FUNERAL OF DEAN DESMOND HARMAN WHO 'EPITOMISED THE VERY BEST IN THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF OUR CHURCH'

Speaking at the funeral of the Very Revd Desmond Harman, who died on Tuesday, the Venerable Edgar Swann, Archdeacon of Glendalough described the late Dean of Christ Church Cathedral as “someone who epitomised the very best in the life and ministry of our church.”

In a very personal address, the Archdeacon, who is the late Dean’s brother in law, recalled their long friendship dating back to their time as students in Trinity College Dublin. He said “we will best honour his memory by carrying on his work with the same integrity which was his hallmark. Sue [Dean Harman’s wife], Mark, Lynne and Karen [their children], we thank you for sharing him with us, and for your personal sacrifices to enable him to be such a shining light in the Church of Ireland.”

Recalling the work by the late Dean in Christ Church Cathedral he added, “In an all too brief period of three and a half years, he has done so much to turn around the finances, to continue the restoration of the fabric and to build up the community here, and it has all been done with that honesty and unwavering integrity and care for people which he applied to everything in his life and ministry.”

Concluding, the Archdeacon said “I can only offer you the faith that Desmond proclaimed, the faith of the Church, and my personal faith, in the words of comfort with which Jesus spoke to Martha. ‘Your brother will rise again. I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even though they die, will live and everyone who believes in me will never die.’ May our beloved Desmond rest in the peace of the Christ which he served so faithfully and rise in the glory of his resurrection.”

The funeral Eucharist was be celebrated by the Most Revd Dr John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough. Amongst those who attended were the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Revd Alan Harper. Other Church of Ireland Bishops present included the Rt Revd Robin Eames, former Archbishop of Armagh, the Rt Revd Donald Caird, former Archbishop of Dublin, the Rt Revd Richard Henderson, Bishop of Tuam Killala and Achonry and the Rt Revd Ken Clarke, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. Ecumenical representatives included the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Diarumuid Martin and the Administrator of St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, the Very Revd Canon John Flaherty. Leading the civic dignitaries were the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Paddy Bourke. Her Excellency the President of Ireland was represented by her Aide de Camp, Colonel Declan Carberry, the Taoiseach was represented by his Aide de Camp, Captain Michael Treacy. Also present were the Honorary Secretaries of the General Synod (of which the late Dean was one), the Revd Canon Ian Ellis, Sam Harper and Lady Brenda Shiel.

Address by the Venerable Edgar Swann, Archdeacon of Glendalough
at the Funeral Eucharist of the Very Revd Desmond Harman,
Dean of Christ Church Cathedral
on Friday 21 December 2007 at 11.00.

I feel very honoured today to be asked by the family to speak about Desmond.

I have known him for some 43 years and it is so hard to encapsulate those years of Desmond’s life work into a few short pages, but I will do my best.

I first met him shortly after meeting his Sister, Gladys. I had heard about Desmond and was more than apprehensive as to whether I would pass the test as a boyfriend of his beloved Sister. Indeed, I think Gladys was apprehensive also. I need not have worried, he obviously liked the look of me and warned her not to mess me around. I could not have asked for a better Brother-in-Law.

We both read Hebrew and Oriental languages, Desmond ahead by a year. Both of us were involved in the Hebrew and Oriental Languages Society in various positions. Even in College, certain skills were obvious in Desmond’s character. He became engrossed in the Editorship of the Trinity News, a task in which he showed great talent. It was a talent which was to come to the surface again when he became Editor of the Diocesan Review, holding this position for many years, basically in an honorary capacity, he totally revised the appearance and the content and made it into a magazine the Diocese could be proud of. It was indicative of the commitment and dedication which he gave to every task he undertook.

Desmond was in his element in the field of organisation and administration. He gave his all to the work he undertook as a Secretary to the General Synod, being meticulous in keeping himself informed about everything which affected the Church of Ireland and its contribution to Ireland, North and South.

Much of his time of service was through the difficult days of the peace process, and they were often turbulent times in the history of the Church and Nation.

Desmond, however, was not only skilled in administration, he was a wonderful pastor.

He served as Curate-Assistant in Taney, where he met Sue. They married, and Sue became a much loved part of our lives. He became Rector of Santry and Glasnevin, and then Sandford and Milltown, with the chaplaincy of Alexandra College which he did so well.

I have met so many people who benefited from his pastoral care in the parishes where he served. As someone said to me in the last few days “Desmond was a very human person.” That humanity never showed more clearly than when he was with children. He responded to them, and them to him. He was wonderful as an Uncle and a great uncle. For all the seemingly austere exterior at times, he could be the life and soul of a family party. He will be so missed when we sit down together in the future. Indeed, there exists a photograph of Desmond at a family wedding on New Year’s Eve which we threatened to publish in the Review if ever he caused us any trouble.

And what about the Dogs. They were so much a part of this life and he loved them. One of his favourite services here was the PetaDog. Indeed, some of the last photographs of him are hugging the dogs at this year’s service.

Desmond also had a lifelong love of music, becoming skilled on the piano as a boy, and then the organ, which he studied under the famous Dr. Hewson. He loved his music, and had a very wide taste in it, but he liked it played well.

There is a story told of one occasion when in his home in Carrick when he was trying to have a lie in and Gladys was practising on the piano in the Drawing Room, very badly I believe, eventually, he could stand it no longer, stormed down the stairs and closed the lid of the piano as she hastily extracted her fingers from the keyboard. He once bought a piano when he was in college rooms and lovingly restored it. Anyone who was invited to coffee was given a blade and expected to play their part in removing layers of dirt and polish.

From a young age, he adored the little Telford Organ in his home church of St. George’s, Carrick-on-Shannon. He was often seen disappearing into the back of it to do some maintenance work or to re-tune it. I remember sitting pressing notes for hours while he would give instructions from inside. Even as a teenager, he would play for services and would go back every year to play for the Annual Regatta Service. Eventually, through his efforts, major restoration work was carried out on the organ. Judy and all the music team in this place, including our two wonderful choirs, your music brought him so much pleasure. He would have been so proud of your Carol Service on the night before he died. Your music here today is as always so wonderful and is such a fitting tribute to him. Thank you. The psalm chosen for today was chosen carefully. It speaks about “Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem.” Desmond was so involved in things which involved bringing people together, breaking down barriers, and stretching across International Boundaries.

His work for Bishops’ Appeal was tireless over many years. Here in Dublin, he worked to make the Citizenship Service more meaningful, and, for the last few years he has traversed Northern Europe constantly in building and extending the Porvoo Agreement with our sister churches from the Lutheran Tradition. I must be careful in my pronunciation as, only, recently he gave me a lesson in pronouncing Porvoo properly.

In 2004, Archbishop John Neill asked him to become Dean of this place. He was hesitant for many reasons, including family ones. However, when others would have coasted slowly towards retirement, Desmond unselfishly accepted the challenge with the generous support of Sue and the family, a support which he had throughout his ministry.

In all to brief period of three and a half years years, he has done so much to turn around the finances, to continue the restoration of the fabric, and to build up the community here, and it has all been done with that honesty and unwavering, integrity and care for people, which he applied to everything in his life and ministry. We will miss the piercing questions, the perceptive comment, the sense of humour, the wisdom which he brought to our Committees. The moments when we thought we had the perfect answer, but Desmond made us think again. I know that John and David and I will so miss our sharing with him at our Senior Staff meetings.

This Cathedral, these Dioceses, the whole Church of Ireland, mourns the untimely passing of someone of whom we can be rightly proud of, someone who epitomised the very best in the life and ministry of our church. We will best honour his memory by carrying on his work with the same integrity which was his hallmark. Sue, Mark, Lynne, and Karen, we thank you for sharing him with us, and for your personal sacrifices to enable him to be such a shining light in the Church of Ireland.

We all mourn him today, but you mourn him most, because your love for him was greatest and closest. Look around you and see this great congregation who are here to honour him and thank God for his life and witness, and know that the thoughts and the prayers of each person are with you in your grief.

I can only offer you the faith that Desmond proclaimed, the faith of the Church, and my personal faith , in the words of comfort which Jesus spoke to Martha.

“Your brother will rise again. I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even though they die, will live, and everyone who believes in me will never die.”

May our beloved Desmond rest in the peace of the Christ he served so faithfully, and rise in the glory of his resurrection.

- ENDS –