Father Ronan Drury, the country's oldest editor, has died at the age of 93.
In 1977, Fr Drury was appointed the second editor of the pastoral monthly journal, The Furrow.
He was still working in that role until autumn of this year.
The Furrow was founded in St Patrick's College Maynooth in 1950 by Canon JJ McGarry.
Upon his death in a car accident, Fr Drury, a native of Mullagh in Co Cavan, took over the editor's chair.
With the support of the publication's trustees, Fr Drury continued to steer it on an independent path, frequently broadening the debate here on the implications for the Christian Church and wider society of the decisions of the Second Vatican Council (1962 - 1965).
Under his guidance, The Furrow provided priests, as well as nuns, brothers and other laypeople, with opportunities to air their thoughts on theology and culture.
This was in spite of the censorious culture which had become embedded in the church hierarchy, particularly during the era of Archbishop John Charles McQuaid who ran the country's most populous archdiocese, Dublin, from 1940-1972.
After the Vatican Council, Dr McQuaid assured Catholics in Ireland that "no change will worry the tranquility of your Christian lives".
Fr Drury's close friend and fellow priest, Professor Enda McDonagh, became known as "the best bishop Ireland never had".
During Fr McDonagh's tenure in the Theology Faculty in Maynooth, his writings in The Furrow provided sustenance to reformers like the former Taoiseach, Dr Garret Fitzgerald, during his constitutional crusade to make Ireland a less confessional state.
Beginning tomorrow at 11am, Fr Drury's remains will repose in St Mary's Chapel on the Maynooth campus, close to where he lived for many decades.
They will be removed to the college chapel for evening prayer at 6pm.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated in the college chapel on Monday at 11am, followed by removal to St Killian's Church, in his native Mullagh in Co Cavan, arriving at 2.30pm for prayers of commendation.
Burial will take place immediately afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
