Posted on 01/08/2009 7:24:21 AM PST by NYer
Fr. Richard John Neuhaus slipped away today, January 8, shortly before 10 o’clock, at the age of seventy-two. He never recovered from the weakness that sent him to the hospital the day after Christmas, caused by a series of side effects from the cancer he was suffering. He lost consciousness Tuesday evening after a collapse in his heart rate, and the next day, in the company of friends, he died.
My tears are not for him—for he knew, all his life, that his Redeemer lives, and he has now been gathered by the Lord in whom he trusted.
I weep, rather for all the rest of us. As a priest, as a writer, as a public leader in so many struggles, and as a friend, no one can take his place. The fabric of life has been torn by his death, and it will not be repaired, for those of us who knew him, until that time when everything is mended and all our tears are wiped away.
Funeral arrangements are still being planned; information about the funeral will be made public shortly. Please accept our thanks for all your prayers and good wishes.
In Deepest Sorrow,
Joseph Bottum
Editor
RIP Fr. Neuhaus.
Eternal rest in the comfort of Our Lord. He was certainly blessed with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
Fr. Neuhaus, pray for us.
So sorry to hear this.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let eternal light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
The latest sun is sinking fast, my race is nearly run
My strongest trials now are past, my triumph is begun
O come Angel Band, come & around me stand
O bear me away on your snowy wings to my immortal home
O bear me away on your snowy wings to my immortal home
I know I’m near the holy ranks of friends & kindred dear
I’ve brushed the dew on Jordan’s banks, the crossing must be near
I’ve almost gained my Heavenly home, my spirit loudly sings
The Holy ones, behold they come, I hear the noise of wings
O bear my longing heart to Him who bled & died for me
Whose blood now cleanses from all sin & gives me victory
There’s a new saint in heaven today, but I wish we could have kept him longer.
RIP for a good man. He’ll be missed.
Thought you might appreciate this. It was written in 2000 when Fr. Neuhaus reflected on his first battle with cancer.
People are different around the very sick, especially when they think they may be dying. In the hospital, bishops came to visit and knelt by my bedside, asking for a blessing. A Jewish doctor, professing himself an atheist, asked for my prayers with embarrassed urgency. His wife had cancer, he explained, "And you know about that now." Call it primitive instinct or spiritual insight, but there is an aura about the sick and dying. They have crossed a line into a precinct others do not know. It is the aura of redemptive suffering, of suffering "offered up" on behalf of others, because there is nothing else to be done with it and you have to do something with it. The point is obvious but it impressed me nonetheless: when you are really sick it is impossible to imagine what it is like to be really well; and when you are well it is almost impossible to remember what it was like to be really sick. They are different precincts.
FULL TEXT
Fr. Neuhaus, pray for us.
Almighty God, we remember before you today your faithful servant Richard; and we pray that, having opened to him the gates of larger life, you will receive him more and more into your joyful service, that, with all who have faithfully served you in the past, he may share in the eternal victory of Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, AMEN.
I knew a holy Priest in Mexico who always gave this same insight/advice to others who were suffering. "Don't waste it! Don't suffer for free! Put it to work for the good of others!" Of course he would say it in Spanish...
I pray for the soul of Fr. Neuhaus, that he might be in full awe of the Beatific Vision in the embrace of God, - even as I selfishly wonder how I will continue on week in and week out without the benefit of his unique insights from the "Public Square".
Remember us, Fr. Neuhaus, continue to pray for us as we do as well for you, and may we all meet together with Christ in His glorious Kingdom at the fulfillment of time in His new Creation.
The letter is well put. I will miss his wit and wisdom, but appreciate that he is home with His Heavenly Father. For those of us who have been touched by the grace that flowed through him I can only say we have been blessed. May God grant him eternal repose.
Special Prayer Request
Father Richard John Neuhaus, the founder of “First Things” and a great Christian conservative leader has passed away.
Thank you for your prayers and God Bless
Amen and thanks for the lovely prayer.
He was one of the most convicted and eloquent advocates for the unborn among Lutheran clergymen, a vital supporter of Lutherans For Life during the formative years of this organization.
"President Bush Saddened by Death of Father Richard John Neuhaus"
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Laura and I are saddened by the death of Father Richard John Neuhaus. Father Neuhaus was an inspirational leader, admired theologian, and accomplished author who devoted his life to the service of the Almighty and to the betterment of our world.
He was also a dear friend, and I have treasured his wise counsel and guidance. Our thoughts and prayers are with Father Neuhaus' family, friends, and fellow clergy during this difficult time.
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Leaders pay tribute to Fr. Richard Neuhaus
Tributes to Fr. Richard John Neuhaus are pouring in from around the country, mourning the loss of a mentor, advisor, friend and spiritual father.
President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush issued a statement expressing their sadness and their gratitude for his life of service to "the Almighty." President Bush also related that Fr. Neuhaus was "a dear friend, and I have treasured his wise counsel and guidance."
Throughout his life, Fr. Richard John Neuhaus was involved in many intellectual and spiritual pursuits. In 1990, he founded the journal First Things, tackling both secular and sacred issues.
His legacy led Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute to comment:
"God does not owe us a thing, but I wish he had given us at least ten more years of Neuhaus. Seventy-two is too young for him to have left us. There is no one quite like him.
He leaves behind many spiritual sons and daughters, though; George Weigel, Jody Bottum and many others. Even so, he cannot be replaced and he will be sorely missed every single day for years to come."
Kevin "Seamus" Hasson, founder and president of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, also paid tribute to the late priest, calling him "one of the great thinkers of his generation."
Hasson also highlighted Neuhaus’ contributions to ecumenism, which the Lutheran convert was continually involved in.
"The Church lost a great warrior, the faith community at large lost a patient and insistent champion of ecumenism, and the world lost a magnificent human being." Hasson also revealed that the Becket Fund will soon announce a permanent memorial in his honor.
Fr. Neuhaus also left his mark on higher education, a fact to which Patrick Reilly of the Cardinal Newman Society testified. "Father Neuhaus was a gift to us all," Reilly said. "With his passage from this world The Cardinal Newman Society mourns not only the passing of an heroic defender of truth, especially in higher education, but also of a beloved advisor, generous supporter and dear friend.
Those of us left behind will be blessed by Father Neuhaus’ voluminous corpus of works and grand legacy—and now his prayers of intercession—for many years to come."
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated for Father Richard John Neuhaus at the Church of the Immaculate Conception--414 E. 14th Street, New York City--on Tuesday, January 13, 2009, at 10 a.m.
For more funeral information please visit this site. ~~~
"Not Even the Economy Trumps Culture of Life Issues in This Election: Fr. Richard Neuhaus"
Listen to Fr. Neuhaus on Life Issues vs. The Economy --- open in Real Player, short download
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Pray for us, Fr. Neuhaus.
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