Summer 2012 - The Mill Hill Missionaries

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 150th International Eucharistic Congress - June 10 - 17, 2012

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 2AdvocateSummer 2012 Volume 52 No. 2ST JOSEPH’S ADVOCATEPublished by:Mill Hill MissionariesEditor:Fr. Jim O’Connell.Printed in Ireland by:Modern Printers, Kilkenny.CONTENTSEditorial 2 Jubilarians 16Eucharistic Congress 4 50 Years Later - Still in the U.S.A. 21Memories of Basankusu 8 10th Anniversary - Declan O’Toole 24A Week in Africa’s Newest Country 11 Africa - Be Missionaries 28The Story of a Painting 14 Obituaries 31Front Cover:Inside Back Cover:Back Cover:. Donal Harney, mhm.. Promote Our Magazine.. Jim O’Connell, mhm.Photo Credits: . Richard Njoroge, Ita O’Toole, Fons Zppink, Bart Daly.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSGrateful Thanks to all our ContributorsMISSION OFFERINGSAll Postal Orders and Cheques to be sent direct to us atMill Hill Missionaries, Waterford Road, Kilkenny.All Bank Giros to be sent direct toBank of Ireland, Parliament St., Kilkenny A/c No. 10914412Mill Hill MissionariesSt. Joseph’sWaterford Road, KilkennyTel: (056) 7721482 (Office)E.mail: jimocmhm@eircom.netFax No. (056) 7751490Mill Hill Missionaries50 Orwell ParkRathgarDublin 6Tel: (01) 4127700E.mail: josephmhm@eircom.netSt Mary’s Parish25 Marquis StreetBelfast BT1 1JJTel: 04890 320482

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 3In the late nineteen sixties, whenour home church was being renovated,the large statue of St.Joseph was removed from thechurch. At first, we thought it wasa temporary absence, but it becameclear when the work wascompleted that the statue of St.Joseph was not returning. My fathergot quite upset about it andwe learned for the first time that the previousgeneration of our family had paid for thestatue of St. Joseph when the church wasbuilt.Some time later, my father raised the matterwith the Canon (Parish Priest), when he camefor the ‘Station Mass’ (House Mass) in ourarea. My father asked why St. Joseph’s statuewas removed from the church, and wanted toknow where it was. The Canon made light ofit, saying that there were too many statuesand the New Liturgy did not encourage this.He obviously did not realise it was such asensitive issue for my father. I doubt if hewas prepared for my father’s response, whenhe said: ‘if you only knew all the hardshipthat was involved in scraping together theFROM THE EDITORFr. Jim O’Connell,mhmmoney to pay for that statue.’The Canon took things a bit moreseriously then, as my father explainedthat our family had paidfor it and that most of the moneyhad come from selling eggs andchickens - at a time when therewas little or no money around. St.Joseph was back in the church afew weeks later – though he wasplaced at the back rather than the front!This incident brought home to me that devotionto St. Joseph ran deep in our family backthe generations. The same can be said formany families, if our experience of ‘St.Joseph’s Novena’ each March is somethingto go by. In the weeks leading up to theNovena, we receive thousands of letters; thisyear, we received over 8000 letters. Theseletters contain the petition envelope, a donation,and sometimes a personal letter. The petitionenvelopes are placed (unopened) in abaskets beside the statue of St. Joseph, upnear the Altar in our church. They remainthere during the Novena and are later shredded.The personal letters get a personal responsefrom one of the priests here. PeopleMILL HILLPILGRIMAGE TO KNOCKSATURDAY JUNE 9th, 2012Transport arranged from SOME areas - or make your own travel arrangements2DETAILS FROM HILL HILL MISSIONARIESTEL 056-7721482

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 4The young Jesus with Josephby: G. von Honthorst.write about the problems that affect themdeeply. Many of these letters are very touching,as people write about their worries andtroubles with deep faith in God and great devotionto St. Joseph. All of life is there - aspeople experience it. Each letter has its ownplea for prayers and help. It can be for aloved one, who is seriously ill, or for a lovedone who has died, and for those who are leftbehind grieving for their loved one.It may be that someone is having medicaltests and is anxiously awaiting results. Parentsask for prayers for a son or daughter whohas lost the way in life through alcohol ordrugs, or getting into the wrong company –and all three can go together these days.It can be a request for prayers for a child bornwith disability and for the parents and helperswho love and care for such a child. It can besome tragedy or trauma in the family, or justthe general feeling of a need for help to copewith the ups and downs of life – which thesedays can include losing a job and trying tomake ends meet financially. There are alsoletters asking for masses and prayers ofthanksgiving for favours received.We pray for all the intentions and petitions ofour benefactors during the Novena to St.Joseph, and at a mass offered for our benefactors'intentions on each of the other daysof March. We pray for them at every masscelebrated throughout the year here in theHouse in Kilkenny, and also at our Morningand Evening Prayer.We now intend to have a Mass in honour ofSt. Joseph on the first Wednesday (8pm) ofevery month. We feel that this will enable usto continue the spirit of prayer and devotionto St. Joseph that is so strongly felt during theNovena. We also feel a need to focus moreon St. Joseph, our principal patron and advocate.Though we are generally known as the‘Mill Hill Missionaries’ our official title is:‘St. Joseph’s Missionary Society’.3

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 5EucharisticCongressPrayerLord Jesus,You were sent by the Fatherto gather together thosewho are scattered.You came among us, doing goodand bringing healing,announcing the Word of salvationand giving the Breadwhich lasts forever.Be our companionon life’s pilgrim way.May your Holy Spirit inflame our hearts,enliven our hope and open our minds,so that together with oursisters and brothers in faith,we may recognize youin the Scripturesand in the breaking of bread.May your Holy Spirittransform us into one bodyand lead us to walkhumbly on the earth,in justice and love,as witnesses of your resurrection.4In communion with Mary,whom you gave to us as our Motherat the foot of the cross,through you may all praise, honour andblessing be to the Father in the Holy Spiritand in the Church,now and forever.Amen

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 6Reflections on the Eucharist[Editors note: I expect that some of ourreaders will attend the Eucharistic Congressin Dublin this year from the 10th tothe 17th of June, while many may not beable to make the journey. We can all participatein our own way, wherever we are.We can take time to reflect on the Eucharistand what it means to us in our own lives.My hope is that the following Reflectionswill help you to do this. Please try to findsome quiet time to read them slowly andprayerfully. Take time - do not rush. Youmay want to read some of them a few timesand let the phrases touch you and sink intoyour mind and heart.Ask God to help you to come closer toJesus in the Eucharist and to be alwaysaware of his presence in your heart andlife. You may like to use the ‘EucharisticCongress Prayer’ given on the previouspage.]❒ ❒ ❒“The Eucharist is the centre, the sourceand summit of our lives as Christians…The Eucharist should lead us to exclaim, asdid the apostles after encountering Christrisen from the dead: ‘We have seen theLord’ … The presence, warmth and lightof Christ should remain with us and shineforth in our entire lives. Communion withChrist helps us to ‘see’ the signs of the Divinepresence in the world and to ‘manifest’it to all whom we encounter”.- The Year of the Eucharist, 26.❒ ❒ ❒“We are called not only to meditate onand contemplate the mystery of Christ’slove. We are called to take part in it. It isthe mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the centreof our worship of Christ’s merciful love… We contemplate and enter into the loveof the Lord Jesus: his compassionate kindnessto everyone during his earthly life; hispredilection for children, the sick, the afflicted.Let us contemplate his infinite love,that of the eternal Son, who leads us to thevery mystery of God”.- Basilica of the Sacred Heart inMontmartre, Paris.❒ ❒ ❒“The truth of our union with Jesus Christin the Eucharist is tested by whether or notwe love our fellow men and women; it istested by how we treat others, especiallyour families; husbands and wives, childrenand parents, brothers and sisters. It is testedby whether or not we try to be reconciled5

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 7we forgive those who hurt and offend us.It is tested by whether we practice in lifewhat our faith teaches us.....’ you are myfriends if you do what I command you’(Jn.15:14)” - Pope John Paul II.❒ ❒ ❒“To adore the body of Christ means tobelieve that there, in that piece of bread,there really is Christ who gives meaning toour lives, to the immense universe as wellas to the smallest creature, and to all ofhuman history as well as to the briefest existence”.- Pope Benedict xvi CorpusChristi 2008.❒ ❒ ❒“The love that we celebrate in the Eucharistis not something we can keep toourselves. By its very nature it demands tobe shared by all. The Eucharist is not onlythe source and summit of the Church’s life,6but also of her mission…We cannot approachthe Eucharist without being drawninto the mission, which beginning in thevery heart of God, is meant to reach all people”.- Pope Benedict xvi in: The Sacramentof Charity, (84).❒ ❒ ❒“We want to be united with Jesus, togive ourselves to Him utterly.Our faithtells us he is in the Eucharist; let us seekHim there. If we knew we could find Himanywhere on earth we would do our utmostto go there… Each morning at HolyMass, the Bread of Life will help the bodyas well as the soul, if we have faith”.– the Venerable Edel Quinn.❒ ❒ ❒“Christ has no body now on earth butyours, no hands but yours,

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 8no feet but yours. Yours are the eyesthrough which his compassion looks outon the world; Yours are the feet withwhich he can go about doing good;Yours are the hands with which he is tobless us now”.- St. Teresa of Avila.❒ ❒ ❒“Our lives must be woven around the Eucharist... fix your eyes on Him Who is thelight; bring your hearts close to His DivineHeart; ask Him to grant you the grace ofknowing Him, the love of loving Him, thecourage to serve Him. Seek Him fervently”.- Mother Teresa of Calcutta.❒ ❒ ❒“At no other time is Our Lord more lovingand more tender than when he, as itwere, humbles himself and comes to us inthe form of food that he may enter our souland enter into intimate union with us. Ifyou are asked why you go to Communionso often say it is to learn to love God, to bepurified from your imperfections, deliveredfrom you miseries, consoled in your troublesand strengthened in your weakness’.- St. Francis de Sales: Introduction tothe Devout Life. pps. 83, 84.❒ ❒ ❒“How beautiful is the Mass,when celebrated in a cathedral filledlike ours on Sundays, or whencelebrated simply in village chapelswith people full of faith,who know that Jesus is gatheringtogether all thatwe bring him from the week:sorrows, failures, hopes, plans,joys, sadness, pain!……United to the sacrifice presenton the altar,people are made Godlikeand now leaveto keep on working,to keep on struggling,to keep on suffering,but ever united with the Eternal Priest,who remains present in the Eucharistso that we can meet himnext Sunday also”.- Oscar Romero : The Violence of Love❒ ❒ ❒“Prayer is the gaze of faith fixed onJesus... His gaze purifies our hearts; thelight of his countenence illumines the eyesof our hearts, and teaches us to see everythingin the light of his truth and compassionfor all people”.- Catechism of the Catholic Church❒ ❒ ❒“Out of his infinite glory, may God giveyou the power for your hidden self to growstrong, so that Christ may live in your heartthrough faith. Then, planted in love andbuilt on love, you will with all the saintshave strength to grasp the length andbreadth, the height and depth; until, knowingthe love of Christ, which is beyond allknowledge, you are filled with the utterfullness of God. Glory be to him whosepower working in us, can do infinitely morethan we can ask or imagine; glory be to himfrom generation to generation in the churchand in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.Amen”.- St. Paul’s Letter to Ephesians 3:14-217

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 9MemoriesofBasankusuZaire – the DemocraticRepublic of CongoBy Fr. Patrick J. Molloy, mhm.[Fr. Patrick Molloy comes from Glencolumcille, Co. Donegal. He is celebrating his RubyJubilee (40 years). In this article, he writes about his first ten years as a priest, which werespent in a very remote mission in the tropical rainforest of Zaire – the DemocraticRepublic of Congo. Fr Patrick is now Rector of St. Joseph’s House, Dublin.]FORTY years ago, whenI was appointed toBasankusu I knew verylittle about where I wasgoing. I just about knewthat the country thenknown as Zaire was betterknown as the BelgiumCongo and French was spokenthere – as well as the locallanguages.I was informed that Basankusu was in8Fr. Patrick Molloythe Equatorial Province and partof the tropical rainforest. I wasalso told that malaria is endemicin the region; and at that time,Church-State relationships wererather strained.On the 29th March 1973, togetherwith three other Mill Hillmissionaries (Brian Coffey, JohnSmith and Brian Thorp), I boarded TheKananga ship in Antwerp Belgium, andsailed away, like missionaries of old, destinedfor the diocese of Basankusu in theRepublic of Zaire.After ten days at sea we arrived in the

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 10port of Matadi. A large crowd gathered towatch the ship dock. Custom officers andimigration officials rushed about as passengersprepared to disembark. A Franciscanpriest met us. He took us by car to his residence,and treated us to cool beer and agood lunch before seeing us off on a coachbound for Kinshasa, a journey of about 450kilometres. In Kinshasa, we made our wayto St Anne’s Procure, where the Scheut(Belgian) Missionaries welcomed us. Therewe also met Fr Noel Hanrahan (our SuperiorGeneral), who had arrived by air fromLondon and was on a pastoral visit to meetMill Hill missionaries in the diocese ofBasankusu.The Journey ToBasankusuOur stay in Kinshasa lasted for five daysbecause our Air-Zaire plane for Basankusuhad mechanical problems and the spareparts had to come from Belgium. Everymorning before dawn we went to the airportand checked whether our plane had been repaired.Eventually, everything was in orderand we took off for Basankusu via Mbandakaand Boende.In Mbandaka we had to come off theplane and wait until it returned fromBoende and then fly on to Basankusu. Butwithin an hour the plane returned becauseone of the engines was malfunctioning.Passengers for Basankusu were given theoption to return to Kinshasa or be leftstranded in Mbandaka.We made new travel arrangements thatmeant that we would continue our journeyby road from Mbandaka to Basankusu. OnEaster Sunday morning at 5.00am, long beforedawn we set off in a Volkswagen van.The road was basically a mud track withlots of potholes and wooden bridges - in urgentneed of repair. After a long bumpyjourney of over 400 kilometers through thetropical rainforest, we arrived in Basankusuaround midnight.The following day Bishop William vanKester welcomed us to the diocese and wereceived our parish appointments. JohnSmith and Brian Thorp were assigned to theparishes of Basankusu and Mampoko respectively.Brian Coffey and I were appointedto the east of the diocese, anotherjourney of around 600km. I was appointedto the parish of Yamboyo and Brian headedoff to Yalisere, one of the largest parishesin the diocese.Ten years - undersurveillance!In Yamboyo, there were two Dutch MillHill priests; Jacob Boss, was parish thepriest and Kees Vlaming was the curate.Nine years previously three Mill Hill missionariesof Yamboyo parish had been murderedduring the Congo Uprising – storiesof which were still very much alive andsomewhat disconcerting for the new arrival!Like every new missionary, my first taskwas to learn the local language: Longando,- a task that was made extra difficult sincewe had no textbooks or grammar. Eventually,I learned enough to venture out and saymass in the local language and administerthe sacraments; but because I was not verycomfortable with my knowledge of thelocal language I decided to learn the moregeneral language in the country: Lingala, -this made life much easier and more enjoyable.After two years, I was appointed asparish priest to the neighbouring parish ofDjolu, where Brother Marinus de Grooteworked as carpenter and mechanic.9

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 11The pastoral and sacramental work ineach parish is basically the same. Peopledepend on missionaries to help them bothspiritually and materially - even to facilitatethem to sell their cash crops such asrice and coffee.For a few years schools were State runand religion had been banned from theschool curriculum. Eventually, the governmentreversed its disastrous policy onschools and a new contract betweenChurch and State was negotiated. Theneach parish resumed the gigantic task of reestablishingPrimary and Secondaryschools for teachers and pupils.Djolu is a small shantytown. It had a fewsmall shops containing very little merchandise.From time to time they acquired suppliesof salt and soap, which were sold outalmost immediately. Djolu was also the administrativecentre for the region with amilitary camp. In those days Loyalty toboth president and to the political party wasparamount. In such a milieu we were constantlyunder surveillance and it was notunusual to experience harassment.Nevertheless, among State and the civilianpopulations there were good honourablecitizens who knew in their heartthat the mission of the Church is for thebenefit of people and the glory of God.It is almost thirty years since I was inAfrica; I have not returned after completingthe first ten years of my priesthood inZaire/Congo. In the intervening years Ihave ministered in New York, Los Angelesand Dublin. But there are still occasionswhen I have dreamt about being back againin Basankusu meeting people I once knew;seeing them gathering for mass and hearingabout the latest palaver. In my dreams,travel remains unpredictable and risky, butalas it is still reality for people in Basankusu.This photo (as well as the photo at the beginning of the article) was taken in Basankusu in recentyears - life in the rainforest has not changed much since Fr. Molloy worked there.10

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 12A week in Africa’snewest countryBy Fr. Bernard Fox, mhm.[The photo shows some people in South Sudan negotiating troubled waters in their troubledcountry, which gained its independence on July 10, 2011. In March, 2011, Fr BernardFox, our Vicar General, went to visit the Mill Hill Members there.]THERE is a very movingscene in the film‘Of Gods and Men’ -in which we see 9 FrenchTrappist monks in Algeriain 1996 drinking red wineand listening to Tchaichovky’sSwan Lake asthe camera pans across the room,lingering on each monk’s face.Fr. Bernard Fox mhmThey realize they may face death – from eitherIslamic terrorists or the army. They hadreflected on whether to go back toFrance or stay in Tibhirine. The localMuslim population, with whom theylive in harmony, urges them to stay.Each man has to make up hismind…. In the end, they all opt tostay – and 7 of the 9 pay for that decisionwith their lives.‘I headed for Africa’snewest country’I was visiting our Mill Hill missionaries inCameroon in March 2011, when news offighting in Malakal and around Tonga, Sudan,reached me. I knew Sudan was dangerous: On11

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 13his last visit to the country Fr Tony Chantry,our General Superior, and the man I was replacingas Councillor for the Africa Mission,got caught up in a gun battle at our Missionin Malakal, and had to lie low for hours whilebullets whizzed over their heads.Now I was the one who wanted to visit ourmissionaries to reassure them they had notbeen forgotten – but also to ask them to reflecton their situation. I therefore cut short my stayin Cameroon and headed for what would soonbe Africa’s newest country, the Republic ofSouth Sudan. After 25 years of civil war thatpitted the largely Muslim North against a predominantlyChristian and animist South, inJanuary last year, the people of SouthernSudan voted massively in favour of independence.The post referendum enthusiasm wassoon followed by outbreaks of violence inseveral places in the South. Many think thatthe Khartoum government is behind much ofthis, as there remain several issues to besorted out, not the least that of oil – of whichthe South has about 80% of the country’s reserves.People relied on Church forhealtcare, education and foodAfter three days in Juba, the new capital ofSouth Sudan, I finally got a seat on a Kush Airflight to Malakal. There had been seriousfighting in Malakal on 12th March, includingthe airport, and few airlines wanted to flythere. From the air we could soon see theRiver Nile as it snaked its way up towards theNorth. I thought of Moses in the basket andsaid my prayers! The land looked arid andbone dry, the monotony only broken by herdsof cattle moving towards the river or the occasionaltin roof glinting in the morning sunlight.The two male stewards were notwearing any uniforms but they lookedfriendly as they served us breakfast and oneof them smiled at me as he noticed the cross I12was wearing. We were on the same side! TheCatholic Church in Sudan is generally held inhigh regard in the South because, althoughmany of the rebel SPLA who fought the Northwere initially Marxists, people relied onChurch agencies for health care, educationand food after the North tried to starve theSouth into surrender.Nearly all our Mill Hill peoplehave had narrow escapesThe first thing that struck me on arriving atthe Catholic mission in Malakal was how simplyour missionaries were living. Despite temperaturesof over 40 Centigrade, they had nofridge. The food was very basic – no supermarketsin that part of the world.I made the customary visits around thetown, stopping to greet Sisters and priests,catechists and lay Christians. I had a memorableencounter with Bishop Vincent Wojwok,the former bishop of the diocese, who beggedme not to take our Mill Hill Missionaries outof the country. We have been working heresince 1938 and we “belong”, especially nowthat the country was “coming to birth.”. Ontop of this, Malakal is one of the poorest diocesesin the world – the kind of place to whichMill Hill missionaries feel sent.I was quite touched by the bishop’s wordsbut nevertheless decided to gather our MillHill members and see how they felt. Fr Peterand Ben were in Malakal, with Fr Jacob whohad come down from Tonga. We waited onthe arrival of Fr Damian and Fr Elvis, bothyoung missionary Mill Hill priests fromCameroon. They had arrived from Tonga onSunday by boat, as the roads were not safe.Nearly all of them have had narrow escapesin the past. In the latest incident that happenedthe month before I arrived, over 200 hundredpeople were massacred at New Fangak, whenthe village was attacked by an armed group

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 14“But we cannot abandon these people now”who shot many of their victims as they triedto swim across the river Nile to safety. Amongthem were several of their parishioners – andFr Jacob and Fr Damian could easily havebeen among the dead. Fr Jacob had said Massin Fangak on the day of the massacre, and heand Fr Damian only left the village a fewhours before the arrival of the killers. “Goddoes not sleep”, as they say in Africa!It was in this tense atmosphere that wegathered as a Mill Hill group on that Sundayevening in Malakal. We had decided a yearback to withdraw the two young Camerooniansand send them for formation that wouldenable them to take over important posts inour vocations and Formation Programmes(we have over 140 young men in training forthe missionary priesthood at present). I madea little speech and then asked each of the otherspresent to say how they felt, how they sawtheir future in the diocese in the light of thecurrent violence and uncertainty. I said I wasthere as a representative of the General Counciland that we would understand if they allopted to leave Malakal. They were both openand honest. Yes, they said, they were sometimesafraid and felt very fragile (and one ofthem pointed to the bullet holes in the house).Two of them had health issues.The future was uncertain and there weremany good reasons for packing up and going.But then it happened ….that old Mill Hillthing that I witnessed in Cameroon severaltimes…. “But we cannot abandon thesepeople now”, said one of them – and he wasspeaking for the whole group. “ Pass thewine,” he said, pointing to the bottle of goodSouth African red wine I had managed tobring in from Kenya. And I thought back tothe film Of Gods and Men – and those Frenchmonks sipping their wine, now at peace, becausethey too had made their choice…and Ifelt proud to be a Mill Hill missionary!13

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 15The Story of a Paintingby Fr. Christy Fox, mhmELIZA VAUGHAN, the saintlymother of our founder, CardinalHerbert Vaughan, was reputed tohave spent an hour each day, prayingbefore the Blessed Sacrament, in theprivate Oratory of the Vaughan home inCourtfield, which is near Ross-on Wye inEngland - close to the border with Wales.Her intentions were simple. She would liketo have a large family and she prayed thatmany of them would devote their lives to Godas priests or Religious. She was blest withfourteen children. One died in infancy. Of theothers, six of her eight sons became priests,and four of her five daughters became religiousSisters. It is a remarkable record for onefamily, possibly never surpassed anywhere inthe history of the Church. Sadly, Eliza died in1853, the year before her eldest son, Herbert,was ordained priest.Mill Hill Missionaries came into possessionof the ancestral home in 1950. Some timelater our Brothers built an accommodationblock and Courtfield became a Retreat Centre,with accommodation for over 50 visitors.During my time there as Rector, I was privilegedto welcome many groups and individualswho came to reflect and to pray.Our many missionary promoters in Englandand Wales, who give so generously tohelp our mission apostolate worldwide lovedto come and pray before the Blessed Sacramentat the very spot where Eliza Vaughanspent so many hours of quiet adoration. Theywould ponder on the great outreach to themissions that began in this house through the14prayer and inspiration of that holy woman.‘Do whatever he tells you’On one occasion, the Abbess of the BenedictineSisters at Stanbrook Abbey, JoannaJamieson, came for a quiet retreat. She is agifted artist and was persuaded to do a paintingover the tabernacle in the Chapel whereEliza had prayed. Appropriately, she chose thetheme of the ‘Christian Vocation’.As every vocation is answering the call ofGod, the painting is entitled: ‘DO WHAT-EVER HE TELLS YOU’. As you can see, thedominant centre of the painting is a beautifulrepresentation of the Risen Christ. The Resurrectionof Jesus, His victory over sin anddeath, is the fundamental belief of our ChristianFaith. All else flows from that. The firstand last letter of the Greek alphabet, Alphaand Omega, underlines the painting - Christis the beginning and the end.The artist captures the diversity of Christianvocation in the various small paintingssurrounding the dominant figure of the RisenChrist. The light radiating from Christ animatesand inspires all followers of Jesus. TheHoly Spirit is simply the power of God releasedinto the world by the Resurrection ofJesus from the dead.In the left corner you can see the figure ofEliza Vaughan kneeling in prayer. What awonderful vocation she had as wife andmother. On the right is the picture of theChapel at Mill Hill College, founded by hereldest son, Herbert, in 1866. From this Collegeand Chapel over the years, priests and

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 16brothers went to the ends of the earth to proclaimthe Good News of the Gospel. Priestlyand Religious vocations are featured in thevarious small images, but also marriage, thefamily meal and many aspects of life, plantingand reaping, music and song.We are all challenged to use our talents forthe good of the community, to contribute tothe welfare of our brothers and sisters and tolive according to the motto of CardinalVaughan: ‘TO LOVE AND TO SERVE’.The Christian Vocation in different walksof life is beautifully portrayed in the painting.In the past, when we spoke of vocation, weimmediately thought of the call to priesthoodor religious life. But vocation is much widerthan that.By baptism each person is called to thefullness of Christian spirituality and holinessand each one is called to play a part in thebuilding up of the Kingdom of God. Priesthoodand Religious Life are special vocations,but so also is marriage. And, whether marriedor single, each person is called upon to use hisor her talents for the good of the community,to promote justice, peace, love and development.15

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 17Mill Hill Jubilees - 2012Ad multos annosFR. MATTHEW DUNNE60 years - Diamond JubileeFr. Matthew Dunne was born in Blackrock, Co. Dublin. He spent fiveyears in Freshford, two years in Roosendaal, Holland, and four years inMill Hill London. He was ordained in July 1952. Later that year, he setoff for Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, where he spent six years. For healthreasons, he returned to Ireland in 1958. He was appointed to St. Joseph’sCollege, Freshford, as Bursar, and spent a few years in the Organisingdepartment.He then went to England to work in a parish in Southampton. This was followed by threeyears on APF work in Leeds Diocese.After this he returned to Fershford, but soon moved to Dublin when he was appointed Rectorof Herbert House. When he finished his term as Rector, he found himself back in England, inMill Hill helping with the Printing, and then in parish work in Kensal Rise, London, for sixyears. He returned to the Organizing work in Kilkenny, until he retired two years ago to St.Joseph’s House, Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin. He occasionally returns to Kilkenny to helpout when things are busy.16FR. RAY HOGAN60 years - Diamond JubuileeFr Ray Hogan mhm was born on 16th Jan. 1926 in Tirnascragh, BallinasloeCo Galway, where he went to Primary School. He began studies forthe Priesthood in Freshford, Co. Kilkenny in 1941. In 1946, he movedto Roosendaal in Holland, where he studied philosophy. This was followedby theology n St. Joseph’s College Mill Hill, London, where hewas ordained a Missionary Priest in1952. In that year he began UniversityStudies in Cork Ireland – a B.A. and a H.Dip.Ed. He was then sentin 1956 to teach for two years in Lochwinnock in Scotland. In 1958 he returned to Freshfordto teach until 1965, when he was sent on his first Missionary engagement to teach in Sabah,North Borneo, - in Beaufort and Tawau. He was a delegate to the Chapter in 1970, after whichhe was appointd Rector of Dartry House, Dublin. When he finished as Rector, he obtained aDiploma in Sacred Liturgy, and was then sent to Kenya, East Africa, to Ngong Diocese wherehe worked in Kajiado and Kilgoris Parishes. He travelled many parts of Kenya teaching Teachershow to teach Religion in School. His last appointment was to Dartry as Promoter and Distributorof our Advocate. He also does some Pastoral work where requested.

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 18FR. PATRICK NEVILLE60 years - Diamond JubileeFr. Patrick Neville was born in Cobh, Co. Cork in 1927. He was educatedby the Presentation Brothers in Cobh to Inter Cert. Standard, followedby Freshford to Leaving Cert. This was followed by two years philosophyin Rosendaal, in Holland, and four years theology in Mill Hill, where hewas Ordained priest on the 13th July, 1952.After ordination he taught in our Minor Seminary in Lochwinnoch,. in Scotland before goingto Uganda where he spent the next 13 years in schools. In 1969 he was back at work inLochwinnoch, before being sent to America on appeal work on behalf of the missions. Thiswas followed by 15 years work with the APF in England and a stint in the Diocese of Arundel& Brighton. In 1998 he retired to Herbert House in Freshfield in England before transferringto Dublin where he now resides in St. Joseph's House, 50 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin.FR. JOHN AMBROSE50 Years - Golden JubileeFr. John Ambrose comes from Shanagolden in Co. Limerick. He wentto local primary school and then to St. Joseph’s College, Freshford,Co. Kilkenny, for secondary education. He then went to Rossendaal,Holland, to study philosophy, and on completion of his studies therehe went to St. Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London, to study theology. He was ordainedin 1962. His first appointment was to America after which he was appointed to the Philippines,where he has remained ever since. He has worked in many apostolates and has aspecial interest in catechetics.FR. TONY MURPHY50 Years - Golden JubileeFr Tony Murphy is from Ahascragh, Co. Galway. After ordination at MillHill on July 8th 1962, he was appointed to Uganda. There he taught atNyenga Seminary. Later he set up a youth centre in Kampala City andworked there and at the Seminary until 1971. That year he was appointedto do further studies at University College, Dublin. After that, in 1975,he returned to East Africa, this time to Kenya, to teach at Tindinyo Seminary.In 1984, he volunteered for work in the recently re-opened Missionto Sudan. There, for ten years, he did pastoral work and teaching in Malakal andKhartoum. War, famine and sickness made missionary work difficult. After a period of sickleave, in 1994 he was appointed to Buea Diocese, Cameroon, where he taught in Bishop RoganSeminary, and did pastoral work. Later he was appointed to Bamenda to take charge of theformation of future Mill Hill priests. In 2005, he returned to Buea Diocese to be appointedchaplain to Buea University. He worked there until 2009, when he returned to Ireland. Sincethen he has been chaplain at Knock Shrine.17

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 19Mill Hill Jubilees - ContinuedFR. BARTHOLOMEW DALY50 Years - Golden JubileeFr. Bartholomew Daly was born in Mountcollins in West Limerick. Hestudied at St. Joseph’s College, Freshford, Roosendaal, Holland and atSt. Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London, where he was ordained priest onJuly 8, 1962. After his ordination he was appointed to the United States,to Mill Hill Headquarters in Albany, New York. In 1965 he was appointedto Kenya, to the Diocese of Kisumu, where he worked in Misikhu Missionand later in Kaplong. After 5 years in Kenya he was reassigned to the United States, thistime to the Bronx. There with the help of several Irish groups he was engaged in raisingmoney for the missions. In 1974 he was appointed Rector and opened a new Mill Hill residencein Yonkers, N.Y. In 1982 he was elected Regional Representative in the United Statesand reelected in 1985. He was a delegate to the 1988 General Chapter. In 1988 he becamepastor of St. Francis Xavier parish in the Bronx and after Mill Hill withdrew from the parishhe served at St. Mary’s in Poughkeepsie for one year.In 1992 he was appointed Co-Vicar for Religious in the Archdiocese of New York where heworked for 15 years. At the same time he was made pastor of Our Lady of Peace parish inManhattan. He was also elected and reelected Regional Representative during this time.FR. BRIAN COFFEY40 YEARS - Ruby JubileeFr. Brian Coffey from Beaufort, Co. Kerry, went to Freshford inKilkenny, Dartry in Dublin and Mill Hill in London. After his ordinationin St. John’s Church, Tralee, Fr. Brian, along with Fr. PaddyMolloy and two Mill Hill Brothers, set off for the Diocese ofBasankusu in Zaire, Africa. His mission covered two parishes,Yalisele and Simba, - with around a hundred villages. It was a marvelousexperience ministering there with Fr Pete van Run. The missiongave great hope to the local people who depended on theMissionaries for so much: churches, schools, medical facilities, post office, banking, and somuch more.For health reasons, Fr. Brian found himself back in Ireland in 1983 where he conducted ‘promotionwork’ for Mill Hill for the next seven and a half years. In 1992, he became Director ofthe Mill Hill Office in Kilkenny, where he enjoyed wonderful contact with many of our supportersall over the country and beyond.Then in 1999 came another big transition when he was appointed to the Mill Hill house inHartsdale New York, where he is still resident. There he enjoys doing mission appeals, ministeringin a Bon Secour hospital, and engaging with Irish Associations. Through the KerryAssociation, he has helped to raise much needed funds for Kerry missionaries around theworld.18

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 20FR. DENIS TREACY40 YEARS - Ruby JubileeFr. Denis Treacy is from Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny. He followed theusual route for most of our Irish Mill Hill members, going to Freshfordfor his secondary education, then to Dublin for philosophy, and to MillHill, London for theology. He was ordained (together with his classmatethe late Fr. John Wren) on June 18th 1972, in St. Mary’s Church,Irishtown, Clonmel. He was appointed to Kenya, where he worked inKisii Diocese for many years – in the parishes of Nyamagwa, Sengera and Magwagwa – aparish that he set up in 1998. He also spent eight years on the staff of St. John’s Junior Seminary,Rakwaro. He was appointed Vocations Director for Kenya in 2000, and was thus involvedin the recruitment of a number of the next generation of Mill Hill Missionaries. He moved onfrom this work to take up pastoral work in the parish of Tarasaa, in the diocese of Malindi - inthe Tana River Delta area of Kenya at the coast. He returned home in 2009 and was appointedto work on Appeals for APF-Mill Hill in England. This work brings him to parishes in BrenwoodDiocese in Essex and Northampton Diocese. There is a lot of travelling involved, butDenis enjoys being out and about, meeting the many faithful supporters of the Mill Hill Missionariesand the ‘Association for the Propagation of the Faith’. He is always more than happywhen he meets Kilkenny people on his travels.We congratulate all our Jubilarians, as they celebrate many years of missionary service in: Borneo,the Philippines, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo(Zaire), and not fogetting the great work that some of them have done in Ireland, England andthe United States of America.FR. DENIS O’CONNOR40 Years - Ruby JubileeFr. Denis O’Connor is from Kilmoyley, Ardfert, Co. Kerry. His fatherran the family farm, while his mother ran a country shop. Denis wasrecruited fro Mill Hill by Fr. Terry Lee, who visited the schools in Kerryin 1959. He followed the usual route of most Mill Hill people, goingthrough Freshford, Dublin and St. Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London.He was ardained on the 17th of September 1972, in ‘Our Lady and St.Brendan’s Chruch, Tralee. He was appointed to the Diocese of Kisumu, Kenya, where in ministeredin a number of parishes, but spent many years in the parishes of Port Victoria and Sirimba– an area that was the gulag of the Diocese, as he describes it!After twenty five years of missionary work in Kenya, Denis was appointed to the England, towork on mission appeals for APF-Mill Hill, covering a number of diocese: Shrewsbury, Birmingham,Cardiff and Menevia. He now resides in Birmingham and in addition to his APF-MillHill work, he is chaplain to a large catholic secondary school, and to St. Joseph’s Nursing andCare-Home, which is run by the ‘Little Sisters of the Poor’. He is in his fifteenth year on MissionPromotion and Appeals and derives great satisfaction from this important work.19

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 21FR. PATRICK J. MOLLOY40 Years - Ruby JubileeFr Patrick J Molloy is from Glencolumcille Co Donegal.He was ordained priest in St Columba’s Church Glencolumcille onthe 24th June 1972. His first appointment was to the diocese ofBasankusu, Democratic Republic of Congo.After ten years he was transferred to New York where he worked ashospital chaplain at the Bronx Municipal Medical Centre. In 1992 hebecame vocations Director in Ireland, and later Rector at DartryHouse. He returned to the USA in 2001 and became Rector at the Mill Hill House in Los Angeles,did Mission Promotion and served as hospital chaplain at Cedar Sinai Medical Centre.He was recalled to Ireland in 2006 and became Rector at St Joseph’s House for our retiredmissionaries.FR. JIM O’CONNELL40 Years - Ruby JubileeFr. Jim O’Connell is from Knockeenahone, Scartaglen, in the SliabhLuachra area of East Kerry. His first contact with Mill Hillcame through St. Joseph’s Advocate. In 1960, he began his secondaryeducation in St. Joseph’s College, Freshford. He went onto Dublin in 1965 to study philosophy, and then to Mill Hill, London,for theology. He was ordained in St. John’s Church, Tralee,on the 25th of June 1972.His first appointment was to Rome for further studies in theology. His next move was toKenya for some missionary experience. This was followed by two years in Chicago,where he studied Spirituality and Pastoral Theology. He then spent ten years on the FormationStaff of our Mill Hill Colleges in London and Roosendaal, Holland. In 1988, hewas elected Regional Representative of Mill Hill in Ireland. After six years as Regional,he was appointed to Kenya, where he spent twelve years working in Formation and RetreatWork. He returned to Ireland in 2007 and took up residence in our Mill Hill Housein Kilkenny. He is the editor of ‘St. Joseph’s Advocate’.CHRIST’S MISSION YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER“Put out into the deep - These words from St. Luke’s Gospel (5:4) ring out for us today, and theyinvite us to remember the past with gratitude, to live in the present with enthusiasm, and to lookforward to the future with confidence: ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever’(Hebrews 13:8).” [Pope John Paul II, N M 1:1]20

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 2250 Years LaterAnd still in the U.S.A.We guessed that something was wrongwhen we got to immigration and customs andno inspectors were in sight. This was October22, 1962 – the night of the Cuban MissileCrisis. President John F. Kennedy was on TVaddressing the American people and every-21by Fr. Bart Daly, mhm[Fr. Bart Daly, mhm, is celebrating his Golden Jubilee this year. He is in thephotograph (back row - fourth from right) with the group of Mill Hill Missionarieswho were working in the U.S.A. in the 1960’s. The Superior Generalat the time, the late Gerald Mahon is in the photo (seated 2nd from right) withBishop Edward Maginn (Albany) on his right.]ON July 8, 1962, 25 of us wereordained priests at St.Joseph’s College, Mill Hill,and afterwards, we were givenour first appointments by theSuperior General, Fr. ThomasMcLaughlin.Those appointments would scatter usacross the world from Asia, to Africa, toAmerica - and to this day many of us havenever met again. I was assigned to America,to Slingerlands as it was then called. It wasnear Albany, New York.On a beautiful October day I boarded aflight at Shannon and flew westward with thesun to Idlewild International airport in NewYork. As the Aer Lingus flight made its finalapproach and the magical lights of New Yorkrushed up to greet us, none of us on board hadthe slightest inkling that we would be landingin the midst of an international crisis.

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 23body (including airport personnel) was gluedto the television. It was the night that theworld stood on the brink of nuclear war.American reconnaissance flights had revealedthe installation of Soviet offensive nuclearweapons on the island of Cuba. Thesewere capable of striking major Americancities like New York, Washington, andPhiladelphia.President Kennedy called for a blockadearound Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from deliveringmore missiles to the island. USarmed forces were at their highest state ofalert that night. US planes with nuclearweapons capable of striking Russia were inthe air and at the precise moment thatKennedy began his speech to the nation, USplanes headed south from bases in Florida towardsCuba. The crisis lasted for seven daysand finally the Soviets agreed to remove themissiles from Cuba, transporting them on thedecks of the ships so that American reconnaissanceplanes could count them and makesure that all had been removed.Names that were poetryto my earsFather Pierre Heymans was at the airport.He was the Superior in Albany and the nominalSuperior of Mill Hill in America. WithFr. Hugh Lee at the wheel, we drove to Manhattanand as we headed South on the EastRiver Drive, I recall Hugh pointing out thewonderful sights, the UN Building, the EmpireState, the string of bridges over the EastRiver, New York aglow in a thousand pointsof light.When we arrived at the crowded andbustling Port Authority bus station - to take abus to Albany - I listened in awe to the PublicAddress system announcing the names ofAmerican cities that were poetry to my ears.Rocky Mount, North Carolina; Pittsburgh,22Pennsylvania; Wheeling, West Virginia;Bloomington, Indiana.The bus trip to Albany seemed endless.One of the brothers picked us up at the busstation and brought us finally to our destination,the Mill Hill house in Slingerlands. Thefollowing morning I was driven to St. Luke’sParish in Schenectady to celebrate a funeralmass – a sung high mass complete with a deaconand sub-deacon. It was my first.The Mill Hill community in Slingerlandswas large: 8 priests, 4 brothers, some MillHill Sisters and a number of seminarians.These attended classes at the local diocesanseminary, where one of the Mill Hill priestswas on the staff.The Mill Hill group in thoseearly daysWhat I recall mostly from those early dayswas the great spirit of vitality and energy ofthe Mill Hill group. Mill Hill was new to thecountry – just about 10 years – and in additionto Albany there were foundations in St.Louis and Los Angeles. The first three Americans(our classmates for four years at MillHill ) had been ordained the previous July;there were seminarians in Albany, St. Louisand even Mill Hill itself.The first session of the Second VaticanCouncil was underway; the Kennedys werein Washington, youthful, restless and full ofvigor as they summoned America to NewFrontiers In a phrase beloved of Ronald Reagan:‘It was morning in America’.In those years the priests were mostly engagedin promoting Mill Hill through talks,slide shows, mission appeals, recruiting ofvocations, giving weekend Retreats; and allof us were helping out in the local parishes.The brothers ran the farm.I was assigned to weekend work in a place

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 24Mill Hill Missionaries in the U.S.A. in recent times - Left to right: Fr. Brian Coffey, Fr.Bob O’Neill, Fr. Terry Lee, Fr. Bart Daly (author of the article), Fr. Matt Grier (now inGlasgow), Fr. Guido Gockel and Fr. Emile Frische.called Pittstown that was about one hour’sdrive from Slingerlands. Fr. Ed. English wasthe parish priest. He was also the Director ofRadio and Television for the Albany Diocese.On Sunday morning, I would drive fromPittstown to the mission church in Grafton tocelebrate the mass there. Afterwards it wasthe custom to have breakfast at the hotel – theonly one in the town- and to this day I rememberLouis Daygle who with his wife ranthe hotel. It was in the Pittstown area, closeto the Vermont border, that I first experiencedreal snow.Precisely one year and a month after comingto America, November 22, 1963, PresidentJohn Kennedy was assassinated as hismotorcade drove through downtown Dallas.It was one of America’s darkest days andeverybody would remember where he or shewas when the news broke. I had just emergedfrom the Post Office in Albany where I hadbeen sent to change the Mill Hill addressfrom Slingerlands to Albany, New York. I rememberthe hush in the street and peoplespeaking in whispers. Everything hadchanged and America went into mourning.‘Have a safe trip home’In 1965 I was assigned to Africa, to Kenya- the Diocese of Kisumu. After a five yeartour there I was reassigned to America, whereI have been ever since.Last June as I was boarding a flight forNew York at Dublin airport, the American officialat immigration examined my passport,and handing it back to me said ‘have a safetrip home’.So I was going home, home to America,where it all began some 50 years ago.23

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 25[Editor’d note:In this Issue of theAdvocate, we honour thememory of Fr. DeclanO’Toole (Mill Hill), who wasmurdered (with twoUgandan companions) on alonely road in Kotido,Northern Uganda, on the21st of March 2002. Declanwas only thirty-one.In the following pages, hissisters Sharon and Itawrite movingly abouttheir brother Declan.The Photo shows Declan,on his Ordination Day,blessing Archbishop Neary,who ordained him in 1997,in his home parish church,Claran, Headford, Co.Galway. Declan’s parentsPaul and Carmel are inthe background.]

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 26AS I am sitting down to writethis, I am playing one of Declan’sfavourite CDs, ‘TheSawdoctors’ - a band from hishome County (Galway) that he sodearly loved. One of his favouritesongs, ‘N17’ is about the roadfrom Galway that Declan wouldhave travelled on many of hisjourneys home.10 years have passed since Declan’s untimelydeath that shocked us all on March21st 2002. So much has changed in all ofour lives, but the gap that Declan’s deathhas left will never been filled. Many thingshelp us to cope better with it, and nothingmore than new life coming into the family,but it will only distract for a time from thepain and the sorrow that never goes. Youcan cry today as much as ten years ago. Nota day goes by in any of our lives that wedon’t think of Declan, and now I tell myRemembering Declanby his sister Itadaughter and my sister tells her children oftheir uncle who lived and worked in Africa,and that he is now their Guardian Angel inheaven.Declan touched the lives of many peoplethroughout the world and many that wedon’t even know about. We know that heloved the people of Panyangara (Uganda)and that love has passed on to his family;we continue to support the mission becausewe feel a connection with it and feel thathis spirit and good work lives on and continuesthere. That is where he embarkedupon his journey in 1997, and as he saidhimself on his ordination day, he was leavinghis family and friends in Claran behindhim and heading to the Karamajong tribeof North East Uganda. Physically, he wasleaving us behind, but in every other waywe were going together. “I am your missionarybeing sent out to these people, formy missionary vocation began from thisparish, and we go together”.25

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 27My husband Tim and myself got marriedin Panyangara on the 1st October 2005. Itwas a very special occasion for us both.Our families came with us - my parents,my brother Kenneth and sister Sharon andher husband Pat, and Tim’s parents andbrother also came. Hundreds of locals camefor our ceremony and the church and thesurrounds were packed. It was a very specialexperience for us as it felt as if Declanwas with us in spirit, and all of the Karamajongsinging and dancing, both in thechurch and outside, brought back manyhappy memories of my previous visits. Panyangarawill always hold a very specialplace in our hearts and we will always havea very strong connection to the place whereDeclan died and we got married.In 2006, the pupils of Declan’s oldschool, Claran National School, entered anational competition in Ireland’s leadingnewspaper to carry out a project on their‘Local Hero’. The pupils put a lot of effortinto researching Declan’s life, both athome, and as a missionary, and everyonewas delighted when the project won firstprize in the competition, earning a largesum of prize money for the school. Thiswas a fantastic achievement and the parishcelebrated for a number of weeks afterwards.It meant so much to us, his family,and especially to my parents; the top prizewas a very special dedication to the 31years of life of their son. This parish gaveso much support to Declan and his missionwhile he was alive and in the years followingit and it was a wonderful way to say‘Thank You’. So 10 years on, Declan’sgrave lies beside the Ash tree that heplanted on the day of his ordination in1997. His passing has left a huge void inour family that can never be filled. However,I do still feel his presence and feel thatthe seeds of peace that he sowed in the soilof Karamoja will continue to grow.This plaque at the bridge on the wier in Lake Corrib near Declan’s home was erected bythe fishermen. The text reads: “Spare a thought all ye who float by for Fr. Declan O’Toole,a Son of this parish; he gave his life for a noble cause in Uganda, 2002. R.I.P.”26

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 28Remembering DeclanIT is hard to believe that 10years have passed since wegot the dreadful news of Declan’smurder. I will never forgetthat night. A lot has happened inour family since 2002 that hasbrought joy to all of us (weddings,births) but there has always beena sense of sadness at these eventsthat Declan was not there.These were occasions where we missedDeclan as a family member but alsoin his “official” capacity - to officiateat the wedding and tobaptise our children. Wedid feel a sense of hispresence at these occasionsas his fellowpriests and good friendsperformed these dutiesand kept Declan verymuch in everyone’sthoughts and prayers.Declan was based in Kotidoin Northern Uganda and was allowedto return home every 2 years to hisfamily, but Declan made an unplanned journeyhome a few months before his death.They say things happen for a reason and Iam not sure our brother Kenneth wouldagree that his accident a few months beforeDeclan’s death happened for a reason. Declanreturned from Uganda to see him at thetime as he was very ill and it transpired thatthis would be the last time we would all seehim. I dropped him to the airport on his returnjourney to Uganda not knowing itwould be the final goodbye.by his sister SharonBoth Ita and I have got married; Ita hasa daughter Niamh, and I have 3 children;Emma, Declan and Ciara. We never forgetDeclan but there are times I am justso preoccupied with life and especiallywith my three young children that youdon’t have time to think. I am alwaystelling the children about the children inAfrica that Uncle Declan worked withand how they have no food, clothes ortoys. I think you have to experienceAfrica before you really understand thisand perhaps we will take them there oneday to see the good work their unclewas doing. Emma is just 5 and hasstarted school this year and,much to my surprise, I gota call from her school justbefore Christmas to askme about Declan and toknow his surname. Theschool was having aChristmas memorialservice and asked all thepupils if anyone belongingto them had died so theycould pray for them. Emma puther hand up and told them her uncleDeclan had died and was in heaven withHoly God. So it’s amazing how muchthey take in at an early age, I am sureUncle Declan would be delighted.Declan will never be forgotten and somany events and services have been heldin his honour over the last 10 years whichwere a fantastic tribute to him. He wasdoing such good work and the work continues,and we continue to support it sowe can keep up the connection with theplace Declan called his home.27

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 29‘Africa Be Missionariesto Yourselves’Pope Paul VIBy Fr. Richard Njoroge Githang’a, who is a Mill HillMissionary from Kenya. He worked in Cameroon forsix years and is now studying Theology in Rome28[The photo shows a group of Christians setting out on ‘mission’ in therainforest in Cameroon - you can read about them in the article.]

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 30AFTER Easter, weread the Acts of theApostles duringMass. I love to hear thestories of how theGospel spread amongthe first believers afterthe Resurrection ofJesus. It is as if you can’t containthe Good News; it spreads soquickly. As soon as the Gospelreaches a place it transforms thepeople, energises them and makesthem to want to share it with otherswho themselves go on to shareit. We see this movement repeatedagain and again in the history ofthe church; as soon as people hearthe Gospel they want to share it. Isuppose that’s why we called itGood News.Fr. Richard Njoroge mhmIt was because of this desire to share thatover a hundred years ago Mill Hill Missionariesfrom Ireland, Britain, Tirol and Holland,and from other countries, arrived inthe western part of Kenya, in Isebania,where I am from. They came because theyhad been sent and because like the firstChristians communities in the Acts of theApostles they thought the Gospel was preciousand worth sharing.A young strong vibrant churchThe faith that these Missionaries plantedhas grown into a young, vibrant Church thatis now beginning to send out its own missionariesand continue the work of spreadingthe Gospel. In many ways I see myselfboth as part of this movement and a fruit ofthe great work of these first Missionaries.When I was young, therewere Mill Hill Missionaries workingin the parish where I grew up. Iwas inspired by the fact they hadcome from so far away to share theGospel, as well as by the way theylived and worked with my people.I thought I too would like to be aMissionary.My first appointment, after ordination asa Mill Hill Missionary, was to the rainforests of Mamfe diocese, in Cameroon. Iwas given responsibility for twenty villagesin the remote areas of Kembong and Afap.This was my opportunity to make a positivecontribution of sharing the precious gift ofthe Gospel and to give back what I had receivedfrom the Missionaries in Kenya. Mywork as a Missionary involved many differentactivities but at the heart of them allwas the desire to not only spread theGospel, but also to help build Christiancommunities that themselves reached outand shared the Gospel.Kembong and Afap are remote areas, and Ihad to do lots of trekking, which meant spendingmany weeks at a time travelling on footbetween villages. I was always touched by thewelcome people gave me when I arrived:“Wonderful! Fadda done come oh!” (‘wonderful!Father has come’) they would say in PidginEnglish when they saw me. Many of thethings I did in the villages are the same as allpriests would do all over the world; celebratingthe Eucharist, baptising, teaching catechism,visiting the sick and the elderly and buryingthe dead. I tried to pay particular attention toworking with young people, organising activitiesfor them such as sports competitions andsocial activities, and trying to engage them inthe faith.29

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 31Inspired by the responseI was inspired by the way people respondedwith their generosity not only intheir hospitality towards me, but also in theway they gave their time and effort to buildingChristian communities. Some of the villageswere quite remote and difficult toreach. For example, Bachie, because of itslocation, had not been visited by a priest forover three years when I arrived: yet despitethis lack of contact there was still a smallgroup of people who met every Sunday topray the Rosary. As the Missionary, I wasthe one who was supposed to preach theGood News to them, but that small groupof Christians taught me how precious thegift of faith is. Oftentimes I found myselfasking who is evangelising whom?One day I was staying in the furthest villagewhen news came that some people ina village even further into the rain foresthad expressed an interest in learning aboutJesus. In that part of the forest there wereno Christians at all, so after meeting withsome of the Christian leaders we decided tosend a group of Christians, as missionaries,to reach out and visit that village (See photoat beginning of article). We walked for 20miles through the rain forest and we weregiven a most amazing welcome. After thatfirst visit ten adults became catechumensand now there is a small but growing Christianpresence. That group of missionaries intheir zeal to reach out to others were followingin the footsteps of the first missionarieswe read about in the Acts of theApostles. Their cooperation, willingnessand readiness to making a positive contributionof setting up new Christian communitywere a source of inspiration to me.After about four years of working inKembong and Afap, I became VocationsDirector for Mill Hill in Cameroon. My rolewas to help young men and women to discernif God is calling them to carry on thegreat task of spreading the Gospel. Afternearly 2,000 years there are still so manypeople who have not yet heard the GoodNews. It is great to be part of preparing thenext generation of Missionaries who arewilling to go out and share the Good News,a task begun by the apostles which the MillHill Missionaries continue carrying outtoday, and in which I feel blessed to haveplayed a small part.30Please Remember theMissions in your willI bequeath to St Joseph’s Society for the Missions Inc,(Mill Hill Missionaries), Waterford Road, Kilkenny, the sum ofe............................................... free of dutyto be applied in Ireland for the general purpose of the said Society,and I declare that the receipt of the Rev. Directorfor the time being ofSt Joseph’s Society, Waterford Road, Kilkenny,shall be a sufficient discharge of the same.

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 32o b i t u a r y l i s t ( s u m m e r 2 0 1 2 )Most Sacred Heart of Jesushave mercy on the souls of:Sean Reynolds, brother of Fr Kevin Reynolds. MHMTom Neville, brother of Fr Paddy Neville. MHMPatrick Hartnett, brother of Fr Denis Hartnett. MHMCatherine McPartlan, sister of Fr. Maurice Crean. MHMFr Martin Cleere, Fr CharlieMcPadden, Sister Marie JosephFleming, Sister Mary Kavanagh,Sr. M. Cecilia Griffin, CeceliaAngland, Mollie Barry, MaryBergin, Julia Brady, AttractaBradley, Vera Breen, JamesBrennan, Neil J Browne, ChristineBurke, Mairie Byrne, ThomasByrne, Kathleen Cadogan, MichaelCahill, Martin Campion, CyrilCarden, Margaret (Peggy) Carden,Gerald Carroll, James Carvill,Mary Ann Charles, Mary Bridget(Maureen) Claridge EileenPerpetual Members:Theresa O’Gorman, Nora Donegan, Edward Heaton,Donal Murphy, Edward Murphy, Glen McGarrell,Thomas McGoldrick, Katherine B O’Leary.Promoters and Box holders:Elizabeth Cronin, Annie Gilbride, Peter Keating, Rose Redmond.Members:Cleere, Eileen Clynes, RoleyCollier, Michael Collins, MaryConcannon, Phyllis Conroy, AgnesCown, Julia Corrigan, LiamCostello, Josephine Coyle, ThomasCunneen, Peter Curran, JamesDaly, Mary Daly, Bernard Darcy,William Davenport, HelenDennehy, Margaret Devlin, MaryDoherty, Mary Dorman, BridgetDowling, Lucy Dowling, BrendanDoyle, Willie Doyle, Mary Fenton,Bertie Finlay, Nellie Finnegan,Mary Flynn, Cecilia Foley, PeterGleasure, Joseph Goonan, John31

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 33Gorman, James Gregory, MaryGrehan, Helen Hanley, AdrianHarkin, Julia Harney, JoanHarrington, JohnHealy, Mary Heffernan, OwenHenry, P J Hoctor, Adeline Hogan,Jerry Hogan, Anita Hyland. BrigidKavanagh, Joan Kearney, LindaKearney, Dan Kelliher, MaryKelly, Sheila Kenny, CatherineKing, Maureen Lawless. JamesLawson, John Lovern, MichaelLynch, Kathleen Lynes, EdwardMackey, John Madden, TonyMaguire, Mary B Maher, MaryMalone,Vincent Martin, CatherineMolloy, Betty Moran, ChristinaMoran, Josephine Morrissey,Hannah Murphy, John MichaelMurphy, Patricia Murphy, PeggyMurphy, Margaret Murray, PaddyMcAuliffe, Kevin McBirney, JoanMcCarthy, Bridget McClafferty,Annie McEnaney, JosephMcErlean, Miss E. McGinley,Michael McGirl, NoraMcGonagle, William McGrath,Patricia Breda McInerney, JamesMcKearney, Alice McKenna,Seamus McLoughlin, DanielMcNamara, Margaret McNulty,Peter McQuaid, Paddy McVicar,Mary (Molly) Naughton, NualaNayagam, Mary Nolan,Una O’Brien-Halpin, JimmyO’Carroll, Mary O’Connell, UnaO’Connor, Margaret O’Donnell,Mary O’Donnell, DenisO’Donovan, Catherine O’Driscoll,Sean O’Driscoll, Hugh O’Gorman,Elizabeth O’Halloran, JamesO’Hora, Noel O’Keeffe, CarmelO’Mahony, Eileen O’Neill, Peter JO’Reilly, Bridget O’Rourke,Agnes O’Shea, Kathleen O’Shea,Pat O’Sullivan, Sean O’Sullivan,Kevin O’Toole, James Pender,Mary Power, John J Quirke,Patrick Quigg, Sean Regan, RoseReilly, Tommie Reilly, JudyRobins (Moore), Celine Robinson,Ita Ryder, Mary Sadlier, SharonScannell, Patrick Scriven, MichaelShanahan, Aidan Sheeran, PeterStephens. Ernest Stewart, PatriciaThompson, Gerald Tobin, NellieToner, Rosina Tuke, James Tynan,Mary Kate Vahey, Mary Walsh,Rosaleen Ward, Tom Ward, AngelaWhittle, Evelyn Whittaker.32

Summer 2012 Advocate:Layout 1 19/07/2012 12:14 Page 34Tranquil Scene - Gleninchaquin, Kenmare, Co. Kerry