‘Lives shattered’ by tragic death of Matthew Healy

Prayers were said tonight in a local church for the parents and family of Matthew Healy, the six-year-old boy who died after being found unresponsive in a car near Dunmore East area last Friday.

Hundreds of people packed into the Church of St Nicholas in Faithlegg, Co Waterford, close to Faithlegg National School where Matthew was a senior infant pupil.

They heard during a special prayer vigil that the lives of Matthew’s parents and grandparents had been “shattered” by the tragedy of his death.

“We pray for little Matthew, we pray for his parents and his family,” parish priest Fr PJ Breen said while welcoming the crowd to the church tonight.

He said people have many questions at the moment, such as “Why is Matthew gone from us?”, and these are perfectly understandable.

Fr Breen also said there is much speculation about what happened to Matthew.

“It serves no purpose and won’t change anything,” Fr Breen said.

“An innocent life has ended, all too soon. The lives of Matthew’s parents and grandparents have been shattered, and scarred in a way we can’t comprehend and hope will never visit our own lives.

“Many other lives have been deeply affected by this unspeakable tragedy.

“At this time the best we can do for his family, his friends and indeed for ourselves is to place our trust in God, have a child-like trust in him, in opening ourselves to his love for us we find comfort and consolation as we pray to God.”

He said that in the last few days, those with children have held them that little bit closer.

“Such a tragedy reminds us of the fragility of life,” and to take nothing for granted, he said.

Fr Breen also prayed for those “who worked so valiantly” for Matthew early last Friday morning and for those providing support to Matthew’s schoolmates.

“We pray for all those in difficult situations,” he said.

Many of the dozens of primary school pupils present at the service brought flowers and artworks completed at school during the day, and laid them in front of the altar during the ceremony.

They also prayed the rosary with Fr Breen.

Among those who did readings and said prayers of the faithful were members of the school community, board of management and the school principal Kieran O’Sullivan.

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