Archbishop had strong foreboding, says brother

ARCHBISHOP Michael Courtney had a strong sense of foreboding before he left for Burundi three years ago but believed he had resolved much of the conflict he was sent to tackle, his brother revealed.

"From the beginning he was reaching for the stars," Dr Louis Courtney said as mourners prepared to leave his funeral Mass. He had a special word of thanks for the people of Burundi, who showed him great kindness over the years.

"Michael accepted people in their totality without righteousness or arrogance. He absorbed human frailty in its totality and without criticism.

"He listened with a keen sense of compassion. He respected and reinforced the kindness of others. He was game for any challenge, whether it was on the rugby field, sailing, swimming, tennis, horse riding, skiing on snow or on water or whatever. He abhorred violence, cruelty and intimidation.

"He had a strong foreboding about his appointment to Burundi. But having made his decision, he was prepared to take on the world. Fluent in many languages, he had yet more to learn.

"By the summer of 2003, I felt that he felt that he had got to grips with the problem he was sent to resolve. He had won the hearts of the people of Burundi and perhaps he showed them that he was not afraid. Though he may well have been and I believe at times he was."

He said his brother respected others and his fellow priests and added that he had a special friendship with the Pope.