A PRIEST who taught generations of Irish seminarians but wore his learning "lightly" has died at the age of 90.
Fr Enda McDonagh, from Co Mayo, was appointed professor of moral theology and canon law at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, in 1958.
He held the post until his retirement from full-time teaching in 1995.
The theologian also served as official chaplain to Mary Robinson while she was President from 1990 until 1997.
Last week, President Michael D Higgins joined bishops and academics in paying tribute to Fr McDonagh, who passed away in a Dublin hospital on Wednesday.
He said his approach to philosophy, combined with a great personal capacity to communicate, meant he was always in demand where conflicts had sown divisions.
President Higgins also praised Fr McDonagh’s “sensitivity to the poor at home and abroad”, his support for women as equals in church and society, and his commitment to ecumenism.
As a theological adviser on HIV and Aids to a number of organisations, Fr McDonagh was also known for his opposition to the church’s stance on contraception.
Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam said many priests will point to Professor McDonagh "as the person who opened their minds in the quest for faith seeking understanding".
He added that Fr McDonagh was known and respected by people of all theological hues and none “because of the way he wore his learning so lightly, and because of his genuine humility and personal warmth, people felt comfortable in his presence, and enriched by the encounter”.
