Sir, - The picture of grief-stricken religious sisters at the funeral of Sister Philomena Lyons, on the front page of your edition of December 20th, was heart-rending. Likewise, the expressions of sheer bewilderment on the faces of the priests who concelebrating her Requiem Mass.
People such as Sister Philomena represent the true and authentic face of the Church. She lived out her vocation in a life of quiet gentleness, self-effacing goodness and selfless dedication. There are a multitude of men and women of her calibre whose contribution to life in Ireland, at every level, is truly inestimable.
They show every day of their lives that "love is stronger than death". They live by Jesus's own standards of total self-giving and putting others first. The horrific circumstances of Sister Philomena's death have only served to underline the fidelity and goodness of her life to God's greater glory. - Yours, etc.,
Father Patrick McCafferty, Scared Heart, Belfast 14.