THOUSANDS of mourners are expected to visit Clonard today to pay their respects to Fr Gerry Reynolds ahead of his funeral on Thursday.
The 82-year-old, who was based at Clonard for 30 years, passed away suddenly yesterday morning following a short illness.
Last night crowds of parishioners gathered at Clonard to receive the remains of the well-known Redemptorist.
Mourners will be able to visit Clonard today and tomorrow to pay their respects to Fr Reynolds, who is to be waked in the conference room in the monastery.
His remains will then be removed to the church tomorrow night, when an ecumenical service will take place.
Requiem Mass will take place at noon on Thursday with burial afterwards in Milltown Cemetery.
Speaking last night, Rector of Clonard Fr Noel Kehoe said the Redemptorist community had been plunged into "profound grief" following the death of Fr Reynolds.
"We were not expecting this," he said.
"We have really lost one of our giants, spiritually and as a friend, as a brother in the Redemptorists, as a priest. The whole community is in grief because one of their giants is gone".
Fr Kehoe said Fr Reynolds was devoted to his work.
"Gerry was a grassroots man and for him, if the churches didn't come together, nothing was going to work. Gerry was motivated by the hope and promise of unity. It wasn't the big fancy stuff, it was about people and listening and being non-judgmental and respectful".
Fr Kehoe added: "He was the man that we loved. We have just lost someone who was very special to us all".
