Société des Missions Africaines –Province d’Irlande
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né le 20 septembre 1919 dans le diocèse de Ross, Irlande engagement permanent le 17 juin 1944 prêtre le 17 décembre 1944 décédé le 25 juin 1998 |
1946-1990 missionnaire au Nigeria décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 25 juin 1998, |
Father John O’BRIEN (1919 – 1998)
He died in the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, on June 25th 1998.
After his primary education at Rossmore NS Fr. John was advised by his Parish Priest to join the Society of African Missions. He later met Fr. Patrick Hannon SMA who advised him to apply to SMA Sacred Heart College, Ballinafad.
His first mission appointment in 1946 brought him to the Archdiocese of Kaduna. For the next forty-four years he made an invaluable contribution to the archdiocese as a teacher and for ten years as a member of staff in the Minor Seminary in Zaria. In 1980 he moved out of education to look after a huge parish, Our Lady of Fatima, in Kano. In 1990 he took up an appointment in the Diocese of Brentwood but returned to Nigeria in 1992 to take over as guest Master in SMA Bethany House, Kano.
At the Requiem Mass the chief celebrant, Fr. John Quinlan (Provincial), extolled the life of a dedicated missionary. « Fr. John was, first and foremost, an Irishman and a Cork man. A kind man who was blessed with an unflappable temperament ».
Fr. Quinlan concluded his homily by mentioning his visit to Fr. John in hospital after he arrived from Africa. « I sympathised with him on his difficult journey home ». Fr. John responded by saying, ‘I haven’t reached home yet’ . »He has now reached God’s home », said Fr. Quinlan, « where a welcome of grace and mercy awaits him ».