On behalf of Patricia, Charlie, Michael, Danielle and Emily, Maura and Martin, I welcome you to this funeral liturgy for Stephen. Thank you for joining us today. We are praying today for all of you in your loss. Death is always a shock; even more so when it’s the death of someone close to us who has died long before his time.
We all come here to remember Stephen, to give thanks, even in our grief, for his life, to offer each other, and especially those who will most miss him,  the consolation of our love and our presence with you today; and to offer also the promise of eternal life.
Our consolation will be the happy memories we have of Stephen; our sadness is that he has gone from us. Our sure Christian hope is that the Lord our God will welcome him home and that one day we will be united together in heaven. In the depth of our loss and hope we now pray and offer this Eucharist for Stephen.
We come to God, knowing we need his mercy and forgiveness, and so in preparing to celebrate the Mass we call to mind our sins.

Lord, you suffered and died in our name. Lord have mercy.

Lord, your heart was moved with compassion for the sick and the bereaved. Christ have mercy.

Lord you suffer with your people at the right hand of the Father. Lord have mercy.
And may almighty God, have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring us to life everlasting.

Let us pray:
Almighty God and Father of all, you strengthen us by the mystery of the cross and with the sacrament of your Son’s resurrection. We pray for STEPHEN grant him peace. Welcome him to the eternal joy of the kingdom and give us all new hope in our sorrow that one day we shall all be with you and with each other in your home where every tear will be wiped away. Grant, this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The future belongs to those who know how to wait.  As a keen gardener Stephen would have waited in anticipation for the changing of the seasons, we wait for spring or summer or fall or winter, for birth, for love, for life itself to reveal its meaning and purpose. Just as Easter follows Good Friday, we as Christians must wait with hope and love for Christ who comes to us. As people of hope we believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Today we feel the sadness of death. We have come to share the sorrow of Stephen’s loving family.
                   Stephen’s period of waiting is now over. He departed this life on Easter Monday. There is nothing in the world like death. When we observe the change of the seasons and how nature dies, we say death is natural. Death is totally strange. In one moment a beloved voice, familiar gestures and individual presence stop. The most haunted moment during grief is when you realize that you will never see that person again; it lets no one return. But our Christian faith offers us something entirely different.                                   
The number of years we live is not the measure of our greatness or holiness or wisdom. But who knows the mind of God? So today we want to give thanks and to celebrate Stephen’s life. We cherish his memory. Our sure hope is that the Lord Our God will welcome him home and that one day we will be united in heaven. In the depth of our loss we will pray and give thanks to God for Stephen. May all his goodness and kindness gather around him to bring him safely home. May his gentle soul rest in peace!
 Stephen Rogan was born on 5th July 1959, to parents Paddy and Maura Rogan. His early life was spent at Drumnavaddy, where he and his brother Martin spent their childhood getting into trouble with their neighbours, the Stevensons. He attended Bann Primary School, Lawrencetown, where he met his lifelong friends Zac and Hunter. Stephen then attended Banbridge Academy, where he developed a passion for Rugby, playing in the back row of the 1st XV. After completing his A levels he continued to play at second row for Banbridge Rugby Club, while studying Architecture at Queen's University. Although Stephen started his sporting career playing centre half back for Tullylish GAC, he never missed a chance to remind Murphy that Rugby was a man’s sport! During weekends and holidays he helped out at the family business, Annagh Motors. Patricia recalls how most of their courtship was spent in the workshop helping to repair rally cars. Stephen and Martin would race with Zac as their navigator, even though he could never tell his left from his right! After graduating, Stephen took up a job with Maers and Wray, Chartered Architects, in Crumlin, where he worked for several years before setting up his own business in Banbridge. Although he was determined not to embrace new technology, Declan was always there to keep him right. He prided himself on his knowledge of the planning system, getting approval where others said it was impossible. By using their Latin names, he once fooled the planners into approving a row of bottle-nosed dolphins, to be planted at 10 metre centres.
Stephen met Patricia when they were both fourteen years old, on holidays in Cranfield. They were married in Newry Cathedral in 1984, and lived on Tullylish Road with their first two children, Charlie and Danielle. After much dreaming and planning the couple built a home at Lawrencetown, designed by Stephen, and were able to expand the family with two more children, Emily and Michael. Stephen was very proud of all four of his children, especially their academic and musical talents. He loved Christmas time, when Charlie and Danielle would come home from university and he would prepare a huge Christmas dinner for the family. Stephen was an integral member of a local gun club, Kernan District Game Preservation Society, with whom he shot pheasants at Gilford Castle. He was a member of the club for 35 years, and secretary for 30. His enthusiasm and innovation helped the club to grow from a small walked up shoot into a successful driven syndicate. He encouraged his son Charlie and nephew Gareth in the sport, and had great enjoyment shooting alongside them. One of Stephen’s proudest achievements was when the club was recently named “Irish Shoot of the Year”. When not shooting, Stephen spent much of his time working in the garden with Martin. The two did everything together, and could often be found cutting down a tree or working on some project or other. Saturdays wouldn’t have been Saturdays without Ted there too for some club activity. Along with Martin and Maura, Stephen cared for his father through ill health for several years, and sadly grieved the loss of Paddy last August. In October, Stephen supported Patricia through the loss of her mother, Patsy. Stephen will be deeply missed by his wife Patricia, children Charlie, Danielle, Emily and Michael, his Mother Maura and his brother Martin, his father in-law Larry, brother in-law Martin and his sisters in-law, his many nephews and nieces, and his grand-nephew Eoin.
The family would like to thank all the staff at Craigavon hospital cardiac ward, where he was treated recently. Stephen told all his visitors about how impressed he was with the care he received.
After the service there will be a reception in the Bannville House Hotel for family and friends.