‘Society has failed us’ - Priest at Shannon Gallagher’s funeral hits out at agencies
Shannon Gallagher, pictured next to her mother Lorraine at the funeral of her sister Erin in October.
The chief celebrant at the funeral of Ballybofey teenager, Shannon Gallagher, has said the systems and methods used by various agencies in helping to prevent suicide is not working.
Fr. John Joe Duffy told Saturday’s funeral Mass that society has failed the most fragile - including Shannon Gallagher (15) and her younger sister, Erin (13) who died just six weeks ago.
Shannon’s funeral was held in St. Mary’s Church, Stranorlar on Saturday morning and in his homily, Fr. Duffy recalled how just six weeks earlier, the community had gathered for Erin’s funeral in the same church.
“Society has failed two children, two sisters within two months, and that is a most damning indictment for any society evidenced by the second white coffin that is before this altar within two short months, 45 days ago to be exact,” he said.
He added: “For the sake of all people on the margins or in similar circumstances, for the love of God, let some one person in Government take leadership and reform what is clearly a broken system.”
And in an appeal to the congragation, Fr. Duffy said suicide is an unnecessary solution to the problems and trials of life. “Suicide is never a solution,” he said.
Read more in today’s Donegal Democrat and Donegal People’s Press.
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Wednesday 22 May 2013
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