11th September 2007

‘On your walls Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; they will never fall silent, day or night’ Isaiah 62:6

When I was telephoned within a few hours of his death that Bishop Augustine had gone from this world, to a life we pray which has no end, those words with which I began only a moment ago, from the Prophet Isaiah came into my mind, for I believe they sum up an outstanding Bishop, a vigilant Bishop, posted as it were by the Lord to look around and see by day and by night what was to be done as the Lord’s watchman, and to do it gladly.

Tonight, we have come together in this Cathedral which he caused to be built, to pray for Bishop Harris, to commend him as the Church always bids us do, to the mercy and goodness of the Lord. So we are trusting in the love of God with a deep sense of hope and faith, that Bishop Harris will be brought to the fullness of life in heaven after a life of total dedication and service.

Many of us learnt much from Bishop Harris, and I suppose many of us wish we had learnt even more. He had that wonderful capacity like a watchman on a city wall to look at things with a long view, time and again he used to say to us, ‘think of the consequences’! We all knew that he not only thought of the consequences, he prayed deeply about them, he in truth never fell silent, he always sought to grow into the likeness of Christ.

Undoubtedly, some might have found this deeply reflective nature somewhat daunting, it certainly served as a warning to rash words, but in truth Bishop Harris could see the complexities of life and was never one to produce a cheap solution for the sake of instant appeal. Indeed one learnt to wonder what exactly he had said to you, because there were usually several messages contained within the one which was immediately obvious.

One of the many things which appealed was his humour and compassion, he was never so crass as to make light of the sufferings of others, but he did have a great sense of humour, in a most gentlemanly way.

Just a few days before he died we were talking on the telephone, as usual he asked me what I was reading and I knew I had to ask the same of him, but then he turned the conversation to his first parish priest, to whom as a newly ordained more than 65 years ago he had been appointed to. He spoke of this good man as being a gentleman, a devoted priest, civilised, prayerful and always open to God’s providence and something new. How evocative those words are tonight as we commend Bishop Augustine Harris to the Lord.

He was a deeply Christ centred man, he believed profoundly in Christ’s victory over sin and death on Calvary and that first Easter Day. May the light of the Risen Lord shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Mgr D C Hogan