Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy has described as “moving and inspirational” the gesture by the 11 year-old son of Anthony Foley in asking people to go to Mass and light candles over the next eight Sunday’s for deceased loved ones.Endorsing the #8masses4no8 Facebook campaign launched on Monday by Tony Foley and his family, Bishop Leahy said it was a deeply touching and selfless gesture at a very tragic time for the Foley and Hogan families.
“This is both moving and inspirational. The Foley and Hogan families have found themselves in one of the worst places imaginable. But yet this young man has been moved by the support they have received to, in turn, think of others.
“Like everyone, I was very struck last week by his mother Olive’s strength in the face of this tragedy, not least in her eulogy at the Funeral Mass on Friday. She is clearly a woman of deep faith and it will help her through this very difficult time. That faith is clearly passing off onto her sons.
“The beauty of this Facebook campaign is the courage that the family is showing in acknowledging they are not on their own, that there are many, many like them who have lost loved ones also.
“The campaign starts next Sunday, which is on his Dad’s birthday and that adds even more poignancy to it. But we are also moving into November, which is the month when we remember those who have gone before us. Tony’s call is, therefore, hugely timely as while people never forget those who are gone, Mass is the greatest prayer we have to remember them with.
“This really is a powerful movement that this young man has started and the response has been huge by all accounts. It’s really is a movement of love and remembering inspired by an 11 year old boy. He really is a credit to his father and mother.”