Tributes to Amy Doherty
A woman who was murdered over the weekend has been remembered as a "devoted mother to her two children" and a "dedicated carer in her professional life."
"Amy was a light. The darkness and tragedy of her death should not overcome the light that she shone in the lives of others,"said Fr Joe Gormley, who led her Requiem Mass in Londonderry on Thursday.
Ms Doherty was discovered injured at a property in Summer Meadows Mews on Saturday at approximately 10:20 GMT and later passed away in hospital. A 30-year-old suspect remains in custody.
On Thursday morning, the parish priest addressed mourners, emphasizing the collective responsibility to eliminate violence against women and girls from society.
Hundreds of mourners accompanied the cortege from Ms Doherty's parents' home to Holy Family chapel in Ballymagroarty. Those present included family and friends of the 28-year-old woman.
Staff from Altnagelvin hospital, where Amy Doherty had worked for five years nursing patients, formed a guard of honour and held yellow roses in tribute.
Employees from North West Care, where Amy also worked as a carer, participated in the tribute.
Several hundred people gathered in the chapel car park as her coffin was transferred from a horse-drawn carriage into the chapel.
Fr Gormley, who has been closely involved with those affected by the tragedy since it occurred, expressed his admiration for the family's strength.
"I was humbled by the graciousness of Amy's family,"he said.
Speaking on BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, he added:
"You talk about sparkle, that's what Amy was, from her grandparents, to her big brother, and particularly to (Amy's parents) Patrick and Sharon, and (her children) Rhea and Ronan - to who she was the light of their lives."
He noted the significant outpouring of support since Amy's death, with a large attendance expected at her funeral on Thursday and at a vigil organized in her memory scheduled for Friday.
Despite the widespread goodwill witnessed "in the city and beyond," Fr Gormley acknowledged that Amy's loved ones are struggling to come to terms with the reality of the situation.
"(All that support) doesn't take away the pain. That doesn't take away the anger. That doesn't take away the frustration."
Family Grief and Reflection
During the funeral, Fr Gormley reflected on the shock and pain experienced by the family.
"Ms Doherty's death had 'crushed' her family's hearts, adding that they find themselves in a situation that 'this time last week they never imagined they would be in.'"
"Their loss is unimaginable. We have to think of the two children… we have two children now without a mother, a mother who loved them,"he said.
"They were at the centre of everything she did."
Earlier this week, Ms Doherty's family issued a statement expressing they have been "crushed with disbelief, sadness and pain."
A Culture That Honours Women
"In the resurrection scene, it is women who come to tend the body of Jesus,"said Fr Gormley.
"And this is the unique genius of women - in the midst of cruelty and violence, they are often the ones who speak sense and to our humanity.
"I've no doubt that if Amy was alive at the time of Jesus, she would have been one of those women tending to his body after the crucifixion."
The parish priest spoke about the importance of fostering a society that respects women, stating:
"We always have to challenge our culture.
"It's about converting all hearts and minds to value women for the unique gift that they give."
