Please take one and continue to remember him in your prayers.

In accordance with Fr Tony’s wishes his will be a simple Reception into Church.

Requiem Mass will be at 12 noon on Wednesday 18th August.

May he rest in peace.

‘It would be remiss of me not to record the appreciation of the diocese to Mgr Ricardo Morgan who became Fr Tony’s curate in 1973 and remained his friend and support throughout his life, caring for his every need, especially in Fr Tony’s deteriorating health.

‘We express our prayerful sympathy to Fr Tony’s brothers, Peter and Bernard, his sister Maureen, and extended family members.’

Amen.

The family lived in St Joseph’s parish in Marton Road, and following his primary and secondary education at St Joseph’s and the Marist Grammar School, Tony began working for the Northern Echo newspaper.

Just prior to the outbreak of World War II, at the age of 19, he began his seminary training at Ushaw College. Tony was ordained on 13th April 1947 with Canon Louis Collingwood in St Joseph’s, Middlesbrough. For the following 20 years Tony fulfilled five curacies at;

• St Wilfrid’s, York
• Our Lady and St Peter, Bridlington
• Our Lady’s, Driffield
• Sacred Heart, Redcar,

and

• St Mary’s Cathedral, Sussex Street, Middlesbrough (‘the old Cathedral’) which included an interregnum role at St William’s, Dormanstown.

He had only one appointment as Parish Priest, which was here at St Clare’s, Brookfield, Middlesbrough where he was for 27 years.

On his retirement, Fr Tony was priest in residence at St Andrew’s, Teesville, where he continued an active and helpful support to his brother priests. Eventually, with failing health, Fr Tony was in residential care.

He was called to the Lord on Wednesday 11th August (the feast of St Clare) at James Cook University Hospital.

May he rest in peace.

Father Barry was a man of deep spirituality whose far-sight and wisdom ensured that our parish was built not from bricks and mortar (we have Canon Lynam of St Francis’ parish to thank for those) but from the strengths of the community of the faithful he served for so many years.

The children were excited because there were so many visitors coming to our new school building. They were coming to take part in a special Mass. This is our way of saying “Thank you” to God for all he has given us, especially our new school home.

Some of our visitors were quite surprising. We expected Monsignor Dasey, the new Vicar General, who was representing Bishop John Crowley because Bishop John is on leave. He was accompanied by Fr Gerard Robinson, the Diocesan Vocations Director. Some of us were surprised to find out that Fr Gerard is an ex-pupil of St Clare’s.

Another ex-pupil of St Clare’s School is Fr John Paul Leonard, Parish Priest of St Clare’s parish, who concelebrated the Mass for the official opening of our new building. He was joined by quite a lot of other priests, including Canon Eddie Gubbins who was Parish Priest at St Clare’s before Fr John Paul.

The very first Parish Priest of St Clare’s also came to our big day. He is Fr Tony Barry, who is now 87 years old and about to celebrate his diamond jubilee, which means he has been a priest for sixty years. He was here with Monsignor Ricardo Morgan, who was Fr Barry’s assistant priest in the early days of St Clare’s parish. Fr Barry and Monsignor Morgan have been best friends since those days.

Fr Barry was one of the most elderly people at our celebration. There were some people who are much younger!