Fr John Dunne, right, with Fr Anthony Glaysher.
FATHER John Dunne, former parish priest of St Mary’s Church, Ryde, from 1989 to 1995, has died at the age of 72 at Kiln Green Convent, near Reading.
In his time in Ryde, Fr Dunne was a highly respected and popular figure.
He was born in Ireland and brought up near Dublin. In his 20s he decided to offer himself for the priesthood and was accepted for the Portsmouth Diocese. Before coming to Ryde, he was at Hedge End and previously at Sandhurst.
He told parishioners at St Mary’s he was 'overjoyed’ when he was appointed in 1989. "I always considered that St Mary’s, with its rich tradition and heritage, would be reserved for someone more important than me."
He was sent to Ryde in April 1989 to restore St Mary’s Church. In his six years at St Mary’s not only did he achieve this but he enlarged and upgraded the church hall and restored the church crypt beneath St Mary’s, converting it into a tea room, shop and mini-museum, depicting the Christian history of the Island. It is now the only church crypt on the Island which is open on a regular basis.
In 1995, Fr Dunne left Ryde to become parish priest of Southbourne, combining this with the position of chaplain and spiritual director of the Diocesan Catholic Women’s League. He retired last year after spending 14 years in Southbourne.
Fr Dunne returned to Ryde in June last year, at the invitation of the present parish priest, Fr Anthony Glaysher, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. He died suddenly last week after a short illness.
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