A community in Co Down has been “shaken and upset deeply” by the attack on a priest and the fatal assault of a man at the weekend, parishioners have heard.
Father John Murray (75) was struck on the head in a brutal attack at St Patrick’s Church in Downpatrick on Sunday.
He was approached by a man who asked if he would hear his confession ahead of the morning service, and then attacked as shocked parishioners arrived for mass.
Father Murray had been due to retire later this week.
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Police have said the attack may be linked to the death of a man in Downpatrick who has been named locally as painter and father-of-two Stephen Brannigan (50s).
He was found dead in the Marian Park area at about noon on Sunday. A man (30) is being questioned by police on suspicion of murder.
At a Mass held for Fr Murray and Mr Brannigan’s on Tuesday, Bishop McGuckian said the whole community has been “shaken and upset deeply” by the recent events.
The Bishop of Down and Connor encouraged parishioners to find courage and hope after a “traumatic and shocking” few days.
Speaking after the mass, Bishop McGuckian said he derived “consolation” from hearing that “hundreds” of people had gathered spontaneously to pray for Mr Brannigan and Fr Murray.
“That gives me a sense that in this community there are the resources to really come together and be strong for one another. There are great people in this community,” he said.
He said Fr Murray is “increasingly comfortable” and will do well in his recovery in hospital.
A man killed in Downpatrick, Co Down, in an incident believed to be linked to a serious attack on a parish priest was a “beloved dad, grandad, son and brother”, his family has said.
Meanwhile, Mr Brannigan’s family has expressed thanks to people who have surrounded them “in the midst of our shock, pain and total heartbreak at the news of the brutal murder of our beloved dad, grandad, son and brother”.
The family said Mr Brannigan was known among his neighbours and friends as someone who was “always willing to help out, ready to do whatever needed to be done for the good of others”.
“Even the day before he died, he was tending the graves of friends and neighbours as he did, almost every day, the grave of his late wife Dorenda, who died five years ago from cancer.”
“Stephen faced many difficult issues in his life. We know his life was not perfect. But for us, he was our dad, our grandad, our son and our brother.
“His rock through all of this was Dorenda. We pray they will be reunited now in perfect peace and love,” the statement reads.
They also expressed their “deep concern” for Canon Murray, who is “highly respected by our family and by all in our community”.
“It is so typical of his kindness that he was willing to reach out in trust to someone he believed was in distress, despite the obvious risk to himself.
“With so many others, we pray for his full recovery and thank him for his own prayers for us which he has conveyed through the priests of the parish,” the family said.
Canon Murray, who was hit on the head with a bottle days before his retirement, remains in a serious but stable condition.
While investigations are at an early stage, one line of inquiry is that the murder and attack are connected.
Supt Norman Haslett, the District Commander for Newry, Mourne and Down, said there would be an increased police presence in the area over the coming days.
“For a man to be murdered and a priest to be attacked in the sanctity of his own church, these are appalling acts and I understand that many people will inevitably be struggling to come to terms with both grief and shock,” he said.
Local SDLP councillor Conor Galbraith said there was concern locally around a “delay” in the police response following the discovery of Mr Brannigan’s body.
He said this was “very distressing” for the family “while the suspect remained at large.”
“Given the seriousness of this situation I will be raising this with the local police commander to get a better understanding of what exactly happened here,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said police arrived at the Marian Park area of Downpatrick within 30 minutes of receiving an emergency call.
