“The beauty of human dignity” shone through the life of the long-time sacristan to Rowe Street Church in Wexford, who died suddenly June 24, said the local priest.
Fr Billy Swan said Mr Kinsella’s tragic passing “has shocked us all”, but his loss “unites us in sadness but also in constant prayer and hope”.
Mr Kinsella was declared missing from his home shortly after 11pm June 24, and his body was found later the next day after a search.
The 74-year-old had served as sacristan in Rowe Street for more than 50 years, and was a well-established fixture in the community, Fr Swan said.
In his homily for Mr Kinsella’s funeral, June 29, Fr Swan said that “today we embrace Joe with our love and our prayer and enfold the Kinsella family with our acceptance and compassion”.
“He was much loved,” Fr Swan continued. “Fr James raised the very valid question of whether Joe realised how much he was loved… maybe, his biggest struggle was to love himself.
“He had his demons… for years and years he battled on and kept going as best he could with quiet dignity.”
Ultimately, Fr Swan said, Mr Kinsella “allowed the beauty of human dignity to shine forth from his wounded life”.
