Patrick would have been 50 this week

In 1998 I was assigned as Pastor of Holy Martyrs of Japan Parish in Bradford, ON.  Holy Trinity is the Catholic Secondary School in Bradford , and shortly into my first year there a new chaplain was appointed: Patrick Wren. Patrick was a man of deep faith, and came from a "very catholic" family, with deep roots in the Archdiocese of Toronto.  Patrick loved boats - classic / vintage boats - and had a hobby business on the side restoring these old boats.  It was through his boating connections that he met and later married Sally Ann MacGillivray (affectionately known as Sam) in the spring of 1999.  I not only worked well with Patrick in Bradford, I was also privileged to visit he and Sam at their cottage in Muskoka over the years.  In 2007 Sam was diagnosed with a rare form of abdominal cancer, and she died in January 2008. It was a devastating time for Patrick.  I was able to anoint Sam in early January before I went to China to visit my brother who was teaching for 1 year there, but I was unable to be at Sam's Funeral.  Patrick and I had spent some time together after the funeral, and I was shocked when in January 2009 I found out the Patrick had a brain Tumor.  Surgery provided temporary relief, but it was inoperable, and in June of 2009 Patrick went home to God.  I was able to celebrate that Funeral and pray with the Wren family.
This week Patrick would have turned 50 - and on Sunday afternoon I gathered with the Wren family for Mass, to celebrate life and love and new life. Sunday was the First Sunday of Lent, the first Sunday of the March Break, and it was - Ted Wren's 84th Birthday (Patrick's Father)!  The irony I noted at the mass was that Patrick would never have been in Toronto on March Break! He booked flights to Florida for March break for Sam and himself each year in May - almost as soon as they were able to do so on line!  The Mass on Sunday was a powerful time of prayer and fellowship with a family of faith.  Almost 2 years later - Patrick is still dearly missed.  The consolation we have is from the Gospel of Matthew: "Blessed are those who Mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Chapter 5)  Mourning is the price we pay for having loved. Having Loved and having been loved - we are truly blessed.
I believe that Patrick was a great role model for the Students he served as chaplain at Holy Trinity in Bradford, and as a religion teacher in Sacred Heart in Newmarket. He lived as Christ lived - an unselfish life of service.


Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on him.
May he rest in peace. Amen.
May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.