Tributes paid to much-loved Calderdale reverend

Father Lister's first parish was St Mary's, in Gibbet Street, Halifax, where he served as curate in 1959.

He went on to serve in a total of nine parishes throughout the Leeds Roman Catholic Diocese before returning to St Mary's and St Alban's parish when he retired in 2006.

Father Martin Kelly, Parish Priest of St Mary's and St Alban's said: "Father Lister was a deeply-loved member of our parish community and his unfailing kindness will be greatly missed.

Father Lister, a keen football fan, was born in Heaton, Bradford on June 2 1932. He attended St Patrick's school Bradford before joining St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw at the age of 13.

Father Kelly said: "He delighted in serving the people of the parish even in retirement.

"His was a life well lived or, as he would have it, a match well played."

He went on to the senior seminary at Ushaw and was ordained at St Anne's Cathedral in Leeds in July 1959 by Bishop George Patrick Dwyer.

In retirement, he marked both his golden and diamond jubilees of his ordination. The latter was marked in August last year (2019) by a Mass at St Mary's Halifax.

In October last year, he celebrated at the Mass for the re-opening of St Patrick's Church Bradford - the church where he was baptised, and confirmed - and where he said his first Mass following his ordination.

Fr Lawrence leaves his brother Derek, nephew Alex and niece Angelique. His funeral at St Mary's was officiated by Archbishop John Wilson, who had been a curate to Father Lawrence in 1995