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Birmingham: Funeral of Father Anthony Sims


The funeral service for Father Anthony Sims took place at Christ the King in Coventry on Thursday 26th March at 11.30. The service was led Archbishop Bernard Longley. Many of the priests from the archdiocese were present. The Homily at the Mass was given by Canon Tom Farrell, Parish Priest at Christ the King in Coventry and is detailed below.

Following the service at Christ the King, Father Sims was cremated at Canley Crematorium and his remains will be buried with his family at later date at London Road cemetery, Coventry. Donations were made and can still be made to Father Sims' memory and sent to St Joseph's home, Queens Park Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B32 2LB.

Father Anthony Sims was born on born on 29th September, 1924. He was educated at Bablake School in Coventry where his family also lived. He joined the Royal Navy and served between 1943-1947. He then went to the University of Bangor between 1947-1950. Following this he taught at Christ the King Coventry between 1951-1955. He then studied at Grove Park for two years, 1955--1956, and then trained to be a Priest at Oscott College 1956-1962. He was Ordained on 17th March 1962 and the served in Parish at Great Barr 1962-1965. Following this he was then sent to teach at Cotton college between 1965-1987. Between 1987 and 2006 he served in parishes Ilmington, Shipston and Brailes. In 2006 he retired to St Joseph's home in Harborne and lived their until he died on 13th March 2015 just four days short of the Anniversary of his Ordination.

Homily by Canon Tom Farrell

In a recent interview, the well-known Dominican Priest, Father Timothy Radcliffe, was asked to define holiness. He replied that, holiness was difficult to define but easy to recognise when you met a truly holy person.

A Holy person has a wholeness, a wisdom and a serenity and he gave the example of Jean Vanier the founder of the L'Arche Community as one such holy person. He had the vision of wholeness that brought together able and disabled people in a shared experience of life. That vision only came to him by a conversion experience. He lived a very privileged life. His father was Governor General of Canada and Jean himself was a high ranking Naval Officer, used to success, regular promotion and recognition, but he felt something was missing and that his ambition and drive to succeed was cutting him off from many people and many aspects of life. He sought a new wisdom and a new serenity and he found this in the Scriptures.

The Scriptures today are normally associated with funerals and death "the victory of the Cross" and the "rest for our souls", but these readings can also be seen as a charter for Christian living. It is something that Father Sims would certainly have recognised.

Like Jean Vanier, Father Sims underwent a conversion experience which changed his view of life and his practice of the faith. Although, most of us know Father Sims as the calm and wise Priest, this was not always true. As a young man, growing up in Coventry Tony Sims struggled with his faith and only went to Church occasionally. He was bright and won a Scholarship to Bablake School.

After School, he joined the Navy, he commanded a landing craft at D-Day and was involved in Operation Dead Light when the surrendered German U-Boats were brought to the coast of Scotland and dis-armed and sunk.

It was while in the Navy that a near death experience brought him back to the practice to the faith and when after the War he went on to Bangor University, he came in contact with fellow Catholic students and worked for the Catholic Evidence Guild. After Graduation, he returned to Coventry to teach here at Christ the King in the building next door.

He was a kind and much loved teacher, but after the excitement of the Navy and the freedom of University, he found it a little difficult. It was a time when he continued to work for the Catholic Evidence Guild and a time for discerning his vocation as a Priest.

During this time he played for both Christ the King Football Club and Cricket Club. When he went off to Seminary, he told one of his friends that if he was lucky enough to become a Priest, at least he would never have to teach again.

Of course, his 22 years at Cotton made him see the funny side of that remark in later years. After Ordination, his pastoral care was evident to all. At Great Barr, at Cotton, at Ilmington and indeed in retirement at Harborne. His priestly side always shone through, always priestly but never clerical.

Many parishioners, students and colleagues will all have very happy memories of a kind and gentle Priest. His intelligence and ability never distanced him from people, but rather did the opposite. Drawing them in to a life full of interest and wisdom. In spite of all his great gifts, of course he couldn't boil an egg, so when he moved to Ilmington he was really blessed to have as his house-keeper, Mrs Jo Gaskin, who has been with him for the last 30 years. She made sure that he was well fed and watered and got out for regular country walks.

Jo's family has become Fr Sims' family and for that we are very grateful. She has continued to help him in retirement and it was fitting that she was with him when he died. We also want to acknowledge the wonderful care given to Father Sims by the Sisters and Staff at St Joseph's Home in Harborne. There are so many stories that can be told of "Simmo" as he was affectionately known, but it is enough to say that, any time anyone speaks of him, they do so with a smile on their face.

He loved the simple things in life and enjoyed wherever God had called him to be. His good friend Father David Lloyd, spoke of a nightly routine that Father Sims had. He would finish his pint of beer, polish his shoes for the Mass the next morning, finish his pipe, complete the Time's Crossword and say Night Prayer. Each of those things tell you a little about him. We were surprised when we heard that Father Sims wanted his funeral to be held here at Christ the King, but we were delighted to be able to remember a man who has given such a wonderful example of service as a Teacher, as a member of the Armed Forces and as a Priest. But also to remember a person who has a given such a wonderful example of wholeness, Holiness and humanity.

We are praying for him today, but I am sure that his prayer for us would be, that we too could discover the wisdom and peace that comes from God, "Come to me all you who labour and I will give you rest"

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