It is with great sadness that The Catholic Network has learned of the death of our dear friend Father John Daley, of the Institute of Charity, and parish priest of Saint Joseph’s parish, Uppingham Road.

Fr John died on Sunday 10th March, aged 88 years. The following moving note was published in his parish newsletter the morning after his death:

Dear Parishioners, Friends and Family of Fr John,

I had typed this week’s ‘Fr John update’ for you on Saturday and decided to still include it in this newsheet, as it told of Fr John’s journey this week to his final passing at 1.15 pm today, Sunday. The Marie Curie nurse who came last night was again the Muslim lady who had looked after him on Thursday and Friday and, early in the night, she had told me she suspected death was imminent.

it came it was peaceful and he was ready. He was not alone in the hours leading up to that moment and along with prayerful company there was the music playing in the background for which he had penned so many hymn lyrics. The last spoken words he heard were those of his sister, Helena, on the phone from Cardiff sharing family memories and thanking him for being a wonderful brother.

It is several months now since Fr John had requested that he spend whatever time he had left at home in St Joseph’s parish house, where he had been so happy for 23 years as the “priest serving the parish”. He had never liked the term “parish priest” correcting those who titled him as such, always seeing himself as serving and encouraging people – an approach confirmed in so many of the letters and cards that have been arriving during the past months.

Over the coming days and weeks I am sure there will be many memories shared, along with gratitude for his various ministries and I know I personally have been blessed to have accompanied him on a 32 year Watermead journey – a legacy that will continue.

Thank you, Fr John, for your ministry from all you have inspired over the years. God bless us now as we continue to share the love of God you shared with us.

“He was a truly extraordinary and unbelievably talented man,” said Joseph Kelly, editor of the Official Catholic Directory of England & Wales.

“I knew Fr John for almost 30 years and he was a staunch supporter of the English Catholic press. He was always happy to share his wisdom, thoughts and advice on any matter, and nothing was too trival for him to give of his precious time.

“In particular his own publishing and media apostolate, Watermead, was a source of inspiration and support to countless Catholics. He will be sorely missed,” said Mr Kelly.

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On the occasion of his golden jubilee, on 2nd July 2017, Father John wrote:

Today I celebrate 50 years of priesthood. Thank you for being here in your prayer, as are all those I would love to see today but who are here, also, in prayer. There were 600 people in my home church of St Alban’s in Cardiff that happy day in 1967 – family, brethren, friends, neighbours and parishioners whom I had always known. I knew everyone in the church. It was a glorious day. And so have been the succeeding years, serving God and the Church in various ways and in different places.

The beginnings in Cardiff, a happy family and good friends in our Welsh homeland and Irish Catholic community – these were the foundations of my life. A desire to live and serve God developed deep within me and I knew that would be my first choice if I were accepted. I was, and the Institute of Charity (the Rosminians, named after Antonio Rosmini, our founder) guided my vocation.

They sent me to study at Cambridge University (three fascinating years, taught by well-known scholars and playing rugby and cricket alongside international players), to Rome (four wonderful years), to Ratcliffe and Yorkshire to teach (more happy years), allowed me to go on loan to an inspiring Bishop O’Grady in his missionary diocese on the edge of the Canadian wilderness (two breath-taking years), sent me to New Zealand to open our novitiate house, teach and preach retreats (three more wonderful years), brought me home to Newport in Wales, near family and friends for eight more happy years, then to Wisbech in East Anglia for six happy years of parish and diocesan work, and finally to Leicester in 1990 where I have been very happy at St Theresa’s and St Joseph’s.

Could anyone be more blessed, I wonder? I grew up Welsh and Irish, became proudly British, in Rome I was European and of the Universal Church, and in Canada finally realised I simply wanted to be part of the human family. I had arrived. God had allowed me to experience what I might never have been able to understand. And all the time God was there. Our Rosminian way of life asks three hours of prayer each day – all my loved ones, living and dead, all the people and students I have served, all there each day in my prayer. How much more happiness must I bear before God calls me home? Today, I thank God and everyone. I have been so blessed. God bless us.