Tony and Cherie Blair at the funeral of Father John Caden, the Blairs' family priest
FORMER Prime Minister Tony Blair returned to his former North East constituency yesterday to attend the funeral of its former parish priest.
Father Caden, known as Jack, was a close friend of the ex-Sedgefield MP and his wife Cherie, and even became his doubles tennis partner.
The priest baptised all four of the couple’s children and was among the select few present at Mr Blair’s reception into the Roman Catholic Church after he left Downing Street.
Mr Blair represented Sedgefield in Parliament from 1983 until his retirement from UK politics in 2007.
Yesterday, he and his wife joined around 500 mourners at St Edmund’s Church of England Church for the service for Fr Caden, who died on February 22 at the age of 89 following an illness.
Fr Caden was ordained as a priest in 1948 and spent 55 years as the parish priest of St John Fisher in Sedgefield.
He retired in July 2004, but continued to live in the Presbytery at St John’s.
The funeral service was led by Bishop Seamus Cunningham, the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle.
Hymns including Praise My Soul the King of Heaven and Bread of Heaven were sung by the congregation.
Readings by Maura Regan, principal of Carmel College, Dr Terence Knaggs, a retired GP and local councillor Cyndi Hughes were given at the service. A reception and Mass was held on Monday at St John Fisher for people to pay their respects followed by yesterday’s service at St Edmund’s.
Fr Caden was buried at Sedgefield Cemetery yesterday afternoon.
Mr Blair said at the time of his friend’s death: “John Caden was a charismatic, lively, warm and great spirited priest and public servant. He was a constant presence in my life and always there for us with friendship and good advice.”
Fr Caden was also on hand to serve drinks when Mr Blair brought then-US President George W Bush to a restaurant in his constituency for lunch.
“I imagined we were merely being taken to Teesside Airport to wave off US Airforce One.
“But then we were told we would accompany Tony and George Bush to lunch,” the late priest said in 2007 of the visit.
