Bishop Davies commends lifelong service of Prince Philip

Duke of Edinburgh in 1993 by Allan Warren Wiki Image

Source: Diocese of Shrewsbury

On the eve of the funeral of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Bishop of Shrewsbury paid tribute to the public dedication of the Royal Family, saying they demonstrated to the nation how all authority and power is entrusted to service...

In a Requiem Mass celebrated for the Duke of Edinburgh, the Rt Rev. Mark Davies commended the "life-long service and personal engagement" of Prince Philip and other members of a family who, he said, strives "every day to live out their duty as an expressly Christian calling."

The Bishop echoed the sentiments of Pope Francis that the Prince's "distinguished public service" was rooted "in his devotion to marriage and family and in his concern for the advancement of future generations."

The fruit of such service, the Bishop said in his homily at the Mass in Shrewsbury Cathedral on Friday April 16, was "a myriad of good works".

Bishop Davies said that the Catholics of the Diocese of Shrewsbury owed "a duty of prayer" to Prince Philip, who died in Windsor Castle on Friday April 9 at the age of 99, reminding the congregation that the "final duty of Christian charity is to pray for the dead that they may attain everlasting happiness".

The Bishop also prayed that "the values of life-long commitment and public service, we saw along all the roads he travelled", continued to flourish in generations to come.

Bishop Davies said: "Beyond the aura of a thousand-year-old monarchy, all of us come to know the members of this family through their life-long service and personal engagement with every corner of our land. They help to show us how all authority and power in a nation is given and entrusted for service. We recognise the human face of the members of a family who strive every day to live out their duty as an expressly Christian calling. Tonight, we share in the mourning of a family which in some way belongs to us all. We share a sense of loss at the death of Prince Philip, who was part of our national life for as long as most can remember.

"Pope Francis's 'heartfelt condolences' to Her Majesty the Queen expressed sentiments shared across the world. In the past week, so many people, from all walks of life, have acknowledged her husband's distinguished public service which had extended across the greater part of a century. That service was rooted, Pope Francis said, in his devotion to marriage and family and in his concern for the advancement of future generations. In the past week there has been much reflection on the enduring legacy, in a myriad of good works to which the Duke of Edinburgh energetically devoted almost a hundred years of life and for which he used the position entrusted to him."

The homily of Bishop Davies follows in full

Homily at the Diocesan Requiem Mass for His Royal Highness, Prince Philip Shrewsbury Cathedral, 16th April 2021

The last time I saw Prince Philip was quite unexpectedly on a motorway. The Royal car and its accompanying vehicles had slowed the traffic in both directions. On that rainy weekday morning, I caught sight of a now elderly Prince Philip sitting beside the Queen; as he had done on countless occasions across seven decades, the Prince was accompanying the Queen in carrying out her duties. A fleeting sight of the royal couple en route to offer encouragement to communities and initiatives; just as they would foster friendship between nations; and offer support in times of tragedy and crisis, thereby helping sustain the fabric of a thriving civil society. All this reminds us why a family - the Royal Family - is placed at the centre of our national life.

Beyond the aura of a thousand-year-old monarchy, all of us come to know the members of this family through their life-long service and personal engagement with every corner of our land. They help to show us how all authority and power in a nation is given and entrusted for service. We recognise the human face of the members of a family who strive every day to live out their duty as an expressly Christian calling. Tonight, we share in the mourning of a family which in some way belongs to us all. We share a sense of loss at the death of PrincePhilip, who was part of our national life for as long as most can remember.

Pope Francis's "heartfelt condolences" to Her Majesty the Queen expressed sentiments shared across the world. In the past week, so many people, from all walks of life, have acknowledged her husband's distinguished public service which had extended across the greater part of a century. That service was rooted, Pope Francis said, in his devotion to marriage and family and in his concern for the advancement of future generations. In the past week there has been much reflection on the enduring legacy, in a myriad of good works to which the Duke of Edinburgh energetically devoted almost a hundred years of life and for which he used the position entrusted to him.

The Book of Revelation assures us that all our good works go with us. And yet, in the hour of our death, be we prince or parishioner - one thing alone matters, that we die in the Lord.i Amid the tributes of the State and appreciation of world leaders, we owe to the man himself, whom we came to know as Prince Philip, and to his family, the same duty of prayer that we owe to each other. Indeed, the final duty of Christian charity is to pray for the dead, that they may attain everlasting happiness.

The person we came to know as a public figure was also the same man who had begun his life as a child refugee together with his family. In the words of one biographer, Prince Philip had started out "nameless, stateless and penniless." Yet, that same child of God would be called to serve an entire nation and commonwealth in the rich pageantry of royalty; he is the same soul for whom we pray in his final hour that he may at last rest in peace. May Prince Philip be so accompanied by our prayers. And may the values of life-long commitment and public service, we saw along all the roads he travelled, continue to flourish in generations to come.

Eternal Rest grant to him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

i Cf. Rev. 14:13

LINKS

Funeral of HRH Prince Philip - www.royal.uk/funeral-duke-edinburgh-0
Condolence Book - www.churchofengland.org/remembering-hrh-prince-philip-duke-edinburgh