Tributes are paid to ‘superb’ priest
TRIBUTES have flooded in to Father Arthur Nearey, who has passed away after more than 30 years of service to the borough’s Catholic community.
Fr Arthur, who died on July 3 aged 74, had suffered from coronavirus and pneumonia in his final weeks before passing away in hospital and had battled with dementia and a serious chest condition in the last few years of his life.
He first became known to borough residents when he joined the parish of St Mary’s in Littleborough as an assistant priest in 1985, and went on to serve the parish as its parish priest from 1988.
However he became well known and respected beyond his church community through his involvement with the Friends of Our Hospital campaign to support Rochdale Infirmary and as a school governor.
Councillor Ashley Dearnley, who knew Fr Arthur well and lived near him in the final years of his life, said: “He was a wonderful man within the community. He was completely dedicated and supportive of everyone and worked so hard.
“A friend of mine owns a care home in the area and said he was tremendously supportive of them and always had time.
“He was a very thoughtful, considerate man with a great sense of humour who was also very humble.
“He always respected other people’s views and always wanted to work for the benefit of the whole community. He will be sorely missed.
“Even in his later life and retirement he would walk down the road and people would come up and chat to him - he always had a nice word and a smile for everyone.
“He was a superb example of what a Christian and a priest should be.
“His legacy will be the services that are now coming back to the Infirmary, which he so wanted to see for the benefit of the community.”
Fr Arthur was born in 1946 in Langley, Middleton and went on to attend St Mary’s Primary School in Langley.
He was ordained as a priest in February 1970 and his 50 years of ministry were celebrated at a special Golden Jubilee service at St Mary’s in February this year.
After his retirement in 2018, he continued to reside at St Mary’s presbytery before moving to New Road in Littleborough and then to Nazareth House, a care home in Prestwich, in March of this year.
He was said to have struggled with declining health and dementia in the last years of his life, but was supported throughout by Jenny, his loyal friend and housekeeper of many years.
Father Robert Lasia, current parish priest at St Mary’s, said: “We all knew that Fr Arthur was a generous, loyal and faithful servant of the Lord during his 50 years of priesthood and we thank God that as a parish we were able to celebrate this in February.
“Our prayers go out to his family, Jenny and those who had care of him. We remember him in our prayers that this faithful servant may now rest in the peace of his Crucified and Risen Lord.”
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Salford said: “Fr Nearey will be remembered not just by parishioners but by the wider Rochdale community in which he played an active role.
“Fr Nearey was an example of a parish priest at the heart of his community who lived out his faith not just in his parish but by his actions and care for Rochdale as a whole.”
Fr Arthur’s brother Stephen took to social media to share what the St Mary’s community meant to his brother, writing on the St Mary’s Facebook page: “Your parish was Arthur’s home and his entire life was committed to you, the people of the parish. You were his family, just as much as our family.
“I wish to thank everybody at St Mary’s for the love and support you showed him over the years and for the kindness that you showed to me on the occasions I was at St Mary’s.”
Residents who fondly remembered the role Fr Arthur played in the community, as well as at weddings, baptisms and other family milestones, described him as a ‘kind, caring’ man, who enjoyed walks in the countryside and worked hard to bring denominational groups together in Littleborough.
Fr Arthur will be remembered as a tireless campaigner for the preservation of accident and emergency, children’s and maternity services at Rochdale Infirmary, delivering a petition signed by 33,000 residents against the removal of services to Downing Street in 2010.
In 2007 his dedication was recognised when he was named Rochdale’s Man of the Year.
Fr Arthur also served as chair of governors at St Mary’s RC Primary School in Littleborough and was described as being ‘well known and liked’ among the school’s children.
Carmel Ruane, headteacher at St Mary’s, said: “Father was loved by everyone in our school community and was such a big part of all our lives for so many years. He will be sadly missed but fondly remembered.”
A Requiem Mass for Fr Arthur will be held at St Mary’s on Wednesday July 22 but attendance will be limited to 30 close family members and friends in line with current government guidelines.
He will be laid to rest in his parents’ grave at Highfield Cemetery, Bredbury, with plans for a memorial mass to be held in the future.
“He was completely dedicated and supportive of everyone”