Fr Paul Farrer’s tribute to Brian McGowran

It really is wonderful to see so many people in church today. It is a wonderful tribute to Brian, and as I offer our sympathy and prayerful support to Cath, Julie, Paul, Bev, Daniel, Joseph, Naimh-Mary, Josie and Patrick I am sure they are taking some comfort from this wonderful turn out. But I have to admit to being a little bit puzzled. I am wondering if you are all in the right place. And if you are – how on earth did you lot get to know the shy, quiet, timid, retiring character that is Brian McGowran?

Since Brian’s untimely death I have thought long and hard about what I might say today. There are so many funny stories, so many fond memories, so many unfinished conversations that I have begun this sermon and then begun it again and again and again and again. I’m sure we’ll all be back in the Knights by lunch time and reliving fond and treasured memories learning about some of the many strands of Brian’s life that perhaps we did not share and wondering at the very many things that he accomplished – so if you’ll permit me I’d like to tell you just one thing about my friend Brian.

He was a builder. In fact, if you look at the side of his van you’ll see that he was a Master Builder. I think he painted that bit on himself!!

Brian went down the pit aged 15. I imagine he grew up pretty quickly and learned how to do a hard day’s work. For Brian that became his gold standard. He knew both the cost and value of real hard graft and never took it for granted. He valued the efforts of others, regardless of the outcome and was never slow to tell anyone who wasn’t at least making an effort what he thought.

Of course, like most men who know the value of a hard day’s work he knew the value of playing hard too. And it was his ability to do both that made him such a good builder. Marry those attributes to his deep rooted, ever present faith and faithfulness and you have A MASTER BUILDER. Let’s not forget all of the repairs, renovations and botch jobs – I mean expansion projects! They are such an important part of his life. So let’s not forget them but let’s not concentrate on them. Let’s look at the other things Brian has built.

You see, for me Brian is one of the few people I have met in life who seem to know what Jesus meant when he said, The Kingdom of God is among you. In the best Teesside traditions of his adopted home Brian was a brilliant bridge builder. The bridges he built – he built out of me and you!

That’s what made him such a brilliant Brancardier. Brian came on board the Lourdes Train and was a breath of fresh air. With typical determination he saw a need and cut through all of the barriers of age, sex, class and decorum. He installed a boiler on the train so that everyone got a hot drink and he installed the infamous medical chest – which contained nothing more medicinal than the odd bottle of whiskey and several bottles of Nuclear Brown.

He drew people together by recognising the simple need every human has for food and drink as they work the day – and doing something about it. He built a bridge with his personality for foundation and providing for people’s needs as bricks and mortar.

After years of dedicated service under John Adams he found himself in the hot seat and went about recruiting people. ‘You should go to Lourdes.’ He would say and when asked why he would give the considered answer, ‘Cos you should!’ And he was right, he would always be talking to someone who had so much to give and he would just want to have them as part of his construction team.

During his years as head Branc he was totally focussed on the needs of sick pilgrims, everyone else was at their service. It was hard graft and Brian would have it no other way. In the middle of all of that hard work and play Brian found time to build bridges between us and the other Diocesan Pilgrimages that travelled at the same time as us, particularly the Welsh National and his beloved Hexam and Newcastle. Its an honour to have some of the boy and girls from there with us today, particularly Mick who read. I’d like you all to know how much it means to Brian and to the rest of us that yours are the first faces we see every time the aircraft door opens in Lourdes. Thank you.

His time as Grand Knight leaves a similar legacy, he had the Knight’s supporting all kinds of charities and making sure they were on parade – minus sashes and gloves – at all kinds of Diocesan events, doing what they were supposed to do, working hard in support of the Bishop and his priests.

In Middlesbrough, at least, it is no accident that so many Brancs are Knights and vice-versa, it is part of the tradition that Brian helped to maintain and promote. He built bridges between the two and strengthened those bonds, so that, even in this day and age, the two are inseparable. His work in the Club too was all about bridge building even in the most difficult of circumstances. I was never welcome in the Knights’, I was always, ‘very welcome’ no matter what hour of the night it was. And when I got there he was always keen to tell me how much he loved me and how good I was at what I did. And I know I am not alone in that experience. To Brian we were all off the very top of the milk!

Which brings me to his greatest building achievement of all – his family. Everything he did for all of us he was able to do because you supported him. Just looking at you as a family makes us realise that all of the many great things your husband, your dad, your granddad did for us are nothing compared to what he built in your family. Brian can rightly be proud of so much – his family are head and shoulders above it all.

It goes without saying that Brian loved life. In fact, setting aside our sadness today, it is hard to see death as an enemy for Brian as he lived every minute of his life as much as humanly possible. The life and death of each of us has its effect on others. That is certainly true. Brian’s death has had a devastating effect on us all – but his life has touched us all in a much more profound way. And that is simply because Brian was a man of faith. Faith in the genuine goodness of human beings and faith in God.

Jesus tells us, The Kingdom of God is among you I was never more certain of that than when I was in Brian’s company. He was always building it, building the kingdom, supporting people, helping and encouraging them. And always in some work that was somehow connected with the Church.

So we turn to the Gospel today. We are grief-stricken and as we come before god our prayer may well be, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.

I believe Brian’s prayer would be quiet different. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God. No grand theology, no profound spirituality, just simple, steadfast faith. It underpinned everything he did.

In fact, I would never question Brian’s faith. He was a firm believer and something of an expert on the after life. He used to tell me at least once a week that I was going to burn in Hell and that when he came back he was coming as a Priest. I am not sure re-incarnation is the way forward. I would much sooner see Brian at peace in heaven. But if he could come back, as anything, I am sure of only one thing, he would be ….. Class!

For Brian McGowran, Master Builder, we pray…. Eternal rest….