By 2pm on Saturday 12th July, All Saints’ Church, Kenton, was filled with over 200 mourners from the village and farther afield,
for the Burial Service for John Hughes.

Altar piece, All Saints’ Church, Kenton

We sang, O God our help in ages past,
giving a mental NO to the line, They fly forgotten as a dream,
and said together Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing.

The Readings were Wisdom 3:1-5,
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God
and Matthew 6:25-34,
Do not be anxious about your life,
affirmative and true to John’s character.

The Tribute, a combination of the Church Times Obituary and personal reflections, was movingly given by Fr Robert Mackley, Vicar of Little St Mary’s, Cambridge, and one of John’s close friends.

After the Prayers we sang the great hymn,
How shall I sing that majesty,
with its surprisingly modern imagery written by the 17th century English priest and poet, John Mason,
to the soaring tune Coe Fen.

As John’s coffin was carried from the church, all said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace:
according to thy word.

Many people went up to the peaceful hillside cemetery for the Burial Prayers. It was John’s wish to be buried in Kenton.

John’s parents were wonderfully composed and afterwards expressed the comforting thought that John had already in his life achieved more, and touched for good more people, than most of us do in a full lifespan.

May he rest in peace, and rise in glory.

“Chalice & Host” by Eric Gill

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From the website of Jesus College, Cambridge, “The College has been shocked at the death in a car accident of The Rev Dr John Hughes (1997), the Dean of Chapel at the College. The loss of John Hughes is acutely felt as the life of the College was greatly enriched by him. A former undergraduate of the College, he was both an outstanding academic who inspired the students he taught, and a faithful priest and pastor who touched profoundly all those with whom he came into contact. He will be deeply missed.”

“The Funeral Service, at which all are welcome, will be held at 1.30 pm on Thursday 10 July in Ely Cathedral.”

And from Ely Cathedral, “Please note that on Thursday 10 July there will be no visitor access to the Cathedral between 12.45pm and 3.15pm due to a Requiem Eucharist taking place at 1.30pm.”

It has also been announced that there will be a Service and the Burial, which anyone is welcome to attend, at All Saints’ Church, Kenton, Devon, EX6 8LU, on Saturday 12th July at 2pm.

From St David’s Exeter website, “A Requiem Mass for Fr John Hughes will be celebrated at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 6th August at St Michaels Mount Dinham, Exeter. We hope that this will be a fitting tribute to John, a sign of our gratitude for all that he did in our parish and community and a opportunity for us all, together, to remember him before God. All are welcome to attend.”

More moving tributes to the life of John Hughes were given here, “The Cambridge Student”

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