text of nancy barry's talk at the funeral

Fr bill and my dad were both great models of men in pursuit of God. But there was a difference. My dad, Jack Barry, devoted a lot of his time to our family. For Father Bill, everyone he met became family. And he asked me to tell each of you personally that, while he loved us all, you were his favorite.

What a great man. Father Bill took on the big issues, marching with Cesar Chavez, heading the priest's council, creating ways for lay people to build their participation and voice in the church, taking on issues of peace and justice, building the work of Catholic Charities.. If Father Bill had not made some choices to act, some of us think we would have been a bishop.

Instead he showed us all what it means to be a priest and human being imitating the life of christ. He was always there, always open, never judging, always faithful and loyal to the church. How many of us did Father Bill baptize, counsel before marriage, and console in times of pain and grief. His heart was so huge it could hold all our sorrows and you could see it expand with our joys.

And Fr Bill seemed to be there for each of us at once- -friends and family. How did he make it for every special event in our lives? This was a man who tested the limits of how many homes in Claremont and Pasadena and Newport and Barstow--and sometimes Akron or Boston--you can hit for Thanksgiving and Christmas..

He made every one he knew feel special. Were we all really that gorgeous, that accomplished, that wonderful? He made me want to become the person that he thought I already was. He saw the goodness, the potential, the uniqueness in each of us. He made us want to be our best person.

And Fr Bill showed us what it means to be a child of God. Father Bill approached every day with wonder and real joy, or as he would say, with fun, fun, fun. He loved his boats, his priest pals, his family--and on vacations to mexico and hawaii and catalina, he taught many a Barry how to mix a lot of blarney with a little skill to win a gin game.

With the passing of Fr Bill, many of us now have three fathers who art in heaven, watching over us, beckoning us to be our best selves, and showing us the way. We have God the Father, our own fathers and sweet Father Bill.

Thank you, God for giving us Father Bill, as a source of love and light in our lives. We will practice what we have learned from him. We will trust that we are in the palm of your hand. We will focus on fulfilling your purpose for us on this earth. We will cherish each other and enjoy the ride!.