KUCHING — 28 July was a sad day for the Archdiocese of Kuching. The Archdiocese lost one of his faithful sons who spent ¾ of his life serving God, away from his own homeland of Scotland.
The clergy, the laity and friends of the late Fr James Meehan, MHM gathered at St Joseph’s Cathedral to bid final farewell to their beloved brother, mentor and friend. The Funeral Mass was presided by Archbishop Simon Poh, concelebrated with more than 30 priests and two archbishop emeriti.
In his homily, Archbishop Simon Poh recalled how Fr Meehan was a blessing for parishioners and priests alike. “I have known Fr Meehan from our Seminary days in the 80s. As the rector of St Ann’s Mission, he generously offered to accept seminarians for the weekend pastoral work in the parish. He had indeed blessed many of us who are now ordained priests.”
The Archbishop said that Sarawak has a special place in the heart of Fr Meehan. The gospel reading at Mass (Jn 17:24-26) was a reflection of his desire to make known God’s love to the people of Sarawak. “Fr Meehan personally told me that he would like to die here in Sarawak, the land where he carried out his mission for 59 years.”
“As I recalled, Fr Meehan was in two serious car accidents and an open heart surgery but he survived them. He was indeed like ‘the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down, but never killed…’ (2 Cor 4:7-15),” said the prelate.
“When he was hospitalised for the third time recently, I could see that he was getting weaker. Just before he passed on, he told Sr Eunice that he is ready. His peaceful death was a testimony of the Lord’s mercy and of his faith in the Lord Jesus to the very end,” said the Archbishop.
“The greatness of a person’s life is neither measured by the number of years he or she lives on earth nor by his or her achievements and possessions. Rather, it is measured by the depth of one’s love for others – for we live in deeds not in years, in thoughts not in breaths, in feelings not in figures,” said Fr Matthews Olili, MHM, the representative of Mill Hill Missionaries in Sarawak in his short remark before the burial ceremony.
“He touched many hearts: the faithful from Serian, St Ann Padawan, Kanowit, Bintangor, Stutong and Home of Peace,” he said.
On behalf of the family members and Mill Hill Missionaries, Fr Olili thanked everyone who had supported, accompanied and cared for Fr Meehan in his sickness.
After the Mass, the parishioners joined the bishops and the clergy in the short procession to the cemetery next to the Cathedral for his final resting place.
Fr James Meehan, was born in Bailleston in the Archdiocese of Glasgow, Scotland, on 27 November 1933, the fourth of ten children. He had seven sisters and two brothers. His father, also named James and a labourer by profession, was married to Catherine (née Kelly).
From 1947 to 1951, James received his secondary education in Lochwinnoch and in Burn Hall, where he obtained the A-levels certificate.
He went on to study Philosophy in Roosendaal and subsequently to Mill Hill, London, for the study of Theology. On 7 May 1958 he took the Perpetual Oath and was ordained priest on 12 July 1959 by Cardinal Godfrey. That same year he left for Kuching.
Fr James served three years in Kanowit before he was transferred to the mission at Serian. There he served as assistant priest at the same time a headmaster of the primary school. His service there was interrupted for one year during which he worked in Binatang (Bintangor).
In 1971, Fr James was appointed as a parish priest at St Ann’s Parish, Padawan. In 1979, he went for his renewal course in the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila. He returned to Serian in 1986 resuming the rectorship of the parish. He later gave up the rectorship in order to allow a younger local priest to take up the leadership, while he stayed on as assistant. In 1987 he went for his second renewal seminar at the Missionary Institute London.
Fr James was fluent in Iban, Bidayuh and Hakka.
In 2009 he underwent a heart by-pass and valve replacement surgery. In 2012 he retired from active priestly ministry due to increasing failing health.
He spent his retirement at Mother Mary Home of Retired Priest in Stutong before he was transferred to Home of Peace in 2018 for the personal care that he had needed. His health gradually deteriorated in the last three months of his life with the last three weeks coming in and out of the intensive care unit. He passed away peacefully on 23 July at the age of 85.
Audrey Yu
Below is the full speech of Fr Matthews Olili, MHM, the representative of Mill Hill Missionaries in Sarawak:
Brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today we gather to celebrate the life of a man of faith, a man who, for the 59 years of his life in Sarawak, always reminded us of God’s love to us.
He was a brother, a friend, a father, a confessor, a spiritual director, a preacher to many of us.
The greatness of a person’s life is neither measured by the number of years one lives on earth nor by one’s achievements and possessions. Rather, it is measured by the depth of one’s love for others – for we live in deeds not in years, in thoughts not in breaths, in feelings not in figures. The life of Fr James can only be measured by the intensity of love that he showed to us, by the number of hearts he touched. Indeed, he touched the hearts of many: the faithful of Serian, St Ann Padawan, Kanowit, Bintangor, Stutong and Home of Peace still have fond memories of him. Most of us gathered here have been inspired in one way or another by him.
On behalf of Mill Hill Missionaries, the Missionary Society to which Fr James belonged, I thank the family of Fr James for having given us a great missionary priest. Though they cannot be with us here today, they are with us in spirit, and have sent a message of gratitude to the people of Kuching for the love and care you showed to Fr James till the end.
Allow me to express our deepest gratitude to our Archbishop Simon Poh, Archbishop Emeritus John Ha, and Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung for the unwavering support, love and care they have always given to Fr James. Thank you, bishops.
Gratitude also goes to all the brother priests, religious brothers and sisters, seminarians and all who accompanied him.
Thanks to all who took care of him in his sickness while in Stutong, thanks to the Sisters and staff of Home of Peace and in the Hospital. Thanks for your love and care.
Last but not least, thanks to all of you who have loved him, supported him, prayed for him and accompanied him.
As we lay Fr James to rest, let us pray that God may call more young people to work in his vineyard.
Thank you, and may God bless you all.
Today’s Catholic Vol.30 No.5 August 2018
