OBITUARIES

Canon John Rohan CARDIFF PRIEST ROHAN has died at the age of 61. He will be remembered for his active participation in the rescue operation after the Aberfan landslide disaster in 1966, when he was a supply priest in the area.
Born in Maesteg, Mid Glamorgan in July 1932, he studied for the priesthood at the English College in Lisbon and was ordained in May 1956.
He served as assistant priest in St Illtyd's, Dowlais; St Brigid's, Cardiff; and All Saints, Ebbw Vale, before becoming parish priest at Our Lady of Penrhys, Ferndale, in 1964.
From 1966, he became parish priest at St John Lloyd, Trowbridge, for the next 19 years. In 1985, he moved to St Mary's, Merthyr Tydfil, where he oversaw centenary refurbishments.
His funeral was at Merthyr Tydfil, and he was buried at Maesteg.
Fr Ralph O'Reilly OFM BORN IN WALLASEY IN 1916, Ralph O'Reilly joined the Franciscan novitiate in 1937, and was ordained eight year later.
He spent much of his life serving the Franciscan parishes of Glasgow, Forest Gate and Bristol, in the latter two as parish priest.
He founded the order's parishes in Llanidloes and Rhayader in mid-Wales, and spent 14 years preaching at parish missions and retreats. Latterly, he was parish priest in Connor and Bishop Waltham in the Portsmouth diocese, where he was also Vicar for Religious for 17 years.
His latter days were spent as chaplain to Nazareth House, Nottingham, where he was cared for when he was struck by illness.