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Msgr Tony Duffy - Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh

Monday 24th May 2021

Monsignor Tony Duffy died peacefully in the early hours of the morning of Wednesday 12 May following a period illness - fortified by the rites of Holy Mother Church.

Archbishop Cushley said: "Mgr Tony was a much-loved figure in the parishes he served and in Edinburgh, where he was widely known and respected. He also played a key role in pilgrimages to Lourdes. He will leave an enormous gap to fill. May he rest in peace."

Mgr Duffy was born in Edinburgh on 27 May 1947 and ordained a priest in 1973. Fr Tony served God in a number of Parishes including St Patrick's in Kilsyth, St Cuthbert's, Slateford, St Paul's Edinburgh, The Sacred Heart & St Anthony in Armadale, St Mary Magdalene's in Bingham and then returned to St Cuthbert's in Edinburgh - latterly taking on responsibility for the Parish of Our Lady, Mother of the Church in Currie, in addition to St Cuthbert's. He took on Chaplaincy roles at Primary and High Schools, and also spent a number of years as Archdiocesan Treasurer.

Alongside all of this work, many of us will know Mgr Duffy best from his role as the Lourdes Pilgrimage Director for Edinburgh. This was an area of priestly life which he loved and performed for a number of years - playing a key role in many successful pilgrimages to the French Shrine and was a Canon of The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.

A Lourdes pilgrim said: "He was a genuinely friendly man who wanted everyone to fit in and find a place on the pilgrimage. He really took the youth under his wing. He had a great sense of fun and, spiritually, he knew how to hold you during his homilies - he had a brilliant way in putting things across in what was a simple yet quite intellectual way."


Another, a helper and long time friend of Mgr Duffy, added: "I have known and worked with Tony since 1973 when he first came on Pilgrimage with us. His love of Our Lady and St Bernadette was palpable. He worked tirelessly for all the hotel and Saint Frai Pilgrims, the team of doctors, nurses, clergy and helpers and especially the young people he encouraged and supported to go to Lourdes. We will miss his physical presence in Lourdes but I know he will be standing beside us in front of the Grotto. Rest in Peace my dear friend. "

Dr Monica Bald, Lourdes Pilgrimage Doctor said: "Fr Tony has been in Lourdes since I started travelling to Lourdes in 1996 - through good times and bad, happy and sad, always there at a moments notice to listen, confide in and to offer advice and support. He's been by our side over the more than a decade as a new 'young' team of office bearers started learning how to plan and organise the Pilgrimage. He's shared so much with us and taught us so much. We will continue on in his memory but it will never be the same without him and I'm not sure how we'll fill the void he leaves. It has been a true privilege to know him as a Pilgrimage Director and as a priest but most importantly as a friend. Rest in peace Fr Tony, we will miss you."

St Bernadette, pray for him. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for him.