Scottish Catholic Observer

Tributes have been paid to a university-bound former pupil of St Luke’s High School in Barrhead whose funeral was celebrated last week.

Michael Connor, 17, who left St Luke’s last summer, lost his battle with cancer on Thursday January 24. On learning of Michael’s death, Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow—the former Bishop of Paisley, a diocese that includes Barrhead among its parishes—offered Mass for Michael, his family and friends, with the Scottish bishops during their recent conference in Salamanca, Spain.

Michael’s funeral was held at St John’s Church, Barrhead, last Thursday and his death is the second loss for the school within a month. It follows that of first year pupil Bethany Prew.

Family and friends of Michael, including school pupils from St Luke’s and other schools in the local area, packed in to St John’s Church for the funeral Mass and heard Fr Eoin Patten describe Michael as somebody who left a ‘long-lasting’ impression on so many people.

“He was the only pupil at the school to whom the librarian would say: ‘please can you stop doing work? You need to relax,’” Fr Patten recalled.

Michael Connor was the first pupil at St Luke’s to achieve three A’s at Advanced Higher level and he was preparing to study sociology and economics at St Andrews University. The former St Luke’s pupil had also been for an interview at Oxford University.

Adele Simpson, from St Luke’s English department, paid tribute to Michael at the funeral, saying that he will not just be remembered as a former pupil but ‘as a dear friend.’

She went on to add that ‘a strong argument or debate with Michael was a sign that he liked you.’

Pupils from St Luke’s have also been offering their prayers for another former pupil, 12-year-old Bethany Prew, who died at the beginning of January from a heart condition.

A special Mass was celebrated at the Barrhead school in memory of the first year pupil. Speaking following Bethany’s death, Patricia Scott, St Luke’s headteacher, said that she will be ‘remembered fondly by us all.’

The St Luke’s community is continuing to support the families of its two former pupils and their memories, and those of others who have departed are going to be remembered by the school in a number of ways, Ms Scott told the SCO.

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–        This story was reported in full in the February 8 print edition of the SCO.