FATHER JAMES EARLEY FONDLY REMEMBERED
FATHER JAMES EARLEY FONDLY REMEMBERED
TRIBUTE has been paid to the former Dean of the Catholic Church in North East Lincolnshire, Father James Earley, who has sadly died. A mass was held by his successor Father Andrew Cole after his passing on Sunday.
Father Earley served for more than 20 years in the parish before St Pius X was closed down and the Catholic church was restructured in 2016.
He was fondly remembered by generations of parishioners and children at the Catholic schools in the borough.
Fr Earley was a priest at Our Lady Star of The Sea Catholic Church, in Immingham, for four years until he moved to St Pius’ in 2001.
Pupils at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy presented Father James with a plaque when he left in 2017 to begin a new service in Derbyshire. Father James met Pope John Paul II in 1989 and spoke of the great effect the meeting had on him.
Father Andrew told his congregation: “I am very sorry to inform you that Fr James Earley died very peacefully yesterday (Sunday), the Fifth Sunday of Lent.
“He was fortified by the Sacraments of our Holy Mother the Church and had friends to support him as he completed his pilgrimage here on earth. Let us all pray that Fr James, who in Baptism died with Christ and rose with him to new lif life, and dh who served dCh Christ i t for f over twenty-five years as a priest, most of them here in north eastern Lincolnshire, may now share with him eternal glory.”
He added: “I have celebrated Mass for the repose of his soul, and during Mass and in our prayers we will remember him and all who mourn him, remember him with great affection and miss him terribly, including his family and many friends, the parishioners of Alfreton and Clay Cross, and everyone here in our own parish.” Father Andrew said a funeral mass will be held in order for the congregation to join in prayer and thanksgiving.
It will be online due to coronavirus restrictions. He said a Memorial Mass will be held in North East Lincolnshire, which people can attend, later this year.
Father James met Pope John Paul II in the Vatican in October 1989.
He told the Grimsby Telegraph: “I was studying in Rome and I went to a Saturday evening service at the Vatican.
“After the service he was walking around and meeting people. I spoke to him in Italian, when I told him I was Irish he threw his arms around me.
“I was at the right place at the right time and it was a very short meeting.
“I thought he was fabulous. He had a great effect on me and it will stay with me for the rest of my life.
“I felt f lt I was i in th the presence of f something greater than just himself, spiritually. He had this peacefulness and serenity.”
He recalled holding the Pope’s hand and the blessing he received at a Papal Mass in 1989.
He said: “I did not want to let go of his hand. He exuded something greater than himself, it was serenity and stern, yet to hold his hand was so gentle.
“Other Popes took the odd trip from the Vatican, but Pope John Paul travelled to 120 countries. He was the first Pope to travel to Jerusalem.
“He was close to all Catholics, but to other people as well in the Anglican Church, he brought them all together and they will be praying for him, too, and he was respected in the Muslim world because he valued human dignity and social justice.”
After his meeting, Fr Earley assisted at three Papal masses at the Vatican, which were taken by Pope John Paul II.
At a school presentation in 2017, Father Earley, who regularly visited St Joseph’s and conducted liturgies, said: “I enjoyed going into classrooms and explaining to kids what it was all about and telling them my life story.
“I love Grimsby and I will be back many times because I have built many friendships over the years but it won’t be in a professional capacity”