The Archbishop of Glasgow has paid tribute to the lives of three members of the same family killed in the Glasgow bin lorry tragedy, during an emotional homily that described their deaths as “random, cruel and meaningless”.
Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, speaking at the funeral Mass for 18-year-old Erin McQuade and her grandparents, Jack and Lorraine Sweeney last Saturday, said their deaths were “a heart-breaking tragedy”.
“A festive and happy Christmas shopping excursion to Glasgow had become the worst of nightmares,” he said of the 22 December afternoon when they were killed by an out-of-control lorry while shopping in George Square.
The archbishop spent time on the evening of the tragedy with Jacqueline McQuade, who had watched her daughter and her parents die in the accident, and her husband.
His relationship with them was clear in his deeply personal homily at St Patrick’s church in Dumbarton, when speaking directly to their family he promised: “The God of whom Jesus speaks is not cruel, vengeful or capricious.” Humans were not indestructible, he said, but these limitations were a sign that “we are meant for life and glory … not even death will have any power over us”.
He spoke also to Erin's friends and thanked them for “the blessing of their friendship”.
“Just as her life was opening up and she was spreading her wings, cruel fate took her away,” he said. “But you can be sure that she has not dropped into nothingness or non-existence. She has gone to God who will love and protect her until you see her again in the life of the world to come. So, my dear young friends, please do not let grief overwhelm you because what God has in store for Erin is unimaginable light and life and joy.
He prayed that Mr and Mrs Sweeney, who he said would be buried in the same grave, would enter heaven “together, hand in hand”.
Stephenie Tait, a teacher at St Philomena’s Catholic Primary School in the city, Jacqueline Morton, and Gillian Ewing, were also killed.
Read the full homily
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