THE innocent words of a child during Saturday’s Requiem Mass for 10-year-old Daniel Andre captured the tragedy which has stunned the Hilltown community.
In front of a packed congregation at St John’s Church on Saturday, one of Daniel’s little friends from St Patrick’s PS said everyone would “miss his big smile, his laughter and his spikey hair”.
And as a large picture of Daniel stood at the altar beside his Clonduff GAC jersey, hurley stick and First Holy Communion prayer book, a teacher from St Patrick’s recalled how he had brightened every day with his happy smile.
MANY businesses in Hilltown were closed as the cortege wound its way through the town, with the small white coffin flanked by members of the Clonduff club.
Outside the church, St Patrick’s pupils also lined up to say goodbye to their dear friend.
At the start of the Mass, Fr Dean Davies expressed his deep sympathy to Daniel’s parents, Donna and Luigi, and sisters Lauren and Kara.
“The Andre family has suffered a great loss but they have the consolation of knowing that the whole community feels that loss and is supporting them in it,” he said. While God does not want such terrible things to happen, He is on our side and is standing by us, the priest added.
Fr Davies also pointed out that the death of a child is particularly difficult, describing it as almost unnatural for parents to have to face up to burying their children.
Daniel is at rest and safe in the arms of the Lord, he went on, saying that perhaps Jesus loved the little boy so much that He couldn’t wait to call him home to Heaven early.
“In trying to come to grips with this untimely death of David, we must acknowledge that there are no easy answers, no cheap consolations in the face of death,” Fr Davies reminded mourners.
“We don’t know why tragedies like this happen but they are not the will of God.”
He also poignantly described how he had met Daniel in the street just a few days before his death and recalled how the youngster told him that he was on his way to the local Gaelic pitch for a hurling blitz tournament.
However, Daniel has now gone straight to the kingdom of Heaven, Fr Davies stated, adding that children have immediate access there. “They need no passport, they walk straight in and play before the face of God,” he said.
Addressing Daniel’s grieving family, Fr Davies explained that God is close to the broken-hearted and is their greatest friend. The priest also urged children to be careful when swimming in the River Bann, pointing out that Daniel is the third person to drown there since the early 20th century. Meanwhile, a touching text message has been circulating amongst local children in the days following Daniel’s death.
Urging everyone to pray for Daniel and his family and friends, the text says that God wanted the boy to live with Him. It goes on: “Send dis 2 everyone nd show ur respect 4 Daniel nd his family nd friends. RIP Daniel Uu wer da best 0XX.”