The death has occurred of:
Father John Halton
Family Acknowledgment for the late Father John Halton
We, the family of the late Father John Halton, wish to extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to everyone who offered their sympathies and support to us during the recent sudden passing of Father John. Your comforting words, prayers and presence have brought us immense strength during this difficult time.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended the wake and funeral, sent messages, cards and posted online tributes, we thank you sincerely. We appreciated the presence of the many people from the Parish of Tempo, the Parish of Moynalty & Newcastle and the many parishes Father John served in the dioceses of Clogher and also the attendance of Father John’s many fellow priests in the Clogher Diocese and further afield. We will always remember your kindness.
We would like to thank Monsignor Peter O’Reilly for arranging and leading the Requiem Liturgies during the days following Father John’s death and for his spiritual guidance and support throughout. Thanks also to Bishop Laurence Duffy, Monsignor Joseph McGuinness, Father Raymond Donnelly, Deacon Martin Donnelly for their participation in the Funeral Mass, as well as to Father Joe McEvoy and the concelebrant friends and class colleagues: Father Paudge McDonnell, Father Joseph McVeigh and Father Colm Clerkin. We wish to acknowledge the kind message of sympathy from Archbishop Michael Neary, who was also in the same ordination class as Father John.
Thanks to Patricia Rodgers for providing the beautiful music at both the Reception of the Remains and, along with Mary Foy, at the Funeral Mass and also to St Mary’s Silver Band for their accompanying music at the beginning and conclusion of the Funeral Mass. Thanks also to Lucy Toal for the solo harp reflection. Special thanks to Father Joe McEvoy for carrying out the committal and his warm words about Father John at the graveside. Thanks also to everyone waiting to receive us in St Mary’s Cemetery, Moynalty when Father John returned home to his final resting place.
We offer our gratitude to the Pobal Parish Pastoral Council, the Readers, the Eucharistic Ministers, those who led the Prayers and the Rosary and to everyone who took part in the Vigil of Prayer on Tuesday evening, especially the Children’s Choir, and also in the Funeral Mass. Sincere appreciation also for the respectful and dignified Guards of Honour provided at the Church by all the local schools and the local Faith & Light group at the Funeral Mass, and also by the Tempo Maguires GAA at the Reception of the Remains, remembering also those who gathered in Lisnaskea as Father John’s remains were carried past. Thanks also to all of those who remained present in prayer whilst Father John reposed at St Mary’s Church.
Thanks to Geraldine McHugh, Moira McKeagney, Michael McDermott, Ciaran McCaffrey and Fr John’s housekeeper, Bernie McCullough, for all their help and support both on the day of the discover of Father John’s death and later with the arrangements in the church, and also to all of those who helped clean the church, prepare the grounds and make the arrangements on the street outside. Thanks also to all of those who provided refreshments in the Hall.
We want to acknowledge and thank the doctors and staff at Maple Practice, Lisnaskea for the excellent care provided to Father John over the last number of years.
Special thanks also to the Paramedics and PSNI officers who were so kind and considerate at the Parochial House at the time of Father John’s death, also to the PSNI who assisted with traffic management on the day of the Funeral.
Sincere thanks to all the team at John McKeegan Undertakers, Enniskillen, for their caring, professional and dignified handling of the funeral arrangements and thank you also to Aidan at Clarke’s Funeral Directors, Bailieborough, for his kind assistance in Moynalty and to those who prepared Father John’s final resting place.
Thanks also to the Print Factory for the beautiful keepsake Funeral Mass booklet & Marker and also to the Bailie Hotel, Bailieborough, for the refreshments provided after the burial.
As it would be impossible to thank everyone individually, we trust this acknowledgement will be accepted as a token of our sincere and heartfelt thanks and appreciation to everyone who helped in any way.
Father John’s Month’s Memory Mass will be celebrated on Sunday 25th October at 11.00am in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Tempo.