Bermondsey Buries Its Pastor - Canon Alan McLean

Holy Trinity Church, Dockhead, just downstream from Tower Bridge, was filled to the rafters twice this week for the funeral of Canon Alan McLean, who served the parish and the surrounding community for more than thirty years - firstly for a parish Mass on Thursday evening and then for the more formal Requiem Mass, led by Archbishop John Wilson, on Friday morning.

Alan, born just a few miles away in Battersea in 1952, studied at Wonersh and served successively in Worcester Park, Purley, Forest Gate and Dockhead. Enormously gifted musically (he took part in several clerical concerts for Cafod down the years), the liturgy at Holy Trinity, Dockhead was renowned for its quality and beauty as well as its ability to reach out to touch ordinary people. The parish celebration included both 'The Rose', made famous by Bette Midler, and Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'Love changes everything' alongside more standard church repertoire.

But it is his warmth and compassion that will be remembered most. Across the choir balcony at Holy Trinity hangs the legend, 'We remember, we celebrate, we believe' - also the theme of a song by Marty Haugen that was sung on Thursday evening. Alan made people feel that they were remembered and that they really mattered, welcoming all and celebrating their joys and sorrows as he shared with them the journey of faith.

In particular, at the beginning of the Aids pandemic, at a time when many were afraid even to be in the same room as HIV patients, Alan quietly developed a ministry to patients at the Mildmay Hospital and elsewhere. No matter people's stories, no matter their struggles, they were welcomed and accepted as brothers and sisters.

I first met Alan when he arrived as chaplain to my school shortly after his ordination. He persuaded a small group of sixth formers, including myself, to go with him to the Taizé community in Burgundy. Twelve years later he vested me at my ordination. I'm just one of many whose lives were touched and changed by his kindness, his normalness (far from my youthful images of what a priest should be like) and his humour. His laugh will echo long.

But it's in Bermondsey that he probably left his greatest mark. Former local MP, Sir Simon Hughes, has commented, following his death, that Alan was "a priest for all people … one of the men most loved, admired and respected by thousands of people and families throughout Bermondsey and all of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark. He was a dear and trusted friend to many, including me … and was fully involved in the issues and decisions of his local community. He was also great fun and great company."

Alongside the church at Dockhead the frame of 'The Beacon Centre' is nearing completion. This will offer a new resource to expand the parish's ability to welcome, accompany and celebrate faith in the everyday of people's lives - the very thing that Alan spent his energies doing. It would not be surprising if the centre didn't end up bearing his name. Donations in his memory towards this project can be made to RCAS Bermondsey Dockhead a/c 35542705 at NatWest Bank 60-21-34 with the reference 'Canon Alan'. May he rest in peace.

Canon Rob Esdaile, Parish Priest of Woking & Knaphill Catholic Community

LINK

https://dockhead.com/canon-alan-mclean-r-i-p/