St. Joseph’s
Advocate Mill Hill Missionaries
Autumn 2020
Fr. Michael Gemanga, mhm. Read his story on page 22.
“Every creature is the object of God the Father’s tenderness, who gives it its place in the world. All creatures are moving forward with us towards a common point of arrival, which is God.” (Pope Francis)
Advocate St. Joseph’s
Autumn 2020 Volume 60 No. 2 ST. JOSEPH’S ADVOCATE Published by: Editor: Printed in Ireland by:
Mill Hill Missionaries Fr. Jim O’Connell Modern Printers, Kilkenny
CONTENTS
Comforting words in time of grief .............................................................................2 November: memory of the dead ................................................................................3 From the Editor ...........................................................................................................4 ‘Mary, show me your Son’..........................................................................................7 Kenya revisited - by Fr. Tom McGrath .....................................................................8 St. Joseph – Fr. Donie O’Connor................................................................................11 ‘Walk and Work’ – by Fr. Fons Eppink ....................................................................12 Helping children in South Africa – by Michelle Slater.............................................14 Food programme in Kenya school – by Sr. Anne Moore .........................................17 Mill Hill News in brief ................................................................................................20 Fr. Michael Gemanga’s story – by Fr. Fons Eppink ................................................22 How music can change lives – by Fr. Wynand Huijs ...............................................25 Obituary Fr. Thomas Keogan ....................................................................................28 Obituary Fr. Fachtna Robert (Bob) Staunton ..........................................................29 Obituary Fr. Jim O’Donoghue ...................................................................................30 Obituary List ...............................................................................................................31 Photos credits: Fons Eppink, Stephen Odhiambo, Michelle Slater, Anne Moore, Wynand Huijs, Daniel Foley
MISSION OFFERINGS
All Postal Orders and Cheques to be sent direct to us at St. Joseph’s Advocate, Mill Hill Missionaries, 50 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535. Bank Giros to be sent directly to our Bank account. Details of the a/c available from our office: 01 412 7707
“Nature is a constant source of wonder and awe. It is a continuing revelation of the Divine … showing forth the inexhaustible riches of God.” (Pope Francis) 2
Autumn 2020
St. Joseph’s Advocate Mill Hill Missionaries 50 Orwell Park Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535 Tel: (01) 412 7707 Autumn 2020
Email: organisingmhm@gmail.com Website: www.millhillmissionaries.co.uk 1
November: November: honouring honouring the the memory memory of of the the dead dead During the month of November each of our priests throughout the world offers During thefor month of November each of our priests throughout theMill world offers Holy Mass all our deceased members and benefactors. In our Hill St. Holy Mass for all our deceased members and benefactors. our Hill St. Joseph’s House in Dublin, Holy Mass will be celebrated eachIn day ofMill November Joseph’s House in Dublin, Mass willespecially be celebrated each daywhose of November for deceased members andHoly benefactors, for all those names for recorded deceased in members and especially for all thosetowhose names are our ‘List of benefactors, the Dead.’ You are kindly invited send in the are recorded in our ‘List of the Dead.’ You are kindly invited to send in the names of your dear departed loved ones. names of your dear departed loved ones.
Prayer for a happy death Prayer for a happy death ❑❑
“Lord, “Lord,for foryour yourfaithful faithfulpeople, people,at at death, death,life lifeisischanged, changed,not notended. ended. When When the the body body of of our our earthly earthly dwelling dwellinglies liesin indeath, death,we wegain gainan an everlasting everlasting dwelling dwelling place place in in Heaven.” Heaven.”(Preface (Prefaceof ofthe theMass Massfor for the thedead) dead)
❑❑ “I“Iam amthe theResurrection Resurrectionand andthe thelife. life. Those Those who who believe believe in in me, me, even even ❑❑ though though they they die, die, will will live, live, and and everyone everyonewho whobelieves believesin inme mewill will never neverdie.” die.”(Jn. (Jn.11:25-26) 11:25-26) ❑❑ Jesus Jesussaid saidto tothe theman manon onthe thecross cross beside besidehim: him:“This “Thisday dayyou youwill willbe be with withme mein inparadise.” paradise.” ❑❑ “Keep “Keepyour yourgaze gazefixed fixedon onthe thecrucru- ❑❑ cified cifiedand andRisen RisenChrist: Christ:“He “Hegives gives us ushope hopeand andlife. life.With Withhim himevil, evil,sufsuffering feringand anddeath deathdo donot nothave havethe the last lastword. word.The TheCross Crossisisnow nowaasign sign ❑❑ of oflove, love,hope hopeand andlife.” life.” (Pope (PopeFrancis) Francis) ❑❑ “Through “Throughdeath, death,we wego gointo intothe theininvisible visiblekingdom kingdomwhere wherethere thereisisno no 2
May God support us all day long, MaytillGod all day long, the support shadowsuslengthen tilland theevening shadowscomes lengthen and evening and the busy worldcomes is hushed and the busy feverworld of lifeisishushed over and is over andthe ourfever workofislife done. and our work is done. Then in his mercy mercy May heThen give in us his a safe lodging May he give And a holy rest us anda safe peacelodging at last. And a holy rest and peace at last. Amen. Amen.
more more darkness, darkness, suffering suffering or or sadsadness, ness,and andwhere wherewe weare areone onewith withall all those those that that we we love love in in the the seen seen world world and and in in the the unseen unseen world. world. Death Death in in that that sense sense isis aa time time of of great greathomecoming, homecoming,and andthere thereisisno no need needto tobe beafraid.” afraid.”(The (Thelate lateJohn John O’ O’Donoghue) Donoghue) “O, “O, you you are are not not lying lying in in the the wet wet clay. clay.For Forititisisaaharvest harvestevening eveningnow now And Andwe weare arepiling pilingup upthe thericks ricksof of hay hayagainst againstthe themoonlight moonlight And And you you smile smile at at us us eternally” eternally”(From (From Patrick Patrick Kavanagh’s Kavanagh’s poem poemabout abouthis hismother) mother) “Fold “Foldour ourloved lovedones, ones,OOJesus, Jesus,in in your yourarms, arms,and andlet letthem themhenceforth henceforth be be messengers messengers of of love love between between our ourhuman humanhearts heartsand andthee. thee.Amen” Amen” “May “Mayyou youdiscover discoverthat thatyour yourloved loved one one has has not not really really left left you, you, that that there thereisisaaquiet quietpresence presencethat thatsussustains tains you, you, that that there there isis aa hidden hidden strength strengththat thatwill willhelp helpyou. you.Amen.” Amen.” Autumn 2020
The photos show two sections of a stained glass window. The text at the base The show two‘St. sections of aPatron stained window. The textfor at the base of thephotos window reads: Joseph, ofglass a Happy Death, pray us’ The of the window ‘St.on Joseph, Patron of Jesus a Happy Death, pray for us’and The window depictsreads: Joseph his deathbed. is holding his hand window depicts Joseph on his deathbed. Jesus is holding his hand blessing him. Mary is praying and grieving close by. You may wantand to blessing Mary is enter praying grieving close by. You to reflect on him. the scene and intoand it with hope and prayer. Themay samewant gentle reflectJesus on theisscene into withfinal hopejourney and prayer. gentle loving with and eachenter person onitthat fromThe thissame life to the loving Jesus is with each person that ‘life finalisjourney from life toThe the heavenly peace that awaits us. Aton death changed, notthis ended.’ heavenly peaceinthat At bring deathmuch ‘life iscomfort, changed, not ended.’ scene depicted the awaits windowus.can when we haveThe to sceneour depicted in the window can bring much comfort, when the we have to turn thoughts to death or perhaps find ourselves grieving loss of turn ones. our thoughts to death or perhaps find ourselves grieving the loss of loved loved ones. Autumn 2020
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From the
place. Spring was at work and nature was graciously unfolding as it always does and always will.
Editor
It was, however, a very different story in our human world at the time. You could say we were experiencing a terrible winter. The Coronavirus was causing fear and panic. Some people suffered more than others but it was a strange and difficult time for everyone. There was anguish and distress for those who contracted the virus and the loved ones who were caring for them. The hospitals and healthcare workers were stretched to the limit, working draining hours and even risking their lives.
Fr. Jim O’Connell, mhm
A Year like No Other It has been a year like no other - a dark and difficult time for everyone as the Coronavirus swept across the globe. For a long period, we were told to ‘stay at home and stay safe’. Holy Week and Easter were right in the middle of the most severe restrictions, when the numbers of confirmed cases and deaths were climbing at an alarming rate. The churches were empty. People relied on the television coverage of Masses and Easter Ceremonies which helped and brought some comfort. Spring was in the air, but… On Palm Sunday, April 5, I watched the Mass on television and really liked it. Of course, the absence of a congregation brought home the strange and awful situation at that time. After Mass, I ventured out into the garden at the back of our house. It was a lovely day. Spring was in the air. The garden is small yet so much was happening. In a few places, daffodils and bluebells were in bloom. The two cherry blossom trees were in 4
Our garden in April
full colour – white and pink. Some of the trees were already in leaf while others were on the way with small buds on them. There was silence in the garden with just the sound of the waterfall in the Dodder River down below us. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. There was a great sense of life and light about the Autumn 2020
A cruel time It was a cruel time. There was no chance to hold and hug loved ones who were ill in their hour of need. And those who died had to travel a very lonely road. The bereaved were greatly distressed because they could not be with dying loved ones as in normal times. ‘The pain of those who have died without saying goodbye becomes a wound in the hearts of those who are left behind’. (Pope Francis). Funerals and burials had to be carried out with just immediate family present, without the kindness and support of friends and neighbours that is so important at these times. We all have stories to tell about how the virus affected us and our Autumn 2020
Empty streets – Buses parked
loved ones. A number of our Mill Hill Members here in St. Joseph’s House contracted the virus and selfisolated patiently and faithfully for the prescribed fourteen day period. Two members became seriously ill and were admitted to hospital. Sadly, despite the best efforts of the medical staff, they both died in lonely circumstances. You can read the obituaries of Fr. Fachtna Staunton and Fr. Jim O’Donoghue in this Advocate. Their families, friends, and Mill Hill colleagues were greatly saddened by not being with them in their final hours and not being able to have the normal funeral Mass and burial. Holy Week and Easter It may be that this year through their own suffering and isolation, people could enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s passion as he travelled a dark and lonely road. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was already deep into the darkness; ‘he was in anguish and great distress’ his ‘soul was sorrowful to the point of death.’ Judas betrayed him, the other disciples deserted him and ran 5
rising in glory dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.’ – And rid us of this awful virus, we could add.
Our chapel – with distancing!
away, and Peter denied and disowned him. The soldiers humiliated him, mocked him, spat in his face and hit him with their fists. He was scourged and crowned with thorns before his journey to Calvary and crucifixion. What awful suffering, humiliation, disappointment, loneliness and isolation he must have experienced. But with his Resurrection, we move on from all he endured during his passion and crucifixion as we celebrate the triumph of life over death, light over darkness, and love over hatred.
When we chose the photo and the prayer for April and Easter we had no idea how deep we would be into darkness when April came. More than ever before, we needed to experience the light and new life of Christ rising in glory, and to hear his greetings: “Peace be with you” and “Do not be afraid”.
‘Mary, show me your Son; Jesus, show me your Mother’
I will finish by noting that throughout that awful time we experienced the goodness and kindness of others in a very special way. The love and support of family, friends and healthcare workers, (and in our case Mill Hill colleagues and staff) helped us to stay at home and stay safe.
‘This is your son ... This is your mother’
Devotion to Mary aims at a relationship. If we can somehow get inside the relationship of Jesus and his mother, then we would find a genuine devotion that is profoundly enriching. This prayer ‘Mary, show me your Son; Jesus, show me your Mother’ can be very helpful. It is ascribed to St. Ignatius of Loyola.
The light dispelling the darkness The April 2020 Calendar photo shown here was taken by Pat Cummins of the Tyndall Mountain Club in Kilkenny when climbing in the Atlas Mountains, North Africa. In the early morning, as the sun was rising, there is a tremendous burst of light dispelling the darkness of the night. Beneath the photo in the Calendar, there was a prayer taken from the Easter Vigil Liturgy: ‘May the light of Christ 6
Devotion to Mary is part of the great heritage of the Catholic and Eastern churches. It takes many forms and expressions. According to Vatican Two, it ‘proceeds from true faith, by which we are led to recognise the excellence of the Mother of God and we are moved to love towards our Mother and to the imitation of her virtues.’
Who knows Mary better than Jesus? As a boy and as a man he came to see her beauty, her holiness, and the gifts that his Father had showered on her. He can show us her attitudes, the secrets of her heart; he can show us her tender love and concern for all of us. He can in particular show us how Mary loves him and how she is the beloved daughter of the Trinity. He can show us how we are to be his disciples patterned on his Mother. ‘Mary, show me your son; Jesus, show me your Mother.’ This gentle prayer can help people at any stage of their spiritual journey and can open up great spiritual treasures and graces. (From ‘Mary Mother of God’ by Fr. Chris O’Donnell, O. Carm., - Columba Press) Autumn 2020
Autumn 2020
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KENYA REVISITED by Fr. Tom McGrath, mhm
(Fr. Tom worked in Kenya for 35 years. He has been ministering in his home parish of Labasheeda, Co. Clare, since he came home from Kenya 9 years ago.)
Fr. Tom and Newly ordained Fr. Stephen - wearing the Mill Hill Red Sash
Communion - Fr. Stephen’s First Mass 8
I am writing this in April while cocooned at home in Labasheeda, on the banks of the Shannon Estuary. It seems like an age since I returned from a month long trip to Kenya over the Christmas holiday. Last September, I received an invitation from a parishioner in Luanda, Stephen Odhiambo Rombo, to his priestly ordination as a Mill Hill Missionary on December 21, 2019. I had been parish priest in Luanda for 13 years before returning to Ireland in 2011. My initial response to Stephen’s invitation was “No, I can’t go.” My sister Mary had only recently finished her 3rd chemotherapy treatment. I didn’t want to abandon her; we live together in our family home in Labasheeda. However, after giving it some thought and with encouragement from Mary herself, I accepted Stephen’s invitation. Fr Paddy McMahon was in residence in Labasheeda and Mary planned to spend Christmas in her house in Swords, Dublin, where she could link up with family and former work colleagues. The people of our parish, Kilmurry McMahon/Labasheeda, had gifted me with a generous amount of money when I celebrated my Golden Jubilee in June 2019. They were delighted when they heard I was using it to go back to Kenya. I would have 4 weeks to enjoy the ordination celebrations, the Christmas festivities and reconnect with old friends again. Autumn 2020
Gathering in Luanda for Fr. Stephen’s First Mass
50 YEARS ON I remember well my first trip to Kisumu on October 11, 1969. The late Fr. Aidan Miskella was at the Airport to pick me up and we went to St Peter’s Seminary in Kakamega where Fr. Kevin O’Rourke, the Rector, warmly welcomed us. Now, fifty years later I travelled via Amsterdam and Nairobi to Kisumu. Fr. Sylvester Odhiambo mhm was waiting for me when I arrived. He took me to the Mill Hill Regional house which was to be my base for the next 3 weeks. I received a really warm welcome from the present Regional, Fr. Philip Adede mhm. Fr. Folkert Kruis mhm, who had been my parish priest in Kibabii 50 years ago, Autumn 2020
came on Saturday morning to take me to Kakamega for the ordinations. The roads are unrecognisable with flyovers, roundabouts, dual carriageways. The Chinese poured lots of money into the Kenya economy. The cathedral grounds were jammed with cars and hundreds of Christians who had come for the ordination of 4 deacons and 2 priests. The ordination Mass was really well prepared, a vibrant choir with liturgical dancers leading the procession - truly edifying! During the ordination ceremony, I was invited to vest the newly ordained Stephen with a white chasuble - a moment of profound significance for me, as we from the Western European Church are now handing over to the young African Church. 9
Stephen was one of 17 Mill Hill priests ordained in the 12 month period up to the end of January - 3 more than my own class of 1969.
join Mill Hill, was accepted and began his formation in Luanda, on October 6, 2010. This happened to be my last year in Luanda parish.
STEPHEN’S STORY – GREAT JOY AND SADNESS
Stephen went on to study with Mill Hill in Jinja, Uganda, and also did some of his studies in India. He is well qualified with an MA in philosophy and a BA in theology. He spent two years in the Mill Hill parish in Mbikko, Uganda, as a student gaining pastoral experience. After ordination, Stephen was appointed to Mbikko and is now serving there as a priest. Please keep Stephen and our other young Mill Hill priests in your prayers.
Stephen, the youngest of six children, grew up in Esirome village in Luanda parish. His father, Dismas, died in 1992, when Stephen was only 6 years old, leaving his mother, Alice, a young widow. Alice herself died in 2002, so Stephen depended a lot on his siblings, Thomas, Michael, George, Syprose and Jane. Sadly, Thomas died early in January, barely 2 weeks after presenting Stephen to the Bishop for Ordination at the Cathedral. He had helped prepare for Stephen’s Thanksgiving Mass at home in Esirome on December 23rd – such a joyful occasion. Stephen completed his primary and secondary education in Ekwanda. He was a bright student with many life choices and careers beckoning, including university education. However, he had met Mill Hill students from the Formation Centre in Luanda and was curious about what motivated them. The students invited him to come and see where they lived and attend a youth retreat. At the end of their few days together, Stephen remembers being asked, “would you like to be a priest?” That was the moment Stephen felt that this was the Lord’s call to serve God as a missionary priest. He applied to 10
ST. JOSEPH – A REFLECTION Yes, most of us live uneventful and ordinary lives. We live out our days quietly, plainly and simply. The tasks that make up the hum drum of our lives draw little or no attention. In our homes we do what has to be done: take care of one another, prepare meals, make the school lunches, go to mass, walk the dog, put out the rubbish, water the plants, commute to work, go for the shopping. We call it - routine. Yet, the common bits and pieces that fill and structure our days give purpose and meaning. They fill us with the silent presence of our everyday God, the one who turns up quietly in every little detail.
Fr. Tom vesting Stephen with white chasuble during ordination ceremony
I returned to Labasheeda in the middle of January, never expecting the global pandemic that has made life so strange and difficult. While cocooning, I had plenty time to look back with gratitude to God for calling me to be a Mill Hill Missionary. I’m amazed at the way the Lord has been working ever so quietly and wonderfully in my life. The Virgin Mary’s beautiful Magnificat, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” sums it all up for me. Autumn 2020
St, Joseph too was an ordinary man who quietly surrendered to Gods call. He lived from a place of absolute faith and was guided by it. He paid attention to the detail of life, noticed the intervention of the divine, and acted without delay. Joseph had an unexpected fearlessness – he even took on Herod and thwarted his plan. A skilled man, good at his craft - his workbench his altar As a parent, he figured it out as he went along as all parents do. Putting the safety of his family first. Joseph reveals that nothing is lost in the eyes of God, that all of our little efforts make a difference. Joseph reveals that Faith is lived out daily - in the kitchens and workshops of ordinary men and women who put their trust in God. Even if you are only able to shuffle one foot in front of the other, you are doing good. You can live by faith and be guided by it, following the example of Joseph – the ordinary man who quietly surrendered to God’s call. Devotion to St. Joseph gives us a chance to revisit our roots – to remember St. Joseph and all the good people who planted the seed of faith in us - and those who helped us yield its fruit in due season. Amen! (Fr. Donie O’Connor, mhm) Autumn 2020
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‘Walk and Work’ - Iloilo, Philippines By Fr. Fons Eppink, mhm
Dr. Jessie with a child at the Centre
Renilde Heinink said to me: “Make sure you visit Dr Jessie at the ‘Prosthetics Centre’ in Iloilo. It is not far from Mill Hill Central House and the Mill Hill missionaries there are well acquainted with the Centre.” We had just concluded a board meeting of ‘Loop en Werk’ (‘Walk and Work’) - the Dutch organisation founded by the late Fr Jacques Derksen, mhm, to provide financial and other support for the Philippine project. Not that I needed much encouragement, as I was keen to meet Dr Jessie and visit the ‘Prosthetics Centre’ myself. The Global Editors meeting organised by the Mill Hill Missionaries in Iloilo to which I 12
had been invited provided a perfect occasion to fulfil my longstanding wish. Impressed by what I saw and heard Fr. Domingo Arnaiz, mhm, dropped me off at the ‘Prosthetics Centre’ one day after we had finished our Editors meetings. Dr. Jessie was on hand and proved a most gracious host. As it happened, the day I visited, there were no consultations so I got a guided tour of the Centre. Particularly impressive was the workshop where qualified personnel, sometimes former patients, proudly produce artificial limbs and callipers for current patients. Autumn 2020
Dr. Jessie reminisced about Fr Jacques Derksen, mhm, the co-founder of the Centre who passed away in 2012. The ‘Walk and Work Foundation’ supporting the Centre was officially started in 2009 by the late Fr Jacques in close collaboration with Dr. Jessie, an orthopaedic surgeon. Fr Jacques used to come on regular visits to the hospital where Dr Jessie practised as a surgeon. He would regularly help disabled individuals who needed financial assistance. That is how the idea of building a specialised ‘Prosthetics Centre’ was born. In 2010, Fr Jacques and Dr Jessie decided to build a modern and complete prosthetics and orthopaedic centre in the Mandurriao area of the city of Iloilo. The building was finished the same year. ‘To date we have treated around 1000 persons with a wide range of disabilities’, Dr Jessie told me with legitimate pride. ‘People, often
Waiting patiently at the Centre Autumn 2020
children, come from far and wide, some with missing limbs, others with all kinds of deformities. The causes may be congenital, or due to diabetes, or accidents, or may sometimes be caused by farm pesticides. The ‘Centre’ also provides expert follow-up rehabilitation as persons with disabilities often experience social exclusion and various forms of stigma. During my visit, I was impressed with what I saw and heard, but felt even more inspired when a little later Dr Jessie told me that his son was preparing to follow in his footsteps. His eyes began to shine. His son is already an accomplished surgeon and has opted to work at the excellent ‘Prosthetics Centre’ that has been built up through the selfless dedication of his father and the support of the late Fr. Jacques Derksen, mhm, who set up the Dutch ‘Walk and Work Foundation’.
Smiles all around as work goes on 13
Back in 2009, a local woman, Mamie, set up a project to help orphaned and vulnerable children. With five volunteers, she created an outreach project to provide a safe haven, a meal and a place to make friends. However, by 2013, all the volunteers except Mamie had left, leaving her to run the project alone. It seemed certain it would close.
Feet that bring Good News
Thankfully, Mamie found support in Sr. Obebi (a Sister of Notre Dame), who found her a shipping container to run the project from; it is still used today as a kitchen. Around this time, Fr Ephraim, a Mill Hill Missionary, became parish priest. When he realised the impact the project was having on the children, he immediately offered to help Mamie find the funds to run it. Fr. Ephraim greeting the children at St. Joseph’s Centre
Helping Needy Children in South Africa
Fr Ephraim looks after two parishes: St John the Baptist and St Joseph’s. He encourages parishioners to get involved in their community. A Parish Development Committee determines
which homes in the parish need support to which small teams distribute food and toiletries. They also offer comfort to those suffering by praying with them. Every Saturday, Mamie’s team at St Joseph’s looks after up to 60 children. A sister project at St John’s helps similar numbers. The projects serve children regardless of their background or belief, and they rely on donations of food, clothes, books and money. Those donations mean children can catch up on their homework, read, and play in safety. Modiehi, a volunteer at St John’s centre, explains that children often struggle to do their homework at home. Many of them still live with the consequences of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Orphaned from an early age, they live with grandparents or in households where older children look after younger siblings. Like all the volunteers, Modiehi cares deeply about the children and wants to make life better. She says, ‘I can do everything with Christ who gives me strength’.
By Michelle Slater (In Tumahole Township, Fr Ephraim Odhiambo, a Mill Hill Missionary, works with Mamie and others to help orphaned, vulnerable children.)
With little electricity or water supply and no money to keep livestock or grow vegetables, Tumahole Township experiences all the effects of poverty. Unemployment, drug misuse and alcoholism are common and make daily life a real struggle. 14
Autumn 2020
The Parish Development committee Autumn 2020
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Children being helped with their homework at St. Joseph’s Centre
Finding joy
Mamie says Fr Ephraim inspires her. ‘He tells us all things will pass except love. He tells us to listen to the Word of God at Mass and asks us questions, so we think about our faith.’ Mamie is motivated to keep running the programme by ‘love of the children and my faith.’ She loves the parable of the Good Samaritan and says Fr Ephraim helped deepen her understanding of it. Mamie likes the fact that the Good Samaritan’s name is not mentioned, ‘because it’s not important. What is
With Funds Coming from Ireland By Sr. Anne Moore, FMSJ
important are his deeds – not his name or status’.
(Sr. Anne is a Franciscan Missionary of St. Joseph. She spent thirty three years in Kenya and is now on their General Council – based in Manchester.)
Despite the challenges Tumahole Township faces, Fr Ephraim is leading his Church to bring the light of Jesus to families in need. ‘You have to find the joy in everything,’ he says. Given the love that spreads from the church through this community, joy is not hard to find.
The food programme for Ebukuya Primary School has been in operation for around sixteen years. The school is located in Luanda Parish in western Kenya. The Mill Hill Missionaries run the parish and the school is a Catholic sponsored school. Our Sisters live and work in the Parish.
(Our thanks to Michelle Slater for this article. Michelle is the editor of ‘Mission Today’)
Please Remember the Missions in your will I bequeath to St Joseph’s Society for the Missions Inc, (Mill Hill Missionaries), 50 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535, the sum of e..................................................................... free of duty
to be applied for the general purpose of the said Society, and I declare that the receipt of the Rev. Director shall be a sufficient discharge of the same. 16
Food Programme in Kenya School
Autumn 2020
The area is very poor and densely populated. There are 940 pupils in the school at present. A significant number of them are orphans living with grandparents or an uncle or aunt. At certain times of the year, the schoolchildren have very little food to get at home. The food programme for the school was started to ensure that they would not be hungry all day. Fr. Tom McGrath, Sr. Noel Barron, fmsj, and Fr. Jim O’Connell set up the programme when all three were working in Luanda. The School Principal explained to a previous visitor why the food programme is so important. “The majority of the children attending the school arrive each morning not having had a breakfast of any description, while others arrive with nothing more than pieces of sugar cane. Autumn 2020
A child waiting for her lunch
Your support helps parishes like Fr Ephraim’s thrive, providing practical and spiritual help where it is most needed. Please help us let more poor families know they are loved, by God and by us. Thank you!
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The meal they receive at school consists of a mixture of maize and beans, and for many of them this is the only meal they have during the day. The food programme is an essential part of school life; by turning up for school, each child is fed and educated. During the first 1st and 3rd terms, when it is harvest time, the families that have a good harvest contribute maize and beans to the school and this is sufficient to provide the meal. It is in the second term when maize and beans are very scarce that we rely on the funds that are generously sent to us from Ireland.” ‘A success story indeed’ Sister Lily, of our congregation ‘The Franciscan Missionaries of St. Joseph’, looks after the funds and arranges the purchase of bags of maize and beans, at a cost of around 2000 Euros a year. She also pays the lady who cooks the food. With the number of pupils increasing from 300 fifteen years ago to 940 at present, the cost of providing the food has greatly increased. Over the years, a substantial amount of money came from fund raising activities at Dripsey National School, County Cork. While the amount being raised now is less than previously, Dripsey School still contributes some money. Much of the money for the food programme now comes from donations received by the Mill Hill Missionaries and donations from the family and friends of Fr. Jim O’Connell.
Improved performance When I visited the School in November 2019, it was holiday time, but there was a teacher on duty and he confirmed what the School Principal and the Mill Hill priest had said earlier. He told me “The food programme is great as most of the families are very poor and have little food at home. The performance of the children in the school has improved. This means the school is performing well in the state exams and is now one of the leading primary schools in the Province.”
I am convinced that the food programme is ‘a success story indeed’
St. Lily fmsj with Penina who cooks the lunch
Sister Lily fmsj (on the right) at the school
Maize and beans for lunch
A Mill Hill priest who visited Ebukuya School said “The food programme is a success story indeed! On my visit, I encountered a high energy level and renewed vigour among pupils and staff. Indeed a significant conversion and transformation from the early days. All of this is evident in new and renovated classrooms and much improved performance in examinations. The food programme is a central part of school life. It is not surprising that the School is attracting more and more pupils; this accounts for the huge increase in the numbers in the school and in the food programme. The funds for the food programme are being used to great effect. I found my visit to the school most encouraging.”
During my visit, I also met the cook, Penina, who is a widow with 6 children. The money she gets for cooking the food is helping her to look after her children. Her eldest girl has just finished primary school and done well, but Penina is worried about how she will pay the secondary school fees. I promised to help find money to pay the fees.
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Autumn 2020
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I am convinced that the food programme is ‘a success story indeed’ – as mentioned above. 19
New mission initiatives in Africa
Mill Hill Mission
News in Brief
Mill Hill priest, Fr. Stan Bondoko, mhm, with two Religous Sisters in DR Congo
Mill Hill Mission to the Maasai people, Ngong Diocese, Kenya
Taking off after Mass at St. Jude’s, Douala 20
In recent years, the Mill Hill Missionaries have been exploring possibilities to expand our current mission areas. Here are some of the new initiatives in Africa. In Uganda, we have taken on a mission in Busaana parish in the diocese of Lugazi. This new parish was previously part of a vast parish in the central region of Uganda. The new mission covers an extensive isolated area with 17 mission stations in an area of great need. The parish was opened in May 2019, and two of our young missionaries, Fr. Fred Yangnyi and Fr. Kevin Barasa, have taken up their appointments there. In Kenya, we have made a return to Ngong diocese and have taken on a new mission that is being split off from Lemek parish. The Maasai people live in that area and the parish that we have been assigned borders on the Maasai Mara Game Park. The appearance of wandering elephants is a common occurrence! Two young members, Fr. David Masiga and Fr. William Epiti, have been appointed there.
Mission Today and Tomorrow - Together “In line with the charism of our Founder, Cardinal Vaughan, the Mill Hill Missionaries go where the need is greatest, to those abandoned or forgotten, in areas where few others would dare to live. By listening to what the Spirit says to us today, and by our openness to the questions and concerns of our fellow men and women, we will be able to discover the wellsprings of renewed strength, make courageous decisions and explore creative expressions of the mission that we have received. My visits to our Mill Hill Missionaries in Africa and Asia clearly show that we are doing this as we continue to undertake ‘new beginnings’ in many places. I pray that we will all continue to renew our missionary commitment to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with all peoples.” (Fr. Michael Corcoran, Mill Hill General Superior)
In Cameroon, we have taken on a new mission in the Archdiocese of Douala. The mission, named St. Jude, is located on the outskirts of Douala city. Two of our young members, Fr. Innocent Akum and Fr. Placide Botondobi, have been appointed to the parish and began ministry in the Archdiocese in July 2018. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, we recently moved into the Archdiocese of Kinshasa. Two of our members, Fr. Otto Bambokela and Fr. Marius Tapang, are already working in a parish on the periphery of Kinshasa. We also anticipate the possibility of one day reopening the society’s formation program in the Congo, this time in Kinshasa. The task now is to consolidate and deepen the ministry in these new areas. Thanks to all of you for your ongoing prayers and support which has made it possible for the Mill Hill Missionaries to undertake these and other new evangelising initiatives. Autumn 2020
The appearance of a wandering elephant is a common occurrence Autumn 2020
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His decision to Join Mill Hill The modest financial means of his family meant that he had to work hard both mornings and evenings, outside school hours, to pay for his studies. Not until he was at college did he get a limited scholarship to pursue his studies. At the time he briefly toyed with the idea of becoming a sailor – two of his brothers were already at sea. ‘I like adventure’, he muses. But his siblings convinced him such a course would be too difficult for him. So, he chose commerce and business administration as his line of study. After graduation in 2007, he briefly worked in the accounting department of a Real Estate Agent. He had a steady girlfriend but still was not sure about the direction his life should take.
Michael Gemanga’s Story
He then met Fr Rex Fedelicio, mhm, the vocations director of the Mill Hill
Missionaries at the time. Listening to his story, Fr Rex advised him to continue with his job, sensing that some additional life experience would help him to come to a mature decision about the direction he should take. Three years later, in 2010, Michael joined the basic formation programme of the Mill Hill Missionaries at age 25’. When I inquired about his motivation, he spoke about the gentle influence and inspiration of a long standing friend of Mill Hill, Maricel Chiongson. ‘Michael you can do it’, she would keep saying, undoubtedly supporting her words with quiet prayer in the background. ‘And I like adventure!’ he admits. ‘Mill Hill missionaries travel far and wide’. A taste of missionary life He entered the formation programme together with three others. One
by Fr. Fons Eppink mhm
The Mill Hill Missionaries in The Philippines joyfully celebrated the ordination of three new members in 2019. Curious to hear the vocational journey of at least one of these young men, I sat down one evening with Michael Gemanga. He was ordained on May 24, 2019 in his home parish of St Ann, Molo, Iloilo. This is his story. Looking back over his life, Michael recognised with great clarity, somewhat to his own surprise, that the first stirrings of a vocation to the priesthood appeared in his early 22
teens. A chance reading of the gospel of St. Matthew, which he picked up when cleaning the local library, got him interested in the person of Jesus. A desire to ‘want to follow and become a priest’ welled up in his heart. But it lay dormant during most of the following long years of secondary and then university studies. ‘I did apply to the diocesan seminary during my secondary studies in 1990, but failed to pass the exam and was turned down. That put paid to the thought for quite a while.’ Autumn 2020
Fr. Michael’s Ordination Autumn 2020
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‘A new life for old instruments’
Fr. Michael’s First Mass of his companions left after some time and is now happily married with a child. The first three years of Formation were spent studying philosophy in The Philippines and then the same number of years of theological training in Pune, India. That was followed by two years of ‘mission experience’ in Mbikko, Uganda. This gave Michael a chance to taste what missionary life involves before proceeding to ordination on May 24, 2019. Michael is now a Missionary in Pakistan. He says, ‘Edson Paguntalan, mhm, who is a young Mill Hill missionary in Pakistan inspired me to opt for our mission there’. Michael has had some tough decisions to make along the way to priesthood. One of those was when ‘I had to settle things with my girlfriend. I have experienced the pain of breaking up a relationship. I know what it is to be deeply in love’
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Michael opted for Pakistan - inspired by Fr. Edson Paguntalan, mhm, who works there ‘In the end all is grace’ ‘Formation is a continuous process’, Michael reflects, looking back over his past long vocational journey. ‘I have learnt a lot about mission and what it involves. I don’t know at all how effective I will be. I wasn’t brilliant at theology. My charism is relational: to smile, talk, walk with people and learn from them. As a priest you are part of the community, not apart from it or standing above it … In the end all is grace’. It was late in the evening when we concluded our conversation. I felt humbled by the uninhibited you-getwhat-you-see openness of Michael. No wonder someone once told him ‘You would be good as a receptionist at the front desk of a hotel!’ And his closing remark: ‘I prefer not to call you by your first name as is the custom among Mill Hill Members. I’ll keep calling you ‘Father Fons’. That is our local custom, and, after all, you are like my ‘lolo’ – grandfather’. Autumn 2020
HOW MUSIC CAN CHANGE LIVES By Fr. Wynand Huijs, mhm (Fr. Wynand is a Mill Hill priest from the Netherlands. This is an interesting story about the way he has made ‘good use of music’ in his missionary work.) Over 50 years ago (in 1969), as a young missionary, full of enthusiasm, I boarded the plane in Amsterdam clutching a guitar on my way to the land of my childhood dreams: Uganda. For years that guitar was my faithful companion in the city, in remote places, in schools and in the small Christian communities. Making good use of music - a brass band ‘The Good News’ is the key phrase that has inspired, fascinated and engaged me for more than 50 years. In order Autumn 2020
to be able to translate that message in a country like Uganda with so many languages and dialects, I have made good use of music - a universal language that crosses borders of race, tribe, religion, social position, gender and age; a language that binds people together, invites people to respect each other, gives colour to life and radiates warmth. In 1979, when Uganda was torn apart by tribal struggles, religious disputes and political tensions, I started brass bands for children from different tribes 25
One of Wynand's bands and religions. I started the first band when I was a youth pastor in Kakira in the working-class neighbourhoods of a large sugar plantation with a lot of poor youth. Two years later I was transferred to the parish of Kamuli. To prevent children there from joining the rebels as child soldiers, I started my first real Brass Band with the motto: “Hand me your weapon (gun), an instrument of destruction, and I will give you a trumpet or tuba, an instrument of peace!” I have always believed in the power of music to bring youth together and thereby give them greater selfesteem and a purpose in life. ‘A new life for old instruments’ However, it is difficult to get enough instruments for these inquisitive and enthusiastic kids. Where do you get them from? Over the years, many music bands in the Netherlands responded to a call from Harry Wolters and his daughter Petra Wolters to donate 26
instruments and uniforms for our youth bands in Uganda. In 2004, Harry and Petra travelled to Mbikko, Uganda to deliver instruments, provide music lessons and repair old instruments. Before they left for Uganda, father and daughter Wolters called on music bands in the Netherlands under the motto “a new life for your old instruments” to make old instruments available for our bands.
their lives. They report to rehearsal every day after school. They learn all kinds of social skills by making music together. That is the big difference with other children of that age.”
music teacher and conductor with brass bands, church choirs and high schools. He is currently back in the Netherlands following the Master’s degree course at Jan Cober Music Institute in Maastricht.
‘Through music I got the opportunity’ Some of the band members make it to the point that they come to Europe to study. Polycarp from Mbikko is one of those who did this. He says “I started with music in the brass band of the Catholic parish, led by Fr Wijnand Huijs, a Mill Hill Missionary. I was 12 years old when I started playing the trumpet.” Polycarp received the opportunity to further develop his talent for music. Having graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Music at Makerere University in Kampala, he followed the Kurt Thomas Course for choral and orchestral conducting in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Back in Uganda, he worked for twelve years as a
He is also conducting research into life skills training for youth in urban and small-town brass bands in Uganda. “By playing an instrument I was able to develop not only knowledge about music but also social skills such as discipline, hard work, respect and cooperation. Through music I got the inspiration, power and opportunity to dare to dream. I want to use the acquired knowledge not only for personal but also for common goals. I myself would like to become a top conductor. But my priority is to start the first orchestra in Uganda and set up a music school in the future. I like to be able to give music education and life skills training to young people from disadvantaged communities, such as where I come from.”
Harry has been back to Uganda four times and Petra twice. With every visit they see first-hand that the efforts to keep young people on the ‘straight and narrow’ with music has paid off. The children they met at the time of their first visit have now grown up. The majority of them ended up well. Harry says: “Most young people in Uganda live from day to day. Walk around a bit and see what comes their way. Children who grew up under Fr. Wijnand Huijs’ care have received more structure in Autumn 2020
Autumn 2020
Musicians busy repairing instruments with Harry Wolters
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In memory of
In memory of
Fr. Thomas Keogan, mhm Fr. Thomas Keogan, mhm, died on Wednesday March 11, 2020, aged 95. Fr. Tom was born on June 10, 1924, at Lisduff, Virginia, County Cavan. He had one brother and six sisters. Following secondary education (1940-1945) in our college in Freshford, Tom studied philosophy for one year in ‘Burn Hall’, Durham, England, and when things had settled down after the war he went to Roosendaal, the Netherlands, for his second year of philosophy. From 1947 to 1951 Tom studied Theology at St Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London. On July 8, 1951, Tom was ordained priest in the Chapel of Saint Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London, by Archbishop Mayer. Tom’s first appointment was to further studies at University College Cork. He was there from 1951 to 1955, qualifying with a BA and Higher Diploma in Education. The next appointments received by Tom led him to teach in Freshfield, England (19551958), and then in Freshford, Ireland (19581962). Late in 1962, Tom was appointed to Miri Diocese in Malaysia, where he stayed until 1973, when he moved to Brunei. After five years there, Tom returned to work in Miri until 1983, when he was due for home leave. During this home leave he followed a renewal course at Hawkstone Hall (England) with the Redemptorists. In 1984 Tom was appointed to do ‘Mission Promotion’ in Ireland, based at Dartry, Dublin. Tom’s final mission appointment 28
Fr. Fachtna Robert Staunton, mhm
came in 1986, when he was appointed to Islamabad, Pakistan. After enjoying his home leave in Ireland in 1988, Tom became Chaplain to the Irish Sisters of Charity community in Bray, County Wicklow. A period in another chaplaincy followed; from 1993 until 1998 Tom was Chaplain in St. Anne’s Hospital on Northbrook Road in Dublin. After this very particular ministry, Tom spent three years doing ‘Mission Promotion’ from our Mill Hill House in Kilkenny, until he retired to Dublin in 2001. Sadly, in 2012, because of his need for special care, Tom had to move from retirement in Dartry to a Care Home in Trim, County Meath. He died there on March 11; he is remembered with affection by all who knew him. On the occasion of Tom’s Ruby Jubilee in 1991, the then General Superior, Fr. Maurice McGill, wrote, “Tom, I thank you for the missionary service you have given for the past forty years on the home front and in Miri and Pakistan, with dedication and prayerfulness. You have helped many on their journey of faith.” Such a compliment sums up beautifully the long and dedicated life of an exemplary Mill Hill Missionary. Tom’s Requiem Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph’s House, Dartry, on Saturday March 14, 2020, with burial afterwards in the Mill Hill plot in Bohernabreena Cemetery. Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis Autumn 2020
Fr. Fachtna Robert Staunton died on March 30, 2020, aged 85. Fachtna Robert (Bob) was born in Timoleague, Co. Cork, on July 21, 1934. He was one of a family of eleven - seven brothers and four sisters. He is survived by his brother Sean and sisters Maura and Sheila. Having completed secondary education at St. Joseph’s College, Freshford, Fachtna (Bob) studied Philosophy in Roosendaal, the Netherlands, and Theology at St. Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London, where he was ordained priest on July 9, 1961, by Cardinal William Godfrey. Fachtna (Bob) was appointed to Tororo Diocese where he was engaged in pastoral work and teaching in various places over an eleven year period. In 1972, he followed a one year course in Education at St. Mary’s College, Strawberry Hill, near London. In 1977, he accepted an appointment to the USA to work in vocation recruitment and mission animation in St. Louis, New York and later in Los Angeles. In 198485, he followed a course in Navan, Co Meath, and another course at AMECEA (Gaba) Pastoral Institute, Eldoret, Kenya. He was then appointed to the Diocese of Kisii where he spent most of his time and energy teaching in Rakwaro Seminary. In 1990, he found himself in Kakamega Diocese, updating the teachers in 185 secondary schools in the diocese. In May 1999, he had a heart attack. After Autumn 2020
making a good recovery, he followed a renewal course in All Hallows, Dublin. In November 2000, he was appointed to the mission promotion work in the Irish Region, based in Kilkenny. In November 2011, he retired to St. Joseph’s House, Dublin, but continued to be available pastorally, accompanying a Neocatechumenate group and celebrating Mass with the Sisters of Saint Peter Claver. His philosophy in life was “smile and be kind to people”. In one of his letters to his superior, he wrote, “Since the age of ten – or thereabouts – I had the desire to become a priest. Service came from a religious conviction that God’s love should be shared by all. I have experienced the joy and the fear – the awe – of being God’s instrument. I thank God for His love and care for me and for others through me.” In the middle of March, Fachtna (Bob) contracted the coronavirus (Covid-19) and was taken to hospital, where he died a week later on March 30. His family, friends and Mill Hill colleagues mourn his passing and greatly miss him. A small group of close family were present for prayers at the crematorium. On Thursday July 23, a Memorial Mass for Fr. Bob was celebrated at St. Joseph’s House and his ashes were taken to his beloved Timoleague to be interred in the Abbey Cemetery there. Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis
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OBITUARY LIST
In memory of
(Up until 1/7/2020)
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on the souls of:
Fr. Jim O’Donoghue, mhm Fr. Jim O’Donoghue, mhm, died on Easter Tuesday, April 14, 2020, aged 85. Jim was born on May 27, 1934, at Caherciveen, County Kerry, Ireland. He had three brothers and six sisters. Jim went to St. Joseph’s College, Freshford, in 1947, where he completed his secondary education in 1952. He studied Philosophy in Roosendaal, Holland, and Theology at Saint Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London. He was ordained in St. Joseph’s College chapel on July 13, 1958, by Cardinal Godfrey of the Archdiocese of Westminster, England. Jim’s first appointment was to Studies at the Catholic University in St. Louis, USA, where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in History. Jim was then appointed to Saint Anthony’s College, San Jose, Antique Province, The Philippines, where he made a great contribution to the College, and is still fondly remembered there today. In 1979, Jim was back in Ireland visiting schools, recruiting for Mill Hill, and was appointed Rector of St. Joseph’s College, Freshford. In 1983, he moved to the Mill Hill College in Roosendaal, the Netherlands, for five years, to teach and be a Spiritual Director. He was then transferred to a similar post in St. Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London. He was again back in Ireland in 1992, this time for mission promotion work in parishes. Jim generously accepted an appointment back to his beloved Philippines in 2002, 30
to help in the Formation House in Iloilo. Three years later, he took up pastoral ministry in St. Mary’s Parish in Belfast, where he remained until 2016. “Fr. Jim was much loved and respected. He lived his mission with unfailing kindness, gentleness and compassion for all, especially for the homeless and needy of our streets.” (Obituary in the Belfast newspaper ‘The Irish News’). In December 2016, Jim retired to St. Joseph’s House, Dublin. He settled in well and quickly became a key member of our Dublin community as his personality and great sense of humour endeared him to the residents and staff. In early April, Jim contracted the coronavirus (Covid-19) and was taken to hospital, where he passed away on April 14. In the words of a Mill Hill contemporary, ‘Jim was a capable and dedicated allrounder. He had sharp insights and was very open and broadminded.’ Jim’s family, friends and Mill Hill colleagues were greatly saddened by not being able to visit him when he was ill. Also the normal funeral Mass and burial could not take place. A suitable date is awaited to celebrate a memorial Mass for Jim, after which his ashes will be interred in the Mill Hill Plot at Bohernabreena Cemetery. Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis Autumn 2020
Fr. Thomas Keogan, MHM Fr. Fachtna Robert (Bob) Staunton, MHM Fr. James O’Donoghue, MHM Sr. Kathleen O’Brien, sister of Fr. Michael O’Brien, MHM Paul O’Toole, father of the late Fr. Declan O’Toole, MHM Josephine Bracken, sister in law of the late Fr. Lorenzo Bracken, MHM
MEMBERS Bishop Seamus Hegarty, Monsignor Jim Cassin, Canon Michael Fleming, Rev John O’Connell, Sister Benedict Cotter, Fr. Padraig Keogh, Sr. Norah Hickey, Sr. Mary McKenna, Kathleen Attley, Mary Bane, Bridie Barber, John Begley, Michael Beirne, Thomas Bolger, Elizabeth Bracken, Bridie Brady, John Brandt, Bridie Brennan, Daniel Brennan, Seamus Breslin, Brid Brosnan, Dominic Burns, Tom Burke, Liam Burns, Podge Butler, Anne Byrne, Eileen Byrne, Gerard Byrne, Margaret & Neily Cahalane, Katie Cahill, Patrick Cahill, Kathleen Campbell, Teresa Campbell Mary Cantillon, Mary Carew, Joe Cullen, Eithne Campbell, Michael Carthy, Mary Clarke, Bridgie Connelly, Mary B Connor, Deirdre Connors, Mary Conroy, Phyllis Conroy, Carmel Costello, Michael Creegan, Bridget Crehan, Margaret Cronin, Kitty Cunniffe, Declan Cunningham, Una Cunningham. John Daly, Margaret Daly, Maura Daly, Patricia Danaher, Kitty Deane, Mary F. Delahunty, John Desmond, Michael De Lacy, Kathleen Dillane, Julie A. Dillon, Catherine Doherty, Sheila Doherty, Pat Donohoe, Mary Ann Donnellan, Mary & Pat Donnelly, Anne Donovan, Mary Dolan, Nancy Dollery, Autumn 2020
Margaret Duffy, Annie Duffy, B Duggan, Brian Dunne, William Dunphy, Nellie Durack, Rita Dwyer, Malachy Eastwood, Margaret Eccles, Eileen Emmett, James Fanning, Margaret Farrell, Mary Farrell, Kathleen Ferry Kathleen Finlay, Edward Fitzpatrick, Margaret Fitzpatrick, Mary Fitzpatrick, Maureen Fitzgerald, John Flynn, Joseph Flynn, Maura Flynn, Pat Flynn, Una Flynn, Mary Flood, Mary Foley, Nancy Foley, Elizabeth Frazer, Mary Galvin, Hugh Gibney, Mai Glynn, Joan Goggin, Larry & Mary Gorman, Pat Gregg, Bridget Griffin. Catherine Hanley, Peggy Hanley, Richard Hawe, Agnes Healy, Nora Helly, Mary Heverin, Moira Hickey, Vincent Hoban, Owen and Hanna Hollywood, Ann Humphreys, May Jennings, Maureen Johnston, Joseph Jordan, Maeve Jordan, Michael Jordan, Sean Jordan, Eileen Kavanagh, Brid Keane, Joe Keane, Monica Kearney, Inez Keating, Josie Keegan, Phyllis Keeney, Brigid Keevers, Frank Kelleher, James Kelly, Liz Kelly, Margaret Kelly, Marie Kelly, Patricia Kelly, Mary Ann Kennedy, Mary Kenny, Kathleen Keogh, Noreen Keogh, Delma Keville, John Killian, Rita Kirwan, Breda Landers, 31
OBITUARY LIST (Up until 1/7/2020)
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on the souls of: MEMBERS Bridie Landers, Mary Lane, Maureen Lawler, Bertie Leckey, Rita Lehane, Margaret Leonard, Sarah Loftus, Angela Lonergan, Marie Lowry, Mary Lucey, Kathleen Lynch, James Lyons. Peter Mackey, Paddy Madden, John Magee, Kathleen Maguire, Michael Maher, Bridie Martyn, Jessie Mascarenhas, Bernadine Mitchell, Mary Molloy, Kitty Moloney, Helen Mooney, Rita Mooney, Martina Moore, Fidelma Morrissey, James Morrissey, Josephine Morrisson, Marie Moynihan, Nora Mullin, Alphonsus Munroe, Denis Murphy, Edmund Murphy, Mary Murphy, Nora Murphy, Peggy Murphy, Mary Myles, Sally McBride, Margaret McCabe, Matthew McCusker, Annie MacMonagle,, Vera MacMahon, Ellen McCarthy, Maura McCarthy, Maureen McCarthy, Lottie McCarron, Julia McDonagh, Margaret McFadden, Sean and May McGeough, Margaret McKenna, Mary McLaughlin, Aideen McLoughlin, Germaine McSorley, Christine Nixon, Brigid Noone, Maureen Olohan. Amelia O’Brien, Ellen O’Brien, Eugene O’Brien, Monica O’Brien, Sean O’Brien, Bernard O’Carroll, Catherine O’Connell, Mary Margaret O’Connell, Antoinette O’Connor, Elma O’Connor, Kathleen O’Connor, Margaret O’Connor, Michael 32
(Bob) O’Connor, Tom O’Connor, John O’Donnell, Bernadette O’Donoghue, Nellie O’Donoghue, Mary O’Donovan, William O’Donovan, J J O’Flynn, Teresa O’Gara, Brendan O’Keeney, John O’Keeffe, James O’Hagan, Mary Joe O’Halloran, Anne O’Gara, David & Sheila O’Leary, Joan O’Leary, Connie O’Mahony, Martin O’Malley, Bridget O’Meara, Donal O’Neill, Eileen O’Neill, Eta Margaret O’Neill, Lena O’Neill, Mary O’Neill, Philomena O’Neill, Eileen O’Reardon, Dympna O’Reilly, Sheila O’Reilly, Mr. P O’Rourke, Cait & Jackie O’Shea, Hannah O’Shea, James O’Sullivan, Margaret O’Sullivan. Bernadette Phelan, Christine Phelan, Gabrielle Pratt, Mary Power, Mary Quinn, Sheila Regan, Bernadette Reilly, Nellie Rodgers, Freda Ryan, M N Ryan, Thomas Ryan, Sarah Ruddy, Patrick Ruttle, John A Sadlier, Michael J. Scanlon, Bridgie Shanley, Nora Sheahan, Alf Scarff, Mary Sherman, Mary Shine, Bridget A. Smith, Sheila Smith, Billy Stapleton, Margaret Steele, Sean Sweeney, Bob Tierney, Mary Tierney, Dr Richard Tobin, Hugh Trainor, Nancy Treacy, Kathleen Twomey, Mary Agnes Twomey, Kathleen Tyrrell, Bridie Vaughan, Joan Walsh, Margaret Walsh, Patrick Walsh, Rita Walsh, William A Walsh, Mary Ward, Mary Whelan, Gerard Whitsell, Patrick Whooley, Sheila Wynne. Autumn 2020
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Fr. Mathews Olili visiting a parishioner in Sarawak, Malaysia 1
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ST. JOSEPH’S ADVOCATE MILL HILL MISSIONARIES 50 Orwell Park Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535 Tel: (01) 412 7707 Email: organisingmhm@gmail.com www.millhillmissionaries.co.uk
