Well-known Jesuit priest Fr Michael Paul Gallagher has died. From Collooney Co Sligo he had been ill for some time. His death took place on Friday at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Dublin. Removal will be to Milltown Park chapel in Dublin at 4pm Monday with funeral Mass at 11am Tuesday, followed by burial in Glasnevin cemetery.
After secondary school at Clongowes Wood College in Kildare he joined the Jeuits and studied in Renaissance literature at Oxford. He taught Englishliterature for nearly 20 years at University College, Dublin before going to Rome where he lectured in theology at the Gregorian University. He held the post of Dean at the faculty of theology there from 2005 to 2008.
Among his many books were Clashing Symbols: An Introduction to Faith and Culture (2004), The Human Poetry of Faith (2003), Questions of Faith (1999), What Are They Saying About Unbelief? (1995), Sects and New Religious Movements: An Anthology of Texts from the Catholic Church, 1986-1994 (1995),Letters on Prayer (1994),What Will Give Us Happiness? (1993), Losing God (1992), Can I Be a Christian on My Own? (1991),Help My Unbelief (1988), Free to Believe: Ten Steps to Faith (1987).
His book Into Extra Time, an account of his journey through illness will soon be published by Darton, Longman and Todd/Messenger Publications. Fr Gallagher was also a contributor to the well known Jesuit publication the Sacred Heart Messenger. His most recent article, on The Prospect of Dying , appears in the current issue,
Shortly before his death he recorded a series of short videos for the Jesuit Guide to Making Good Decisions. He also wrote the text for an online Advent Retreat soon to be published on the Jesuit prayer website 'Sacred Space' and the 'Pray-As-You -Go' podcast prayer website of the Jesuits in Britian.
