduced to walking very slowly around a local park. Sadly, he had also to relinquish his duties in the Education Department, but he remained enormously proud of his forty years’ service to Catholic education
May he rest in peace.
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SOURCE:
ARCH