Our Lady Of Lourdes R C Church

Review Josephine Miller Funeral 21st July 2023From the first moment I met Father Feeney it was not a pleasant experience. Having recently lost my dear loving Mother I was still grieving her loss. He opened the door to the vestry and just said come in and sit down. There were no words of comfort or empathy about our loss. He said we could not have a Eulogy or stories about my Mum at the service, he questioned Mum’s faith saying he had asked the congregation and none of them knew her, I informed him that Mum had been suffering from numerous illnesses for the last 10-12 years and had mobility issues which resulted in her being unable to attend, but prayed everyday and never lost her faith. I added that when she was able, attended Our Lady of Lourdes for 40 years, she knew Sister Hilary well who was connected to the church and that Sister Hilary used to visit her, his response was, that was before my time. He also came out with sarcastic remarks about our Hymn choice for funeral, when he asked me which hymns Mum wanted he said let me guess ‘All things bright and beautiful’ I said no, I then said ‘I watch the Sunrise’ he said if I had a pound for everytime someone chose that hymn at a funeral I would be a rich man. Another hymn Mum liked Jerusalem he was negative about and said we’re not at the WI, he refused to put the words on the Order of Service (the Funeral Directors did put the words on) and said we could just have the music, I can only think he must disagree with the words. He asked if I thought there would be many at the service I replied yes, my Mum was much loved by all who knew her, his reply to that was often families think that and then hardly anyone turns up! His attitude at the service was no better, he did not greet, welcome people into the Church and he did not speak to one person after the service, in fact he took his robes off as people were leaving and threw them on the floor. He told a generic story about Women my Mum’s age being able to make a meal with a bone and a bit of parsley. When my Brother got up to speak, he was drinking from a plastic water bottle and was crunching the bottle so it made loud noises. There were over 140 people in attendance at Mum’s funeral and nearly everyone remarked on the Priests disrespectful manner. I would certainly not recommend anyone having a funeral at this Church while he is the parish priest!

I wouldn't have given any stars if it was an option.We had my Nan's funeral here last week, and to say the Priest was rude and heartless would be an understatement. From the initial meeting, right through to the end of the service he was nothing but insulting, to our family and my Nan. If this man is being tasked with encouraging more people to attend church, he is going to fail miserably. If you would like a service that respectfully celebrates the life of your loved one, do not have it at this church.

After attending my Auntie's funeral last week, I felt compelled to agree with my relatives comments previously shared here. As a practising catholic at the Met Cathedral, I was left feeling quite shocked at the disjointed attitude of the priest in this parish church, who bares no resemblances to my experience of Catholicism.The service, which should have been a celebration of life was reduced to a cold, at times hostile, impersonal and completely lacking in any empathy service. Disparaging comments made about taste of music and unrelatable anecdotes of this generation.The priest gave the appearance of disinterest, with an open shirt collar under his vestment, empty bottles of wine on full display behind the lectern and half opened hosts left in a packet next to the wine bottles. It felt completely disrespectful.What a poor reflection of our faith.

Small homely church. Wasn't keen at first but its growing on me

Good service

Had my brothers funeral here 3 weeks ago and the priest was so disrespectful I asked him could we have you,ll never walk alone as they brought the coffin in his response was I am a Everton supporter I said that has nothing to do with us but still said no he would not do itHe never said the stuff I wrote about my brother he was rushing though the service.He should not be there as he is a disgrace to his profession. My niece brought a speaker and played ynwa outside to which he was shouting to turn it off but my niece just ignored him. November 2023 I would not have given him any stars but they do not have a option for that

Sadly this church is let down by its priest. My Nan was a devout parishioner of this church for over 40 years, only mobility issues and dementia in her later years prevented her from attending weekly during the last years of her life, I mention this as we recently had my Nans funeral here after she passed aged 95. From the initial meeting to the very last moment of the funeral, the priest was appalling, questioning my Nans faith as “he had never heard of her”. When my aunt said there would be a lot of people attending as my Nan was so loved his reply was “Everyone says that and then hardly anyone shows up”, to not allowing a family member to do a eulogy, then giving his soulless, impersonal, generic thoughts on women of my Nan’s generation instead. He was insulting about my Nans taste in music (Pasty Cline, Dean Martin etc), he did not greet us into the church, at the end he walked off without saying a word to anyone much less offer words of comfort to family and friends as we left. It is a shame that your church is represented by a power hungry, narcissistic man who will have to answer to his God one day for his sins on Earth.