Page 10 - LOTN Spring Issue 46 2021

OBITUARY

Very Rev Canon inspire affection.
In his later years,
Raymond Coyle RIP he was blessed with
much support from the
Franciscan Sisters then
e was very much a Geordie, born in South Shields in Ellon, from solicitous
on 14th September, 1938, and carrying the parishioners and from
Himprint of his origins through the rest of his life. nearby family. I am
Training for the Merchant Navy, he felt another call, tried a grateful to the clergy too
religious vocation in New York, but was eventually ordained who kept in touch with
as a priest for the diocese of Trenton, New Jersey on the 20th him after his retirement.
November 1977. He had his share of
Through a sequence of events, he found himself shortly bad health over the last
afterwards in the Highlands and later - long story short - years and deserves his
incardinated in our diocese. Alness, the Cathedral briefly, rest. He died on 13th Very Rev. Canon Raymond Coyle
Dornie, Fraserburgh and Peterhead and finally for 21 years March in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Priesthood, we say, is for
Ellon were the staging-posts of his ministry. He was also ever. His was the best of him.
Chaplain to RAF Buchan and HMP Peterhead, Dean of St A Funeral Mass was celebrated for Canon Ray at Our
Columba’s Deanery and a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter. Lady and St John the Baptist, Ellon which was followed by
He belonged to the category of “rough diamond”, interment at the cemetery besides St John’s, Fetternear.
sometimes more the adjective, sometimes more the noun. He May he rest in peace.
cared for his people and knew their characters and history. He
had a fund of stories and was at home within them. He could Yours devotedly,
+ Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB

Television on her life and work.
Sister Moira Donnelly RIP Sister Moira was

involved in a huge
oira Donnelly was born in McDowall Avenue, number of different
Ardrossan on 22 June 1931. Her father was situations through her
MDan Donnelly and her mother was Maggie work over the years and
McKay. Moira has a brother Jim, who is a parishioner one of the more dramatic
and cantor in Saint Peter's, Ardrossan. ones came when she
Moira was educated at Saint Peter's Primary School, was working with drug
Ardrossan and Saint Michael's College, Irvine. After addicts in San Francisco.
completing a teacher training course, she taught in Saint They had to shelter in
Joseph's Academy, Kilmarnock and Saint Margaret's School, the nave of a church
Ayr. when an earthquake
On 19 April 1960, Moira took her vows in Rome as struck bringing down A photograph taken at Sister
a religious with the Society of the Sacred Heart. She then the raised highway in Moira's graduation in 1978
studied at Maynooth University near Dublin and graduated front of them.
with first class honours as a Bachelor of Divinity. She lectured Moira's brother Jim Donnelly, Jim's wife Cathie, their
at Craiglockhart Training College, Edinburgh till it closed in daughter Moira and her aunt Julia Paterson travelled to
1981. Aberdeen with other family members to celebrate her Golden
After many assignments across Africa, Europe and the Jubilee on 19 April 2010.
United States, Sister Moira lived and worked within the Sadly, Sister Moira died in Edinburgh on 2 March 2021.
Diocese of Aberdeen. Her Requiem Mass at Saint David's Church in Dalkeith
Moira wrote many articles for publication and was an on 15 March was shared with Sister Betty Walker, a fellow
early contributor to the Light of the North. She also wrote religious who died five days after Moira. Both were interred
an educational children's book and was profiled on Scottish at Dalkeith Cemetery. May they rest in peace.

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