Limerick toddler's funeral: ‘Little Robert changed lives in two brief years’

The great changes a young child brought during his brief life of just two years and two months were saluted by a priest yesterday at the toddler’s funeral.

Fr Pat Hogan, parish priest of Southill parish in Limerick, was speaking at the Mass of the Angels for little Robert Kelly who died from a viral infection last Saturday. His family made a public plea to be allowed grieve in peace after sinister messages were posted on social medial following the child’s death.

Fr Hogan addressed several hundred mourners and said: “Children change everything. They change people’s hearts — people’s lives. Having a child takes you on a journey of love, care, anxiety that you never thought possible. We know that young Robert changed the lives of people around him by just being there. He caused great change especially in his parents, Robert and Lisa. So children teach us that being present with us is most important. Robert was in our hearts by being there. He caused great change. Children are fully confident that they are going to be loved, cared for, more secure. They don’t ask us to be perfect, just that they would know love and security. Robert’s goodness and love continues to grow in his parents and family.”

Fr Hogan said the child they were now praying for had taught love and new places in the hearts of all who loved him during his short life.

He continued: “In death he is teaching us of even greater love and more new places in our hearts. But also teaching us of the need to appreciate for each other and help each other build good lives.”

Fr Hogan said if we fail to learn from Robert and what he had achieved among those closest to him, then his life and death would be in vain.

“To all of you we ask patience and that you watch out and care for each other as time moves on. The journey ahead cannot be easy. But be gentle on yourselves and remind yourselves that you did and do love him. Keep your family and friends very close,” he said.

Addressing the child’s father, Robert, aged 21, Fr Hogan said that after his birth Robert Sr had to be rushed to Crumlin Children’s Hospital with a life-threatening illness.

He said: “Back in 1993, you weren’t expected to survive as a child. But you did. You were the miracle baby of 1993 in Crumlin. You seem to have overcome so many obstacles: more recently when you sustained serious injury in a road accident on your way to work. But your life was not about yourself, or what you suffered. Your life was about your son, about all that he had to give you and all that you had given him. Be patient with yourself and let the knowledge of the good you have done be a source of great strength to you.”

Fr Hogan said they had kept the Christmas crib in place for the Mass as a reminder of Bethlehem.

He added: “The child of Bethlehem challenges us to recognise God being present, the God who grew up to be an adult who challenged us to see differently.”

Fr Hogan said our world can be difficult for so many children. He said: “Children were taken hostage in Paris last week. Children are legitimate targets in the war in Syria. Children are kidnapped in their hundreds in parts of Africa, never to be seen again. Children are trained as soldiers, trained to be suicide bombers. In the history of our own country we know that many, many children were given very difficult lives. And it continues. Many children live very difficult lives. But that was not true for Robert Kelly. He knew he was deeply loved by his dad, with whom he lived and that he was deeply, deeply loved by his mam, Lisa. He was secure, surrounded by so much love and there was so many plans for the future. And now there is a different future.”