Declan Donnelly – one half of TV duo Ant and Dec – has attended a Requiem Mass for his brother, telling mourners the household “can’t understand why he’s gone”.
Father Dermott Donnelly, 55, died in hospital earlier this month after falling critically unwell.
He had lately celebrated 30 years of service within the Catholic church.
The Mass was held at St Mary’s Cathedral in Newcastle – the place Dec married Ali Astall in 2015, in a service led by his brother.
Hundreds of individuals gathered on Friday, with greater than 2,000 watching on a livestream.
Speaking throughout the service, an emotional Dec mentioned the world is a “worse place because Dermott is no longer with us”.
He added: “We can’t believe he’s gone, we still can’t understand why he’s gone – but we trust God took him because his talents were needed elsewhere.
“We as a household will miss him immeasurably.”
Dec thanked the congregation for “all of the wonderful tributes and messages of assist”, saying the family had been “merely overwhelmed by the kindness we have been proven”.
The TV star informed how Father Dermot had been the center little one of seven, the household sharing a three-bedroom home in Newcastle – 4 boys in a single room, three ladies in one other.
Dec mentioned: “Dermott and I, being the youngest boys, were confined to the bottom bunks, and on the occasions when my five or six-year-old overactive imagination created monsters under the bed, I would run out of bed, jump into Dermott’s bunk and he would calm me down in the middle of the night with stories he invented.”
Dec additionally praised his brother’s “fantastic sense of humour and fantastic sense of adventure”, and mentioned his want to be a priest was “definitely there from an early age” as their mom Anne remembered him eager to “play Mass” as a toddler.
And he joked about his brother’s fundraising efforts, saying: “You name it, Dermott monetised it.”
Father Dermot was recognized for his work with younger folks and was a member of the clergy at St Joseph’s Church in Stanley, County Durham.
Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, Robert Byrne, mentioned: “The huge numbers of people here this morning joining us in this cathedral and St Michael’s (church) by livestreaming is an obvious testament to the ministry of a gifted priest.”
During his profession, Father Dermott was a supporter of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, CAFOD.
Monica Conmee, its head of schooling, mentioned the priest had been a “great friend of CAFOD”, including: “Father Dermott chose to stand in the light, and through his immense talent and gifts, so generously guided thousands of young people to experience the love and light of God in their own lives, inspiring them to share this with others.”
In April, Father Dermott visited Downing Street, becoming a member of different non secular leaders in praying for peace.
Ant McPartlin mentioned in a tribute: “Father Dermott you were the kindest, wisest man I knew. Rest in peace my friend. You will never be forgotten.
“My ideas, prayers and love are along with your great household. The world has misplaced a particular man.”
Source: information.sky.com”