‘You are a priest like Melchizedek of old and have served your people well.’
And thus, when Rev Seamus Rice woke on June 21 to the dawn chorus, little did he know that by evening he would be listening to the angels’ chorus at the golden gates as he entered paradise.
Fr Seamus was born in June 1937, the youngest of a family of seven boys and four girls.
His early education was at St James’s Primary School, Mullabrack, a round walk of six miles every day in all sorts of weather. He then went to St Patrick’s College, Armagh and it was there that the seeds of the priesthood began to grow.
On leaving Armagh he entered St Patrick’s seminary in Maynooth to begin seven years of study. He was ordained in 1961, a proud day for his family, especially his parents James and Mary who would have had to make sacrifices to see their son fulfil his dream.
Fr Rice went to England for three years and on his return served as curate in Mellinfont (Tullyallen) in Co Louth, Killeeshil in Co Tyrone, and Lower Creggan (Cullyhanna) and Derrynoose, Co Armagh.
In 1994 he went back to Co Tyrone when he took up an appointment as parish priest of Coalisland, remaining for 14 years until his retirement in 2008.
He moved back to Derrynoose, and then to to his home parish of Kilcluney (Ballymacnab, Granemore and Clady).
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There were two great devotions in Fr Seamus’s life: the Pioneer Association and Our Lady.
A lifelong member of the Pioneers, we have been privileged to have him as our spiritual director for over 35 years.
He was chairman of the centenary committee that organised celebrations for the association in 1998 and a past chairman of the Temperance League of Priests in Ireland.
He also organised numerous pilgrimages to Lourdes and Fatima.
On June 18 this year, just days before his death, Fr Rice celebrated 63 years in the priesthood and it can be said he lived out his vocation until he was called home.
It was appropriate that his remains reposed overnight in St Patrick’s, Ballymacnab, the church where he was baptised 87 years earlier, and on the anniversary of his first Mass at the same church.
We extend sympathy to his brothers Sean and Brian, sister Agnes and family circle.
As the words of the song goes, ‘you’re my best friend’ – and indeed Rev Fr Seamus Rice you were my best friend. Requiescat in Pace.
Bridget Mary Livingstone