Scotland: Funeral of Charles Kennedy MP

Mourners have begun to arrive for the funeral of Charles Kennedy MP, which will begin at 12 noon today in St John the Evangelist, Caol, Fort William. The Principal Celebrant will be Monsignor James MacNeil, Administrator of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles. Parish Priest Fr Roddy McAuley, will preach the Homily.

The readings for the Mass will be: 1st Reading: Ecclesiastes: 3:1-7, 11;
Psalm: 139
2nd Reading: St. Paul's Letter to the Romans: 8:31-35, 37-39.

Fourteen children from St Columba's RC Primary school, Lochyside, which Charles Kennedy attended as a child, will sing the Psalm, "O God, you search me and you know me".

The family have chosen the following hymns: Christ be beside me, Our God loves us, I the Lord of sea and sky, Soul of my Saviour, How Great thou art.

Mr Kennedy died at his home in Fort William on 1 June at the age of 55. He had been a Highland MP for 32 years, and led the Lib Dems for more than six years.

Under Mr Kennedy's leadership, the party won a record 62 seats in 2005 but he resigned eight months after the election after revealing he had been receiving treatment for a long-standing drink problem.

He lost his Ross, Cromarty and Skye seat to the SNP in last month's general election.

His mother died a year ago. His brother was seriously injured in an accident. His father died in April this year, during the election campaign.