We announce the sad news of the death of Fr Terence Anthony McGuckin. Fr Terry died peacefully on Wednesday 14th August 2024, in hospital.
Fr Terry was born in Cork, Ireland on 18th May 1950 and ordained to the priesthood in Dublin on 8th June 1980. He had been living in retirement in Coventry.
Condolences are extended to Fr Terry's family and to friends and colleagues and all who knew him in the parishes where he served in the Diocese and in the seminaries where he taught in London and Rome.
Fr Terry's mortal remains will be received at the church of Christ the King, 14 Westhill Road, Coventry CV6 2AA on Wednesday 4th September at 6pm with a Requiem Mass.
The Funeral Mass will be at Christ the King on Thursday 5 September at 12noon with Bishop Paul McAleenan presiding.
We pray for the repose of Fr Terry's soul with words from the Responsorial Psalm at Mass this evening, the Vigil of The Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary:
Your priests shall be clothed with holiness,
your faithful shall ring out their joy.
For the sake of David your servant
do not reject your anointed.
For the Lord has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling:
‘This is my resting-place for ever,
here have I chosen to live.
May the soul of Fr Terence, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Obituary:
Academic qualifications are a testament to Fr Terence McGuckin’s intellectual giftedness: BA, BD, STL, MA, MLitt, DD. He shared his knowledge and his love of theology generously with seminarians in formation for priesthood, both in London and Rome. It was study and teaching that motivated Fr Terry’s life as a priest. When periods of uncertainty about his vocation surfaced he immersed himself in reading and research to grow in his appreciation of the reality of God and God’s purposes. Because he had his own struggles he was able to reach out to other people who were struggling, either with their faith or their studies or their search for the purpose for which they were created. Countless seminarians, priests and others will have gratitude for the part Fr Terry played in their lives and his enduring influence.
Born on 18th May 1950 and brought up in Cork city, Terence McGuckin was one of five children born to Cornelius and Ellen McGuckin. He was educated locally at the North Presentation Convent and then, for secondary schooling, at the North Monastery Christian Brothers School. He went on to study at University College, Cork and then with the Dominicans in Tallaght, Dublin before studies at Trinity College, Dublin. He intended to be a Dominican. From 1971-77 he was a member of the Irish Province and took temporary vows. In Dublin his focus became research on medieval biblical exegesis and patristics. He was praised by his tutors for the originality of his research. Between philosophical and theological studies Terry went to Tanzania, from June 1974-June 1975, as an envoy for the Legion of Mary. In 1977 he took time out from formal formation and took employment with the Department of Social Welfare in Dublin. After a year he left this work and went to All Hallows Seminary in Dublin in September 1978. Having left the Dominicans, amicably, Terry was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of New Orleans, having gone there to experience parish life over the summer. While at All Hallows Terry taught French to seminarians who wanted to learn from him. Terry was fluent. However, visits to London prompted Terry to seek acceptance by the Diocese of Westminster and this was granted. But Terry was still uncertain and he considered both Dublin and New York as possible places for him to request acceptance for future ministry. He settled on Westminster and came to the Diocese early in 1980, to St Margaret’s church, East Twickenham. The Parish Priest there reported that Terry was an excellent communicator with people of all ages. He took a keen interest in the parish youth club, and in the programme of preparation of young people for Confirmation. The Parish Priest wrote, ‘I have no hesitation in recommending him for work with young people’. Terry’s sense of humour ‘…will always prove an asset in the rough and tumble of parish life’ and his commitment to regular prayer was also praised. Terry returned to All Hallows for ordination to the diaconate in June 1980. His studies continued and he was ordained to the priesthood in the college chapel on 8th June 1980 by Bishop David Cremin, an Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, originally from Limerick, and who had studied at All Hallows.
Fr Terry’s first appointment was to St Joseph’s, Bedwell, one of four parishes in Stevenage. As well as ministry in the parish, Fr Terry was appointed to serve as Chaplain to the two Catholic secondary schools in the town and to have oversight of youth ministry in the four parishes of Stevenage and more widely in the deanery. His ministry would be ‘cross-parish’, and ‘experimental’, with the support of neighbouring Parish Priests. He was to take up his appointment in January 1981 but the requirements of study for his MLitt on medieval penitential psalms meant his appointment was put back to Easter. It was agreed that further studies remained a possibility. By the summer of 1981 Fr Terry again had doubts about the nature of his vocation. He went to the Benedictine monastery, Glenstal in Ireland, and spent time there discerning his future before returning to Bedwell. He made known to Cardinal Hume OSB, Archbishop of Westminster, his preference to be in London rather than Hertfordshire for his next appointment, without dismissing a possible Benedictine vocation. Cardinal Hume wrote to Fr Terry: ‘I think that you are wise to go rather slowly on the OSB thing’. Fr Terry was appointed Assistant Priest at St Paul’s, Wood Green where he served from 1981-82. He then returned to Glenstal but soon became unwell and had to leave the monastery. He gave thought to returning to the Dominicans. He was advised by Cardinal Hume to have a period of rest before returning to the Diocese. But Fr Terry remained unsettled and contemplated the possibility of ministry in the Diocese of Brooklyn. This did not happen and his next appointment was to Our Lady of the Rosary, Marylebone to give temporary assistance. Conversations about his future ministry continued and it was agreed that Fr Terry should pursue further studies, a Licentiate course in theology in Rome, from September 1983, while residing at the English College. Fr Terry flourished in Rome as a priest of the Diocese studying for a Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology at the Gregorian University with the possibility of continuing to study for a Doctorate. Fr Terry was a valued member of the seminary community. The Rector wrote, ‘He relates well to the students, is friendly with the staff and fits in well…he is an outstandingly good preacher… pursues his studies conscientiously and enthusiastically….a natural academic. He counsels some of the students with great common sense.’ He was asked to do some teaching at the College, and also at the Gregorian University and the Beda College in Rome. He went on to study for a Doctorate. His fine thesis, published in 1989, was ‘The Eschatological Effect of the Cross of Christ in the New Testament Commentaries of St Thomas Aquinas.’
Fr Terry continued to have bouts of ill health and he returned to the Diocese for ministry in Marylebone, serving as the Assistant Priest from 1999-2001. His next appointment was to serve as Parish Priest at St James, Twickenham. However, his time in Twickenham was cut short due to health issues and, in 2002, he resigned on health grounds and went to live in the presbytery at Brook Green. In 2004 he was well enough to be appointed Parish Priest at Queensway where he remained until 2009 when he returned to Marylebone as Parish Priest. Once again various health issues necessitated stepping down from his appointment, in 2012, to enable Fr Terry to receive the treatment and support that was needed. In 2015 he re-located to Coventry to benefit from residence with the charitable community of Open Hands. There he found support and stability. He showed his ability to communicate with the diverse community of the charity and showed empathy and compassion in his dealings with others. As his health deteriorated he had several admissions to hospital, the last was on 14th August, the Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Fr Terry died peacefully in his sleep.
Essentially shy and sensitive, Fr Terry’s ministry was sustained by his academic interests and his desire to share knowledge. Pastoral endeavours were often hampered by ill health. Also sustaining was his devotion to Our Lady, as expressed through his work with the Legion of Mary before and since ordination. As well as his service as an envoy of the Legion in Tanzania he was involved in Cork and in Dublin and, in the summers of 1970 and 1972, with Westminster Cathedral’s praesidium. He was key in the foundation of a seminary praesidium in Rome, in 1987, and he served as Chaplain. His hobbies included music, sports, reading and travel. On his application form, when seeking acceptance by Westminster, he wrote, ‘I enjoy music and sports but am not personally musical or very good at sports’. His passion was theology, professionally and as a leisure pursuit, and he also enjoyed socializing with friends at home and overseas.
May the soul of Fr Terry rest in peace and rise in glory.
