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Death of Venerable Cecil Pringle
Archdeacon Cecil Pringle who has died.
The death has taken place of the Venerable Cecil Pringle, former Archdeacon of Clogher, who conducted his last service as a parish rector after 52 years of ministry in 2018.
At the time of his retirement at Drumkeeran Parish Church, Tubrid, part of the parish grouping of Drumkeeran, Muckross and Templecarne, he was the longest serving rector in Clogher Diocese.
The then Bishop of Clogher, now Archbishop John McDowell, in his tribute to Archdeacon Pringle at the time, spoke of his unique form of ministry as well as his experience in administrative roles within the church.
Speaking about rural parish ministry, he said Archdeacon exercised his ministry in a special context of rural ministry, visiting people in their homes to show that God cares for us all.
“That was a ministry that Cecil had carried out with great diligence,“ he said.
He also praised his work in a cross-community aspect. At a time of great division one of the Archdeacon’s great strengths was to ‘heal the wounds, to hold out the hand of friendship.
Paying tribute to Archdeacon Pringle, the Bishop of Clogher, the Right Revd Dr. Ian Ellis said; 'Cecil in his life and ministry has humbly demonstrated the spirit and power of God; that spirit of wisdom, insight and pastoral care, and the courage and faith to depend on the power of God to change things, and to help people discover faith and the love of God and a welcome in his church for all.
'Cecil has left an incalculable legacy of loving service in the work that he has done, for his Lord, his family, and for the church which will be remembered for many, many years to come.'
Also paying tribute was Bishop Larry Duffy, from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clogher, who said Archdeacon Pringle was acutely aware of the call to ongoing inter-church dialogue and the importance of church leaders walking together in leading God's people.'
Archdeacon Pringle was born outside Clones, Co. Monaghan and following his education at Clones High School, he graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 1965 and was ordained in 1966 where he spent his curacy in St. Donard’s Parish, Belfast before his first appointment as Rector of the Parish of Cleenish (which was later grouped with Mullaghdun) in Clogher Diocese from 1969 to 1980. He was then appointed Rector of Rossorry Parish where he remained for most of his ministry from 1980 until 2008.
In 2008, Archdeacon Pringle, after almost 28 years as rector, resigned from the parish of Rossorry and continued ministry as a Bishop’s Curate in the Drumkeeran Group of Parishes where he remained until his retirement in 2018.
He was appointed a Canon of Clogher Cathedral in 1986 and Archdeacon of Clogher in 1989.
The funeral service for Archdeacon Pringle takes place today in Rossorry Parish Church at 2pm followed by burial in the adjoining churchyard.
Archdeacon Pringle is survived by his wife, Hilary; son, Mark and daughters, Tanya and Claire and their families.