Death of Connor Eberhard, 1994 - 2013

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Connor James Eberhard (1 December 1994 - 23 April 2013)

Yesterday I asked you to pray for Connor Eberhard, whose life was drawing to a close. Now I ask you to pray for the soul of Connor who died peacefully at 10:30pm, Tuesday 23 April, at his home in Smithville, Ontario, Canada. Shortly before his 18th birthday he learned that he had cancer. The doctors gave him six months to live. 

Connor lived the last few months of his life to the full, with courage, cheerfulness and faith. His maternal grandmother Maeve Devlin, with whom I spoke on the phone this morning, Wednesday, Philippine time, and she told me that Connor had received the last rites from his parish priest last week. Maeve and her husband Doug, who with their four children, Peter, Jacqueline, Cathy (Connor's mother) and Glenn have been close friends of mine since 1968, live next door to the Eberhards. Maeve, an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, brought Connor Holy Communion each day until he slipped into a coma.

The parents of Connor, whose only child he was, Martin and Cathy, posted this message on his Facebook account:

It's with great sadness that we said goodbye to our dear beloved son, Connor James Eberhard this evening. We love you Son, and are so proud of you and the inspiring life that you lived . . . you're playing with the Angels again, Connor, just like you did when you were little. Always and forever in our hearts. Love, Mom and Dad.

 Thank you everyone for your support and prayers.  Visitation and funeral will be announced tomorrow afternoon. Love, Martin and Cathy.

Connor with his Dad


The Roman Missal
Various Prayers for the Dead
For a Young Person

O God, who direct our life in all its moments, 
we humbly entrust to you this your servant Connor James, 
whom we mourn as one whose life 
was completed in so short a time; 
grant that he may flourish, for ever young, in the happiness of our house.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, for ever and ever.

The Resurrection, Passignano, painted 1600-25 [Web Gallery of Art]

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