We were shocked and very saddened to hear of the unexpected
death of a much loved student, Simon McMenamin, on Easter Sunday. We trust him
into the hands of the God who overcame death in order that we may all have
everlasting life.
Simon had a long association with St Mark’s. He commenced
his study in the School of Theology in 2011. He took a number of subjects
before having a break from study. During the next few years he worked at Better
Music in Canberra, often running into Church History lecturer Michael Gladwin
whose musical passion runs a close second to his academic work. Simon came back
to St Mark’s with a new enthusiasm for study in 2018. His renewed commitment was
matched by excellent academic results. He had begun plans for continuing into
post-graduate study with a focus on Church History. I suspect Michael’s
influence was behind a comment that Simon’s mother Lorraine Saunders made when
she claimed the only thing she and Simon disagreed on was the Oxford comma!
Simon was an engaged and thoughtful student, and will be a great loss to our
school. It is our intention to ensure that a post-humous degree will be awarded
to acknowledge the extent of his study.
Simon had haemophilia and a number of associated health
issues. Although we were aware of this, he never once complained of his
condition or used it as a means to avoid his study commitments. Those of us who
attended his very moving funeral learned more of what he was enduring, and our
admiration increased for his courage and passion for life despite the odds he
faced. Simon was diagnosed with haemophilia before the age of one, but had a
rare condition that meant the usual blood coagulants did not work. So until he
was 17 he was restricted from almost all normal activity and regularly
hospitalised, then a new treatment was trialled and worked well for him after
which he embraced life in all its fullness. According to the testimony of his
friends, he often spoke of his experience of the almighty love of God and his
faith that began to grow from this time.
At the funeral, Simon’s long-time friend Tanya Crossman
spoke of the theological journey that she had shared with him due to her own
theological studies and ministry
opportunities. She read from one of Simon’s essays on Practical Theology and
Mental Health. It was wonderful to hear in Simon’s own (erudite) words how his
understanding of the suffering of God in Christ was giving him theological
insights to deal with his own mental and physical health challenges.
Very poignantly, we were informed just before Simon’s
cremation that his organs were donated to improve the lives of four other
individuals. Simon’s mother Lorraine chose the song ‘Raindrops keep falling on
my head’ by Burt Bacharach and Hal David to be played over a montage of
photographs. The words seemed an apt description of his approach to life:
…there’s one
thing I know
The blues
they send to meet me won’t defeat me
It won’t be
long ’til happiness steps up to greet me
Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Crying’s not for me
Cause I’m never going to stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothing’s worryin’ me
We trust that now Simon is truly free from pain and fear of
the future. A quotation from CS Lewis that was included on the memorial leaflet
is a powerful reminder of the love of God:
But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be;
only that it lies across a river.
But do not fear that, for I am the
great Bridge Builder.
Aslan – The Voyage of the Dawn
Treader
Jeanette Mathews
