Rev John Taylor
By his brother Fr Bert Taylor
Fr. John Vincent Taylor was born on 1st. January 1930 five minutes before me, his twin brother. We made our first Holy Communion together and were confirmed together by the first Bishop of this diocese, Wulstan Pearson. John was ordained as a Holy Ghost Father in 1955 and spent 30 years working in Makurdi diocese, Nigeria. I travelled to be with him in Nigeria when he celebrated his Silver Jubilee. I saw the chapel he had built with its "lantern" top like Liverpool cathedral. I was amazed at the standard and style inside and out. The bishop was anxious to build a new cathedral. With a Hungarian architect, John went ahead to construct a beautiful cathedral big enough to accommodate 2,000 people. A man whom my brother knew in Sutton-in-Ashfield designed the windows. On returning to England he worked in three parishes in the Westminster Diocese. He went to Cricklewood as a "curate" to a kind Parish.Priest. Cardinal Hume then invited him and two other priests to be incardinated into the archdiocese. He was happy in that parish and was a good support to the parishioners some of whom were from Nigeria. The Cardinal then promoted him to be P.P. of Our Lady of Willesden. There, there was a famous shrine chapel to Our Lady with a statue once taken and honoured at Wembley Football ground. The chapel was in need of restoration, another challenge to John. There was a wonderful transformation of the shrine where the monstrance was placed each day after the 10.00 a.m. Holy Mass until evening. He was welcomed by all including several Nigerian people. It was a busy parish so considering his age the Cardinal appointed him to a country parish at Baldock. He and the parishioners-were happy as were the Sisters of Providence who so generously cared for him. Sadly, after an operation he was unwell for along time until God chose to call him out of this world to Himself. The family and friends are most grateful to so many people who cared for him and prayed for him. Fr Bert Taylor

Rev Austin Gannon
From a sermon preached at his funeral by Fr Michael Lakeland
Austin requested, that there be no panegyric at his funeral and we must respect his wishes, lam sure that. he would not mind us saying that when he came as a late vocation to Upholland, he was popular, genial, and a good friend to many, and that he remained that way for the remainder of his priesthood. Of late he had been deteriorating in health and he found comfort and care with the Little Sisters who do such excellent work. It was sad that his life should come to an end in such a tragic way. He had been with us at the deanery conference three days before the incident and was his usual urbane self. He may not have got too much from the conference but he liked being in the company of his brother priests and deacons.

He concelebrated at daily Mass right up to the day of the accident. This occasion gives us the opportunity to reflect on the Autumn of life, and on death. I don't know if those of us in the clerical life are better at facing these times than the people we serve. The time of old age is a time of insecurity and its just the time when quite naturally we would want to be secure. We see elderly people who can no longer manage their own lives and are distraught at the thought of leaving their homes for a nursing home. Nothing can ever be the same again, and we of the clergy usually have all the same feelings. And we are conscious that we are an ageing body of men. It must tax our spiritual lives. But what of death itself? Are we any less afraid than the people we serve? We go round giving assurances to other people and especially if we have connections with a hospital we can be amazed at what they teach us. Ask someone casually in a cancer ward about how they are and sometimes they may say that the doctors have told them that there is nothing more that they can do. If you pull up a chair and listen, you may get a great deal of wisdom, and almost always they are not afraid of dying. Their only worry seems to be how others will manage without them. Just with a little bit of humour, I remember a man called Arnold. He had emphysema badly. He was always coming in and it was always an urgent sick call. Then there came a call from the intensive care unit. It was Arnold and this time we were told he will not recover. He was anointed in his unconscious state. I was quite surprised three days later to get a call from the Unit to say that Arnold was asking for a priest."Give us the last rites Father" he said. I explained that it had been done and that it was not the last rites, but the Sacrament of the Sick. A deep sigh. "I don't know " he said. " You can't even die in an old fashioned way now."

It was sad that our brother Austin had to die as he did, but I don't 'think that he suffered very much. He believed that those of us who are still around at the second coming of the Lord would not have any advantage over those who had died. Together we would go to meet the Lord. To Austin's relatives and friends I hope that St Paul's words of comfort will be a help. May he rest in peace.

Fr Tom Lyons O.S.A.
From a sermon preached at his funeral by a colleague
Fr Tom Lyons was born in Limerick, Ireland in 1937 and joined the Augustinians in 1954. .He first gained his MA in Maths at Dublin university before going to Rome to study for the Priesthood and was ordained 1965. He came to this country to teach in Carlisle in September of that year. He arrived at Liverpool airport with the another young Augustinian, the late Fr Vincent Corcoran. By coincidence, they found their travelling companion was Fr Val Farrell who was also newly ordained and also on his way to serve in Carlisle.

He was greatly loved and was very successful not only in teaching maths but also on the playing field. In 1981 he was appointed headmaster and held that position reluctantly but obediently until 1994, the longest tenure in the school’s history. During this time the school became co-educational, something he regarded as a civilising influence. As headmaster he introduced another first, a dog. He always loved big dogs. Tom loved his dogs and they worshipped him. Every morning the same ritual unfolded as outside the kennel the dog jumped at Tom and he could be heard saying, “and I love you too.”

Earlier this year as he very quietly celebrated his fortieth year in the priesthood, he also dreaded the thought of leaving Carlisle. As things worked out he did not have to. While out with his dog V2, he collapsed with a heart attack. The dog stood guard over him and the ambulance crew could not approach until it had been tranquillised. Tom was a greatly gifted man who shared those gifts liberally with others May he rest in peace.