Funeral Arrangements

Funeral arangements of parishioners and those whose funerals are in the parish

Peter Mc Phillips,

Harbour Cottages, Carlingford, formerly Rakeeragh

Died suddenly at his home in Carlingford, County Louth. Remains leaving his parents' residence at the Grange, Derry Road, Coalisland on Tuesday 9th March and arriving at the Cathedral  for funeral Mass at 11.00a.m on Tuesday. Burial afterwards in the Old Cemetery, Latlurcan.

Sr. Bernadette Murphy, SSL

Formerly Glaslough Street. Sister of St. Louis. Died on Tuesday 2nd March in Malibu, California. Cremated remains arriving at the Cathedral, Monaghan for funeral Mass at 1p.m on Saturday 20th March. Burial afterwards in Latlurcan Cemetery. 

Rest in Peace

Deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased.

May eternal light shine on them.

 

 


The Parish Cemeteries

The parish of Monaghan & Rackwallace has three cemeteries, all located in the townland of Laturcan, the Old Graveyard in which there is the Old Church that predates the Cathedral, Calvary Cemetery in the centre of which there is a Calvary statue and the newer cemetery, St. Joseph's Cemetery.

The Old Cemetery

The Old Church in this cemetery is thought to have been built in 1790 and served as a parish church until 1892. It also served as a pro-cathedral from around 1851 when Bishop Mc Nally took up residence in Monaghan until St. Macartan's Cathedral was completed and dedicated on September 23rd 1892. The other catholic church in Monaghan town was St. Joseph's Church on Park Street, built in 1824 which was was replaced by the St. Joseph's Church that stands today, completed in 1898. The church in the old grave yard is a 'barn church' and it stands in a low lying area removed from the town centre, typical in penal times. The sanctuary of the Old Church was at the end of the church in the photo directly below. There was a choir loft on the opposite end of the church of which the track of the disappeared stair case is visible. Today the Old Church serves as a store for the utensils and machinery of the cemetery caretaker. It has stood the test of time very well and has the potential for future restoration.

There exist many unmarked burial plots which are in use again.

The Old Cemetery - north face of the Old Church
Old Cemetery, left of the old church
Old Cemetery from the top looking down on the south facing wall of the Old Church

The Calvary Cemetery

The Calvary Cemetery began to be used at the beginning of the 20th Century. It's identifying mark is the Calvary grotto in the centre
Photo - Hugh Rooney
Calvary Cemetery looking towards Old Graveyard
Calvary Cemetery

The St. Joseph Cemetery

The earliest graves in the St. Joseph Cemetery date back to the 1970's. The more recent burials take place in this cemetery. There are several large plots containing the mortal remains of the St. Louis sisters.

The rear of the St. Joseph Fountain in the St. Joseph Cemetery
A view of the St. Joseph Cemetery from the Calvary Cemetery
On Cemetery Sunday 6th September 2009 Bishop Joseph Duffy blessed the newly erected Shrine to St. Joseph in the St. Joseph Cemetery. The shrine's designer is Gerard Touhey, Durrow, Co Laois.
The St. Joseph Shrine
St. Joseph is observed holding the infant Jesus. Bishop Duffy stated that the presence of Jesus brings Joseph directly into the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The three waterfalls are the three sources from which Joseph got his strength, from Mary, from Jesus and the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The circular stone to the left of the shrine and shown more closely at the top of this page is a traditional symbol of the eternal life of God, "as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end." The cross is at the centre of the stone.
St. Joseph: J Chester

Prayer of Blessing of St. Joseph's Shrine

Lord,
Today we praise you for the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on St. Joseph,
in whose honour we dedicate this shrine.
May we follow in the footsteps of the Lord,
keeping before us the example of St. Joseph
and grow to maturity
measured not by nature, but by the person of Christ
who reveals for us in its fullness the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
You chose Joseph to be the support of the Virgin-Mother and the foster-father of Jesus.
He responded by a perfect obedience and a great faith
when the angel explained to him the truth of Mary's motherhood
and changed his grief and doubt to joy.
Holy Scirpture records his goodness and the loving care
with which he played so important a part in the life of Jesus and his mother.
For these reasons we honour him today
as patron of the universal Church and of a holy death.
Lord, source of grace and holiness,
look kindly on your servants
who have erected this shrine of St. Joseph, friend and coheir of Christ.
He is for your witness to the life of the Gospel
and stands in your presence to plead for us.
Grant that we may benefit from his intercession.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
The names of those who died during the year in the parish are listed in the 'Obituary Page'.