Serving his God, friends and family
The Mahoney family, settling in the south of New Zealand in 1874 were among the first Irish Catholics here.
But this month, as they laid to rest their brother Fr Paul Mahoney with their parents Thomas (Tim) and Marie at Invercargill’s Eastern Cemetery, John, David and Tim Mahoney recognised they were the last of their line here, and all three are long established with partners and families in the North Island.
In a poignant moment at the graveside more than 30 whiterobed southern priests and their two Bishops sang unaccompanied the traditional farewell to a brother priest, Salve Regina.
The former St Mary’s Basilica parish priest died in his sleep at his Wanaka Cromwell parish, Upper Clutha, on December 30, aged 74 in his 34th year of ordained priesthood. priesthood.
After six years of study at Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, he was ordained to the Catholic priesthood by the late Bishop John Kavanagh in 1981.
He was appointed Vicar General of the Dunedin diocese with the role of deputy to the Bishop, his official voice when the Bishop was out of the country, and the designation of Monsignor.
As parish priest of St Mary’s Basilica in Invercargill, he spearheaded the Basilica 2000 project which strengthened and added to the existing century-old building.
Appointed priest in Upper Clutha, he worked to develop the church and build a new Catholic school in Wanaka.
Many of his parishioners came south to attend his final Requiem Mass and express their sadness to his family.
A quiet scholarly man with a dry sense of humour and an abiding love for cricket - playing the game, administering the rules, recording and recounting the anecdotes - Paul Mahoney made and kept many friends, helped those in need, was popular with children at school, with fellow cricket players.
He calm demeanour and quiet commonsense diffused arguments, humour and lively wit making him good company.
He will be much missed, by parishioners and priests alike and by family - brothers John in Whangerei, David, Palmerston North, and Tim in Auckland, by his sisters-in-law Barbara and Trish by their children Brian and Frances.