Remembering a remarkable man who lived his priesthood to the end

Fr Ronan Drury – who was buried on Monday – shaped several generations of students for the priesthood. He lived at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth for more than a third of that institution’s history. As Professor of Homiletics – the art of preaching – he helped aspirants the length and breadth of Ireland prepare for the arduous task of making the Sunday Gospel relevant to the struggles of the lives of the parishioners.

He used to describe the Sacred Scriptures as the story of the marvels that God has done for us, rather than a list of things believers have to do for God.

He never tired of reminding students that the starting point in good preaching is finding where people are in their lives and applying the Gospel to that. He had little time for arid dogmatism that couldn’t speak to the felt need that the People of God had for sustenance on their daily pilgrimage.

One priest told me during the week that Prof. Drury helped his generation of priests to find their voices. Speaking to people about Ronan Drury, the remarkable thing is that he remained relevant to different generations of students for the priesthood despite the fact that things were changing so rapidly.

He was an adaptable man and an accommodating man. At the various gatherings around his obsequies in the past few days much has been made of his gentleness, his compassion, his quick wit, fast recall and penchant for a story.

All of this was true, and it has been lovely to hear more about this from those who knew him much better than I.

Above all, I think, Ronan Drury [pictured] will be remembered as a tremendous priest. More than a few people have told me in recent days about how they marvelled at the way in which he lived his priesthood to the fullest.

A priest I know spoke of Fr Ronan as “a fantastic example of priesthood”.

He was, “dedicated, compassionate, kind, prayerful, and happy. He never forgot anyone.”

Close friends describe how he faced his own death with peace, prayer and serenity – “an example to the end”, as one person described it to me.

As well as a priest and preacher, Fr Drury was also for 40 years editor of The Furrow. The task of an editor can often be a lonely one – to be sure, one never lacks advisers willing to offer their two cents of wisdom on what one ought to do or ought not to do. But, when tough decisions have to be made – and the inevitable consequences of publication faced – advisers can be few and far between.

Christian
 virtue

In his editorial work, Fr Drury knew that caution was not a Christian virtue: he knew that the closest of friends often have to critique, or issue a wake-up call, or help one confront some unpleasant truth that one is unwilling to face.

Ronan Drury: editor, preacher and – above all – priest, will be fondly remembered.

Anima eius et animae omnium

fidelum defunctorum per Dei

misericordiam requiescant in pace.