Mourners packed Middlesbrough cathedral last Thursday at the funeral service for Bishop McClean, who died suddenly in Manchester.

Bishop Gordon Wheeler of Leeds called Bishop McClean a "wonderful pastoral bishop who was primarily a devoted parish priest."
In Bishop McClean's period of
office — the shortest of the four bishops of Middlesbrough in 100 years — there had been greater stress and strain than ever before following the Vatican Council "That took a special toll in the case of Bishop McClean as with Pope Paul." A Catholic layman said in a message to Bishop Wheeler that he had never heard Bishop
McClean say an unkind word. "His mitre was a crown of thorns," said the layman, who was not identified.
Bishop Wheeler referred to Bishop McClean as "John Gerard" or "Father Mac."
Archbishop Worlock of Liverpool was the principal concelebrant at Mass assisted by Archbishop Dwyer of Birmingham and Bishop Holland of Salford.
The Mass was attended by 17 bishops, the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Bruno Heim and Cardinal Basil Hume, who flew back especially from Rome. Many civic dignitaries and representatives of other denominations and people from all walks of life were present.