Father Michael Cody RIP

Please pray for Father Michael Cody, the Columban Regional Director in Chile since 2007, who died on Tuesday. He will be buried today, Thursday, 23 April, in Santiago.

Father Mike was from Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts, and was ordained in 1973. He spent the earlier and latter years of his priesthood in Chile while serving in the USA in between. His death is a real shock. He was admitted to hospital on Holy Saturday and was diagnosed as having terminal cancer of the liver. He had shown no symptons of illness before that except for some tiredness.

Father Mike was aware of his situation and grateful for the prayers of his Columban colleagues and friends. But getting word of his death only a day after learning of his illness is a great shock to those of us who knew him.

I first met Father Mike when he was still in the seminary and met him once or twice in later years.

May her rest in peace.

You can read an obituary by Fr Michael Hoban, a Columban from New York City who has spent many years in Chile, on the website of the Columbans in that country. The same obituary is also on the website of the Archdiocese of Santiago. The obituary notes that Father Mike was the son of immigrants from Ireland, Jeremiah Cody and Mary Cashman, and that his father was a firefighter. The firefighters in Boston and New York City include a very high percentage of members with an Irish background.

Father Mike, for me, bore a remarkable facial resemblance to the great English comedian, Eric Morecame, on the right in the photo, with his comedy partner, Ernie Wise. Morecambe and Wise were two funny men. May they too, with Father Mike, enjoy the light of heaven.