It is with great sorrow that the Archdiocese of Glasgow announced the death of Mgr Desmond Maguire, former Parish priest of St Patrick’s Dumbarton. he was 90 years old and had been retired since 2006.
Mgr Maguire was ordained in 1954 and served in five parishes during his long priestly life as well as serving in many roles in the Archdiocese and civic life.
Funeral arrangements for Mgr Maguire are as follows: Reception and vigil, St Patrick’s Dumbarton, Tuesday April 12 at 5pm, Requiem Mass, Wednesday April 13 at 12.30pm.
Democrat editor Bill Heaney said: “He was a great man, who followed Mgr Tom Murray into the Strathleven Place chapel house in Dumbarton. Kind, quiet and self-effacing, he was shy when I introduced him to Kristy Wark who made a short programme about the birthplace of St Patrick.“When Kirsty asked him if he agreed with this,” the Monsignor told her: “It’s a nice story, but I will reserve my judgement on that.”
And so he was, ever the diplomat, ever courteous, ever encouraging of his congregation who he truly loved and cherished.
A keen supporter of Dumbarton Churches Together, Mgr Maguire was an enthusiastic ecumenist and he and the Very Rev John Cairns, of Riverside Parish Church, who became Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, were great friends.
In March 2003, I was privileged to work with Mgr Maguire on a centenary brochure for St Patrick’s.
His message to his new flock was this: ” The first Saturday evening after I arrived here as parish priest, a gentleman came into the Confessional, and after his Confession asked me: “Are you the new parish priest?” I admitted I was and he said: ‘Long may you reign.’
“I much appreciated his kindness, but thought “That’s not what this is about’.
“A few weeks later after the hall committee had removed the barriers separating the the centre aisles from the side ones, another gentleman came into the Confessional.
“On leaving, he said: ‘Thanks for taking those barriers down’. And, after a pause: Down with all barriers’. He left chuckling. I liked that.
“One afternoon, I was showing a young couple around the empty church. After a while, the young woman stopped and in the silence said: ‘This place is full of prayer’.”
He gave thanks for the families who had worshipped in St Patrick’s down through all the years, and for the priest who have served there.
The heading on that piece summed up his mission in Dumbarton – Down with all barriersI would imagine that his valedictory message would be the same.
He was all for inclusion and sectarianism and bigotry were anathema to him. We were all brothers and sisters in Christ.
Parishioner Elizabeth McQuade sent this message: “Thank you Monsignor Maguire for all you gave to the Archdiocese. Apart from the love and care you gave to the many parishioners over the years, you supported parents of children with special needs to establish the ACMH, which led to Mitre House and Loretto Housing.
“I owe you a personal debt as you encouraged and supported me when I volunteered as a Lady Helper in the Glasgow Lourdes Hospitalite. You served both as Pilgrimage Director for Pilgrimages to Lourdes and Spiritual Director to the Glasgow Lourdes Hospitalite and how important that was.
“The PCT-St Nicholas Care Fund benefited from your support in the role of Trustee and the advice and support you gave to the fund in its direction and work was immense. You touched peoples’ lives with your thoughtfulness and care and we will never forget you.”