FR ANDREW RYDER SCJ - RIP

The funeral for Andrew Ryder will take place at 11.00 am on Wednesday 21 October at Andrew's family parish, the Church of the Annuniciation, 7 Cardiffcastle Road, Finglas West, Dublin 11, and the burial will take place in the Congregation's burial ground at Dardistown Cemetery near the airport.  His body will be brought today, Monday, to the community house at 66 Inchicore Road, Dublin at 4.30 pm and will be brought from there at 4.50 pm for the Reception at the Church of the Annunciation at 5.30 pm.

We're all still dealing with the sad news that Andrew fell and died on Thursday 15 October while walking along the sea cliffs at Howth, near Dublin.  This was Andrew's favourite walk, which he did nearly every week on his day off.  It's very close to the city, yet for over a mile the narrow path is cut off from any view of civilisation, as it looks out onto the Irish Sea.  He often did the walk with friends and whenever he was on his own he loved to listen to music on his earphones.  We still don't have the results of the post- mortem to say whether Andrew fainted or had a heart attack, but evidence from the site and from his hands show that he made vain attempts to save himself.  When the Police discovered Andrew's body they said it looked as though he had died immediately.

In recent months Andrew had reminded me that I had said that I would do the Howth walk with him some time.  That's not going to happen now, but over the the years I have done many walks with him, especially when I was Provincial in the 90s and Andrew was Vice-Provincial from 1990 - 96.  Not that we talked 'business' much of the time, but we had long and lively discussions on the state of the world, theology, the enneagram, the Church etc.  Very often we would be so busy talking that we got lost for a time, while on the hills and paths in the south-west of Scotland or in the Pennines near Stockport.  Andrew was always a lively companion and was full of ideas and listened generously to my own opinions, even though he didn't always agree.

Andrew was born in Dublin on 16 April 1939.  He studied at the Sacred Heart Seminary at Newport, Shropshire.  His novitiate was at St John's, Barton-under-Needwood.  He was professed 8 September 1958 and began his studies for the priesthood at St Joseph's, Malpas.  After a few years he was sent to study at our international college in Rome, being ordained there on 19 December 1964, and then continued his Doctoral Studies there on the Eucharist at the Gregorian.  He also later got an M.Litt from Lancaster University for his thesis on the Spanish mystics.  Throughout his life Andrew continued to teach and write.  He wrote books on the English mystics and other saints.  One of his more recent books was 'Following Christ. Models of Discipleship in the New Testament' which, according to Google, is still in print.  He wrote articles for various publications, including The Tablet, The Way, Clergy Review, Dehoniana and the Review for Religious.  He taught at eight different seminaries : In England at St Joseph' in Malpas, Hawkstone Hall, Upholland and Ushaw; in the United States at Hales Corners, Wisconsin; in Ireland - at All Hallows and Milltown. This year he was lecturing in theology one day a week at Carlow.

Not that Andrew was an academic lost in his books.  He was Parish Priest at many of our communities: in England at Malpas (Cheshire), Stockport and Baguley; in Scotland at Irvine; and St John Vianney in Dublin.  For the past three years he was based at our community at Inchicore Road, Dublin, and was working as Parish Chaplain at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Drimnagh.

One of Andrew's great passions was the Missions.  He served in the Congo from 1984 - 86 and was our General Mission Secretary from 1994 - 97 with the mandate to go to India to help set up our first foundation there.  He was also a member of the first team that went to begin our mission in Vietnam, and while he was there spent several months in China, exploring the possibility of setting up our community there.  Last year Andrew became Mission Secretary again in the British-Irish Province and only last week we distributed the first edition of his new Mission Newsletters around our parishes and benefactors.  Andrew was also the Superior of our first foundation in Dublin, as well as Novice Master there.  He served six times on the Provincial Council.

Our sympathies go to Andrew's sister, Doreen Vavasour, and family.  Her address is 11 Cardiffbridge Avenue, Finglas West, Dublin 11 (Tel: 01 834 4657).  We think too of the many who have been touched by Andrew's life and death.  May his example and energy in his mission be an inspiration to us to continue to use our own gifts and graces for the spreading of the Good News of God's love and forgiveness, shown above all through the Heart of Jesus.

Hugh Hanley SCJ

Provincial