Watch: West Cork priest with incurable cancer bids emotional farewell to parishioners

In a video, Fr Galvin held back tears as he said thank you, asked for forgiveness and for prayers as he retires from official duty

Fr Gerard Galvin, who has been parish priest of Muintir Bháire near Durrus in West Cork since 2009. Picture: Denis Boyle - 2019

A parish priest with incurable cancer has issued an emotional online farewell to his parishioners following the official announcement of his retirement.

Fr Gerard Galvin, who has been parish priest of Muintir Bháire near Durrus in West Cork since 2009, held back tears as he said thank you, asked for forgiveness and for prayers as he retires from official duty.

His retirement was officially announced by the Bishop of Cork and Ross, Fintan Gavin, late last week as part of a raft of priest changes, with Canon Martin O’Driscoll announced as the administrator of Muintir Bháire and parish priest of Bantry as part of the new Family of Parishes structure in the Bantry area.

And in an online video posted on Sunday, Fr Galvin issued an emotional goodbye. He said he has incurable cancer in his bones and lungs, is in pain and having difficulty sleeping.

“I wish it wasn’t like this - I wish I could shake your hands and say goodbye,” he said.

“But I can’t. I don’t have the energy anymore.” 

He spoke of his joy of serving in the parish over the last decade, mentioning first communions, confirmations, weddings and baptisms, of how much he has learned from the community, and from the children in the schools, who he said could be very funny and great craic.

“Their endless ability to surprise me is a wonderful thing,” he said.

He spoke of the sorrow of funerals and the heartbreak of death and said he tried his best to help people in their sorrow and need.

He thanked people for their financial and spiritual support over the years and said peoples’ prayers at this time in his life have given him “the gift of healing”.

“What that means in real terms for me is that cancer will not be my life - cancer is not my life.”

And having spoken about healing over the years, he said he now understands it fully.

“I am healed and that means the taking away of fear, anger, resentment, self-pity, pain and much more - they are gone and they are replaced with hope and with love,” he said.

But he said no one is perfect and nobody gets it right all the time.

“And that certainly is the case with me,” he said.

“I certainly made my fair share of mistakes and blunders but I have never set out to deliberately hurt anyone or to offend anybody or to upset them but I know I have, by my words, deeds and lack of same.

“And therefore I now want to apologise to those people whom I upset or disappointed or hurt or let down in any way.

“I hope that someday you can forgive me for my failures and for any hurt that I may have caused you.” 

His final request was to ask people to pray for him.

“I will treasure your prayers and I will never forget the people of this parish, the people of my parish. God bless you and thank you,” he said.