THE tragic drowning of teenage friends Reuven Simon and Joseph Sebastian has become every parents’ nightmare, bishop of Derry, Donal McKeown told mourners at their funeral yesterday.
The two 16-year-olds died when they got into difficulty while swimming at Enagh Lough in the Strathfoyle area of Derry on Monday evening. The deaths of the friends came just days before they were due to start studying for their A-levels at St Columb’s college.
As members of the Syro-Malabar Rite of the Catholic church, their joint Requiem Mass was celebrated in the English and Malayalam languages at St Mary’s Church, Ardmore yesterday. A huge screen was erected in the grounds of the church to facilitate the huge numbers who travelled from across Ireland to attend the funeral. Music and prayers also reflected the Kerala community of which the boys and their families were members.
Chief celebrant at the Mass was Fr Clement Padathiparambil, leader of the Syro-Malabar Church in Ireland. He was assisted by Fr Paul Morley, Fr Joshy Kuttingal, Fr Joseph Karukayil, Fr Jain Mannathukaran, Fr Roni Maliyekkal and Fr Joshy Parokkaran.
Classmates of the two boys at St Columb’s formed a guard of honour as they were brought to St Mary’s and the school also closed for the day as a mark of respect. Many of those who took part in the search operation to retrieve the two victims on Monday night, along with ambulance and fire crews attended the funeral Mass. SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood also attended along with SDLP assembly member Mark H Durkan who, as a family friend, addressed the service.
The teenagers’ friends and families paid individual tributes to the victims. Reuven’s cousin, Juliet said he could light up any room. On behalf of Joseph’s family, Abraham Sebastian said words could not describe their pain as they mourned the “life that was but also the life that might have been”.
“Joseph, who was Joppu to us, was a wonderful and sweet boy. Even as a child, he had a calm temperament and he grew into a special boy,” he said.
Bishop McKeown told mourners that the tragedy had been traumatic for many people in Derry and the wider community.
“This is a parent’s worst nightmare. And it is very unsettling for the teenage friends and colleagues of these two young men who lie before us in their new school uniforms. It is difficult to accept that life can be very hard. We are blessed by one another and by a sense of faith when we have to deal with the many tragic losses in life,” he said.
He said the two boys were a “huge gift to all of us in their life” but, reluctantly, they had to be handed back to the “strong hands of the God who made them in love”.
In his homily, Waterside parish priest Fr Michael Canny said Joseph and Reuven’s families had made their homes in Derry, a city which had suffered a lot.
“You as families who are suffering so sorely can now draw from that deep well of empathy and love that your adoptive city is so ready and willing to offer,” he said.
He told mourners that Joseph was born in Kerala in India but moved to Derry with his family at the age of three months. He said the 16-year-old was a passionate footballer and cricketer who excelled at school. Reuven was born in Derry and also enjoyed football and cricket.
Addressing the teenagers’ parents directly, Fr Canny said death robbed families of so much, leaving them with broken hearts and tears. However, death could not rob a family of love or hope, Fr Canny said.
“As parents and families you have loved these boys and they will forever be alive in our hearts and memories. The pain you feel today is in proportion to the love you have for your boys,” he said.
